Breaking: Colts gain ‘free agency landing spot’ for $53.8M pass rusher

Could the Colts poach an AFC South rival’s impact pass rusher for a ‘pretty penny’ in this year’s upcoming free agency period?

According to PFF, the Indianapolis Colts are a potential ‘free agency landing spot’ for Houston Texans edge Jonathan Greenard, who is their 38th best rated free agent:

38. EDGE JONATHAN GREENARD, HOUSTON TEXANS

Potential landing spot(s): Chicago Bears, Indianapolis Colts

Greenard has super long arms and is a good lateral athlete who can hold up well at the point of attack while demonstrating a deeper bag of pass-rush moves in 2023. He brings a motor that Chicago is looking for, and the Bears could further solidify one of the best run defenses in the NFL while also adding pass-rush juice.

The Colts don’t typically make splashes quite this big, but the team made a shrewd signing with Samson Ebukam last offseason. Here, they steal a division rival’s young player while further bolstering a platoon defensive line that could lose a few pieces this offseason.

Top free agent comparison: Nick Perry, 2017

Originally selected by Houston in the 3rd round of the 2020 NFL Draft, the 6’3,” 263 pound (with 35” arms) Greenard is coming off his best pro season with 12.5 total sacks—which led head coach DeMeco Ryans’ Texans defense this past season.

Greenard also recorded 52 tackles (36 solo), 15 tackles for loss, 48 total QB pressures, 2 passes defensed, and a forced fumble during 15 starts in 2023.

Per PFF, Greenard was their 30th best graded edge last year with a +76.7 overall grade—including a +72.9 pass rushing grade.

Spotrac currently projects Greenard’s market value contract to be 4-years, $53.8M, averaging $13.5M per year on a lucrative multi-year contract.

Even though the Colts set the Indianapolis franchise record with 51.0 total team defense sacks, there’s still work to be done, particularly as it relates to obtaining a consistent pass rush off the edge (and to further complement Pro Bowler DeForest Buckner inside).

After all, this is a division that will feature Greenard’s Houston teammate, C.J. Stroud, for the foreseeable future, who leads the reigning AFC South Champions.

That being said, I’m just not sure that player is Greenard, who strikes me as more in the ‘Samson Ebukam mold’ as an effective, quality impact pass rusher, but may not be that ‘alpha dog’ pass rusher of a Dwight Freeney or Robert Mathis in the Colts franchise’s storied past.

The Colts have already invested a lot in their current edge group, including 3-years, $24M to Ebukam in free agency last year (which looks like a steal compared to Greenard’s next projected contract), as well as a 2021 first and second round pick in Kwity Paye and Dayo Odeyingbo respectively.

It’s not that Greenard couldn’t help the Colts pass rush going forward, but for the price-point, I’m just not really sure he’s the elite difference-maker that they really need as a pass rusher—even with the lofty double-digit sack output from this past season.