Indianapolis Colts Decline 2021 Option on Safety Malik Hooker

The 2017 first-round draft choice, who would have cost $6.7 million in that fifth year, has struggled to stay healthy and shown flashes of ability in his inconsistent play. He becomes one of several Colts entering a contract year this season.

INDIANAPOLIS — After waiting until the last day, the Indianapolis Colts decided Monday to not pick up safety Malik Hooker’s fifth-year contract option, according to multiple sources.

That means Hooker can become a free agent after 2020.

The 2017 first-round choice, selected 15th overall, was the last player from that class awaiting a decision. He’s the 14th out of 32 to have the 2021 option declined.

Hooker is set to count $4.009 million against the salary cap this season. If the Colts would have picked up 2021, he would have earned about $6.7 million.

Colts GM Chris Ballard had said before the recent NFL draft that he had time to make a decision, but didn’t add anything else. He had previously said that Hooker’s play tailed off toward the end of 2019.

The decision shouldn’t be unexpected, considering Hooker has missed 14 out of 48 games due to injuries and has yet to live up to his lofty selection. The ballhawk out of Ohio State has had a few exceptional moments, most notably a one-handed interception of Philip Rivers in the 2019 season opener.

“In ’18, Malik was coming off that (knee) injury and got better as the year went on,” Colts head coach Frank Reich said in a Monday video conference call. “Last year, I really felt like Malik had a really good year. You could really feel his presence. Physically, I felt Malik’s presence on the field.

“Malik is not the most outgoing, bubbly personality. He’s got a lot of juice and intensity in him and I think you really saw that come out last year when he was healthy, when he started playing real physical and making plays on the ball. So really excited and expecting big things from him this year.”

He’s made 117 total tackles with seven interceptions and 11 passes defended in three seaons. He made 51 tackles with two interceptions and three passes defended last year.

The Colts drafted Utah safety Julian Blackmon in the third round of the recent draft. Blackmon is a former cornerback, so he has range and speed on the back line. But he’s also coming off ACL surgery and probably won’t get back on the field until September at the earliest.

Hooker is just 24, so he’s still young enough to improve. A strong upcoming season could be rewarded with a lucrative, long-term deal.

Given his injury history and inconsistency, Ballard opted to put Hooker in the same position as several other Colts entering contract years. That list of key players includes four-time Pro Bowl wide receiver T.Y. Hilton, 2019 Pro Bowl center Ryan Kelly, team sack leader Justin Houston, leading rusher running back Marlon Mack and top-tackling linebacker Anthony Walker.

Quarterback Philip Rivers and cornerback Xavier Rhodes, two of the team’s offseason additions in free agency, also agreed to one-year deals.

The Colts finished 7-9 last season and missed the playoffs for the fourth time in five years.