The Indianapolis Colts announced the release of cornerback Pierre Desir on Saturday and will be saving a solid amount of money towards the salary cap with the move.
After a disappointing 2019 season—the one immediately after signing a three-year extension—Desir was owed $3 million guaranteed on Sunday as a part of an injury clause. The Colts had to make a decision on whether they wanted to pay that, and it seems they felt it wasn’t worth it.
In cutting Desir now, the Colts are saving $6.85 million in salary cap space and won’t have any dead cap penalties in making the move, which is another sign of how well the Colts construct their contracts.
After signing DeForest Buckner to a huge contract and while we await the announcement of Philip Rivers’ one-year deal reportedly worth $25 million, the Colts likely felt it necessary to save some salary cap space somewhere on the roster.
The 29-year-old Desir struggled in 2019 and while the depth in the cornerback room is unproven, this likely means the Colts are prepared to make a heavy investment during the 2020 NFL draft—potentially with one of their second-round picks.
Desir played in 12 games during the 2019 season making 11 starts. He had three interceptions and 11 passes defended.