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The Indianapolis Colts traded for defensive end Yannick Ngakoue in March to bolster their pass rush for the 2022 season. But NFL writer Kristopher Knox of Bleacher Report says the Colts could still fit another pass rusher on this season’s roster.
In an article where Knox proposed the best remaining free agent fits for all 32 NFL teams, he named former All-Pro edge rusher Jason Pierre-Paul as the best fit for the Colts.
“The Colts should be interested in adding even more to the equation,” Knox wrote. “A playoff contender cannot have too many quality sacks artists, and Indianapolis—now equipped with quarterback Matt Ryan—should view itself as a contender.”
Pierre-Paul made first-team All Pro during his second season in 2011 with the New York Giants. He has also made three Pro Bowls in his 12-year career.
Over the last four years, Pierre-Paul played for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. He posted 31 combined tackles, including 3 tackles for loss, 2.5 sacks, 4 pass defenses and 1 forced fumble in 12 games last year.
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How Pierre-Paul Fits With Colts
Knox argued that the 33-year-old edge rusher could contribute for the Colts in two ways. First, his presence would help groom the young pass rushers Indianapolis has on the roster.
Secondly, maybe most importantly, Pierre-Paul could also be a valuable rotational edge rusher. Although he had only 2.5 sacks last season, he posted at least 7.0 sacks every year from 2016-20.
“Pierre-Paul is exactly the sort of veteran pass-rusher the Colts could use this season,” Knox wrote. “He has Super Bowl experience (XLVI and LV) and could mentor younger edge-rushers like Kwity Paye and Dayo Odeyingbo.
“Of course, Pierre-Paul could also help improve Indy’s pass-rushing depth. He had a down season in 2021, finishing with only 2.5 sacks to go with 31 tackles and a forced fumble. However, Pierre-Paul logged 9.5 sacks and was a Pro Bowler just two years ago.”
As Knox noted, Pierre-Paul was a Pro Bowler with 9.5 sacks, 6 pass defenses and 2 interceptions in 2020.
But it was also the veteran’s first Pro Bowl appearance in eight years. In the right situation, Pierre-Paul should bounce back with more sacks this season, but a Pro Bowl campaign at 33 is unlikely.
Indianapolis’ Edge Rusher Depth Chart
Opposite Ngakoue, the Colts will start 2021 first-round pick Kwity Paye. The former first-rounder has been a popular choice this offseason to be Indianapolis’ breakout star this fall.
Paye posted 32 combined tackles and 4.0 sacks a rookie last year. He improved as the season went too.
“There’s a belief that the former Michigan standout who logged a 4.57 40-yard dash and ran a freakish 6.37-second unofficial three-cone drill, could be on the cusp of becoming one of the game’s premier pass rushers,” wrote Heavy senior NFL reporter Matt Lombardo.
Paye suffered a bone bruise in his left knee on August 25. The Colts have been resting Paye since the injury, but the team expects him to be ready for in Week 1 on September 11.
Behind their starters along the edge, the Colts have Tyquan Lewis, Ifeadi Odenigbo, Ben Banogu and Dayo Odeyingbo.
All four of them could develop into valuable contributors during 2022, but each enters the season with a different question mark. Lewis is returning from a torn patellar tendon while Odenigbo is on his third team in as many seasons. Banogu and Odeyingbo have yet to prove they were worth the second-round pick the Colts spent on each of them in the draft.
Adding Pierre-Paul would give the Colts some insurance and a player who has won a Super Bowl with two different franchises.
“Having a proven vet like Pierre-Paul come playoff time would be a major boon,” wrote Knox.
Spotrac projects the veteran defensive end to be worth a 2-year, $20.1 million contract with an average annual salary of about $10 million. If Pierre-Paul indeed wants that much money, the Colts would have to shred salary to sign him. Spotrac reports Indianapolis has about $4.7 million in salary cap space.
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