Is defensive end Samson Ebukam a potential cut candidate for the Indianapolis Colts this offseason?
Pro Football Network seems to think so. PFN put together their list of potential cut candidates for each team and the player they mentioned for the Colts was Ebukam.
“The problem for the Colts with Ebukam is that 2023 was a career year, and now they face uncertainty after he missed an entire season with an injury. Therefore, making a financial decision based on that one year of success might not be wise.”
Unfortunately, Ebukam had to miss the entire 2024 season with an Achilles injury that he suffered during training camp.
During the 2023 season, Ebukam finished second on the Colts’ defense in pressures–only four behind DeForest Buckner–and he also led the team in sacks that year with 9.5.
However, if the Colts are going to move on from Ebukam this offseason, the catalyst behind that move would likely be the $7.5 million in cap savings they would generate by doing so. And for a soon-to-be 30 year old pass rusher, even when Ebukam is cleared to play, how long it takes him to regain his previous form is an unknown.
Salary cap-wise the Colts rank 18th in the NFL at the moment with just over $28 million in cap space. So for a team with a number of positions they could justify addressing as they look to bolster the level of competition throughout the team, they could use more cap room and spending power.
If the Colts do go down this path, the defensive end position becomes a much bigger need, especially with Dayo Odeyingbo set to hit free agency as well. When it comes to 2024 roster members, that would leave the Colts with Kwity Paye, Laiatu Latu, Tyquan Lewis, and Isaiah Land.
This upcoming season, the Colts need more consistency from their pass rush unit after ranking 22nd in pressure rate and 26th in sacks.
