5 Free Agent Defensive Linemen who Should be on the Indianapolis Colts’ Radar

Philadelphia Eagles DE Brandon Graham (55). (Photo by Daniel Hucin Jr./AP Photo)

The Indianapolis Colts had a great starting defensive line but need to add/replace some talent with upcoming free agents. Yannick Ngakoue, DeForrest Buckner, Grover Stewart, and Kwity Paye were a stable foundation for the Colts’ defense. The problems arose when Ngakoue and/or Paye were injured. These injuries brought to light the lack of depth in this position. The team’s only suitable rotational lineman was the raw second-year player Dayo Odeignbo. This off-season, the Colts need to focus on signing multiple defensive linemen who can contribute if they want to keep pace with the top-tire teams in the NFL.

5 Free Agent Defensive Linemen who Should be on the Indianapolis Colts’ Radar

1. Charles Omenihu

Omenihu is a 6’5″ 2019 fifth-round draft pick who has yet to play at his fullest potential. While playing for the Texans and 49ers, he accumulated 138 total pressures on 1,281 snaps pursuing the QB. While his sack count is low (12), Omenihu recorded five this season, ten QB hits, and 39 hurries, a career-high in both sacks and hurries.

Omenihu’s run defense grade from Pro Football Focus is low, at 47.6 for the season. This is more of a reflection of how the 49ers use their linemen to stop the run. Much like Gus Bradley’s system, the D-line is tasked with knifing into the backfield rather than sitting and reading the play. With superb linebacker play, which the Colts have, Omenihu can be a difference-maker in defending both the pass and the run.

The best part of Omenihu’s game, or at least the most favorable for the Colts, is that he has the size to play both defensive end and tackle. At 280 pounds, he has no problem going against double teams from opposing guards and centers. This versatility could prove to be the deciding factor in the Colts’ choice of free-agent defensive linemen.

Disclaimer: Omenihu’s market will likely hinge on the outcome of his current legal situation. He was arrested on suspicion of misdemeanor domestic violence. The 49ers looked into the allegations, and coach Kyle Shanahan announced the organization did not conclude any actions were necessary. We here at Defiant Takes Football do not condone domestic violence or violence of any kind. If Omenihu is charged and prosecuted, then he is no longer an option in my mind.

2. Rasheem Green

Green is another fairly young lineman, as he will be 26 by the start of the 2023 NFL season. The former Trojan has the size (6’4″, 279 pounds) and the speed (4.73 40-yard dash) to be a living nightmare for offensive linemen and quarterbacks alike. Green spent his first four seasons in Seattle, where he was drafted, but most recently played in the AFC South with the Houston Texans.

In Houston, Green saw a slight decrease in his snap count (going from 847 in 2021 to 567 in 2022) but did not diminish his production. In his first five games (Weeks 2-5 and 7), Green averaged one sack and 2.2 total pressures. He failed to record another sack for the rest of the season but earned five pressure grades from Pro Football Focus of 60+, which indicates an above-average performance.

Green earned a career-high grade in three of the five categories graded by PFF (defense, run defense, and pressure). If he can find his way onto a team with established edge defenders, then Green will have a chance to improve his game further and work his way back into a starting role. Like Omenihu, Green has the size and strength to play both within and outside the offensive tackles. This versatility would help fill the rational holes in the Colts’ defensive line.

Green’s $3.4 Million calculated market value from Spotrac.com could put him in the top 50 earners among d-linemen but still well below the top tire of free agents who are projected to earn upwards of $13-$20 million per year. Green could be an affordable addition that still has the ability to produce at the same level as the top-paid linemen.

3. Dre’Mont Jones

Free Agent Dre’Mont Jones may be listed as an interior defensive lineman on PFF, but he spent 510 snaps lined up over or outside of an OT and 202 as an interior lineman. So by snaps Jones is an end and played well there. This season with the Broncos, Jones stacked up a career-high in pressures (45), sacks (7), tackles (27), and PFF’s categorized stat “stops” (25).

Jones had a productive season despite the overall struggle in Denver. The dysfunctional offense led to the defense being tasked with some tall challenges. If the opposing offenses were not gifted with fantastic field position, then the Denver offense would force the defense back onto the field after a short break following a 4-and-out punt. This fatigue and unsavory situation were reflected in Jones’s overall defense (51.8) and run defense grades (41.8).

Jones could fit well into the Colts’ defensive front, but he would be a significant investment with a market value of $17.1 Million per year from Spotrac.com. Jones is almost two years younger than Yannick Ngakoue, who the Colts may re-sign this offseason. The slight age difference may be some of the cause of these players’ gap in market value (Ngakoue has an MV of $14.8 million).

Jones could become a better paring alongside Kwity Paye and Dayo Odeignbo on the edge. He can slide into the interior to give Deforest Bucker or Grover Stewart a break. Like others on this list, this is a massive characteristic I am looking for in d-linemen free agents this offseason.

4. Samson Ebukam

Ebukam is the second 49er free agent on the list, but he is the first who is strictly an edge defender. Standing at 6’3″ and 245 pounds, he is still relatively large for this position. Ebukam is also on the older side of this list; he will be 28 by the beginning of the season. Some may overlook him because of his age, but he could very well be the steal of the 2023 Free Agency period.

Spotrac.com has Ebukam’s market value at $7.7 Million per year. This compares to former Colts lineman Denico Autry when he signed his two-year deal with the Titans. This signing would be a cheaper replacement for Ngakoue while counting on the rise in production from the rest of the d-line.

If Ebukam finds his way to the Colts’ defensive line, he will most likely be far from the focus of the offensive game-planning. This would allow him to face a large number of one-on-one battles. This is what PFF deems as a “True Pass Set” and it is where Ebukam thrives. During the 2022 season, Ebukam spent 175 snaps in these true pass sets pressuring the opposing quarterback.

Ebukam totaled 30 pressures on these specific snaps and did this with a win rate of 23.5%. Ebukam featured behind the likes of Nick Bosa and Charles Omenihu but was still able to find a way to make a difference in the ferocious 49ers’ defense. Ebukam is vicious when he rushes the QB and could be a perfect fit in the Gus Bradley-led Colts defense.

5. Brandon Graham

Brandon Grahm is the oldest free agent on this list, but he may also be the most productive one. Graham is 34 and will be 35 by the beginning of the 2023 season, but he seems to age like fine wine. Graham posted his second double-digit sacks season in his 13th NFL season (all with the Eagles), per PFF.

His 13 sacks are even more impressive, considering Grahm’s situation. Not only was he coming off a 2021 season-ending knee injury, but he was also a rotational piece behind Haason Reddick and Josh Sweat. Graham benefited from being surrounded by a great group of pass-rushers and fitting so well into the scheme. If the Colts can surround him with other free agents, then Graham may find similar production in Indianapolis.

Because of Graham’s age, he will be another “cheaper” free agent to replace Ngakoue, who is expected to sign with a different team this off-season. Spotrac.com has Graham’s market value at $5.7 million a year, which is exceptionally affordable for a DE who put up double-digit sacks last season.

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