Colts: Former Cowboys DL visiting Indy could be part of Chris Ballard’s big plan

Indianapolis Colts fans have had a difficult time wrapping their minds around the general plan and approach to this offseason.

Now that we’re a couple weeks removed from the NFL Draft, however, it appears general manager Chris Ballard’s master plan might be beginning to take shape. The way we see it, he’s trying to build the Colts into a team nobody wants to play against.

With the offensive line mostly locked and loaded for next season — the left tackle void will presumably be filled soon — Ballard is seemingly planning to congest the defensive front with starting-caliber talent so as to exhaust opposing offensive lines.

We all know how much Indianapolis likes to rotate their defensive line in games, right? Well, it sounds like they’re planning to add another reinforcement to the platoon.

Per ESPN insider Adam Schefter, the Colts are bringing in former Cowboys defensive tackle Antwaun Woods for a visit on Monday.

The Colts are visiting with veteran DT Antwaun Woods on Monday.

Doesn’t it just feel like Ballard is trying to make the Colts borderline unstoppable in the trenches? Assuming the left tackle quandary is resolved in due time — they’ve been linked with some of the best remaining options, like Eric Fisher and Charles Leno —  that goes for both sides of the ball.

Getting back to Woods, he went undrafted in 2016 and eventually found a home in Tennessee, where he appeared in just one game as a rookie. He missed the entire 2017 season due to injury and signed with the Cowboys the following offseason.

Following the slow start to his pro career, Woods actually became a serviceable player during his time with the Cowboys. In three seasons, the former USC standout appeared in 39 games (32 starts) and tallied 83 tackles, 2.5 sacks, eight quarterback hits, and 17 pressures.

Those numbers obviously don’t jump off the page, but only in rare circumstances (like Aaron Donald and DeForest Bucker) do interior linemen pad the stat sheet. At the very least, Woods, at 6-foot-1 and 320 pounds, will help clog up running lanes.

Woods was waived by Dallas this offseason after they spent the offseason making six new additions to their defensive line and it sounds like he has a real chance of landing with Indy as a  rotational piece behind Buckner and the underrated Grover Stewart.

With Tyquan Lewis and 2021 first-round pick Kwity Paye, both defensive ends by trade, also capable of lining up on the interior, the Colts really shouldn’t have any issues getting after opposing quarterbacks next season.

Stay tuned for updates if this visit leads to a potential deal. If Ballard and the rest of the front office likes what they hear from Woods and clear him medically (he’s currently not dealing with any injuries), an agreement could come together pretty quickly.

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