The Indianapolis Colts have agreed to terms with defensive lineman Adetomiwa Adebawore on a two-year, $35 million extension that includes a $13 million signing bonus and $22.5 million in new money through 2027, according to NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo. The deal locks in one of the team’s brightest young pieces amid an ongoing fire sale.
A curveball in a rebuild
Just when you think you know how a story is going to play out in the NFL, a curveball gets thrown. That is exactly what the Colts just did, parlaying their recent trade-offs into a new deal for a possible trade candidate. The Colts have shipped out Quenton Nelson and DeForest Buckner in recent days, but Adebawore, 25, is now under contract for two more seasons.
A breakout season rewarded
The former 110th overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft, Adebawore has enjoyed a breakout season and is now being paid like a cornerstone of the Colts’ defensive future. Credit goes to interim general manager Ed Dodds, who is doing a notable job of shaking up the roster ahead of the deadline while still protecting the young talent the rebuild will be built around.
The deal is a clear statement about the Colts’ direction. While Nelson and Buckner were shipped out, Adebawore — a former 110th overall pick in the 2023 draft — has been paid like a cornerstone of the defensive future. Interim general manager Ed Dodds has shaken up the roster ahead of the deadline while protecting the young talent the rebuild will be built around. The message from Indianapolis is unmistakable: the Colts are selling veterans, but they are not tearing everything down, and Adebawore is part of the future.
Selling and building at once
It would be one thing to sell with an established general manager running the deadline, but Dodds is here on an interim basis and just got the green light to commit up to $35 million in new payroll to a young defender. The message is clear: the Colts are selling veterans, but they are not tearing everything down. Adebawore is part of the future, and Indianapolis just paid to prove it.
