The Indianapolis Colts are headed to the playoffs so it m

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ight seem a little early to consider priority free agents for 2019 , but an NFL front office can never sleep on the future of its franchise. What Indy has accomplished this season is certainly worthy of considerable recognition and excitement but the team has to continue building toward a brighter future and one way to make that possible is to retain those “home grown” (current) players who can create a more solid foundation for the next season.While the Colts don’t have monster contracts to concern themselves with as they ponder how to approach the off-season, there are numerous pending free agents who can still play an important role in the team’s future. We will take a look at the list of priority free agents, those who might be on the bubble, and those who may be looking for a new home in 2019.PRIORITY FREE AGENTSK — Adam Vinatieri — Even through a groin injury this year, Vinatieri remains a reliable kicker. He is hitting from outside of 50 yards with room to spare. If Vinatieri wants to keep playing, Irsay/Ballard will continue signing him to a new contract — and rightfully so.CB — Pierre Desir — Chris Ballard brought Pierre Desir back to Indianapolis on a one-year prove-it contract for just over $1.5 million. Desir responded by producing 79 tackles, 2 tackles for a loss, 2 forced fumbles, 1 fumble recovery, 8 passes defensed and an interception. He played a primary role in shutting down DeAndre Hopkins and Amari Cooper during Indy’s late-season push to the playoffs.G — Mark Glowinski — When Chris Ballard selected Braden Smith at the top of the second round in the 2018 NFL Draft, he likely was projecting him to fill the right guard spot. However, Smith looks like he can kick out to right tackle and have a bright future there. Ballard snagged Mark Glowsinski off of waivers from the Seattle Seahawks at the end of 2017, and saw him help the offensive line go on a historic sackless streak. Glowinski will be 27 years old in 2019.DT — Margus Hunt — There may not be a bigger underdog player on the Colts roster than Hunt. After he had a productive 2017 season, fans were calling for his job at final cuts in the new 4-3 defensive scheme in favor of veteran John Simon. Hunt has responded by tallying 30 tackles, 5 sacks, 13 tackles for loss, 2 passes defensed, 1 forced fumble and 1 fumble recovery. He has been a dominant force for much of the season as a line penetrating defensive tackle. He can play at the nose , at 3-tech or slide out to defensive end depending on down, distance, or offensive front. S — Matthias Farley — Another highly underappreciated player in Indianapolis. Few teams can feel as confident as the Colts if they need a backup safety to come in and make a major impact in a game. Farley is a restricted free agent and will only be 27 years old in 2019. Bringing him back helps maintain depth in the secondary.LS — Luke Rhodes — There are three things to know about Rhodes. First, he snaps the ball a long way and hasn’t made a lot of mistakes. Second, he shouldn’t command a monster contract. Third, he does a nice job in coverage as a former linebacker and has made numerous special teams plays. BUBBLE FREE AGENTSS — Clayton Geathers — While Clayton Geathers has suffered through injuries over the past few seasons, he has also played in a hybrid safety/linebacker role that no other player on the Colts roster can currently fill. Other moves in free agency could change that but fans might be surprised at his production this season. In 12 games, Geathers tallied 89 tackles, 1 tackle for a loss, 2 QB hits, 3 passes defensed and 1 forced fumble.WR — Dontrelle Inman — Some thought that Inman had a chance to be a priority free agent before the 2018 season started. He had a history with Frank Reich during his time with the Chargers and seemed like a possible plug-and-play receiver in the system. While he ended up joining the team in the middle of the year, his 304 receiving yards and 3 touchdowns, with a catch percentage north of 70%, turned out to be very valuable. WR — Chester Rogers — Early in his career, Rogers flashed tremendous potential. Unfortunately, he has never fully capitalized on his opportunities and spent too much time this season behind players like Zach Pascal. He is a restricted free agent who can double as a punt returner, though, so it wouldn’t be a huge shock to see him in training camp again.WR — Reece Fountain — It might seem unlikely that Ballard would give up on a small school receiving prospect so soon but Colts fans know he won’t hesitate to pull the trigger if better options are out there. Fountain has been unable to crack into any meaningful role on the team in 2018 , despite a lack of talent at the receiver position. It doesn’t bode well for his future. He is an exclusive right free agent and that could get him a spot on the off-season roster.WR — Zach Pascal — There were times this season that Pascal was a liability, allowing passes to bounce off of his hands for easy interceptions that had a major role in Colts losses. He has settled down in the back half of the season and flashed a bit more of his potential. Is it enough to stay around? He is an exclusive rights free agent so he may find his way back to training camp.WR — Marcus Johnson — There are a whole lot of exclusive rights free agent wide receivers on the bubble. Chris Ballard was going to leave no stone unturned and gave a lot of youngsters a shot to show something. Johnson did show flashes early in the season before suffering a season-ending injury. Was it enough?TE/H Back — Ryan Hewitt — Hewitt serves his purpose and is a reasonably strong blocker. His role will always keep him on the roster bubble, however, as more talented options who play a bigger offensive role may come along.CB — Chris Milton — A liability on defense but one of the best special teams players on the team. If a better defensive corner or safety comes along, Milton is expendable. Otherwise, he is a nasty gunner on the punt team and a key contributor to numerous Colts punts pinned deep inside opponent territory.TE — Ross Travis — Frank Reich loves using tight ends in his passing game. Jack Doyle and Eric Ebron create a devastatingly talented tandem. Mo Alie-Cox is starting to look like a very promising, well-rounded option in his own right. Does the team have room for a receiving specialist at the position? Would he see snaps? Does he need to move to receiver? WE WISH YOU THE BESTDT — Al Woods — While Woods wasn’t quite as important to the 2018 Colts defense as he was to the 2017 version, he is still one of the most consistent nose tackles and run lane cloggers on the roster. What makes him a bubble player is that the Colts defensive scheme asks for gap shooters and penetrators and that isn’t his strong suit. At 32 years old, it won’t be a surprise if Ballard lets him enter free agency.WR — Ryan Grant — Brought in to serve as a reliable possession receiver, Grant never really separated himself from other young options on the team. If there is one veteran receiver worthy of bringing back into the fold, Inman seems like he would get the nod over Grant.S — Mike Mitchell — Mitchell burst onto the scene with an impressive two-game run prior to suffering a calf injury. He is a solid and experienced veteran but if one of Farley or Geathers returns, it won’t be surprising to see Ballard look for a younger prospect.G — Matt Slauson — Slauson fulfilled the role the Colts needed in his short tenure. He solidified the right guard spot prior to suffering a fractured vertebrae and allowed younger players the chance to take over. He has received numerous compliments for his role as teacher on the sidelines but will likely not rejoin the team as a player.LB — Najee Goode — Once considered the front runner to start. Rarely saw the field. We wish you the best of luck.QB — Brad KaayaT — Jamarcus WebbC — Josh AndrewsS — Corey MooreS — Ronald MartinRB — Jonathan Williams INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Houston Texans quarterback Deshaun Watson faces a different challenge Sunday.Yes, he’s up against a young defense that is pressuring quarterbacks, forcing turnovers and improving by the week. Sure, he hopes to end the league’s longest losing streak by giving the winless Texans their first victory since November.While Watson won a lot in college and even as an NFL rookie, now he must figure out a solution to the Texans’ woes.“If the tables are turned and we’re 3-0, you wouldn’t really be talking about the little details, you would kind of continue to do the same thing ,” Watson said. “Once you start losing and you really want to find out what the problem is, it’s the little things.”The norms have been out of whack for both teams lately.Houston’s trademark defense actually ranks behind the Colts in many key categories, while Indy’s traditionally strong offense has lacked big plays and late-game magic. The AFC South’s two perennial powers are seeking solutions in a competitive division led by Jacksonville and Tennessee.“It’s about better execution, more consistency,” Colts coach Frank Reich said. “Whenever you look — any team goes through the same thing when you have a day that is subpar.”Houston (0-3) has had plenty of bad days in its nine-game skid, which includes back-to-back losses to an Indy team without Andrew Luck last season. So have the Colts (1-2), who missed the playoffs each of the past three seasons and are still trying to rediscover their offensive groove as Luck closes out his first month since returning from major shoulder surgery.But the only real cure is a win — and both desperately need one.“We’ve got to get better, bottom-line business,” Texans coach Bill O’Brien said. “We have to win. We all understand that. (Team owner) Bob (McNair) has made it very clear to me that we need to improve.”Other things to consider for Texans-Colts:BACKUP PLANWhen the Colts hired Reich in February, he joked that he did his best work as a No. 2 option.This week he was reminded of one of his best games — engineering the largest comeback in NFL history with the Buffalo Bills. Even though it happened in January 1993 and even though it occurred against a different franchise, the Houston Oilers, Reich still cherishes the comeback.“It was a great memory, a great memory for the people in Buffalo anyway,” he said on a conference call with Houston reporters this week. “You get some breaks, it all works together, and you did something special that you all share together. Over the years, it’s been really fun. Still, quite often , people stop me, call me, all over. So, that’s fun.”PASSING FANCYWatson has thrown for 300 yards in back-to-back games, the first time a Houston quarterback has done that since 2012. He’s not the only one relishing this week’s matchup.In nine career games against the Colts, All-Pro receiver DeAndre Hopkins has 48 career receptions for 648 yards in nine career games against the Colts. Both numbers are in his top three against an opponent.Meanwhile, Will Fuller has caught a TD pass from Watson in seven straight games when they’ve played together.RECORD WATCHColts kicker Adam Vinatieri needs one field goal to break Morten Andersen’s career record (565) — just a short drive away from Andersen’s high school alma mater, Ben Davis. That’s not all.Vinatieri needs three field goal attempts to pass Gary Anderson (672) for second on the NFL’s career list; 34 points to break Andersen’s career scoring record (2,544 points); and one game played to pass George Blanda (341) for fourth in career games played.JACKSON TRIBUTEThe Indianapolis Colts will honor the late Edwin Jackson with a helmet decal. Colts coaches will wear a similar lapel pin.Team officials also will present a $25,000 donation to the Edwin Jackson 53 Foundation, which was formed following Jackson’s death earlier this year. There will be a video tribute and a special game program, too.Jackson made the team as an undrafted rookie in 2015 and played three seasons in Indy before being killed in a February traffic accident. Jeffrey Monroe also died in the accident.“He was a happy, happy, happy man. He was a joy to be around,” Luck said. “I think a lot of guys that know him in this locker room keep him alive in their heads and in their souls. I certainly find myself thinking about him at different times and he was such a positive member of this team.”

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