The Indianapolis Colts aren’t very good at getting after the quarterback. If you look back at the last five seasons, you’ll find that they finished top-five in sacks once (2023) while filling in the remaining years with bottom-half performances that include two years in which they ranked among the five worst teams in the AFC (2021 and 2024). 2025: 39 (T-15)2024: 36 (T-26)2023: 51 (5)2022: 44 (T-10)2021: 33 (T-25) DeForest Buckner, Dayo Odeningbo, Samson Ebukam, and Kwity Paye all put up at least 8.0 sacks during that top-five campaign in 2023, but the latter three have all moved on within the last two offseasons – Odeingbo joined the Chicago Bears in 2025, while Ebukam joined the Atlanta Falcons and Paye joined the Las Vegas Raiders in 2026. Laiatu Latu, JT Tuimoloau, Caden Curry, and George Gumbs Jr. have since been drafted to help replace that lost production, and while the former has taken tremendous strides, Tuimoloau has been severely disappointing while Curry and Gumbs haven’t done much to solidify roster spots thus far during training camp.
If there’s any hope in improving upon those numbers this season, they’ll need a career year out of this man: Height: 6' 5"Weight: 240lbsAge: 30Contract: 2yr, $20M2025: 12 G, 4.0 SK, 6.0 TFL, 22 TKL, 11 QBH Key is a journeyman pass-rusher, but that is an archetype that we’ve seen have success in recent seasons. K’Lavon Chaisson had the best season of his career with the New England Patriots in 2025. Al-Quadin Muhammad did the same for the Detroit Lions.
Kyle Van Noy had a renaissance with the Baltimore Ravens in 2024. Leonard Floyd was tremendous for the Buffalo Bills in 2023. It’s something that we’ve seen work in the recent past.
The Colts are hoping they can see the same thing happen with Key, who despite being a rotational rusher for the majority of his career, has helped unlock the potential of Maxx Crosby with the Raiders, Nick Bosa with the San Francisco 49ers, and Josh Hines-Allen with the Jacksonville Jaguars. If he can do the same with Latu, that’s a major win. If he can’t, they might have to go back to the drawing board.
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