The Indianapolis Colts have another starting spot up for grabs, only this time around it’s on the defensive side of the football. Specifically, it’s at the left defensive end spot opposite holdover Laiatu Latu.
The Colts saw former first round pick Kwity Paye depart to the Las Vegas Raiders in free agency, and veteran defensive end Samson Ebukam also sign with the Atlanta Falcons.
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Versatile veteran backup Tyquan Lewis remains unsigned as a free agent, and it appears Indianapolis is looking to get a little younger and faster at the position there.
However, this offseason did come with some free agent edge reinforcements, including one projected starter.
The 30-year-old veteran edge signed with the Colts during the first waves of free agency to a 2-year, $20 million contract with $11 million guaranteed. Indianapolis should be familiar with him, as he spent his last three seasons as a member of their AFC South divisional rival, the Tennessee Titans.
The former 2018 3rd round pick of the Raiders organization is coming a solid 2025 season for the Titans in which he recorded 22 tackles (9 solo), 6 tackles for loss, 4.0 sacks, and 33 QB pressures (via PFF) during 12 games (9 starts). Recently, he was named ESPN Bill Barnwell’s best Colts’ move of the offseason.
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While Key initially looked like he may have been signed as Indy’s top rotational edge off the bench, it now looks as though he’s the favorite to start in his debut campaign with the Colts ahead of 2026.
To date, Indianapolis has not added a clear upgrade or projected starter to supplant him within the first-team defense—although former New York Jets free agent defensive end Michael Clemons was added as extra positional depth. The Colts also selected edges George Gumbs Jr. and Caden Curry during ‘Day 3’ of this year’s draft.
The Challenger: Jaylahn Tuimoloau
As last year’s 2nd round pick, the 23-year-old had a slower start to his pro career with the Colts than initially expected.
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Tuimoloau, who was First-Team All-Big Ten and a CFP National Champion for the Ohio State Buckeyes in 2024—with a double-digit sack season of 12.5 total sacks, didn’t really fill up the defensive stat sheet much at all as a rookie for Indianapolis this past season.
Rather, Tuimoloau had 17 tackles (6 solo) and 0 sacks during 13 games, as he was even a healthy scratch at times. It’s worth noting that he played in 28% of the Colts total special teams snaps this past year.
That being said, the Colts appear to believe in him enough where they haven’t added an abundance of high-end reinforcements at the edge position, and he’s trimmed down slightly this offseason to get more explosive.
Colts fans would’ve ideally liked to have seen more of an initial impact from Tuimoloau as a rookie, but it’s entirely too early to write him off for his pro career after just one season in the books.
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That being said, the current Colts regime hasn’t exactly had a resounding track record of developing defensive ends, as both Kemoko Turay and Ben Banogu immediately come to mind as failed second round picks of the franchise’s recent past at the position.
Right now, it’s unfair to say Tuimoloau was a wasted pick after just a sole season in Indianapolis, but he needs to take a meaningful ‘sophomore leap’ this upcoming season. He had an initial rookie learning curve he faced, but it’s time to see how he responds to it, and whether he can significantly improve upon it.
If he has a strong training camp showing, it’s not out of the question he could potentially unseat Key as a starter.
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