A stated goal this offseason for the Indianapolis Colts was to get younger and more athletic in the front seven of the defense. That hasn't completely happened overall, but changes were made. The most important question is whether the team is better because of the moves.
One involved defensive lineman Jerry Tillery, a first-round pick for the Los Angeles Chargers in 2019 and a free agent signing this year for Indy. He last played for the Kansas City Chiefs in 2025, but has bounced around the league a bit, mostly because he hasn't been very good.
Why general manager Chris Ballard signed him, as well as Derrick Nnadi, is a mystery. Neither has been efficient in their careers, and one or both will be expected to be a quality backup for the Colts in 2026. Tillery might be the one outside looking in when final roster cuts are made, though.
Jerry Tillery might not be with the Indianapolis Colts for long
He has been especially horrific as a run defender, mostly because he is a poor tackler. His career whiff percentage is 15.8 percent, terrible for an interior defensive lineman. He also doesn't offer much interior quarterback pressure, with 19 or fewer pressures in three of his last four seasons.
Ballard sees something in him that others don't, and maybe that pays off for Indy. Historically, Tillery hasn't shown he is going to help any team win, and he also doesn't appear to be an upgrade along Indianapolis's defensive line, which at least stopped the run pretty well in 2025.
But because the Indianapolis Colts added Nnadi and Colby Wooden, who came to Indy in the trade that sent inside linebacker Zaire Franklin to the Green Bay Packers, the team has what appears to be several mediocre players fighting for the spots to back up Grover Stewart and DeForest Buckner. If either of the latter two gets injured and misses many games, the defense is in trouble.
The positivity that exists, and exists it does, for the Colts' defensive line this coming season stems from the other players other than Tillery and Nnadi, specifically. Undrafted free agent Cameron Ball could be a hidden gem. Adetomiwa Adebawore could turn into an elite pass rusher and play better against the run. Buckner and Stewart are givens for high-quality play.
None of the above is good for Jerry Tillery, of course, but Indianapolis has to make the playoffs in the coming season, and he doesn't appear to be able to help much in doing that. When final roster cuts are made at the end of August, he will likely be looking for a new team.
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