Tag: Kwity Paye

Colts face decision on Kwity Paye’s fifth-year option

By May 2, the Colts have to decide whether or not they will exercise Kwity Paye’s fifth-year option for the 2025 season.

The Indianapolis Colts have just over three weeks to decide whether they are going to pick up edge rusher Kwity Paye’s fifth-year option for the 2025 season.

All first-round selections come with a four-year rookie deal and a fifth-year option. This year the deadline for that option decision is May 2. If it is declined, Paye would become a free agent next offseason.

Sometimes, the difficulty of this decision is the timing of it with a full NFL season still to be played before the fifth-year option would go into effect.

The player’s salary for that fifth-year option season is fully guaranteed and determined by several factors, including playing time, position and whether the player has made any Pro Bowls.

For Paye, Over The Cap projects that his fifth-year option would be worth $13.38 million. And because these fifth-year options work essentially like a one-year deal, that entire amount would have to be absorbed under the salary cap in 2025.

Frequently, when these options are picked up, teams will eventually extend the player to a long-term deal, which helps reduce what is oftentimes a rather large one-year cap hit.

PFF recently predicted that the Colts would pick up Paye’s fifth-year option. Here was their reasoning behind that decision:

This one is pretty interesting, with Paye a good-but-not-great player who looks to have the makings of a solid NFL player for a long time, but maybe not much beyond that. That said, Paye has gradually improved and is a perfect fit in the Colts’ defense, and the option comes in at the lowest value for his position, so it makes sense for Indianapolis to pick it up and continue to push Paye’s development forward.

Last season, Paye recorded 28 pressures and a career-high 8.5 sacks — although that high of a pressure-to-sack ratio may not be sustainable year in and year out. Out of 58 eligible edge rushers, Paye ranked 11th in PFF’s run defense grade.

Colts’ Kwity Paye’s 5th-year option cost revealed

Here’s what it would cost to exercise Kwity Paye’s fifth-year option.

The Indianapolis Colts have plenty of decisions to make this offseason, including whether they exercise the fifth-year option on the rookie contract of defensive end Kwity Paye.

As a first-round pick, Paye’s rookie contract includes a fifth-year team option. Teams must decide to exercise or decline the option before the fourth year of the rookie contract. The Colts have until May 2 to make that decision.

While there are different levels of cost for the fifth-year options based on performance and playing time, we now know what it would cost the Colts to pick up the option.

Paye does not qualify for either of the Pro Bowl tiers since he hasn’t made one during the first three seasons of his career. He also failed to qualify for the playing-time criterion, meaning his fifth-year option would cost the Colts $13,387,000.

In order to meet the playing-time criterion, a player must meet one of the following criteria in terms of offensive or defensive snap counts:

  • 75% or greater in two of their first three seasons
  • Average of 75% or greater over all three seasons
  • 50% or greater over all three seasons

Paye failed to hit the final criteria because of his snap counts in 2022. This is despite the fact that he averages roughly 60% of the snaps in the games he’s been active for throughout his career.

Paye is still developing his game, but he has continued to show improvement. The Colts want to see more consistency out of him as a pass rusher, but he did log a career-high 8.5 sacks and has improved that mark every season in the league.

The increasing salary cap might make this decision easy for the Colts considering they have a lot of money to work with over the course of the next few offseasons.

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8 Colts who could receive contract extensions this offseason

Taking a look at eight Colts who could receive contract extensions this offseason.

Ever since Chris Ballard took over as general manager of the Indianapolis Colts, they have been a team not afraid to hand out contract extensions to players they feel have earned it.

This is a big offseason for a Colts organization that is looking to build a playoff contender after narrowly missing out on the postseason. Re-signing some pending free agents to new deals and handing out some contract extensions to players currently under contract will be two ways of doing so.

We’re taking two schools of thought here as it pertains to contract extensions. The first includes pending free agents we believe could earn a multi-year deal before the new league year arrives in March.

The other includes players going into the final year of their current contract. We’ve seen Ballard hand out extensions in the past when players have one year remaining on current deals before that final season arrives. In theory, these deals would likely get done during the summer after free agency and the 2024 NFL draft have already passed.

Admittedly, we’re casting a pretty wide net here. Not all of the players below will receive a new deal this offseason. In fact, the majority of them probably won’t. But if there’s a slight chance they might, we’re going to make the argument as to why it could happen.

Here are eight Colts currently under contract who could receive a contract extension during the 2024 offseason:

Colts’ top needs entering 2024 offseason

Taking a look at the top needs for the Colts entering the 2024 offseason.

With the 2023 season officially over for the Indianapolis Colts, they are officially in offseason mode.

As 2024 begins, Indianapolis will look to add to its roster and strengthen some perceived weaknesses through free agency, trades and the NFL draft.

With that being said, here are some of the top needs for Indianapolis moving forward:

Stock up, stock down as Colts enter Week 18

Stock report for the Colts’ going into Week 18.

The Indianapolis Colts (9-7) came away with a 23-20 win over the Las Vegas Raiders (7-9) in Week 17, giving themselves a chance to make the playoffs if they’re victorious during the regular-season finale.

Though the Colts held the lead from the opening drive of the game, there were a few moments in which the Raiders appeared to be mounting a comeback. However, Indy was able to hold onto the lead despite not scoring a touchdown in the second half.

Now, it’s time to take a look at whose stock was impacted from the team’s largest loss of the season.

When taking stock of a player’s performance, it’s best to be fluid. A player’s stock will fall and rise throughout the season so none of this is set in stone. However, it is important to take note of the narratives and storylines taking place as the campaign progresses.

A player’s stock can be impacted by factors such as their performance or the type of snaps they receive during the games.

Here’s a look at the stock report for the Colts following the Week 17 win:

Colts vs. Steelers: 5 things to watch in Week 15

Here are five things to watch for in Week 15.

The Indianapolis Colts will be looking to shake off their disappointing loss to the Cincinnati Bengals as they are set to host the Pittsburgh Steelers in a Saturday matchup in Week 15.

This series hasn’t been favorable for the Colts. They have lost eight straight games to the Steelers with their last win in the series coming back in 2008.

The last time Indianapolis beat Pittsburgh at home came in 2005. This is another crucial AFC contest for the Colts with both teams currently in the playoffs and a win on Saturday can help create separation heading into the final three weeks of the season.

Here are five things to watch for when this game kicks off on Saturday afternoon:

3 Colts among top-10 at their position in Pro Bowl voting

A trio of Colts are top-10 at their position in Pro Bowl fan votes.

With fan voting commencing for the 2024 Pro Bowl Games, the Indianapolis Colts have three players among the top-10 at their respective positions.

Linebacker Zaire Franklin has the third-most votes among inside linebackers behind only Fred Warner and Roquan Smith. He currently ranks second in total tackles (130) and solo tackles (80). Franklin has never been voted to the Pro Bowl.

Left guard Quenton Nelson has enjoyed a bounce-back season and is currently seventh among guards in Pro Bowl voting. He’s back to moving people at will in the run game, and his 16 total pressures allowed ranks 12th among guards with at least 319 pass-blocking snaps, according to Pro Football Focus. He has been voted to the Pro Bowl five times in his first six seasons.

Cornerback Kenny Moore II also is enjoying a bounce-back campaign in Gus Bradley’s system. Even though the NFL still doesn’t have a slot defender position for the Pro Bowl, Moore ranks 10th among cornerbacks in Pro Bowl voting. His 71.6 passer rating allowed in coverage ranks 11th among cornerbacks with at least 275 coverage snaps, according to Pro Football Focus. His 70.2 passer rating allowed from the slot is the best mark among all slot defenders.

There do appear to be a few snubs from the list. Defensive tackle DeForest Buckner is once again having a stellar season and continues to be one of the best interior pass rushers in the NFL.

Making a case for wide receiver Michael Pittman Jr. has been difficult in the past, but he warrants consideration this season. He ranks fourth in receptions (87) and 14th in receiving yards (889), doing so with a backup quarterback.

The edge rusher group is deep every year, but the Colts have gotten some strong production from Samson Ebukam and Kwity Paye while safety Julian Blackmon has the sixth-lowest passer rating allowed in coverage among safeties with at least 262 coverage snaps, according to Pro Football Focus.

Fan voting for the 2024 Pro Bowl Games continues until Monday, Dec. 25. That will account for one-third of the votes with NFL players and coaches casting their votes on Friday, Dec. 29, accounting for the final two-thirds.

The 2024 Pro Bowl Games will begin with a skill competition on Feb. 1, 2024, and conclude on Feb. 4, 2024, with the flag football game.

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Colts’ Kwity Paye suffers hamstring injury vs. Patriots

UPDATE: Kwity Paye returned to the field during the second quarter.

UPDATE: Kwity Paye returned to the game near the end of the second quarter. You can read the original post below.

Indianapolis Colts defensive ends Kwity Paye suffered a hamstring injury on the opening drive of the game against the New England Patriots in Week 10 and is questionable to return.

Paye was able to walk off the field under his own power but was attended to by the training staff on the field after a run play. It isn’t clear how severe the injury is.

Fellow defensive end Tyquan Lewis also suffered a calf injury but he later returned in the second quarter.

We will update this post with any change in his status for the remainder of the game.

5 Moneyball trades Kwesi Adofo-Mensah can make

These players are ones that Kwesi Adofo-Mensah could be willing to trade for with a Moneyball approach

The trade deadline is coming up and the Minnesota Vikings have likely made themselves buyers with a 22-17 win over the San Francisco 49ers on Monday night.

It’s quite simple for the Vikings. They have played really well against quality opponents all season, but haven’t been able to finish the job. Why haven’t they been able to finish games? Lack of discipline, mainly with ball control.

The Vikings have turned it over 14 times this season while forcing just nine themselves with six of them coming in their last two games and seven of them forced in their three wins.

They are currently just 0.5 games out of a wild card spot and two games out of the NFC North division lead with five of their six division games still left to play.

Earlier this week, I explored players that the Vikings could target that could help the team immediately and in the future. Most of those were established players that would cost significant draft capital

However, general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah has shown a willingness to gamble on talent and upside with the use of a Moneyball approach. He did so with Jalen Reagor and Ross Blacklock. I identified five players the Vikings could target to use the same philosophy.

Colts’ Kwity Paye, Bernhard Raimann clear concussion protocol

Bernhard Raimann and Kwity Paye have cleared the concussion protocol.

Indianapolis Colts defensive end Kwity Paye and left tackle Bernhard Raimann cleared the league’s concussion protocol and were taken off the Week 6 injury report.

Paye started showing symptoms of a concussion following the Week 4 loss to the Los Angeles Rams. He was inactive for the Week 5 game against the Tennessee Titans but was able to progress through the protocol to be ready for this week’s game against the Jacksonville Jaguars.

Raimann suffered his concussion during practice leading up to the Week 4 game against the Rams. He was inactive for that game and was unable to clear the protocol in time for the game against the Titans.

However, he was able to pass through the protocol in order to be ready for the road game against the Jaguars.

Rookie Blake Freeland will slide over to right tackle on Sunday to replace Braden Smith, who will be inactive due to a hip injury he suffered during Thursday’s practice this week.

Meanwhile, tight end Mo Alie-Cox is questionable after logging a full practice Friday. He still needs to be cleared by the independent neurologist so we will likely get an update there on Saturday.

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