Colts: Should Indy regret rejecting Malik Hooker’s 5th-year option?

Should the Colts regret rejecting Malik Hooker’s fifth-year option?

The Indianapolis Colts turned a lot of heads this offseason when they declined to exercise the fifth-year option on safety Malik Hooker’s contract. The former 2017 first-round pick had a team option for $6.7 million that would have added an extra year onto his rookie deal.

Instead, he will bank a little over $2 million before hitting free agency in March.

Indianapolis obviously hasn’t given up on Hooker just yet, but it couldn’t have been easy for him to learn of this news. Amazingly enough, the Ohio State product has taken it in stride and is actually using his situation as motivation to prove to the organization that he’s deserving of another contract.

What’s better than that? The 24-year-old is proving it with his play on the field at training camp, where he’s reportedly been one of the team’s standout players.

"“I would say that he’s had good practices,” Colts defensive coordinator Matt Eberflus said after practice on Friday. “I thought he really did a nice job of hustling and angles to the football. For the most part, when you dial in in terms of the all-encompassing (evaluation), I thought he’s done a nice job so far. We’re happy where he is and he’s in a good spot.”"

Talent has never been the question with Hooker. He’s missed time with injuries in each of his first three seasons in the NFL and has really struggled with consistency. In 34 games, the former Buckeye has compiled 117 tackles, 11 passes defensed, and seven interceptions. Those numbers prove he has the potential to be an elite coverage safety and his determination, according to Eberflus, has really spearheaded his performance at camp.

It’ll be unfortunate for Indy if Hooker bounces back to have a career year in 2020 in terms of health and production only for the team to realize it could’ve had him for a bargain price for one more season.

Now, if they want to keep him beyond this season, assuming he performs well, it’s going to cost them a lot more than the $6.7 million he was set to earn on that fifth-year option.