The Indianapolis Colts are going bargain hunting for edge rushers this offseason, but were forced to after a move for elite player Trey Hendrickson decided to go to the Baltimore Ravens. After adding Arden Key previously, the team has now added Michael Clemons, formerly of the New York Jets.
Indy will reportedly pay Clemons for three years and as much as $18.5 million. That is almost entirely the correct amount based on his past production. He isn't an elite player, and he is an atrocious tackler, but maybe he will be a good fit in Colts defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo's system. That's the hope.
Clemons was a fourth-round 2022 draft pick after playing at Texas A&M. His best season in terms of quarterback pressures is just 23, and he isn't particularly good against the run. He whiffed on 26.7 percent of his tackle attempts in 2025. For his career, he has missed 13.3 percent, but has gotten worse recently.
Indianapolis Colts reportedly agree to terms with edge rusher Michael Clemons
To be fair, if the New York Jets weren't fans of bringing Michael Clemons back on an affordable deal, Colts fans probably shouldn't be overjoyed either. After all, the Jets are dreadful, and they have been making the wrong moves for years. Perhaps losing Clemons will be another bad choice.
One might also wonder if Indianapolis got some input from cornerback Sauce Gardner on Clemons, as Gardner played with the edge rusher for several seasons in New York. If Gardner didn't think Clemons was worth adding, the team might have listened to him.
Ultimately, maybe Clemons just needed a change of scenery. Perhaps, he will explode with the Indianapolis Colts playing opposite Laiatu Latu. That might be the best hope for Indy, but anything is possible. Fans might just have to ignore what Clemons has accomplished, or didn't accomplish, for the past four years.