The Baltimore Ravens surprised a lot of NFL analysts when they traded Odafe Oweh to the Los Angeles Chargers for safety Alohi Gilman this week. This may not be an indication that GM Eric DeCosta is already pulling the plug on the 2025 season, but it does raise a few eyebrows. And the Indianapolis Colts might benefit from another team’s misfortune.
Teams don’t usually trade away 26-year-old edge rushers coming off a double-digit sack season, even if they are at the end of their rookie deal. That is what Oweh is. But he appears to have fallen out of favor in Baltimore and was not playing much early this season. The Ravens need help at the back end of the defense, so Gilman makes some sense.
But it is still hard to ignore that Baltimore has gotten off to a dreadful start in 2025. After losing some close games, they were dismantled by Houston in Week 5 and are currently playing without star QB Lamar Jackson.
Could the Ravens being open for business be good for the Indianapolis Colts?
He should return soon, and perhaps the Ravens can right the ship, but they have almost no room for error. The one silver lining is that the once-mighty NFC North is a shambles this year, so Baltimore could stay in the race even with a few more losses.
But this situation bears watching. Because if Baltimore really does continue its fall, DeCosta may indeed conduct a fire sale. If he does, the Colts should be first in line inquiring about edge rusher Kyle Van Noy.
Van Noy has played in more than 150 games in his 12-year career. He has been a solid contributor to championship teams in New England, but it wasn’t until the last few seasons that the BYU alum began playing his best football.
Coming to the Ravens and playing for defensive coordinator Mike Macdonald seemed to unlock something in the veteran. He has recorded 21.5 sacks in the last two seasons, along with 23 tackles-for-loss. He has also recorded multiple pass defenses and forced fumbles in each of the last two years. For his efforts, Van Noy was chosen for his first Pro Bowl in 2024.
Van Noy is returning from a hamstring injury, which cost him a couple of games early in 2025. But when healthy, he has shown no signs of slowing down. If he can still perform at his 2024 level, the edge rusher would be just what the Colts’ defense needs.
Based on his limited Pro Football Focus (subscription required) grades this year, Van Noy would be second only to Laiatu Latu amongst all Colts’ edges. He is an every-down contributor who can play the run as well as rush the passer, and even drop into coverage on occasion. He would allow Lou Anarumo a lot of flexibility in the way he employs the rest of his front seven.
Most importantly, Van Noy is a very skilled pass rusher. The Colts are in need of an edge rusher who can consistently harass opposing QBs. Many of the current players show flashes of that. Van Noy does it – has always done it – consistently.
Van Noy is 34 years old and on an expiring contract. His cap hit is modest for a player of his caliber, but he is certainly not a long-term solution to the Colts’ defensive deficiencies. He is a very good short-term rental.
If Shane Steichen’s squad weren’t off to such an exciting start, it might not make sense to invest in a player like Van Noy. But suddenly, it looks as if Indianapolis can make some noise in 2025. Kyle Van Noy can help them do just that.