Players who underperformed their contracts last year (in the eyes of their bosses) usually have choices to make this time of year — they can take less, or risk getting nothing.
Alleged Colts pass-rusher Trent Cole has chosen to take the $2 million in hand rather than what might be in the bush.
According to Field Yates of ESPN, Cole has agreed to drop his base salary this year from $4.25 million to $2 million.
Cole signed a two-year, $14 million deal last year, and responded with 3.0 sacks. The 33-year-old was part of the roundup of General Manager Ryan Grigson’s old friends from Philadelphia, most of which haven’t turned out so well.
But the bottom line is the Colts need more pass rush, and Cole must have thought he wouldn’t approach that $2 million if he walked into the market right now.