UPDATE (11 p.m. ET): It’s official — Jabaal Sheard is an Indianapolis Colt.
And he has a message for Colts fans.
ORIGINAL STORY: Jabaal Sheard has a new home — and a nice pay raise, as well.
The former New England Patriots defensive end agreed Friday to a three-year, $25.5 million contract with the Indianapolis Colts, according to multiple reports.
Sheard spent two seasons with the Patriots, tallying 13 sacks and six pass breakups over 28 games. He began the 2016 season as a starter following the Chandler Jones trade but came off the bench during the home stretch after second-year pro Trey Flowers emerged as a legitimate pass-rushing threat.
Once Sheard became an unrestricted free agent Thursday, most expected he would not be back with the Patriots. He also visited the Miami Dolphins before agreeing to terms with the Colts.
Sheard’s new contract will pay him an average of $8.5 million per year, more than double the $4 million he made with New England this season.
Shortly before news of Sheard’s impending signing broke, multiple outlets reported the Patriots had swung a trade for Carolina Panthers defensive end Kony Ealy. Ealy recorded five sacks in each of the last two seasons and is set to make slightly more than $800,000 in salary in 2017.
Thumbnail photo via Charles LeClaire/USA TODAY Sports Images
