The Indianapolis Colts have signed another depth piece for their defensive line.
are signing defensive lineman Micheal Clemons to a three-year deal worth up to $18.5 million, according to a report fromClemons is a former fourth-round pick out of Texas A&M in the 2021 NFL draft by the New York Jets.
He spent four seasons in New York, tallying 8.5 sacks, 119 total tackles, 13 tackles for loss, two passes defended, and two forced fumbles over that span. At 6-foot-5 and roughly 263 pounds, Clemons brings a physical presence that fits Lou Anarumo's preference for bigger defensive linemen. He has experience rushing the passer from both the edge and interior, which could allow Anarumo to move him around in sub-packages. Clemons is the third defensive lineman the Colts have brought in before the start of the new league year. Indy signed defensive end Arden Key to a two-year deal worth up to $20 million on Monday and traded for defensive tackle Colby Wooden on Saturday. After a lackluster performance from pass rushers in 2025, Colts general manager Chris Ballard is revamping his defensive front seven. In most of his media appearances, Ballard stressed the team's need to get "younger and faster" on defense. Michael Clemons only had a pass rush win rate of 9.7% last season but if you filter it down to true pass sets , he jumps up to 16.6%. Clemons, Key, and Wooden are all under 30 years old. All of them have at least three years of experience playing at the NFL level, which could bring some much-needed experience to the Colts' line ahead of the 2026 season. The Colts had three defensive ends on expiring contracts in 2025. Kwity Paye, Samson Ebukam, and Tyquan Lewis are all expected to find new homes in free agency, with Paye already agreeing to a three-year deal worth $48 million with the Las Vegas Raiders. Ebukam and Lewis are both over age 30, so they don't fit Ballard's vision of a young defense. This latest signing isn't a colossal move; it's meant to add to the Colts' depth along the defensive line. Reports emerged this morning that Indy was in "pole position" to sign Trey Hendrickson, who would've been an immediate defensive starter. Hendrickson agreed to a long-term deal with the Baltimore Ravens, which left the Colts in the dust. Now, Indy will try to piece together a decent pass rush with what's left in free agency. According toThey are still endeavoring to add an impact edge rusher. Time will tell whether they can still pull that off.A signing like this isn't a needle-mover. Clemons failed to prove he can be an impact player in New York, but Ballard thinks he can bring the best out of the former Aggie. Last season, Clemons primarily lined up outside of the tackles, meaning he played as a defensive end most of the time. According to, Clemons lined up outside of the tackles for 435 of his snaps and over the tackles on 116 of his snaps. Considering the Colts already have DeForest Buckner, Grover Stewart, Adetomiwa Adebawore, and Colby Wooden on the inside, one would imagine that Clemons will be primarily used on the outside as a rotational piece along with Arden Key. With the new league year just hours away, we'll see if the Colts make any more moves to improve their defense.Sean Ackerman is the co-Deputy Editor of Indianapolis Colts on SI. Ackerman, a graduate of Western Kentucky University, majored in broadcasting. He's in his third year covering the NFL.
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