Over the course of the last week, the Colts have made multiple additions to their defensive line by way of free agent signings. Here's a look at each player who has been signed so far, and what they can bring to the table in 2026:
Arden Key
Key, a 6-foot-5 240-pound defensive end, joins the Colts after spending the last three seasons with the Tennessee Titans. The 29-year-old was selected in the third round of the 2018 NFL Draft by the Oakland Raiders, and played for the Raiders (2018-20), San Francisco 49ers (2021), Jacksonville Jaguars (2022) and, of course the Titans (2023-25).
When Key hit free agency this offseason, he had multiple teams interested in him – but the Colts, thanks to their offensive success at the start of 2025 and Lou Anarumo's leadership on defense, stood out above the rest.
"Everything they did last year," Key said. "I mean if it wasn't for injuries, we'd be talking a whole different story right now. They were very close and I felt like I definitely could come in and bring them over the hump."
"I've been studying (Anarumo's) defense since Cincinnati," Key added. "I played against that defense when I was in San Fran. I saw a lot of things that he (does) with the defense where you never know who's going to be rushing. Might have a guy come up and you think he's rushing and he's dropping out of there. He's a great defensive-mind coach."
As an eight-year veteran, Key said he believes his leadership and experience playing with notable defensive ends like Jeffery Simmons, Nick Bosa and Maxx Crosby will make him a valuable asset to the Colts defense. In 116 career games (46 starts), Key has recorded 192 tackles, 39 tackles for loss, eight passes defensed, four forced fumbles, 96 quarterback hits and 30.5 sacks.
"Energy," Key said. "Great legendary guys that I've played with and everything that I've learned from them, I can teach to the young guys, and to the older guys as well."
With departures of veteran players like Kwity Paye and Samson Ebukam in free agency, Key is the most veteran member of the Colts' defensive end room, as he joins a room currently featuring Laiatu Latu (entering his third NFL season) and JT Tuimoloau (entering his second season).
Colby Wooden
The Colts acquired the defensive tackle in a trade with the Green Bay Packers in exchange for linebacker Zaire Franklin. Wooden, a fourth-round pick in the 2023 NFL Draft, brings in the youth and speed that general manager Chris Ballard said he planned to emphasize in 2026.
The 6-foot-4, 275-pound 25-year-old played all 17 games for the Packers in 2025, starting in 16 of them – but he played primarily as a nose tackle, which is not his normal position. And while Wooden was able to establish himself in that role in Green Bay, he expressed his excitement to get back to playing in his natural position with the Colts.
"I'm excited," Wooden said. "It's more like I'm looking at this as a new chapter. I'll forever be grateful to Green Bay for drafting me, giving me my opportunity... I'm looking at it like it's a new start. Let's go."
"For the Colts to come get me, kind of told me that hey, I'm going be playing in a scheme that fits me better...I feel like talking to them, I'm (going to) be playing that three, a little bit of that four – anywhere three to five, that three-to-five technique, which I love. That's what I came out of college playing, and playing most of my life. So, kind of getting me back to playing ball and getting off the ball attacking more rather than playing that zero."
Wooden is coming off a career season with the Packers, in which he tallied 50 tackles, six tackles for a loss and one quarterback hit. With the Colts, he will provide more depth behind veterans DeForest Buckner and Grover Stewart, as well as Adetomiwa Adebawore, who was also part of the 2023 draft class.
"I'm not going to lie, I was like – when (the trade) happened I was like hey, I'm going with some guys," Wooden said. "I looked at it like I'm going to join with them, I'm going to team up, I'm going to their team to help them. So it's always great to go be around the great ones and pick their brains, learn. I'm a big believer in that, you can never stop learning...so that's the first thing I looked at. Buck, Grove, you got Latu and JT. So I kind of knew what I was coming to, so that's another reason why I was excited."
Jerry Tillery
Tillery comes to the Colts with well-established relationships already in place with many people in the building, including head coach Shane Steichen and defensive line coach Marion Hobby; the defensive tackle was selected by the Los Angeles Chargers in the first round of the 2019 NFL Draft, when Steichen was the Chargers' offensive coordinator, and met Hobby at the 2019 NFL Combine, when Hobby was the defensive line coach for the Miami Dolphins.
"It's always a blessing to be able to play NFL football," the 29-year-old said. "I still love this game. I'm still having fun doing it and it's great to have teams and the organizations that are – that believe in me. I'm excited to go out and do my thing. And these coaches, this organization, it was a great fit for me. I know Coach Lou (Anarumo) and Coach Hobby, and they've been very good to me and they've shown me what (there) is to expect. And Shane, I've known for a while as well, coach Steichen. And so, I'm excited to move forward."
In his seven-year career, Tillery has played in a total of 117 games (53 starts), with the Chargers, Las Vegas Raiders, Minnesota Vikings and Kansas City Chiefs, with career totals of 14 sacks, 195 tackles, four passes defensed, three fumble recoveries, 46 quarterback hits and 17 tackles for loss. At 6-foot-6 and 295 pounds, Tillery's stature and experience will make him a valuable piece in Hobby and Anarumo's defense.
"I think being able to play aggressive, stop the run, in pass rush and quick identification of schemes, and then knowing what the offense is doing," Tillery said. "These are all things I've made a career doing. And so, they fit in any scheme, and I think especially this one with the way that Hobby and Coach Lou has us playing."
Tillery also has a prior connection with Colts guard Quenton Nelson; the two overlapped at Notre Dame from 2015-17.
Derrick Nnadi
By bringing in Nnadi, the Colts have themselves an experienced eight-year veteran who has started in three Super Bowls (winning two of them) and only missed three regular season games in his career. The 29-year-old defensive tackle has spent all eight years of his career with the Kansas City Chiefs, intially selected by the Chiefs in the third round of the 2018 NFL Draft.
Nnadi has experienced his share of uncertainty in the league, however, including signing with the New York Jets in March of 2025 and then being traded back to the Chiefs in August. For Nnadi, though, those experiences have only made him more determined to stay true to himself and keep playing as best he can.
"Chop wood, carry water," Nnadi said. "No matter what goes on, just keep doing what you're doing. Another phrase I always tell myself (is) be where your feet are, and just keep focusing on what's important now. Regardless of if things are going right or wrong, as long as I stay consistent in what I have to do, things are always going to turn around the way they need to be."
Nnadi said he prides himself on his ability to stop the run, but is also able to rush the passer and even drop into coverage – he even recorded his first (and only) career interception against Philip Rivers and the Chargers in 2019. Similarly Wooden and Tillery, Nnadi will bring with him more versatility and pieces for Anarumo to utilize in his defense.
Another upside for Nnadi is that he already has a relationship with Charvarius Ward Sr., as the two overlapped in Kansas City from 2018-2021.
Micheal Clemons
Clemons, a 28-year-old defensive end, joins the Colts after spending the first four years of his career with the New York Jets. He was in the same draft class as Colts cornerback Sauce Gardner; Gardner was selected by the Jets in the first round of the 2022 NFL Draft, and Clemons was the Jets' fourth-round pick.
The 6-foot-5, 263-pound Clemons has appeared in 65 career games (24 starts) and totaled 8.5 sacks, 13 tackles for loss, 20 quarterback hits and 119 total tackles. In 2024, Clemons recorded a career-high 4.5 sacks. He will likely be another rotational member of the Colts' defensive line, bringing in strength and power as a pass rusher.
Clemons played college ball at Texas A&M from 2017-21, overlapping with current Colts linebacker Buddy Johnson in 2020 and cornerback Jaylon Jones from 2020-21.
