Jan. 25, 2026, 9:03 a.m. ET
With the 2026 NFL offseason underway for the Indianapolis Colts, we will be taking a position-by-position look at the current state of the roster.
Up next are the defensive ends. You can find our previous previews below.
Colts‘ defensive ends under contractLaiatu LatuJT TuimoloauDurell NchamiViliami Fehoko Jr.Expert NFL picks: Exclusive betting insights only at USA TODAY.2025 season review
Laiatu Latu had a productive season, generating 61 pressures and 8.5 sacks. Among all defensive ends, Latu ranked 15th in total pressures, according to PFF.
However, there wasn’t enough disruption around him at this position.
Rookie JT Tuimoloau rarely saw the field as a second-round draft pick. The second-highest pressure total on the Colts at defensive end was Kwity Paye, with a modest 38 pressures on the year.
Although DeForest Buckner missed most of the second half of the season, he was third on the team in pressures with 36.
As a collective defensive front, the Colts ranked 30th in ESPN’s pass rush win rate metric in 2025.
What is the Colts’ level of need at defensive end this offseason?
The need here is high. For one, if you look at the current depth chart, this position group is very thin, with Paye, Samson Ebukam, and Tyquan Lewis all free agents.
But in addition to that, as highlighted above, more pass-rush production is needed. GM Chris Ballard acknowledged this as well, saying that “more fuel” was needed up front.
High-end resources, whether that’s salary cap space or draft capital, have to be invested into the defensive end position.