INDIANAPOLIS — Draft day isn’t over until the Colts are finished signing undrafted free agents.
No matter how many roster spots appear to be left at the end of the draft, Indianapolis always sends a handful, sometimes offering a significant amount of guaranteed money in order to land a player.
For example, Wisconsin safety Austin Brown was one of the first undrafted free agents to agree to terms with the Colts after the 2026 NFL Draft, in large part because Indianapolis was willing to guarantee $272,500 of his contract, a source told IndyStar on Saturday night.
The process begins long before the final pick of the draft is announced.
“It starts about the fifth round, we’ll start kind of lining guys up and calling,” Colts general manager Chris Ballard said. “We prioritize, we start kind of recruiting, seeing who’s going to be available.”
The moment the draft has ended, the frenzy begins, trying to beat out other teams for the services of players Indianapolis wants in training camp.
The signings may seem small.
But they have a way of mattering once the regular season begins.
“Now you’re recruiting and trying to get guys in the boat,” Ballard said. “I think you see it every year, but the tryout camp we have, like we’ll find two or three guys in that camp every year that can help us.”
2026 Colts Undrafted Free Agents
Joel A. Erickson and Nathan Brown cover the Colts all season. Get more coverage on IndyStarTV and with the Colts Insider newsletter.
This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Colts undrafted free agent tracker: See who Indianapolis has signed
Reporting by Joel A. Erickson, Indianapolis Star / Indianapolis Star
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
