In the coming weeks, we will be taking a closer look at each of the Indianapolis Colts’ unrestricted free agents and making a prediction as to whether or not they will return for the 2025 season.
Up next, let’s take a look at cornerback David Long. If you’ve missed any of our other free agency predictions, you can find them below.
Will Fries
Julian Blackmon
Grant Stuard
Ryan Kelly
Dayo Odeyingbo
Mo Alie-Cox
Trey Sermon
Ashton Dulin
Mark Glowinski
Taven Bryan
Sam Ehlinger
Ronnie Harrison
EJ Speed
Kylen Granson
Long was signed to the Colts’ practice squad prior to Week 1 and then was signed to the 53-man roster in early October.
His primary role was on special teams, where Long played 106 snaps across three phases last season. Defensively, his only appearance came in Week 16 against Tennessee, where he was penalized twice in only nine snaps.
Part of the roster construction process this time of the year is also about building out the 90-man roster for offseason programs and training camp.
While the focus at cornerback is on improved play–and understandably so–depth is needed as well and bringing back Long, who has played nearly 1,400 defensive snaps in his career along with providing special teams contributions, can help in that regard.
Now, that doesn’t mean he’s going to make the roster or he’s someone you expect to contribute on defense, but teams frequently make these low risk additions to their roster over the offseason with the hope that the experience and special teams abilities can help raise the floor of a position.
However, having said that, GM Chris Ballard made it clear that the play in the secondary has to be better and that adding competition throughout the roster will be an emphasis this offseason.
So for those reasons, I think the Colts go a different direction in this regard and bring in some new faces to bolster the back end of the position group and enhance the competition. Cornerback is a position where an infusion of new players is required.
Prediction: David Long signs elsewhere.