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NFL: MAY 25 Indianapolis Colts OTA

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INDIANAPOLISIn a way, this third season for Kwity Paye is a pseudo contract year for the former first-round pick.

As a 1st round selection in 2021, Paye will find out how the Colts have viewed his NFL career to this point next offseason.

That’s when the Colts will make a decision on whether or not to pick up the 5th year option (for the 2025 season) on Paye’s rookie contract.

And, as Paye prepares for his third NFL season this fall, he knows where some of that internal debate is on his career so far.

“The one thing that bit me in the butt last year was just injuries,” Paye says, after missing 5 of 17 games last year. “For me, trying to stay healthy (is my 2023 goal). Last year was just a freak accident trying to turn and somebody stepped on my ankle. For me this year, just trying to make sure I stay healthy for the whole year – just finish out the season because it sucks when you are on the sideline watching your guys go to battle every single day and then you can’t do anything.

“For me, that’s my big thing this year.”

Paye has missed 7 games in his 2 NFL seasons.

Last year, when that high-ankle sprain wasn’t sidelining him, Paye showed some Year 2 strides with his production.

He had 6.0 sacks and 10 quarterback in his 12 games played. If he would have stayed healthier, and maintained that pace, Paye would have been hovering around a double-digit sack season in his 2nd NFL year.

But the health question can’t be totally ignored.

Ideally, Paye would be available for a few more games in 2023. Then the Colts would pick up that 5th year rookie option, believing they have found some edge rushing answer.

That search has not led to answers in former 1st round picks in Jerry Hughes (2010) or Bjoern Werner (2013). Or even other early-round selections in Ben Banogu (2019) or Tarell Basham (2017).

Without question, Paye has had the best start to a career of any of those names above.

Still though, it’s not a slam dunk Paye is going to turn into what this team needs off the edge for the next 5-to-7 years.

That’s why this season falls into such an important one for Paye, and the Colts.

Can Paye show the arrow should still be pointing upward on his career trajectory?

Do the Colts have a long-term answer on a position of such importance?

Among the storylines here in ’23, this one with Paye is certainly a big key to how the future of this defense looks.

“In the past, I’ve had soft-tissue injuries so just making sure I stay on top of my yoga, my stretching, making sure I stay flexible,” Paye said of his off-season plan after missing 5 games last year.

“I’m just doing everything I can on my part to stay healthy.”

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