Colts free-agency moves must start in their own house

The Indianapolis Colts will undoubtedly have their eye on a number of outside free agents when the NFL's negotiating window opens Saturday.

But before we get there, they have a handful of their own free agents that they must also make decisions on.

If the Colts don't strike a deal with any of their 12 in-house, impending unrestricted free agents before March 10 at 4 p.m., they will be free to sign with any competing team.

Let's run down the list, separated in three key categories.

>> High priority

S Mike Adams – This is a question I've asked before, but it bears repeating: Where would the Colts have been last season without Adams? The veteran was signed in June for depth but, ultimately, became the team's top safety. Adams was a stabilizing presence, making key defensive coverage calls and led the team with five interceptions. He was named to his first Pro Bowl as an alternate.

Here's the latest on Adams: The sides are talking. There's motivation from both parties to make a deal, but there's still work to do. The sense here is that this will get done and Adams will cash in on the best season of his career.

CB Darius Butler – The Colts have quite a bit of money invested at this position, mostly in Vontae Davis and Greg Toler.

But cornerback depth is hard to come by, and the Colts have it when Butler is on the roster. Furthermore, he's one of the better nickel corners in the NFL, possessing an ability to play in the slot and defend the quick, shifty receivers who play there. Because the Colts play a lot of man-to-man, the slot corner position is one of importance. That player won't always get a ton of help, so he has to hold his own.

Here's the deal with Butler. The sense, as of this writing, is that he will test the market. His camp thinks he'll draw significant interest from other clubs, and I agree. But know this: Butler wants to return, and the Colts can easily make that happen.

>> On the fence

WR Reggie Wayne – You know the story here. Wayne is recovering from triceps surgery and other assorted aches and pains that slowed him in 2014. But he hasn't announced whether he intends to return. The vibe I'm getting is that he is leaning toward a comeback, but that doesn't mean much.

That's because there are other factors at work. Among them: How much will the Colts pay him and is he willing to accept a dramatically reduced role in 2015? The Colts are going to continue to let Donte Moncrief emerge and will look to develop new acquisition Duron Carter, who arrives with much fanfare.

If Wayne decides to come back, where does he fit?

DE Cory Redding – Like Wayne, Redding is also weighing whether to return or retire. His passions outside of football – his philanthropy and multiple business interests – make this is a tough decision. But likely complicating things is the fact that he played well in 2014. Even at 33, he had 44 tackles and 3.5 sacks.

The Colts can use him. They've already cut defensive lineman Ricky Jean Francois and could use some quality depth up front.

>> We'll see

S Sergio Brown – He filled in nicely for LaRon Landry during the latter's four-game PED suspension and beyond. The Colts have a severe lack of depth at safety after releasing Landry and with the free-agent statuses of their other safeties. But we can also make a reasonable assumption that the position will be a target for the Colts in free agency and the draft.

WR Hakeem Nicks – Last season was effectively a tryout for Nicks where the Colts were concerned. For Nicks, it was essentially a chance to rehab his image in the eyes of other teams with a strong season, hopefully allowing him to cash in as a free agent now.

The reality is Nicks had an uninspiring season, but evaluating him is complicated by his emergence late in the regular season and during the postseason. Nicks had a humdrum 24 catches through the season's first 13 games. Then he compiled 20 receptions for 260 combined yards in the final six games, including the playoffs. Was it enough? This is only guess, but I think the answer is no.

RB Ahmad Bradshaw – Speaking of complicated, what to make of the guy who has had consecutive season-ending injuries but also is one of the toughest and most versatile players on the roster? That's what the Colts have to decide about Bradshaw, who broke his leg this season and ended up on injured reserve. He's also got the small matter of a pending marijuana possession case in Ohio, but that's not likely to be the chief deciding factor here.

OL Joe Reitz – The Colts value flexibility above so many other important characteristics. That's why it's conceivable they re-sign Reitz, who has a role as a guard or tackle, depending on the team's needs. He stepped in last season and provided valuable performances as a backup at both spots. He's exactly the kind of player every coach needs. If they let him walk, the Colts had best find someone with a similar skill set to replace him.

LB Andy Studebaker – He's a jack of all trades, and the Colts could certainly use him. Studebaker's special-teams contributions are key, and his ability to step in as a backup outside linebacker is important, too.

S Colt Anderson – He played almost exclusively on special teams last season, but his contributions were huge. Anderson was such a big presence on special teams that he was active for 15 games despite having no regular role on defense. Anderson led the Colts with 12 special-teams tackles.

CB Josh Gordy – As stated earlier, cornerback depth is huge. The question here is, can the Colts do better considering Gordy's struggles in 2014?

DT Fili Moala – What the Colts do here is anyone's guess. Moala is coming off an ACL tear, so the Colts will first have to decide whether they are comfortable with his rehab progress. Then, they have to figure out whether there's a spot for him on their thin defensive line.