Colts mailbag: Why Antoine Winfield Jr. would be a grand-slam free agent signing

The Colts are at the early point of the offseason, and for the first time in years, that means no major moves within the roster, front office or coaching staff. Unlike the past three seasons, they don't have a quarterback to jettison and another to chase down. Unlike last year, they have no coaching search and not even so much as a coordinator hire to make.

Shane Steichen said he's a believer in continuity, and for the most part, that's been the tone of the offseason so far.

But it'll be an exciting place to live in before long, too. The Colts are fresh off a 9-8 season that fell a play short of a trip to the playoffs. They have Anthony Richardson rehabbing from shoulder surgery. They have the No. 15 pick in the draft. And they have more than $60 million in cap space.

They're weeks off from any roster decisions, but as we near the Super Bowl, this is a time for dreaming, too. And that's what the first offseason mailbag is about.

(To be a part of these mailbags, follow me on Twitter, where I put out the call; or email longer questions to natkins@indystar.com.)

Question: "What is your free-agent 'crush' for the Colts?" -- @IndyFaninCali via Twitter

Answer: So, getting specific on the draft is impossible until we see how free agency plays out. And getting specific on free agency is difficult until we know which players are receiving the franchise tag. But let's have a little fun.

Of all the players who are eligible for free agency next month, there is one I think would be a grand slam for the Colts:

Antoine Winfield Jr.

I loved Winfield coming out of Minnesota. I'm a believer in NFL bloodlines and training (see: Marvin Harrison Jr.). I thought his instincts and ball skills looked next-level. And I thought his specific position as a single-high safety could mitigate the size concerns that dropped him to the second round.

But I don't think anyone predicted the monster he became for the Buccaneers in his fourth season.

Seriously, check out this stat line:

122 tackles3 interceptions12 passes defensed6 forced fumbles4 fumble recoveries6 sacks

It looks like a player you'd create in Madden, or maybe Shaquille Leonard in his prime. But it's unfathomable impact from a player at the last line of defense.

And that's because Winfield has expanded his game beyond the single-high safety approach. The son of a three-time Pro Bowl cornerback can line up on slot receivers, play in match on tight ends, live in the box and become a magnet to the football with his play recognition, quickness and ball skills.

The Colts were not pleased with their safety play this past season beyond Julian Blackmon, who is also a free agent. In an athletic sense, Nick Cross has skills to drool over, and we've seen those flash in moments. But he's struggled to get or stay on the field because there's so much more to the game than height, weight and speed.

Winfield would be what it looks like if you had many of those same traits, minus the size, with all the natural football skills that players spend years trying to build. He'd be like a cross between Cross and Rodney Thomas II, with the versatility to play in place of Blackmon or Kenny Moore II in moments, too.

He is Leonard in free safety form.

He's the type of free safety Gus Bradley needs to run more single-high looks from his Seattle-style base defense. Elite quarterbacks are currently torching those looks because few players have the range to cover so much ground the way Earl Thomas once did. Winfield is one of the rare players who can do that *and* impact the game.

And that's why it's likely only a dream. The Buccaneers would be foolish to let a player like Winfield go. He's the type of player you franchise tag twice if needed, especially coming off a division title.

But if the Colts were to make a major splash on an outside free agent this spring, I think the secondary is where that should come. Outside cornerback is an obvious possibility, but free safety could be as well.

Question: "In your opinion, what should be the Colts top priorities prior to the draft? List them by importance if you wish." -- Ed Helinski via Twitter

Answer: Here's what I see as the top five needs at this very moment:

1. Wide receiver

2. Safety

3. Cornerback

4. Tight end

5. Defensive tackle

Four of the five have in-house free agents whose returns would change the order. Think about how differently it will look if they re-sign wide receiver Michael Pittman Jr., Blackmon, Moore, defensive tackle Grover Stewart and defensive lineman Tyquan Lewis.

But outside of defensive tackle, they'll all be needs regardless.

If the Colts keep Pittman, they could still really use a fourth receiver after him, Alec Pierce and Josh Downs. They had no ability to play when Pittman missed against the Falcons, and that has to change.

We've gotten into the safety concerns. Even if Blackmon comes back and Cross takes a step forward, it's a position where a veteran could really help.

The Colts' young outside cornerbacks are unproven. Second-round pick JuJu Brents has some physicality and ball skills, but he needs to find a way to stay on the field after missing eight games with hamstring and quad issues. Seventh-round pick Jaylon Jones was up and down as a press-man cornerback still learning the finer points of the game. And you always need more than three cornerbacks who can play.

COLTS ROOKIE REPORT: How JuJu Brents, Anthony Richardson, Josh Downs handled 1st season

Defensive tackle will feel set if Stewart returns to play next to DeForest Buckner, especially with Dayo Odeyingbo's ability to rush inside. But they need to make that happen because the pipelines beyond Stewart are nonexistent.

Tight end does not have an in-house free agent but is still a significant need. That's because nobody has emerged yet as a go-to option. Kylen Granson turned in 368 yards as a move option, but he's in a contract year and has been more of a secondary piece. Mo Alie-Cox is a blocker who is also in a contract year. Jelani Woods has all the athleticism in the world, but after playing zero snaps due to ongoing hamstring issues last season, it's hard to know what he will be. Will Mallory intrigued as a fifth-round rookie, but he needs to keep developing.

That leads nicely into the next step of dreaming:

Question: "Super early draft analysis mode: Do you think Brock Bowers is an option for the Colts at No. 15, and if he’s there given the other needs, do the we pull the trigger? I love the potential pairing there and we haven’t had a good to great receiving TE since Dallas Clark. Love the content!" -- Gavin Martin via Twitter

Answer: Although I am a big NFL Draft nut, I have yet to dive in much on this year's class. We'll have plenty of time to get there, and needs will become clearer after free agency.

However, as someone who follows college football a lot, it's hard not to love what Brock Bowers can bring to a league where mismatch tight ends are meal tickets. I wrote about the ones dominating the playoffs, and we'll see that on display in the Super Bowl with Travis Kelce and George Kittle.

MORE: 3 lessons Colts can learn from how Ravens, Chiefs, 49ers and Lions got this far

I find it unlikely Bowers will be available at No. 15, because even though tight ends don't often go high in the draft, the buzz around Bowers has been loud for years. Teams will chase the next Kelce or Mark Andrews for their franchise quarterback, and Bowers' profile suggests he's as good of a swing as any.

At a listed 6-foot-4 and 230 pounds, Bowers hails from a Georgia team that has won two national titles in three seasons. He's led the Bulldogs in receiving in all three years, including this season, when he missed four games with an ankle injury. He has 30 total touchdowns and averaged 14.5 yards on 175 catches, which is a ton of chunk plays in an elite league like the Southeastern Conference.

Whether Bowers can become the devastating blocker that Kittle is remains to be seen, but he has the yards-after-catch abilities to be something like him or David Njoku in the passing game. And if he's adequate enough as a blocker, he could become a player who blends in perfectly to run and pass concepts to create play-action looks that consistently place a defense in a blender with whether they line up in nickel or base. That's what Steichen used to have in Dallas Goedert with the Eagles.

Bowers seems to be close enough to Kyle Pitts' pedigree that a pick at No. 15 is not at all likely, but maybe it's possible to trade up for him.

That's not possible with every draft crush.

Contact Colts insider Nate Atkins at natkins@indystar.com. Follow him on Twitter @NateAtkins_.

This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Colts mailbag: Why Antoine Winfield Jr. would be a dream signing