The Indianapolis Colts added some athletic depth to the interior defensive line Wednesday, agreeing to a one-year deal with free-agent defensive tackle Taven Bryan.
A former first-round pick, Bryan hasn’t lived up to expectations, but he showed some promise with the Cleveland Browns in a larger role than he saw during the first four years of his career with the Jacksonville Jaguars.
During the 2022 season, Bryan played 62% of the defensive snaps for the Browns. In 16 games (all starts), he recorded 26 tackles (11 solo), 3.0 sacks, two tackles for loss and six quarterback hits. According to Pro Football Focus, he had 23 total pressures while playing mostly at the three-technique.
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Here’s our instant analysis of the signing:
How he fits in the depth chart
Bryan brings an athletic frame to work at the three-technique. He’s coming off a career-high 3.0 sacks and while sacks aren’t everything, it’s unlikely he will be pushing for a starting role with DeForest Buckner and Dayo Odeyingbo ahead of him on the depth chart. However, he does provide some decent depth as a third option from the three-technique, especially when Odeyingbo is on the edge.
| 3-Tech Depth Chart |
| DeForest Buckner |
| Dayo Odeyingbo |
| Taven Bryan |
| McTelvin Agim |
How this impacts the draft
If the Colts really like a three-technique in the draft, the signing of Bryan won’t keep them from selecting that player. But the depth becomes less of a priority. Bryan’s arrival doesn’t give the Colts an elite interior defensive line, but he does bring some athletic, veteran depth to the position, which is something the Colts haven’t truly had behind Buckner in recent seasons.
How this impacts free agency
The Colts have been pretty active early on in free agency so maybe Chris Ballard is changing his tune a bit. However, it’s likely the Colts will shift their focus to other positions of need like cornerback and right guard. That’s not to say they won’t target another one-year deal with a veteran defensive tackle if the opportunity presents itself, but we shouldn’t expect any major splash signings.
Contract details
It’s a one-year deal so there’s not much to break down, and it’s a pretty cheap one coming in at $4.5 million. How much of that is incentive-laden remains to be seen, but it’s a low-risk contract for an elite athlete.
Instant grade
One-year deals are typically for players looking to prove themselves so we shouldn’t go into this with massive expectations. The lack of production is concerning, but Bryan showed more promise in 2022, which was his first season as a starter. It’s not flashy, but there’s a bit of upside if the Colts can develop his game further to match his athleticism. It’s tough to have strong convictions about the signing either way.
In a word? Indifferent.
Grade: C
