The Colts Are Going to Look Stupid for Declining Malik Hooker's 5th-Year Option

Based on the 2019 Week 1 highlight of him snagging a one-handed interception on a throw from Philip Rivers, you'd think Indianapolis Colts safety Malik Hooker would be a guy the franchise is excited to invest in for the foreseeable future.

However, it appears his injury concerns have forced the Colts to back off, and on Monday it was reported the team will not exercise the former Ohio State star's fifth-year option.

On the surface, this is coming off as an imprudent decision given Hooker's age, potential and expected cost for the 2021 season (only around $7-$8 million). The Colts have a TON of money coming off the books after the 2020 campaign, so why not give Hooker one more year in Indy?

It's without a doubt concerning that he's been limited to just 34 games out of a possible 48 across his first three NFL seasons, but that's what a torn ACL in your rookie year will do to you. But if we disregard that, his impact on the field for those 34 games has been significant -- he's logged 117 tackles, seven interceptions, two fumble recoveries and 11 passes defensed.

Then again, there are some pass coverage concerns. He's allowed 33 completed passes on 44 attempts the last two seasons, but perhaps that can be attributed to the Colts' Cover 2 scheme and the fact that his injuries haven't exactly given him a ton of consistent play.

We're just not sure what the harm is in investing a few more million in a young talent to make an impact two years from now, and gambling on his health trending in the right direction. The Colts will then be back to square one looking to pay or draft a replacement, and it's going to cost them one way or another.