Indianapolis Colts sign Micheal Clemons

The Colts' three-year, $17M signing of Micheal Clemons earns a D+ Contract Value Index (CVI), a reflection of a depth move priced at starter rates during a critical playoff window. At $5.67M AAV, Clemons is being paid as a solid contributor on the edge, but his production tier and role suggest he's a rotational piece or injury contingency rather than a foundational pass rusher—the kind of signing that makes sense only if the team is desperate for depth or cycling through veteran auditions late in the offseason. The three-year commitment is the real red flag here; locking $17M into a mid-tier edge defender when the Colts are sitting at 8-9 with a seven-game losing streak limits flexibility and signals either a miscalculation about his fit or a front office grasping for solutions at the wrong position. With 91 days until the regular season and playoff positioning on the line, this deal looks like a last-ditch roster patch rather than an investment in sustained competitive advantage. Unless Clemons delivers as a disruptive force or pairs cleanly with the team's existing scheme, the CVI reflects what the market is pricing: depth, not difference-making value.