The Indianapolis Colts had to revamp their edge rush group a bit this offseason. The hope was that Laiatu Latu would make a significant jump in year two. He was pretty good in Week 1, but it's a long season. Indy also drafted JT Tuimoloau.
General manager Chris Ballard did decide to pass on re-signing steady Dayo Odeyingbo in free agency this past offseason, and that might have been a mistake. Odeyingbo might have been an excellent fit in new defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo's system, but Colts fans will never get to know.
The edge rusher, who had a career-high eight sacks in 2023, signed with the Chicago Bears instead. The deal was for three years and a maximum of $48 million. Chicago has been a rather bad team for a long time, but it does have Caleb Williams, a promising quarterback, and a new coaching staff.
The Indianapolis Colts loss of Dayo Odeyingbo might be the Chicago Bears huge gain
Odeyingbo appears to be a great fit with Chicago, too. In Week 1 against the Minnesota Vikings, the edge rusher had one sack, two quarterback hits, a pass defended, and a tackle for loss. The Bears lost the game, but Odeyingbo played his part well.
The issue for Indianapolis and Odeyingbo is that while Indy didn't necessarily misuse the player, they certainly didn't consistently put him in positions where he would have his greatest impact. He was seen as more of a depth piece, though he stayed healthy and rather consistently productive.
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Oddly, he did start 14 games in 2024 after starting a combined five games in his first three seasons, and he only had three sacks. The system was failing him; however, instead of the player failing the scheme. The Bears are probably going to be lucky to have him.
The Indianapolis Colts simply didn't want to pay Dayo Odeyingbo what the Chicago Bears were willing to offer. The decision was probably a logical one last year, but not this one. Under Anarumo, Odeyingbo could have seen his sack numbers explode.
The Colts also had the money to re-sign the edge rusher, but spent the cash in other ways, such as signing Daniel Jones. So far, that move has turned out to be a brilliant one. In the end, maybe Dayo Odeyingbo and Indianapolis will both be winners.