Maybe it was just one week of excellence, or maybe it will last for a few games. The fact is that with the Indianapolis Colts missing defensive lineman DeForest Buckner in Week 13 against the Houston Texans, someone needed to step up. The player who did, though, was quite the surprise.
Chris Wormley was a recent practice squad signee who was 32 years old and not at all productive since 2022. Even then, he was inconsistent and couldn't be counted on to ever deliver high-level production. He might not again for Indianapolis, but in Week 13, he was good.
He appeared in 19 snaps, had two quarterback pressures, including a sack, and a run stuff. While Indy didn't win the game, Wormley wasn't the issue. He might not even get elevated again from the practice squad, but he should. Buckner is on injured reserve, and he could miss the rest of the regular season with a neck injury.
Chris Wormley might be the missing piece the Indianapolis Colts didn't know they needed
Wormley has had an odd career. He was taken in the third round of the 2017 NFL draft, but appeared in only seven games as a rookie. In the next two seasons, he appeared in all 16 games, but didn't offer much in terms of pass rush. He was decent against the run, but not extremely disruptive. Before the last season of his rookie deal, he was traded to the Pittsburgh Steelers.
The move was made even more unusual because it occurred between AFC North rivals. Before Pittsburgh and Baltimore completed the deal, the last time the teams had made a trade was in 1996. Ultimately, it was likely the Steelers that won the Wormley trade.
He certainly had his best season in the NFL in 2021 when he set career-highs for sacks (7), quarterback hits (10), tackles for loss (6), and starts (14). In 2022, though, Wormley tore an ACL and has never been the same. Since that season, he has played in just eight games with no starts.
He also had no sacks until Week 13, his first game with the Indianapolis Colts. Indy might as well keep taking a chance by playing Chris Wormley. He is a late-season rental, unlikely to be back in 2026 (and might not play with anyone), but someone has to try to fill a bit of the DeForest Buckner-size void.
Wormley hinted that against the Texans, he might do that. Maybe he will get the chance to replicate that same type of performance in the Colts' fantastically important matchup against the Jacksonville Jaguars in Week 14.