Horseshoe Huddle

Colts Make Decision on Kwity Paye's Fifth-Year Option

The Indianapolis Colts have made a decision whether or not to add an extra year to defensive end Kwity Paye's contract.

Jake Arthur

Indianapolis Colts defensive end Kwity Paye (51) warms up Sunday, Nov. 5, 2023, ahead of a game
Indianapolis Colts defensive end Kwity Paye (51) warms up Sunday, Nov. 5, 2023, ahead of a game / Jenna Watson/IndyStar / USA TODAY
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The Indianapolis Colts’ offseason is in full swing with new faces entering the building and workouts starting soon. Indy aims to accomplish what they fell short of last season: making the playoffs. 

This year's 15th overall pick, Laiatu Latu, was chosen to bring a spark to the Colts’ defensive line, a unit that finished with the fifth-most sacks in the league in 2023. Latu will play alongside fellow edge rushers Kwity Paye and Dayo Odeyingbo, two players who were selected in the 2021 NFL Draft and are entering the final stretch in their contracts.

The Colts have chosen to extend Paye’s contract for a fifth year, keeping the rusher for an extra season after he put up career-best numbers in 2023. All first-round picks have a fifth-year team option, something general manager Chris Ballard is taking advantage of before Paye can hit the open market.

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Indianapolis’ defensive line is a force to be reckoned with in the near future. Paye posted a career-high 8.5 sacks last season which was good enough for second-best on the team, only behind Samson Ebukam. As a team, the Colts finished with 51 sacks on the year but are only trending upward with Latu and Paye together. 

Paye is set to see a pay raise with his fifth-year option as the league’s rules have recently changed in deciding the pay rates for players extending their rookie contracts. The 25-year-old is ready to earn $13.4 million in 2025, almost matching his collective salary over the last four years. 

Colts fans should get to witness one of the league’s defensive lines in football over the next couple of years with established pass rushers collapsing both sides of the pocket.

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Jake Arthur

JAKE ARTHUR

Jake Arthur has covered the NFL and the Indianapolis Colts for a decade. He is a member of the Professional Football Writers of America (PFWA) and FantasyPros' expert panel. He has also contributed to multiple NFL Draft guides.