Report: Colts Offering Fairley Double The Guaranteed Money Other Teams Have Offered
By Ashley Dunkak
@AshleyDunkak
CBS DETROIT - Barring an unexpected reversal of course, defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh will leave the Detroit Lions for the Miami Dolphins, and defensive tackle Nick Fairley could be on his way out as well. Both players officially become free agents - and thus are free to sign with other teams - on Tuesday.
According to a report by Ian Wharton of Bleacher Report, the Indianapolis Colts are outbidding all others - at least in terms of guaranteed money - for Fairley, who missed half of the 2014 season with a knee injury.
Pro Football Focus rated Fairley as 18th among defensive tackles. In eight games in 2014, he logged 14 tackles, a sack and a forced fumble. In 2013, Fairley turned in six sacks, and he had 5.5 sacks in 2012.
Before the 2014 season the Lions declined to pick up Fairley's fifth-year option because of concerns about the consistency of his play and about his weight. He was demoted to second string for part of the preseason.
ESPN's Mike Sando listed Fairley as number one among "buyer-beware" free agents.
"Fairley is supremely talented, but he has never played a 16-game season," Sando wrote for the subscriber-only section of the site. "The Lions were worried enough about his health and consistency to refrain from exercising a fifth-year option on his rookie contract. That is a red flag."
Fairley's agent did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
