Did Chris Ballard hint at Samson Ebukam returning to Colts for 2025 season?
Did Chris Ballard hint at Samson Ebukam returning to Colts for 2025 season?
Is Indianapolis Colts' defensive end Samson Ebukam a potential cut candidate this offseason, or will he be back for the 2025 season?
On Tuesday, while meeting with reporters at the NFL Combine, it sounded like GM Chris Ballard hinted at Ebukam sticking around.
'It'd be good to get Samson (Ebukam) back," Ballard said. "He's been doing great work in terms of rehab and coming back."
Ebukam missed the 2024 season after suffering an Achilles injury. It's not uncommon with this injury that it can take a player a full season to truly regain his past form.
That factor, coupled with the Colts being able to save $7.49 million in cap space by releasing him, is what makes Ebukam a potential cut candidate this offseason.
During the 2023 season, however, Ebukam was highly productive. He finished second on the Colts in pressures--trailing only DeForest Buckner--and he also led the team in sacks with 9.5 that year.
It's possible that the Colts' depth at defensive end could take a real hit this offseason with the uncertainty around Dayo Odeyingbo's future as a free agent and if the team were to move on from Ebukam.
The Colts' top pressure producers at defensive end the last two seasons (Ebukam in 2023 and Odeyingbo in 2024) potentially playing elsewhere in 2025 could be too much to overcome at that position, resulting in the Colts hanging on to Ebukam for the final year of his deal.
One other alternative could be the Colts asking Ebukam to take a pay cut, which would help lower his cap hit.
Of course, this is all just speculation at this time and trying to read between the lines. But Ballard's response didn't give the impression that moving on might be in the cards.
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