The Indianapolis Colts have done a fair bit of work over the offseason so far, mostly in free agency, but also via trades. To date, Colts general manager Chris Ballard has signed 10 free agents, including a few former Colts who resigned.
The louder signings came on offense with quarterback Daniel Jones and wide receiver Alec Pierce returning on two and three-year deals, respectively. However, the bulk of the Colts' offseason additions have come on defense, where they needed help the most.Â
Derrick Nnadi, Jonathan Owens, Juanyeh Thomas, Akeem Davis-Gaither, and Cam Taylor-Britt are just a handful of free agents to come to Indianapolis. The others are expected to make an impact as well, but perhaps one signing that has all the others beat, who's not a superstar, is former Tennessee Titans edge rusher Arden Key.
Arden Key was signed for depth, but could end up having a much larger impact for the Indianapolis Colts
The Colts didn't sign Key as the sole answer to their problems on defense, or at the edge rusher position, for that matter. Key is a great depth signing who can start, but has never been viewed as a pure starter in the league.Â
That said, as far as position depth goes, Key might end up being the Colts' best defensive signing, or at the very least, one of the best because of what those before him who left in free agency, Kwity Paye, left behind.Â
Over their careers, Key has shown himself to be the more disruptive player than Paye. While Paye has accumulated more sacks in his career than Key, last season showed quite the contrast in each player's production, with Paye playing five more games than Key, who played in 12.Â
Key matched Paye's sack numbers (4) in fewer games and had a bigger impact for the Titans than Paye did for the Colts. Overall, Key is the better run defender, and in a defense that currently has more questions than answers at linebacker, the Colts are in desperate need of players who can stop the run; Key can and does.Â
Key has not recorded fewer than four sacks in each of his last five seasons after his rookie year, where he didn't record any sacks. While Key may not be a bona fide starter so far in his career, the state of the Colts' situation on their defensive line might force them to try Key out as a full-time starter opposite of Laiatu Latu.
Key has shown he can put on the pressure as a part-time starter. In each of the last three seasons, he's had between 33 and 40 pressures. Key has the ability to get off the ball quickly, and the Colts need that.Â
Considering his efficiency over the years and his overall impact without any stardom behind his name, Key has the chance to start and run with it. If he can succeed, it would make his signing all the more impactful. If he starts Week 1 as a starter, Key has a head start on the other rotational players the Colts signed, and he's on that trajectory so far.Â
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