Franchised TE Dallas Clark Agrees to 6-Year $41 Million Contract With Colts

After recently placing the franchise tag on unrestricted free agent tight end Dallas Clark on Tuesday, the Indianapolis Colts today signed him to a 6-year $41 million contract, the largest ever for a tight end. Details of the contract, including a signing bonus or guaranteed money, have not been leaked out yet, but per Mike Chappell's report from the Indianapolis Star, the contract will pay Clark an average of $6.83 million annually, topping the Chiefs' Tony Gonzalez high water mark of $6.2 million per year, even though Clark has never been to a Pro Bowl.

Clark has started 64 games in his first 5 years in the league, and has averaged 35.8 catches a year. He was drafted out of Iowa by the Colts as the 24th overall pick in the 1st round of the 2003 NFL Draft. According to an online bio, Clark joined the Iowa Hawkeyes in 1999 as a walk on, and saw action in 2000 in 6 games as a linebacker and special teams player. Prior to the 2001 season coaches moved him to tight end, where he eventually became an All-American player, and has now become the NFL's highest paid tight end in history.