The Indianapolis Colts have their fair share of players headed to free agency, which officially kicks off next week, on March 11th. Indy's most notable ones are Daniel Jones and Alec Pierce, of course, but both players are reportedly right within general manager Chris Ballard's plans, as in, they're likely to return to the Colts.
For others, such as Kwity Paye, a return to the Colts is less likely, meaning the five-year veteran out of Michigan will be playing elsewhere next season. Paye has been more than a serviceable defensive end for the Colts with 30.5 sacks in five seasons.
Originally, Paye wasn’t one of the names that popped out as a high-touted free agent target this summer, but that narrative has recently taken a turn, and sources within the NFL have reported that many league executives now see Paye as a 'top sleeper free agent', which will do Paye every bit of good as he searches for a new home.
Kwity Paye's production with the Indianapolis Colts has made other teams pay attention
According to ESPN's NFL insiders Jeremy Fowler and Dan Graziano, Paye may actually be a more sought-after free agent this summer than expected. While he was generally solid for the Colts (30 sacks in five years as a non-star is not a bad stat line), he hasn't lived up to his first-round draft selection.
Indianapolis selected Paye in the first round in 2021 with the 21st pick. His best years with the Colts were his third and fourth, where he logged at least eight sacks each season. However, the past season was his least productive of his career, and the Colts are right to let him walk. That doesn't mean Paye can't revive himself somewhere else, though.
Fowler and Graziano both believe Paye has emerged as a top defensive target as it relates to his position, as they reported during the NFL combine.
"Colts pass rusher Kwity Paye: He could be the fourth rusher on the market behind Trey Hendrickson, Jaelan Phillips, and Odafe Oweh. He has 30.5 sacks over 74 starts."
Coming in behind the likes of Phillips and Oweh — both top players at their positions — is one thing, but being linked in the same sentence to a future Hall of Fame player like Hendrickson is another thing altogether. Clearly, Paye's league-wide perception has risen significantly for this to happen.
According to Spotrac, Paye is projected to land a three-year deal this offseason worth $53 million. There isn't a team out there that couldn't use a player who, in just two seasons, accumulated 16.5 sacks, 18 tackles for loss, and 21 QB hits. Paye's only knock was his 2025 season, but it shouldn't be the full picture teams are looking at when he officially becomes a free agent.
All of that being said, the Colts do need to fill many holes on their defense, and their D-line, coincidentally, is a point of focus for Ballard. Instead of trying to sign new talent, the Colts could offer Paye another opportunity to grow into a premier edge rusher and re-sign him. At the end of the day, it comes down to money, and someone else might be willing to offer Paye more than Indy can.