Indianapolis Colts defensive tackle Raekwon Davis has been released by the Colts, a move that will be a surprise to few fans. Davis had been signed as an unrestricted free agent last year, originally having been drafted by the Miami Dolphins in 2020. The Dolphins chose not to keep him once he became a free agent, and the Colts evidently didn't want him much, either; he still had one year left on his two-year, $14 million contract.
In the press release, the Colts noted that Davis has appeared in 80 career games, amassing 144 tackles (67 solo), 7.0 tackles for loss, 2.5 sacks and one pass defensed.
By cutting Davis, the Colts have freed up over $6 million in salary cap space, as Davis, at nearly $9 million, had the 11th-highest cap hit on the roster.
Davis mainly played a rotational role on the Colts' defense, with a career-low of 30 snaps in 2024. In the Pro Football Focus ranking of interior linemen, he came in at a measly 113 out of 117. Still, it will create a hole on the interior line, which hopefully will be filled through free agency - something general manager Chris Ballard has historically avoided doing.
The obvious cut to make on the interior defensive line, however, was Davis. The other options were DeForest Buckner and Grover Stewart, and there wasn't a prayer of a chance that the Colts would let either one go. While Buckner and Stewart are more expensive, they're also more productive, and have proven that they're worth the price tag. Davis hasn't quite done so, though he might find a better role with another team.
Free agency negotations will open at 12:00pm on March 10th, and the Colts will need to - for the first time in Ballard's tenure - need to be aggressive in attractive new talent, while knowing which veterans to let go.
The Colts have released DT Raekwon Davis
The first salary cap casualty has fallen.
