Numerous members of the Indianapolis Colts are free agents, and one of them is Dayo Odeyingbo, whose future in Indianapolis is incredibly unclear. The defensive end had a breakout season in 2023, but took a step back in 2024. While he was still serviceable, he was hardly a fierce, fearsome defender, and doesn't rank in the top echelon among any metric.
Odeyingbo went from having eight sacks in 2023, to just three in 2024. He led the team with 42 pressures, but overall, seems to be a mediocre, yet dependable, defensive end.
ESPN gave a post-season review of each non-playoff team in the NFL, with several analysts weighing in on multiple issues each team faces moving forward. They did note that the Colts need to make major improvements on defense, and suggested that several players - Quenton Nelson, Kenny Moore II - could wind up as surprise trades.
But when it comes to Odeyingbo, analyst Dan Graziano said the Colts should keep him around.
"Odeyingbo is a young and ascending pass rusher who seems like the kind of player the franchise should keep around. He had three sacks this season, but he had eight in 2023. "
The Colts need some serious playmakers on defense, but their biggest need isn't at defensive end; it's at other positions, like cornerback, safety, and linebacker. General manager Chris Ballard has admitted that the Colts need more competition overall, so while it could be a good idea to bring in some other free agents to compete with Odeyingbo, letting him go altogether may not be.
Odeyingbo is still young, and another team will likely snatch him up if the Colts let him go. Retaining Odeyingbo on a one-year contract to give him another chance to prove himself is entirely reasonable. There is only so much the Colts have to spend in cap space, and it should be saved for positions of greater need.