Indianapolis Colts NFL Trade Rumors: Colts 'Still in the Mix' to Land Dontari Poe
Dontari Poe may have left Indianapolis without signing a contract, but there is still a chance he may well end up signing with the Colts.
Citing a league source, Stephen Holder of the Indianapolis Star said the Colts are "still in the mix" to sign the defensive tackle, so don't rule them out just yet. Poe still hasn't made up his mind and anything can happen once he is done with his free agent tour.
According to ESPN's Josina Anderson, the meeting between Poe and the Colts "went well," so that's a good sign. The Jacksonville Jaguars met Poe after his visit with the Colts, and now he's off to Atlanta to meet the Falcons. CBS Sports' Jason La Canfora said the defensive tackle will not make any decisions until he visits the Falcons.
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Meanwhile, new Colts general manager Chris Ballard used to work for the Kansas City Chiefs and he knows full well what Poe is capable of. So, why did they fail to seal the deal when the defensive tackle was in town? Holder believes that a number of factors may have prevented Poe from putting pen to paper.
"There has been speculation about Poe's back injuries, something Ballard would have intimate knowledge of. Also a factor could be Poe's projected asking price, rumored to be north of $10 million per season. Teams generally assign a price range to a particular player and, if disciplined, stay within it during negotiations," Holder said in his report.
It's true that teams are concerned about Poe's back issues and he did struggle last season. If he's asking for too much, Ballard probably did the right thing by stepping aside.
The Colts do have other options if they fail to sign Poe, but he is probably going to be their primary target until he is taken off the market.
