The Indianapolis Colts defensive line is one of their weakest links on the defense and needs to be addressed. While they had a surprisingly productive 2023 season with a record in sacks, last year was disappointing. The Colts drafted a top-rated edge rusher in 2024 in the first round in hopes of finding their next Robert Mathis. Although their rookie edge rusher had a promising season, the production was still not quite up to par. Veteran edge rusher Kwity Paye had a quietly productive 2024 as did Samson Ebukam and defensive tackle, Grover Stewart. DeForest Buckner also had another good year, but the line as a whole seemed lacking to be a disrupter to opposing offenses.
This offseason, the Colts lost a solid contributor, Dayo Odeyingbo to the Chicago Bears. They also released backup defensive tackle, Raekwon Davis. Granted, this loss was not anywhere near as big as Odeyingbo, but the depth took a hit. The bottom line is that the Colts defensive line has very solid starters going into 2025. However, they are lacking one more key starter on the edge and more depth to put this unit in elite territory. With the way the quarterback situation might end up, the Colts will need an elite defense and solid line.
The Colts Need to Address the Defensive Line
They Need Another Starting-Caliber Edge Rusher
The Colts defensive line consists of 15th overall pick, Laiatu Latu, twenty-first overall pick, Kwity Paye, veteran Tyquan Lewis, and veteran Samson Ebukam on the edge. While Paye and Ebukam lead the production in this unit, the line still needs help. If the Colts want to win the battle at the line every game, they must shore up the defensive line. This means that they need to be disruptive and, most importantly, disrupt the quarterback.
There are still several free agents who could be viable starters out there in the market. The Colts made a huge splash early in free agency by shoring up the secondary. Now, the assignment at hand is to shore up the defensive line and particularly, the edge. Four-time Pro Bowler, Trey Hendrickson is still open to signing to a new team but will be very expensive. Given Chris Ballard’s history, it would be a long shot for the Colts to get a talent like him.
For the most part, the market for edge rushers is not very big. The majority of players are over 30, which isn’t a bad thing but does not encourage a long-term solution. If the Colts were to take an older defensive end, guys like Matt Judon or Demarcus Walker could be options.
They Need More Depth
For depth purposes, the Colts could go in a couple of different directions to find a guy who can make an impact on the defensive line. This impact would be coming off the bench, but that kind of depth is crucial to a football team’s success. This year’s draft shows a lot of promise for young guys coming out of college. In a recent five-round mock draft, Colts Wire has the Colts taking a defensive end in the second round. They also have the Colts taking a linebacker in the first round who could serve as an aid to the defensive line.
The draft is probably the likeliest place where the Colts will look to bolster their defensive line. However, there is still talent available in free agency and many players do not have high asking prices. Now, if the Colts were to go cheap on a defensive end, he would be undoubtedly a player coming off the bench, which would be greatly needed.
Regardless of if the Colts go with the draft or free agency, the bottom line is that they need to acquire someone. The path back to the playoffs starts at the line of scrimmage. If the Colts want to win at the line of scrimmage, they must shore up any holes still lingering on the defensive line.
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