The Colts’ division rival Jacksonville Jaguars have reportedly agreed to a new contract with edge rusher Josh Allen, who has been one of the more productive pass rushers in football.
According to Adam Schefter, Allen and the Jaguars agreed to a five-year deal worth $150 million including $88 million of it guaranteed. On a per-year basis, Allen is now the third-highest-paid edge rusher in the NFL.
Allen, the seventh overall pick in the 2019 NFL Draft, played out the 2023 season on a fifth-year option and was franchise-tagged earlier this offseason. Had he played out the 2024 season while tagged, he would have earned $24 million.
Allen is coming off a career year with Jacksonville, totaling a franchise record 17.5 sacks, which were tied for the second-most in football. His 90 pressures were the fifth-most among all edge rushers.
Four of Allen’s sacks and eight of his pressures came against the Colts.
While 2023 may have been Allen’s most productive, he’s been a consistently disruptive force along the Jaguars’ defensive front. As Michael DiRocco of ESPN noted, Allen ranks sixth in pressures and 10th in sacks over the last three seasons.
For the Colts, this means that they will have to contend with Allen twice a year for up to five more seasons.
The Colts’ offensive line is coming off a season in which they had the ninth-lowest pressure rate and tied for sixth in PFF’s pass-blocking efficiency metric. A healthy Braden Smith at right tackle in 2024 should further solidify this unit.
However, looking ahead to the 2025 offseason, the Colts do face some potential question marks in the trenches. As of now, center Ryan Kelly and guard Will Fries are set to be free agents, while Smith comes with a nearly $20 million cap hit next season.
