Stephen Holder

stephen.holder@indystar.com

INDIANAPOLIS – The Indianapolis Colts haven’t signed any of their impending free agents and progress seems generally slow with just days remaining before the start of the signing period.

For one free agent, in particular, there appears to be no progress at all.

Restricted free agent defensive tackle Zach Kerr hasn’t yet been tendered an offer by the team and, according to an NFL source, indications are he won’t be tendered at all.

If the Colts do not place a tender on Kerr by Thursday at 4 p.m., the three-year veteran would immediately become an unrestricted free agent permitted to sign with any team. The Colts, under that scenario, would receive no draft-pick compensation for losing Kerr.

The restricted free agency process requires a team to tender an offer to a player (at one of three different salary levels), thereby giving Indianapolis the right of first refusal. If the Colts tender an offer to Kerr, they would have the right to match any competing offer sheet he receives from another team. Restricted free agent tenders at the second-round (one-year, $2.746 million) and first-round (one-year, $3.91 million) level come with corresponding draft-pick compensation if the player is poached.

It’s unclear why the Colts appear hesitant to bring Kerr back. He made some notable plays despite inconsistent playing time and recorded 2½ sacks as an interior lineman.

One possible explanation is that the Colts have always struggled to find a role for Kerr. He’s played nose tackle, defensive tackle and defensive end in his three seasons since joining the team in 2014 as an undrafted free agent from Delaware. He’s always seemed like a better fit for a 4-3 defense in which he would play the more traditional, penetrating role for which he is better suited.

The Detroit Free Press mentioned Kerr in a recent story about possible Lions free-agent targets, citing him as a good fit in Detroit because of the Lions’ “one-gap” defensive scheme. In Indianapolis, the Colts typically ask Kerr to play a two-gap style, meaning he lines up over an offensive lineman and must attack one of the gaps on either side of the lineman (as opposed to lining up “under” and being asked to shoot through a single gap).

On a related note, the Colts have decided they will not tender an offer to another restricted free agent, linebacker Josh McNary, per another source. The backup and key special teams player could still return as an unrestricted free agent, but that is far from certain.

The Colts do not appear close to signing any of their other free agents, including tight end Jack Doyle and defensive back Darius Butler. The team’s unrestricted free agents – a group that includes linebacker Erik Walden – may begin negotiating with other teams on Tuesday afternoon. Contracts cannot be executed until Thursday.