The new league year has officially begun and there are still some big names available on the market for the Indianapolis Colts to consider. One of which leading the way is edge rusher Jadeveon Clowney, who has yet to find a suitor.
After trading the No. 13 pick for defensive tackle DeForest Buckner and agreeing to a one-year, $25 million deal with quarterback Philip Rivers, most would assume the Colts are done with their blockbuster moves.
The fact that Clowney is still available might say more about his asking price, which is reportedly $20 million in average annual value. But could the Colts be a fit for the athletically-gifted edge rusher?
In listing potential fits for the 27-year-old, Benjamin Solak of The Draft Network believes the Colts could be one.
Are the Indianapolis Colts looking to spend? It seems like they slowplay their spending under Chris Ballard, passing on an active EDGE class last year to sign Justin Houston to a moderate deal. This year, they shelled out a lot of 2020 money — $25 million to be exact — to bring in Philip Rivers and potentially push to competing this year.
So, when I look at a depth chart that has just added DeForest Buckner for a first-round pick but is rushing Houston, 2018 second-round selection Kemoko Turay and 2019 second-round pick Ben Banogu on the edge, I see the opportunity to make significant improvements.
Buckner and Clowney are both wicked versatile, wicked athletic and excellent run defenders. All of Houston, Turay and Banogu are rushers who win from wide alignments and the presence of Clowney — a power rusher who can control the point of attack and win inside the tight end. He’s a body type they need, and completes the process of drastically improving their pass rush in one offseason.
Even after making some big moves to begin the new league year, the Colts shouldn’t be expected to be active in the market for Clowney. Chris Ballard has always preached that the sustainability of a successful team doesn’t come through free agency but rather the draft.
While he might be a fit for their aggressive front, Clowney’s price is so high and the return on investment might not live up to par. Even as a versatile, disruptive force on the defensive line, Clowney has never truly lived up to his hype as a pass rusher.
He’s extremely stout against the run, but the production as a pass rusher hasn’t been there—even when spending most of his career on the opposite side of the line as J.J. Watt.
It will be interesting to see who Clowney winds up with this offseason and while the Colts might be a fit schematically, it is difficult to see them splurging on another massive contract.