The Colts newest receiver met with the media on Tuesday.  Darrius Heyward-Bey’s visits to Indianapolis and Detroit were followed by days of speculation.  First, people thought the former Oakland receiver could be a lock to sign with the Colts.  Then he left town without a contract and headed up to Detroit, leading to speculation that he was unlikely to sign with the Colts. 

Heyward-Bey told the Detroit Free Press that he was going to use the flight home to think about what to do next.  He also said the usual nice things one says after talking with a potential employer, saying it would be very appealing to play with the Lions, where he already knows quarterback Matthew Stafford.  This sparked a new round of speculation, and this time, everyone thought the Detroit Lions had the upper hand. 

After that, there was nothing.  Now new developments.  It was as though he had decided against both offers until Monday, April Fool’s Day, no less, when Jim Irsay announced that the team had finally inked Darrius Heyward-Bey to a contract.  “At the end,” Heyward-Bey said, “I just had to follow my heart and I just felt comfortable there.”

Sep 8, 2012; East Hartford, CT, USA; North Carolina State Wolfpack quarterback Mike Glennon (8) is sacked by Connecticut Huskies defensive end Trevardo Williams (48) during the first half at Rentschler Field. (David Butler II-USA TODAY Sports)

Despite adding Erik Walden and Lawrence Sidbury to their pass rushing options, the Colts are still somewhat short at outside linebacker. Walden was graded as Pro Football Focus' worst linebacker in the league for two seasons running, whilst Sidbury made just 17 tackles for the Atlanta Falcons after being drafted in 2009. His 1 year, $715,000 contract suggests a "show us what you can do" deal for a player that general manager Ryan Grigson was a fan of coming out of the University of Richmond.

Meanwhile, 2010 first round draft pick Jerry Hughes continues to be ineffectual even in a 3-4 defense, and veteran sack machine Robert Mathis has just turned 32. No matter where you look in this team, the pass rushing options have question marks looming over them.

Nov 11, 2012; Baltimore, MD, USA; Oakland Raiders wide receiver Darrius Heyward-Bey (85) scores a touchdown as Baltimore Ravens defensive back James Ihedigbo (32) defends in the second quarter at M&T Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: James Lang-USA TODAY Sports

Well, it’s finally done.  A week after hosting former Raiders receiver and first round pick, Darrius Heyward Bey on a free agent visit, Colts owner Jim Irsay announced that the team had signed him to a one-year contract.  USA Today’s Mike Garafolo reported shortly after that DHB’s contract will be for $3 million with $1.5 guaranteed. 

Unless the team finds a true gem in this month’s draft (or LaVon Brazill makes some huge strides), Heyward-Bey will take over for the departed Donnie Avery as the number two receiver on the outside.  At 6-2, 216 pounds with a 4.3-second 40-yard dash time, Heyward-Bey will bring a rare combination of speed and size to the Colts offense.  (more after the jump)

While free agency will continue to linger on, the core of the Colts' work is likely finished until the fall. With the excess in cap space, the Colts were able to sign nine free agents, filling multiple needs both in the starting lineup and in the depth of positions overall. 

However, with a roster that was as weak as the 2012 Colts, there are still plenty of holes to be filled. The Colts' roster still isn't a Super Bowl roster, although it certainly has made many improvements. 

So, with the draft coming our way, along with free agency and cuts throughout the offseason, where do the Colts most desperately need to improve on now? 

I'll be honest, I haven't been the biggest fan of Ryan Grigson and the Colts' strategy in free agency. 

That's not saying I think he's "lost" free agency or that he's a bad GM. As long as you don't kill your team's long term future in free agency, you're doing just fine. The danger of free agency is paying a huge contract to a risky player. Grigson avoided that, for the most part. As long as you don't ruin your team's chances in free agency and you draft well, you're a pretty good GM in my book. So far, Grigson has done both. 

That being said, I do think that the Colts have let a very good opportunity go to waste this offseason. They had the money to dramatically improve their team with a good free agent class. While they certainly have improved the team without mortgaging the future, which is always a good thing, they could have been much more efficient and impactful had they played the market better. 

Welcome back to the Colts Authority Tweetbag. As always, to join in the conversation, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or fire off a tweet with the #CATweetbag hashtag.

I'll take tweets on absolutely any subject except IU basketball. I'm not ready to go there yet, ok?

Q:

@natedunlevy: How would you grade Grigson from day 1? And what do you give him just for the FA period so far? #CATweetbag

— Rational Homer(@jroehling1018) March 29, 2013

Jeffrey G. Pittenger-USA TODAY Sports

The Colts made a trade today and announced that restricted free agent offensive lineman Jeff Linkenbach has signed his one-year qualifying offer.  In the trade, Indianapolis sent reserve defensive end Clifton Geathers to the Philadelphia Eagles in exchange for former USC fullback Stanley Havili (6-0, 245, 25 yrs. old).

(John E Sokolowski USA Today Sports)

After Darrius Heyward-Bey left both Indianapolis and Detroit without a contract, fans of the Colts and Lions alike are left to ponder what other options remain, should DHB (or, in Colts land, Whopper Jr. – Thanks, Mr. Irsay) sign somewhere else.  According to Dave Brikett of the Detroit Free Press, DHB is using his flight home to think about what to do. They also reported that DHB thinks he would be a great fit for the Lions’ offense. 

Although Heyward-Bey and Matthew Stafford know each other and share the same agent, the Colts have an advantage in the whole situation: winning.  Since 2009, Indianapolis has gone 37-27, while Detroit has been 22-42.  The organizations are complete opposites in that regard, with the 2011 season being Indy’s first losing season in a decade while the same year was the Lions’ first winning campaign since 2000 and first double digit win total in 15 years.  It’s likely neither team made an offer he liked very much, given his shaky career numbers, but if Heyward-Bey wants to be a part of a winning organization, the Colts are the clear-cut choice. 

Nevertheless, we're going to look at a few notable names remaining on the market along with three intriguing draft prospects.

(Christopher Hanewinckel-USA TODAY Sports)

First, let us be clear. This is not the "whopper,” Jim Irsay spoke of.  At least, we don’t believe it is.  A little over a week ago, the owner had Colts fans all speculating, and dreaming about whom the team was trying to sign as they worked on a mega deal to land a “whopper” at wide receiver.  It was not unlike Christmas Eve, except Santa never came.  The whopper deal never happened, and Irsay shifted gears to sign a backup quarterback instead (which he followed with the ‘soft pillow’ tweet).  Thus, a vacancy remains at wide receiver. 

This is the time in free agency to find players looking to sign one-year contracts and rebuild their careers or take one more shot at their dream.  It’s the dollar menu of free agency, where teams can find decent players at a low cost.  Enter, the Whopper Jr., better known as Darrius Heyward-Bey.  Heyward-Bey, of course, would be the replacement for the departed Donnie Avery, who was, himself, a player looking to rebuild his career.

Welcome to the first installment of a semi-regular series looking at the free agent pickups by the Indianapolis Colts.

This series will focus on how the players played against Indianapolis.

Erik Walden, formerly of the Green Bay Packers, was the recipient of the most controversial free agent deal given by the team.

Walden was highly criticized by the scouting/analytics site Pro Football Focus, who named the signing the worst of the year.

Interestingly enough, his best game of the year by PFF standards came against Indianapolis. He registered three hurries, and the only pass defended awarded to him by PFF last year. He also had two tackles and an assist. T

Here's what the tape tells us about Walden's ability.