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COLTS

Colts will retain Freeman, take a pass on Shipley

Stephen Holder
Indianapolis Colts inside linebacker Jerrell Freeman walks off the field in disbelief in their loss to the Patriots 45-7. The Colts traveled to Gillette Stadium for the AFC Championship game with the New England Patriots Sunday, Jan. 18, 2015.

Jerrell Freeman will likely be back roving the middle of the field for the Indianapolis Colts in 2015.

The inside linebacker and restricted free agent on Thursday was tendered a qualifying offer, meaning the Colts will retain the right to match any competing offer he might receive on the market. The Colts have protected Freeman further by tendering him at a level that comes with compensation of a second-round draft pick if another club signed him, two NFL sources said.

Freeman, who has an impressive 506 tackles in three seasons, will earn slightly more than $2 million once he signs the tender. He technically has until April 24 to negotiate with other clubs, though garnering an offer is very unlikely given the draft-pick compensation.

It was notable that the Colts did not extend qualifying offers to restricted free agents A.Q. Shipley and Delano Howell. Shipley, who started four games at center last season before being benched, was aware of the team's decision long ago. Howell, who is coming off two years of complications with a neck injury, hasn't played since 2013.

Both players will become unrestricted free agents on Tuesday, when the 2015 league calendar begins in earnest.

In other moves, the Colts extended qualifying offers to exclusive-rights free agents Boom Herron, Daniel Adongo, and Cam Johnson. Exclusive-rights free agents have no negotiating rights because they have just two seasons of experience.

The move to tender Adongo suggests the Colts are willing to give the former rugby player another shot after his development was put on hold last year with a biceps tear.