Links: Colts among NFL free agency's early winners

The Colts were busy on the official opening day of NFL free agency. Ryan Grigson added veterans Frank Gore, Trent Cole and Kendall Langford, re-signed Joe Reitz and Mike Adams and wined and dined former Houston Texans Pro Bowl receiver Andre Johnson.

While everyone is trying to digest all the moves around the NFL on a hectic day, we've aggregated what some of the national media are saying about the Colts' early moves in free agency.

• Pro Football Focus is grading all the major free agent signings for ESPN.com. PFF gave the Colts an A- for their signing of Frank Gore.

"From a scheme standpoint, Gore is a better fit for Indianapolis' power run concepts, and he seemed miscast for what the Eagles like to do with speedier backs threatening the edge of the defense.

... At the very least, Gore can pick up the necessary yardage to keep the Colts' offense on schedule, taking a lot of pressure off Andrew Luck, who has often been asked to win games without a viable running attack.

...Although Gore will not provide a home run threat, his ability to work downhill in the Colts' scheme will go a long way toward their taking the next step in the AFC."

• Yahoo Sports' Frank Schwab includes the Colts on his list of Tuesday's winners and losers -- in the positive category.

"I'm trying to not be a sucker for big names past their prime here, but what the Colts are doing is intriguing.

They caught running back Frank Gore after his heel turn on the Eagles, signing the 49ers' all-time leading rusher. They landed a pass rusher in Trent Cole, who was cut by Philadelphia. And reports indicate they're the favorites to land receiver Andre Johnson, who was released by AFC South rival Houston.

If they can pull off the Johnson signing, that's a lot of hungry veteran talent on a team that seems close to pushing through to a Super Bowl.

Gore upgrades a bad running back situation. Johnson isn't going to be the Hall of Fame talent he once was, but he seems to fit well alongside T.Y. Hilton, especially with Andrew Luck throwing him the ball. Cole is still an effective pass rusher.

There's no excuse for a team like the Colts, with a star quarterback and a team that is on an upward path, to not be aggressive in their pursuit of a title. They're closer now than they were before free agency, especially if Johnson comes aboard."

• Fox Sports' Alex Marvez also lists the Colts among his Day 1 winners:

"The Colts really added two former Philadelphia starters (edge rusher Trent Cole and guard Todd Herremans) and swiped 49ers running back Frank Gore from the Eagles. Plus, wide receiver Andre Johnson is set to visit Tuesday night and could be signed to replace the departed Reggie Wayne. They also added defensive line depth with Kendall Langford."

• Jason La Confora of CBS Sports approves of the Colts' early moves in free agency:

"I prefer the approach taken this year by the Colts -- older vets with less financial risk -- than in some of their past forays. Keep in mind, they are going to have to pay big time soon enough for guys like Andrew Luck and T.Y. Hilton and a tight end or two as well, and leaving flexibility in future years is a must. Just go back and look at the top item in this column, and how the Packers do it, for a blueprint. Too many bloated contracts on declining assets will leave a mark, but in this case, the deals for Frank Gore and Trent Cole and others shouldn't be an issue in future years even amid a spiking payroll."

• The Sporting News' Vinnie Iyer ranks his best and worst of Tuesday's big moves and gives the Colts some love in "Best old guy pickup":

"Colts sign running back Frank Gore, 31. Skeptics will question why Indianapolis filled one of its biggest needs with a high-mileage back, but their younger options from last season were either ineffective (Trent Richardson) or injured again (Ahmad Bradshaw, Vick Ballard), which makes Gore a spry durable workhorse in comparison. He's also a great teammate to complement Andrew Luck and can contribute on three downs behind what is already an improved line (see Todd Herremans)."

• In his Tuesday column, Gregg Doyel wrote about the Colts getting older and how in the NFL, that's not a good thing, though he added, there's an exception to every rule. The advancing age of the Colts' Tuesday additions is a concern for CBS Sports' Pete Prisco:

"Getting older is never something you want to do as a team. Yet we had the Colts signing Frank Gore, who turns 32 in May, to a contract and they are in pursuit of receiver Andre Johnson. The Colts got rid of Reggie Wayne because he couldn't run and Johnson has slowed down in a big way as well. Why not get younger players to grow with Andrew Luck? It wasn't the Colts offense that was the problem last season. It was the defense. I know Chuck Pagano and Pep Hamilton want to run the ball more, and Gore is a tough inside runner, but the move to sign Gore isn't one that I would have made."

While Prisco was prickly toward the Colts' offensive additions, he liked what the team did on defense:

"The Colts needed to add a veteran pass rush and signing Trent Cole is a nice addition. When Robert Mathis missed last season, the Colts really struggled to get edge pressure. Jonathan Newsome, a rookie, came on late, but they needed more. That really showed up in the loss to the Patriots in the AFC title game. I like the move to sign Cole, who can still get after the quarterback, even if he might not be what he was a few years ago. I also like the addition of Kendall Langford up front on their defense. He did some good things for the Rams the past couple of seasons, but was expendable with the emergence of Aaron Donald last season."

• ESPN.com's Mike Wells says GM Ryan Grigson's moves on Tuesday illustrate that the Colts are going all in for a Super Bowl run next season.

"Grigson has no choice but to go all in because that's the next step for the Colts after losing to New England in the AFC Championship Game last season. What that 38-point loss to Patriots showed was the Colts couldn't be satisfied with making minor moves to improve the roster...

... Don't believe for a second that Grigson is done making moves. The Colts still need another starting safety, more depth at receiver and some more help on the defensive line.

The process has just started in Indianapolis, and it has been a successful start so far."

• In his latest MMQB column, Peter King included this quote from new Colts defensive lineman Kendall Langford:

"That isn't nothing but the good Lord. I'm going into my eighth season and I haven't missed a game on any level, little league, high school, college, professional. I guess you could call me durable."

King later returned to the Colts in his Ten Things I Think I Think:

"I think the next move for Indianapolis should be swapping out Reggie Wayne/Hakeem Nicks for Andre Johnson. A supremely motivated Andre Johnson. The way Johnson is feeling about being slighted by the Texans, I think he'd play like the 25-year-old version of himself, at least for one year in Indianapolis."