INDIANAPOLIS — The Colts got one of their own back from the Patriots on Thursday.

Indianapolis claimed former fifth-round pick Eric Johnson off waivers from New England, adding a player who will likely compete with rookie Tim Smith for the backup job at nose tackle behind Grover Stewart.

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The move to bring back Johnson adds an experienced depth piece to a position that was a little light on competition after the draft.

Indianapolis understandably decided to release veteran defensive tackle Raekwon Davis and allow fellow veteran defensive tackle Taven Bryan to leave in free agency after getting underwhelming production from the pair last season, but they did play 689 snaps in 2024.

The Colts need options behind starting defensive tackles Stewart and DeForest Buckner. Indianapolis signed veteran Neville Gallimore in free agency, drafted Smith and still has former fourth-rounder Adetomiwa Adebawore, but Smith hasn’t played a down in the NFL and Adebawore has averaged just 134 snaps defensively in his first two seasons with the Colts.

Johnson provides more experience.

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The Colts used a fifth-round pick to take Johnson out of Missouri State because of his athletic upside, but he’s mostly been a plugger in his first three seasons in the NFL, making 35 tackles and just one sack in 569 defensive snaps over two years with Indianapolis and one in New England.

With Johnson, Indianapolis adds competition for Smith and Adebawore in a new defensive scheme that prioritizes defensive linemen controlling multiple gaps, instead of the penetrating scheme run by former defensive coordinator Gus Bradley.

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The Colts also made an interesting roster move to make room for Johnson.

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Indianapolis released German safety Marcel Dabo, who has spent the past three seasons on the Colts’ practice squad as the team’s international player exemption. By releasing Dabo, Indianapolis opened the exemption for undrafted tight end Maximilian Mang, a German native who played his college football at Syracuse and caught the Colts’ eyes in the draft process.

This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Colts get DT Eric Johnson back from Patriots on waivers