INDIANAPOLIS— The Colts have made another investment to the defensive line.
Indianapolis is signing former Jets defensive end Michael Clemons to a three-year deal worth up to $18.5 million, league sources told IndyStar, adding versatility to the front with a player coming off his rookie deal in New York.
Clemons, who was listed at 6-5, 263 pounds when he first entered the NFL as a fourth-round pick out of Texas A&M, can also slide to the inside in certain situations, making him a likely replacement for veteran Tyquan Lewis, who is now a free agent after eight seasons in Indianapolis.
Indianapolis continues to invest in the defensive line after missing out on Bengals star Trey Hendrickson.
The Colts were in the mix for the Pro Bowler, a league source told IndyStar, but the Ravens entered the mix with a higher offer late Tuesday and signed Hendrickson after nullifying a trade for Raiders superstar Maxx Crosby.
Baltimore’s last-minute play forces Indianapolis to get creative. The Colts have a gaping hole at defensive end, particularly in the pass rush. Laiatu Latu led Indianapolis with 8.5 sacks, but 2021 first-rounder Kwity Paye has already left for Las Vegas in free agency, and the veteran combo of Lewis and Samson Ebukam is on the wrong side of 30 years old.
“We do have work to do,” Ballard said. “Unfortunately, last year, when Tyquan got hurt and Samson got hurt, it affected the group. We’ve definitely got to add fuel to that position, players.”
With Hendrickson headed elsewhere and starting quarterback Daniel Jones finally under contract, Indianapolis can now turn its attention fully to upgrading a defense that needed to get younger and faster.
The Colts already agreed to terms with former Titans defensive end Arden Key, who adds explosiveness off the ball in a rotation role.
Clemons is the next move. By signing Clemons, the Colts will get younger, and likely more durable. Clemons, 28, has played in at least 16 games in all four of his NFL seasons; Lewis has played a full season’s worth of games just twice in his eight-year career.
The Colts have had success under general manager Chris Ballard at identifying underutilized defensive linemen who can take the next step in the right system, the best example being former Indianapolis defensive tackle Denico Autry.
Indianapolis is hoping to do the same with Clemons.
Forced to play in a variety of roles in New York, Clemons has just 8.5 career sacks in four seasons, hitting a career high with 4.5 sacks in 2024, then fell to one sack in 2025.
But his underlying numbers show that he might not have fallen off as far as the sack numbers showed. Clemons posted a career high with 24 pressures in 2025, and he improved his get-off time (from 1 second to 0.97 seconds), time to pressure (from 3.4 seconds to 2.93 seconds) and quick quarterback pressures (from two to seven).
Indianapolis likely will not ask Clemons to play a starter’s role. DeForest Buckner and Adetomiwa Adebawore are both expected back to provide interior pass rush, and the Colts have Latu, Key and 2025 second-rounder JT Tuimoloau in the fold, with more additions likely up front.
“We think it’s a good free-agent class,” Ballard said at the Combine, “and a good draft class.”
There is still work left to do.
Joel A. Erickson and Nathan Brown cover the Colts all season. Get more coverage on IndyStarTV and with the Colts Insider newsletter.
