Mo Alie-Cox

TE Mo Alie-Cox On Colts’ Roster Bubble?

Mo Alie-Cox has spent his entire career with the Colts, providing the team with a consistent contributor at the tight end position. The veteran’s contract could put his roster spot at risk this summer, though.

Alie-Cox is attached to by far the most lucrative tight end pact on Indianapolis’ roster. The 30-year-old is entering the final season of his three-year, $17.55MM extension, and he is set to carry a cap hit of $5.92MM in 2024. With no guaranteed salary included, however, the Colts would save that full amount in cap space by releasing or trading him.

The team has a number of in-house options at the tight end spot as things stand. 2022 third-rounder Jelani Woods flashed potential as a rookie with three touchdowns and a 12.5 yards per catch average, but he missed all of last season due to hamstring issues. Woods has the potential to serve as Indianapolis’ lead tight end, and doing so could make Alie-Cox an expensive luxury on the depth chart.

For that reason, The Athletic’s James Boyd writes the Colts could elect to turn to younger options behind Woods and move on from Alie-Cox this offseason (subscription required). Indianapolis has recent draftees Kylen Granson, Andrew Ogletree and Will Mallory in the fold and all are on low-cost deals. Boyd adds a commitment to an inexperienced group could allow the Colts to remove the log jam by moving on from Alie-Cox.

The latter joined Indianapolis as an undrafted free agent in 2017, and he made his debut one year later. Alie-Cox has since served as a strong run blocker while chipping in as a pass-catcher. His best statistical stretch came in the 2020 and ’21 seasons when he combined for 710 yards and six touchdowns. The campaigns since then have included a downturn in production, but Alie-Cox’s absence would nevertheless be felt if the team were to cut ties.

Indianapolis currently has just under $26MM in cap space, so retaining Alie-Cox would be feasible from a financial perspective. Still, the presence of several other, younger contenders for roster spots will make his training camp performances something to monitor.

AFC South Notes: Clowney, Titans, Colts

Jadeveon Clowney has made two visits but remains a free agent. Following his Ravens meeting, the former No. 1 overall pick visited the Jaguars. Not only did the Jags let Clowney leave, Doug Pederson indicated (via NFL.com’s James Palmer) the well-traveled pass rusher left Jacksonville without a contract offer. Clowney, 30, did not exactly part ways with the Browns on good terms, clashing with the team’s coaching staff during his second season as Myles Garrett‘s top sidekick. Clowney has now played for four teams, and while a return to the AFC South would strengthen the Jags’ pass rush, no deal is imminent.

The Jags lost Arden Key, who signed with the Titans, but reunited with Dawuane Smoot, who is coming off a December Achilles tear. Key’s exit will place more pressure on last year’s No. 1 pick, Travon Walker, who finished with 3.5 sacks and 10 QB hits as a rookie. Josh Allen remains Jacksonville’s pass-rushing anchor, but more will be expected of Walker. Clowney played for $8MM in 2021 and $10MM last year. The Jaguars hold a $10MM cap-space lead on the Ravens, carrying $18.4MM to Baltimore’s $8.8MM.

Here is the latest from the AFC South:

  • Although the Titans made a promotion to fill their offensive coordinator job for the third straight occasion, Tim Kelly has made some changes. The team has pivoted to the type of offense Kelly and Bill O’Brien ran in Houston, rather than the version of the Sean McVay attack Matt LaFleur brought with him back in 2018, Albert Breer of SI.com notes. “There’s a touch more freedom in his offense,” Ryan Tannehill said of the Patriots-style attack. “Being able to make adjustments on the fly, make changes at the line of scrimmage, a little more freedom within the route trees.” The Titans dropped from 17th to 30th in total offense from 2021 to 2022, helping lead to Todd Downing‘s ouster.
  • Tennessee is once again dealing with issues staffing its right tackle position, with Nicholas Petit-Frere incurring a six-game gambling suspension. The Titans also released Jamarco Jones, who was competing for the temporary fill-in gig, early in training camp. July pickup Chris Hubbard has taken over as the frontrunner to replace Petit-Frere to start the season, The Athletic’s John Rexrode notes (subscription required). Hubbard, who spent the past five years in Cleveland, has not worked as a regular starter since 2019 and has only started one game over the past two seasons. The Titans will have four new O-line starters in Week 1, and with Aaron Brewer sliding from guard to center, the team will not have any 2022 O-line starter playing the same position to open the season.
  • As the Colts transition to another coaching staff, Mo Alie-Cox‘s Colts roster spot might not be secure. The veteran tight end is vying for a blocking role against offseason signing Pharaoh Brown, according to the Indianapolis Star’s Nate Atkins. The Colts have Jelani Woods as a roster lock and used a fifth-round pick on Will Mallory. While Atkins notes Alie-Cox should have the upper hand on Brown, the team has some decisions to make. Kylen Granson, a 2021 fourth-round pick, is also not assured of a job in Shane Steichen‘s offense. It would cost the Colts $2.4MM in dead money to release Alie-Cox, who has been with the team since 2017.
  • The Texans are hiring former Northwestern director of player personnel Jonny Kovach as a player personnel assistant, Aaron Wilson of KPRC2 notes. Multiple offers came Kovach’s way, per Wilson. Kovach had stayed on with the Big Ten program due to loyalty to Pat Fitzgerald. With Fitzgerald dismissed in the wake of the program’s hazing scandal, Kovach will make the jump to the pros.

Colts Shopping C Ryan Kelly

The Colts could be looking to move on from their Pro Bowl offensive lineman. According to ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler, the Colts are shopping center Ryan Kelly. The organization could also consider cutting the veteran, but they’ll exhaust the trade market before making a move.

Kelly inked a sizable four-year, $50MM extension with the Colts prior to the 2020 season. He earned Pro Bowl nods in both 2020 and 2021, and in 2022, he started all of his team’s games for the first time since 2019.

However, thing’s aren’t as rosy as they may appear. The Colts offensive line struggled mightily in 2022, with Pro Football Focus grading Kelly as a middle-of-the-road center (16th among 36 qualifying players). Despite the Pro Bowl nod, the site ranked Kelly 32nd among 39 centers during the 2021 campaign, and they haven’t given the player a top-10 grade since 2019.

With impending cap hits of $12.4MM and $14.6MM in 2023 and 2024, respectively, the Colts could decide to move on from the veteran as they continue to pivot towards the future. Considering his track record, it wouldn’t take long for a team to scoop up Kelly in free agency, and there’s a chance the organization could find a suitor on the trade market.

Kelly isn’t the only Colts player who’s on the trade block. Per Fowler, tight end Mo Alie-Cox is also “potentially available.” The 29-year-old has averaged 24.7 receptions for 300 yards and three touchdowns per season over the past three years.

AFC Notes: Bush, Granson, Andrews

Expectations were sky-high for Devin Bush when the Steelers traded up to select him in the first round of the 2019 draft. Things haven’t gone according to plan in the past two years in particular, leading to the team’s decision to decline his fifth-year option earlier this offseason.

That has led many to believe 2022 will be his final year in Pittsburgh. While the upcoming season could prove to be a critical turning point, he will still have a starting role in the middle of the team’s defense. Mark Kaboly of The Athletic notes that Bush will be a member of the first-team unit alongside free agent addition Myles Jack (subscription required).

The Michigan alum is no stranger to significant playing time, having started all but one of his games in the NFL. He will look to rebound from a disappointing 2021 campaign, where he made 41 solo tackles and allowed a passer rating of nearly 103 in coverage. Behind him and Jack at the position, the Steelers have veteran Robert Spillane and 2021 fourth-rounder Buddy Johnson available in the event of injuries or poor play.

Here are a couple of other notes from the AFC:

  • Facing a serious cap crunch, the Patriots re-worked the contract of center David Andrews last month. The move created some breathing room for the 2022 season, dropping his cap number from $6.375MM down to $4.275MM. In a breakdown of the other changes brought on by the restructure, ESPN’s Mike Reiss notes (on Twitter) that his cap figure in 2023 and 2024 will jump from $5.875MM to $7.175MM and $7.425MM, respectively. The 30-year-old is coming off of another solid season in 2021, earning a PFF grade of 78, and figures to reman an anchor on New England’s o-line for the foreseeable future.
  • The Colts will have a new player atop the tight end depth chart this season. The retirement of Jack Doyle has left Mo Alie-Cox as the No. 1 at the position in Indianapolis. While the 28-year-old is likely to eclipse his single-season career high of 394 yards with the increased workload, another incumbent could see an uptick on usage. 2021 fourth-rounder Kylen Granson “should be given every opportunity” to become a full-time contributor in the team’s offense, writes FOX59’s Mike Chappell. He made just 11 catches as a rookie, and will be competing with Alie-Cox and rookies Jelani Woods and Drew Ogletree for targets. Still, he could take on a notable receiving role in particular within Frank Reich‘s TE-friendly scheme with a strong training camp.

Colts To Re-Sign TE Mo Alie-Cox

The centerpiece of the Colts’ 2022 offense remains a mystery, but the team reached an agreement to keep one of its pass catchers. Mo Alie-Cox is staying in Indianapolis on a three-year deal, Joel Erickson of the Indianapolis Star tweets.

Alie-Cox is coming back for $18MM, Tom Pelissero of NFL.com tweets. This is a nice payday for a player who has transformed from VCU hoops contributor to Colts auxiliary piece. The deal contains $11.7MM in guaranteed money, including his entire 2021 salary, according to Aaron Wilson of ProFootballNetwork.com on Twitter.

With Jack Doyle retiring, Alie-Cox may become a more prominent factor in the Colts’ offense. The ex-college basketball player has established himself as a solid weapon in Indianapolis over the past two years, combining for 710 yards and six touchdown receptions in that span.

Indy drafted Kylen Granson in the 2021 fourth round but otherwise does not have much beyond Alie-Cox signed at the tight end position. The $6MM-per-year pact represents midlevel money at the tight end spot, potentially indicating Indy is not done here. The Colts are still in need at wide receiver, so Alie-Cox almost certainly will not be their final key pass-catching investment this offseason.

Colts Tender TE Mo Alie-Cox

Mo Alie-Cox will hit restricted free agency. The Colts have slapped the tight end with a second-round tender, according to NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo (via Twitter). The second-round tender value is set at $3.384MM.

The Colts will now have the chance at first refusal for Alie-Cox’s services. If the Colts don’t match a hypothetical offer to the tight end, they’ll received a second-round pick in return.

Alie-Cox made a name for himself as a forward on VCU’s basketball team. Despite the fact that he hadn’t played organized football since high school, the Colts took a chance on him as an undrafted free agent in 2017. The tight end has progressively received more responsibilities through his four seasons in the NFL, culminating in a 2020 campaign where he put up career numbers.

The 27-year-old ultimately finished the season having hauled in a career-high 31 receptions for 394 yards and two touchdowns. Alie-Cox has also earned a reputation as one of the better blocking tight ends in the NFL. Assuming he returns to Indy, the veteran will likely continue serving as the team’s number-two tight end behind starter Jack Doyle.

Reserve/Futures Contracts: 12/30/19

With the regular season behind us, teams can start signing players to reserve/futures contract. This ties the player to the team’s 90-man offseason roster.

Several teams have already started completing these deals, which we’ve compiled below:

Arizona Cardinals

Carolina Panthers

Denver Broncos

Indianapolis Colts

New York Giants

New York Jets

Pittsburgh Steelers

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Colts Promote TE Mo Alie-Cox

The Colts have placed defensive back Matthias Farley on injured reserve. To take his place on the main roster, the club promoted tight end Mo Alie-Cox

Farley, a Notre Dame product, started in 15 games for the Colts last year. This offseason, he returned to the Colts on Labor Day weekend after he was let go by the Cardinals. Farley wasn’t a regular starter this year, but his versatility will be missed.

Alie-Cox, 25, dressed for one Colts game this year – the club’s Week 4 loss to the Texans. He was let go earlier this month, but he’s back on the roster after a short hiatus. Alie-Cox made a name for himself as a forward for VCU’s basketball team, but decided to transition to an NFL tight end and follow in the footsteps of Tony Gonzalez, Julius Thomas, Jimmy Graham, and Antonio Gates.

The former power forward will try to make an impression this year, and he may get an opportunity this week while Eric Ebron is banged up. The Colts may not have Ebron in the lineup against the Jets, and even if he plays, they may have to limit his snaps.

Minor NFL Transactions: 9/28/18

Here are Friday’s minor moves:

Cincinnati Bengals

Indianapolis Colts

New Orleans Saints

Tennessee Titans