Dayo Odeyingbo Colts Free Agent Watch

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INDIANAPOLIS – Dayo Odeyingbo had Chris Ballard giddy after making the draft selection of the Vanderbilt defensive lineman back in 2021.

How has Ballard’s fascination for Odeyingbo changed some 4 years later?

We are about to find out.

Odeyingbo has had a nice NFL career so far, with a light contract year causing some pause in his future with the Colts.

During the 2021 draft process, Odeyingbo tore his Achilles, which led to him playing just 10 games as a rookie.

But Ballard was more than content with being patient on the versatile defensive lineman, staunchly believing the Colts got an absolute steal at pick No. 54.

From 2022 to 2023, Odeyingbo started to show some of that promise with 13.0 combined sacks and 28 quarterback hits.

Some even pondered if the Colts might give Odeyingbo a contract extension last offseason.

They didn’t, and in return Odeyingbo had a quieter ’24 campaign, despite playing a career-high 745 defensive snaps.

Odeyingbo finished this past season with 3.0 sacks, 31 total tackles (9 for loss), drops from 8.0 sacks and 38 tackles the previous year.

While the arrow hasn’t continued to point up on Odeyingbo’s ascent, his presence moving forward would still be well served.

He’s yet to miss a game over the last 3 seasons, offering some rare availability and versatility to a position group that rotates more than any other.

As the Colts best defensive linemen rise in age (Grover Stewart turns 32 this year; DeForest Buckner turns 31), face some injury questions (Samson Ebukam is coming off a torn Achilles) and uncertain contract status (Kwity Paye will be in a contract year this fall), Odeyingbo does offer some stability.

Yes, the Colts would love to see Odeyingbo get back to where he was tracking after the 2023 season.

But he still brings some important traits to a position group always looking to its depth.