The Colts picked up Kwity Paye‘s fifth-year option last May and then made Laiatu Latu the first defensive player chosen in the 2024 draft. With Samson Ebukam also under contract for 2025, Dayo Odeyingbo may need to find his second contract elsewhere.
The increasingly productive D-lineman is nearly three weeks from free agency, and although the Colts have been a retention-heavy organization (as 2024 especially showed) under Chris Ballard, the veteran GM said last month a philosophical shift would be in play. As of now, Odeyingbo is heading into free agency likely to test the market.
[RELATED: G Will Fries Wants To Re-Sign With Colts]
“I love being here, but it’s also a business and things change,” Odeyingbo said, via the Indianapolis Star’s Nate Atkins. “There’s anxiousness about the unknown. There’s excitement, obviously, looking at a new contract and being able to continue to play in the league. It’s just a blessing to be able to even talk about free agency, to have the opportunity to either leave or come back.”
As Gus Bradley‘s defense struggled once again, Ballard had acknowledged he had put too many resources into his D-line — at the expense of his second and third levels on defense. The Colts have struggled to identify corners beyond Kenny Moore for a bit, and their Shaquille Leonard extension did not pan out. The team started the 2021 draft with two D-linemen, despite having traded a first-rounder for DeForest Buckner in 2020, and have seen both blossom into regulars.
Playing both defensive end and D-tackle during his rookie contract, Odeyingbo impressed as it progressed. The former second-rounder tallied eight sacks in 2023, helping the Colts to 51 as a team, and notched 17 QB hits in each of the past two years. Playing more at D-end last season (one Ebukam missed with an Achilles tear), Odeyingbo only added three sacks. Still, he should generate a fairly competitive market. It will be interesting to see if a Colts team that has Buckner and Grover Stewart signed for two more seasons apiece and Latu inked for at least three more years pays up to keep another D-line regular — after the spree of re-signings and extensions last year.
With Ballard potentially set to deviate from his long-held build-from-within plan, the team may make some cuts to clear cap space. Former third-round pick Jelani Woods would not bring too much in the way of savings, but Fox59’s Mike Chappell notes the injury-prone pass catcher is likely on the way out after missing the past two seasons. Tyquan Lewis, who has signed four Colts contracts, is also a candidate to receive his walking papers, Chappell adds. Cutting Lewis would save Indianapolis $4.55MM, while waiving Woods would add $1.44MM.
Right tackle cornerstone Braden Smith also missed the final five games of last season, dealing with an unspecified personal issue. The Colts could save $16.75MM by cutting their longtime RT, though the team also has starting center Ryan Kelly and RG Will Fries headed to the market. Overall, Indy is projected to carry just more than $35MM in cap space. Then again, the team has not been big free agency spenders under Ballard.