INDIANAPOLIS – Defensive line was always going to be an offseason priority for the Indianapolis Colts.
With free agency beginning two weeks from Tuesday (March 10), that need just got bigger.
On Monday afternoon, the Colts released veteran defensive tackle Ricky Jean Francois.
Parting ways with Francois does save the Colts several million in cap space as Francois had two more years left on the four-year deal he signed back in 2013.
In those two seasons with the Colts, Francois played in 26 games (23 starts).
Francois was a key, healthy, ingredient in 2014.
With Arthur Jones battling injuries last year, Francois played 60.6 percent of the defensive snaps in starting 13 games.
The Colts are continuing to clear cap space before the free agency frenzy begins in two weeks.
Defensive line is a clear need heading into the bulk of the offseason, something both Chuck Pagano and Ryan Grigson have harped on since the AFC Championship. The defensive front does appear to be one of the deeper positions in this year's draft class.
It will become an even larger need if Cory Redding decides to retire (Redding started all 16 games last year and played 70.5 percent of the team's defensive snaps).
