The Colts answered one big question today, re-signing a big free agent who was a priority for them. And they got him at a cheap price.
Margus Hunt is staying in Indianapolis. The Colts announced that they have re-signed the big defensive lineman to a two-year deal worth $9 million. It could be worth a total of $10 million based on incentives. This is a huge signing for the Colts.
Keeping Hunt was a priority for the Colts this offseason. Hunt played a great role on the defense this season, playing mostly defensive tackle. Having him back at a cheap price is also good, although the team has a lot of cap space to still use so the money isn’t a huge deal.
There were some questions about whether or not the Colts were going to franchise tag Hunt. Clearly that would not have been in their best interest, as they signed him for a lower amount than he would have gotten under the franchise tag.
Hunt deserves this deal. He has been very good since he has come over to Indy. He had his best season in 2018, recording 5 sacks and 30 total tackles, as well as 13 tackles for loss. There were times where he was dominant in games, just completely wrecking plays.
Keeping that same level of production will be key for him. He is 31 now, so his production will likely start to decline soon. But he is still at the peak of his production, and the Colts are hopeful he can keep that level up for at least the next couple of years.
I would expect to see some more news from the Colts soon about more re-signings. They have been working to keep a lot of their guys. I wouldn’t be surprised to see more news pop out later this afternoon.