There's a good chance you had never heard of Margus Hunt before about two weeks ago (neither had we), but new general manager Chris Ballard has been busy adding bodies to an extremely thin Colts' depth chart.
Here's some contract information and quick notes on each of Indy's signings so far (base salary/guaranteed money):
COMING BACK:
Re-sign TE Jack Doyle (3 years, $19M/$10.5M): Doyle’s contract could reach $21M with incentives, and with Dwayne Allen being traded to New England, he's now unquestionably Indianapolis' #1 tight end.
Re-sign RB Robert Turbin (2 years, $4.1M/$500K): Turbin had a nice finish to the 2016 season, and will again backup Frank Gore. Expect the Colts to draft a young running back to mold for the future.
Re-sign S Darius Butler (1 year, $3M/$2.5M): Butler, who has been a key depth guy and spot-starter in the Colts' secondary for the last several years, will shift to safety where he'll have an excellent chance to start.
NEW ADDITIONS:
Signed OLB Jabaal Sheard (3 years, $25.5M/$12.75M): Sheard had 13 sacks the last two seasons in New England, and is the biggest upgrade to the Colts' woeful pass-rushing attack.
Signed OLB John Simon (3 years, $13.5M/$5.5M): You may remember this name as Simon was a star at Ohio State, winning the Big Ten's Defensive Player of the Year award in 2012. He had 12 starts and 8 ½ sacks the last two seasons in Houston, and is just 26 years old.
Signed OLB Barkevious Mingo (1 year, $2.5M/$500K): Mingo is a four-year NFL vet, and a former #6 overall pick, but only seven sacks in 62 career games, and has largely been viewed as a draft bust. He'll try to resurrect his career in Indy on a one-year flier.
Signed P Jeff Locke (2 years, $3.5M/$1.25M): Locke is a four-year NFL vet, who ranked 6th in punts-inside-20 last season for Vikings. He may be a downgrade from Pat McAfee, but he should be just fine.
Signed C/G Brian Schwenke (1 year, $1.3M/$300k): The Colts have had all kinds of injury issues on the interior of their line, so signing Schwenke for depth makes a lot of sense. He made 28 starts at center and guard in four seasons with the Titans
Signed DE Margus Hunt (2 years, $4.1M/$500k): Hunt has had four underwhelming seasons in Cincinnat with only 2 ½ career sacks, but the guy is huge - 6'8, 277 pounds.
Signed NT Al Woods (2 years, $5M): Woods has compiled 19 starts in 81 career games while bouncing around with four different teams (Tampa Bay, Seattle, Pittsburgh, Tennessee). With David Parry's status up in the air following his arrest, Woods could be your starting NT.
Signed ILB Sean Spence (1 year, $3M): Spence had 19 starts in 46 career games in Pittsburgh (2012-15) and Tennessee (2016), and he'll likely immediately start on what is still a very thin Colts' LB depth chart.
Signed TE Brandon Williams (1 year/$855K): A #3 TE and Special Teamer, Williams has played four NFL seasons with Panthers, Dolphins, and Seahawks. He'll backup Jack Doyle and Erik Swoope.
Signed WR Kamar Aiken (1 year, undisclosed): Aiken spent last four seasons with Ravens, and had career year in 2015 with 75 receptions for 944 yards and 5 TD, but was only Baltimore's fifth-most targeted receiver last season.