The Colts confirmed Jim Irsay received a $3.2 billion offer to sell the team, the Indianapolis Star’s Joel Erickson and Nat Newell report. A Colts spokesperson informed the newspaper’s duo the team is not for sale. Still, that reported offer came in far north of what it cost for David Tepper to acquire the Panthers last year ($2.3 billion). It would have been a record price for an NFL franchise. Forbes’ most recent valuation of NFL teams placed the Colts 20th at $2.65 billion — up 11% from last year’s figure. The Irsay family has owned the Colts since 1972.
Moving back to on-field matters, here is the latest out of the AFC:
- Mike Pouncey asked his agent, Joel Segal, to pursue a new deal with the Chargers, Eric Williams of ESPN.com notes. The Pro Bowl center signed a one-year, $9MM re-up; the 30-year-old blocker wanted to stay with a team he felt had Super Bowl aspirations rather than try to maximize his value on the open market. “At this point of my career, this team gives me the best chance to win,” Pouncey said, via Williams. “For me to want to leave here in Year 10 and go somewhere else, it didn’t make any sense to me, no matter what the number was in salary. I felt like whenever we got done with training camp and the offer was there, we jumped on it.” Pouncey, who did not play in a playoff game in seven Dolphins seasons, started 16 games for the Bolts last year.
- Brandon Marshall worked out for the Texans this week but was not signed. The former Super Bowl starter and recent Raiders cut mentioned to ESPN.com’s Josina Anderson the Texans informed him a signing could take place after Week 1 (Twitter link). Marshall spent much of the offseason rehabbing a knee injury that helped lead to his Broncos departure, mentioning on Hard Knocks he was in pain for much of that time. However, the soon-to-be 30-year-old off-ball linebacker said during the HBO series finale he has returned to full health — albeit too late to make the Raiders. The Texans feature Benardrick McKinney and Zach Cunningham as their starting inside ‘backers but are much less proven behind them.
- The Jaguars claimed linebacker Austin Calitro off waivers from Seattle, but other AFC teams wanted to add the recently cut defender. Both the Broncos and Bengals submitted claims for Calitro, Field Yates of ESPN.com tweets. But the Jags’ higher waiver priority, No. 7, won out. Both Denver and Cincinnati are thin at inside ‘backer presently.
- Myles Jack‘s recent Jags extension secured him the NFL’s second-highest guarantee figure.
- The Dolphins’ inexperienced defensive line became even less seasoned, with the team cutting Nate Orchard.