Tim Heitman-USA TODAY Sports
Offensive line depth is important to any effective offense and the Indianapolis Colts could always use more. However, offensive guard Evan Mathis might be fool’s gold.
The Philadelphia Eagles released Mathis on Thursday. Before people go into the Chip Kelly is a madman argument, they should understand why they cut the Pro Bowl guard. Mathis had a five-year, $25 million contract. However, he only played nine games last year. The Eagles wanted him to restructure his contract, but Mathis refused so the Eagles cut him.
Mathis is okay for an offensive guard at the age of 33. He was a Pro Bowl guard last year, but the Pro Bowl selections are fan voted. It is still an honor but not as big of an honor as the All-Pro teams, which Mathis did not make. Many teams reportedly have interest in him, including the Colts, but it might be best for the Colts to stay away from signing Mathis.
The Colts already have a current history with linemen getting hurt during the season. Gosder Cherilus and Khaled Holmes are prime examples there. It is too risky to sign a 33-year-old offensive lineman who played a little over half the games last year. It becomes more of a risk with respect to Mathis’ price tag.
Mathis was set to make $5.5 million with the Eagles this year. Obviously, no team is going to match that number this late in the offseason. Mathis may ask for a one-year, $4 million deal. That is too steep of a price for the Colts even though they have the cap space make such an offer.
The Colts have a little under $10 million in cap space. They can afford Mathis, but possibly having less than $6 million in cap space before training camp and the preseason is not always a great idea. The Colts have to allot money for injuries and possible cuts by other teams.
Mathis’ high price tag, age and questions about if he can stay healthy this year make it far too much of a risk for the Colts to actively pursue him. If Mathis is willing to negotiate a deal around $1-2 million, then the Colts should consider it. However, it might be best for the Colts to wait throughout the NFL training camp and preseason periods. Quality and stable veterans are usually cut during these periods and have a smaller price tag.
The Colts should use what is left of their salary cap space on signing NFL training camp and preseason cuts. They should not use almost half of their remaining cap space on one player.
