There is still over a month until free agency officially begins for the Indianapolis Colts and one of their pending free agents is veteran defensive end Jabaal Sheard.
The ultimate leader in the locker room and a steady run defender, Sheard was Chris Ballard’s first outside free-agent signing in 2017. But he’s 30 years old now and his production has been far from game-changing at one of the most important defensive positions. The Colts could re-sign him to a short-term deal or they could look to free agency and the draft to replace him.
If they decide to go with the latter, here are six options the Colts could consider to replace Sheard this offseason:
Yannick Ngakoue | Age: 24 | Free Agency
Turning 25 years old at the end of March, Ngakoue will be one of the most pursued free agents should the Jaguars allow him to hit the market. There is always a chance they franchise tag the former third-round pick but if they don’t, the Colts should be all over this pass rusher.
A steady contributor since being drafted, Ngakoue has 37.5 sacks and 85 quarterback hits over the last four seasons. That’s good for the 12th and eighth-most among pass rushers during that stand. He’s also missed just two games since entering the league.
The price range might keep Chris Ballard out of serious bidding but Ngakoue can be a game-changer for the Colts and should be heavily considered if he winds up hitting the market.
Jadeveon Clowney | Age: 26 | Free Agency
An athletic freak that can line up at any position along a defensive front, it will be interesting to see how interested the Colts will be in Clowney if he winds up hitting the market.
Clowney is coming off of a low production season after being traded to the Seattle Seahawks, but his impact was still felt. He only recorded 3.0 sacks, seven tackles for loss and 13 quarterback hits, but he should still be one of the highest sought-after free agents if he hits the market.
The Colts already have a solid trio of pass rushers with Justin Houston, Kemoko Turay and Ben Banogu. Adding Clowney to that mix would be extremely intriguing.
Arik Armstead | Age: 26 | Free Agency
Was it a flash in the pan because of his supporting cast or did Armstead actually make a big jump in production in his fifth season? That’s a question and a risk the Colts—and other teams—will have to consider when pursuing Armstead.
Likely a cheaper option than Clowney and Ngakoue, Armstead is coming off of a season in which he recorded a career-high 10.0 sacks, leading the entire 49ers defense in that category. His 11 tackles for loss and 18 quarterback hits were second-most on the team behind Defensive Rookie of the Year Nick Bosa.
There is plenty of risk involved with signing Armstead, but he had a productive season in 2019 and has the versatility to work all along the front for the Colts.
A.J. Epenesa | Age: 21 | Iowa | NFL Draft
If the Colts preferred to forgo the free-agent market and instead look at the upcoming draft for Sheard’s replacement (a total possibility), there are some intriguing options starting with Epenesa.
The Iowa product checks all of the boxes that Chris Ballard wants in his pass rushers. He has upside, versatility to work along the front and high character as a prospect. Epenesa would need to be drafted with the Colts’ first-round pick, but he could be on the radar for Ballard if they don’t go with a quarterback.
In his three seasons at Iowa, Epenesa compiled 26.5 sacks and 36 tackles for loss.
Julian Okwara | Age: 22 | Notre Dame | NFL Draft
Potentially a prospect the Colts could target with their second-round pick, Okwara has the upside and bend that might intrigue Chris Ballard enough to add him to an already young front.
Okwara won’t be able to replicate Sheard’s production and presence against the run. That’s not his game. Instead, Okwara could give the Colts another high-upside pass rusher with burst off the edge and athleticism to help in the run game,
Over the last three seasons at Notre Dame, Okwara recorded 15.5 sacks and 24 tackles for loss.
Yetur Gross-Matos | Age: 21 | Penn State | NFL Draft
One of the highest ceilings among edge rushers in the draft, Gross-Matos has the build and skill set to be a strong replacement for Sheard. Having the build and strength to set the edge against the run, Gross-Matos also has the upside to be a productive pass rusher after some development.
There are still some kinks that Gross-Matos has to work out, especially when it comes to developing a plan. But when it comes to his explosiveness, size and getting off the line, there aren’t many prospects with the ceiling of the former Nittany Lion.
Given his upside, Gross-Matos is likely to be selected in the first round. That price may be too rich for Chris Ballard’s taste, but the Penn State product is still an option with over two months remaining until the draft.
