Zak Keefer | IndyStar

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We know they have needs (pick a spot on the roster). We know they have cash (roughly $74 million in salary cap space, if they want to spend it all). We know things will heat up next week, when NFL free agency kicks off and the Indianapolis Colts begin attacking their many deficiencies.

Because 4-12 can’t happen again.

Here are six offensive players the Colts could consider luring to town, and why:

(Don’t worry. Tomorrow we’ll tackle the defense.)

Catch up on the Colts and free agency:

>> Andrew Norwell, guard, Carolina

Bob Donnan, Bob Donnan-USA TODAY Sports

The big-ticket offensive lineman of this year’s class, Norwell would solve an immediate need in Indianapolis – interior line play – and offer the stability this leaky group has craved for years. Problem is: He’ll be pricey. Likely more than $10 million a year. Are the Colts willing to shell out that kind of money for a guard? Weigh for a moment the offensive line headaches they’d suffered through in recent seasons. Do they want more of that in 2018? Not a chance.

Which is what makes Norwell so enticing.

Undrafted in 2014 out of Ohio State, he became a solid starter in Carolina before breaking out with an All-Pro season in 2017. Early indications are that the Giants are the front-runners for his services, but that can always change.

>> Dion Lewis, running back, New England

Winslow Townson, Winslow Townson-USA TODAY Sports

A 27-year-old with plenty of gas left, Lewis – if he makes it out of New England – offers the Colts an intriguing option. Durability has to be a factor; this past season was the first in Lewis’ five-year career he played all 16 games. He’s a run-and-catch threat that new coach Frank Reich would love and the Colts could pair with Marlon Mack and Robert Turbin to stabilize and add spark to the running back room.

Doing it by committee isn’t something Reich is opposed to, and he’ll point his work in Philadelphia last season as an example.

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If Lewis lands in Indy, does that mean the Colts effectively take themselves out of the Saquon Barkley sweepstakes? Not necessarily. There’s no way to predict how the top of the draft will unfold. Landing Lewis doesn’t mean Barkley is out of play.

>> Allen Robinson, wide receiver, Jacksonville

Timothy T. Ludwig, Timothy T. Ludwig-USA TODAY Sports

The Colts need to ink a wideout (or two, or three) in free agency. Period. The cupboard is bare, and supplementing through the draft won’t suffice. Give T.Y. Hilton some help. Give Andrew Luck some help. Get some playmakers out there.

The Colts know Robinson’s talent. He snagged 14 touchdowns (more than Colts great Reggie Wayne ever had in one year) in a 1,400-yard season in 2015, the best of his four-year career. And he’s only 24. He’s got a lot of good football ahead of him.

But the bad news: Robinson is coming off an ACL tear that sidelined him for all but one game in 2017.

He nonetheless remains one of the top receivers on the market. What’s more: He offers the size (6-3, 220 pounds) the Colts will be losing if Donte Moncrief walks. Robinson could be the Colts’ splash signing that strengthens a weak receiver room.

>> Albert Wilson, wide receiver, Kansas City

While it looks like the Chicago Bears are the team to beat for Wilson’s services, don’t rule out Chris Ballard – who was on the Chiefs staff that brought Wilson to town in 2014 – making a run at the wideout. A 25-year-old coming off a career-best 42 catches, Wilson could be the ideal slot receiver Frank Reich needs to balance his offense and add a reliable target on third downs.

Nearly 77 percent of Wilson’s catches last season went for a first down. That’s production any offense can use. And that would certainly take the pressure off T.Y. Hilton.

But with former Chiefs offensive coordinator Matt Nagy, now the head coach of the Bears, Chicago might be where Wilson prefers signing next week. Asked last week if he expected Wilson to leave the Chiefs, Chiefs general manager Brett Veach replied, “Well, Matt’s in Chicago.” The Bears might be the front-runner, but that doesn’t mean the Colts are out of it.

>> Justin Pugh, guard/tackle, New York Giants

A former first-round pick, Pugh could be the utility man the Colts need to shore up their below-average offensive line. He’s played guard in New York (a need here in Indy). He’s played right tackle in New York (a need here in Indy). Get the picture?

And he’s willing to leave the Giants if that’s what it takes.

“I want to win, I want to win now,” Pugh told reporters at the end of the season. “I’m excited for the first chance to choose where I play and the situation that I’m in.”

Pugh noted that during his five season with the Giants, he’s only seen the playoffs once. The Colts, who’ve missed the postseason each of the last three years, aren’t exactly in a place to counter. But a healthy Andrew Luck can change that, and change that quickly.

Pugh’s recent spate of back and leg injuries – he’s missed 13 starts over the last two seasons – could cause teams like the Colts to be cautious. And the new regime in New York could be enough to convince Pugh to re-sign. But it’s no secret the Colts would welcome him with open arms. Ballard chose not to address the offensive line last offseason, instead betting on the development of his young core.

He can’t make the same mistake again.

>> Carlos Hyde, running back, San Francisco

Jayne Kamin-Oncea, Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports

Probably a long shot, but in Hyde the Colts could find the bell cow that could pair perfectly with the speedy Mack. Hyde has proven he can handle a heavy load – he’s among the league leaders in snaps per game over the past three seasons – and has nearly reached 1,000 yards the past two seasons. A capable between-the-tackles runner who could move the chains would go a long way in opening up Mack for opportunities where he excels: on the perimeter.

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