Indianapolis Colts linebacker Gary Brackett is set to become an unrestricted free agent at 12:01 a.m. But both the team and the player still think a deal can be reached before then.
Brackett’s agent, Brian Mackler, told the Indianapolis Star that talks are continuing with Colts president Bill Polian.
Brackett is the Colts’ starting middle linebacker and defensive captain, and he’s the kind of player both on the field and off that the Colts want to keep. Colts owner Jim Irsay said he was willing to pay Brackett a salary “competitive with some of the top-notch guys at his position.”
If a deal can’t be reached today, Brackett would be free to sign with another team after midnight. The Colts have made clear they don’t want to lose him, but there would be a silver lining if they do: As one of the final four teams (along with the Saints, Vikings and Jets), the Colts can’t sign an unrestricted free agent from another team unless they lose one.
So keeping Brackett is the Colts’ priority, but losing him would at least give them some flexibility to shop for players elsewhere.
If they let him walk, this will be a bigger loss than SB 44. Of course, it’s not like they have waved goodbye to quality linebackers before, but he also is a quality person. C’mon Colts, do the right thing.
All I know is if they let him walk you can bet he will end up a Titan. Which will make me a happy person!
Here is a thought that may do more to betray my ignorance than illuminate anything else. If I remember Florio’s explanation of the Final Eight Plan and understood it, the Colt will be limited to paying an incoming free agent to under the salary offer with additional years being limited to a small percentage increase of the first year. If this is so, would it be possible for a team that wanted Brackett to offer him a salary that is very low in the first year (preventing the Colts from being able to make a huge offer elsewhere), but then with a huge guaranteed back-end to the contract? Would there be any advantage a team or player could see to doing this beyond hampering the Colt’s ability to obtain top free agents?