Horseshoe Huddle

Colts Already Positioned to Replace Ebukam After New Signings

The Indianapolis Colts are looking to revamp their edge room after Samson Ebukam departed for the Atlanta Falcons.
John Davis|
Indianapolis Colts defensive end Samson Ebukam (52) celebrates after recovering a fumble Sunday, Dec. 28, 2025, during a game against the Jacksonville Jaguars at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis.
Indianapolis Colts defensive end Samson Ebukam (52) celebrates after recovering a fumble Sunday, Dec. 28, 2025, during a game against the Jacksonville Jaguars at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis. | Mykal McEldowney/IndyStar / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

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Indianapolis Colts

The Indianapolis Colts will be without another familiar face next season, as edge rusher Samson Ebukam has reached an agreement to join the Atlanta Falcons, his agent Cameron Foster told ESPN's Adam Schefter.

Ebukam joined the Colts in 2023 on a three-year, $24 million contract that ran through the 2025 season.

In his debut season with the team, he posted a career-high 9.5 sacks. In training camp ahead of the following season, Ebukam suffered a torn Achilles tendon and missed the entire 2024 campaign.

Unfortunately for Ebukam, this injury slowed him down, and he was a shell of himself during the 2025 campaign after sitting out all of 2024.

In his first year under defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo this past season, Ebukam recorded two sacks across 14 total games played, 7.5 fewer than his solid 2023 campaign.

The departure of Ebukam joins that of defensive end Kwity Paye, the Colts' first round pick in 2021, who signed a three-year, $48 million contract with the Las Vegas Raiders earlier this week.

After picking up his fifth-year option in 2024, Paye produced 12 sacks across the last two seasons. In his five seasons with the team, he totaled 30.5 sacks and 209 total tackles across 75 total games.

Indianapolis seems to have anticipated the losses of both Ebukam and Paye, having agreed to contracts with former New York Jets defensive end Michael Clemons on Wednesday and former Tennessee Titans defensive end Arden Key on Monday.

Clemons received a three-year, $17.5 million deal with upside of $18.5 million including incentives. In his time with the Jets, he notched 8.5 sacks, 13 TFLs and 2 forced fumbles.

Key was given a two-year deal worth up to $20 million, with $11 million guaranteed. He's coming off a tenure with the Titans that included 16.5 sacks and 4 forced fumbled across 45 games.

He'll be 30 years old by the start of the upcoming season.

Over the last three seasons, the Colts' two new additions have combined for 22.5 sacks, 177 total tackles, and six forced fumbles.

In Ebukam and Paye's last three seasons in Indianapolis, the two combined for 32 sacks, 222 total tackles, and four forced fumbles.

Indianapolis is likely to continue to add to the position as well. Key and Clemons both add depth to the room, but the team almost certainly doesn't view either as bona fide starters opposite of Laiatu Latu. Paye played that role over the last two seasons.

The Colts were in line to sign Trey Hendrickson this week before the Baltimore Ravens made a stronger offer late in the negotiation process. The team almost certainly has plans to spend a hefty sum on another addition to the edge group.

Eight-year veteran Tyquan Lewis remains a free agent as well, having spent the entirety of his career with the Colts. He has added 8.5 sacks over the last three seasons to the pass rusher room.

Losing Ebukam and Paye will leave the Colts with a new-look defensive line in 2026, but Indianapolis continually seems to embrace the unit's overhaul.

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John Davis
JOHN DAVIS

John Davis covers the NFL and the Indianapolis Colts. He's currently pursuing a degree in Sports Media at the University of South Carolina. John also founded and operates Colts Report on Instagram, a big Colts Fan Page.

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