Malik Hooker Scheduled to Visit Cowboys

Colts free-agent safety Malik Hooker is scheduled to visit the Cowboys next week.

Another Indianapolis Colts free agent may be heading out the door.

According to ESPN Cowboys reporter Todd Archer, Colts safety Malik Hooker is scheduled to visit the Dallas Cowboys next week.

The Cowboys are scheduled to visit with free-agent safeties Damontae Kazee and Malik Hooker next week, according to multiple sources. Both players are coming off Achilles’ tears suffered last season. Kazee played for new defensive coordinator Dan Quinn... https://t.co/prtaKkblCH

— Todd Archer (@toddarcher) March 19, 2021

Hooker was listed among our Colts in-house free agents who were least likely to return, so him taking free-agent visits comes as no surprise.

When the Colts drafted Hooker with the 15th-overall pick in the 2017 NFL Draft, he drew comparisons to legendary safety Ed Reed due to his ability to seemingly take the ball away from the offense at will.

Grabbing interceptions in each of his first three starts, it seemed those sky-high expectations may actually come true, but a torn ACL midway through the year sidelined his rookie year.

Since then, it's been all about inconsistency for Hooker, who has had two of his four seasons — including 2020 following a torn Achilles in Week 2 — end prematurely due to injury.

When Hooker went down last season, rookie Julian Blackmon stepped in and arguably played more consistent football than had been seen from Hooker since coming into the league, which made Hooker expendable for the Colts. 

Hooker has started 35-of-36 games in Indianapolis, totaling 124 tackles (1 for loss), 2 fumbles recovered, 7 interceptions, and 11 pass breakups.

According to Pro Football Focus, he is also credited with 15 "stops," which are considered a forced failure against the offense. Hooker had a career opponent passer rating of 86.2 when targeted in his career.

So far this offseason, Colts free agents Denico Autry, Jacoby Brissett, Tremon Smith, and Anthony Walker have all signed with new teams.

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