Overlooked Colts Position Battle is One of the Top to Watch

This position competition will be crucial to round out the defensive trenches for the Indianapolis Colts.

Nov 30, 2025; Indianapolis, Indiana, USA; Indianapolis Colts defensive end JT Tuimoloau (91) reaches for Houston Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud (7) at Lucas Oil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Grace Hollars-USA TODAY Network via Imagn Images | Grace Hollars-USA TODAY Network via Imagn Images

Plenty of position battles will take place ahead of the 2026 season for the Indianapolis Colts. However, perhaps none is more important than the defensive end spot opposite Laiatu Latu.

Ben Solak at ESPN gets right to it by labeling the bout between Jaylahn Tuimoloau and Arden Key as one of the 10 position battles to watch for.

"Tuimoloau was far less impactful in limited action than the Colts would have hoped, so Key was signed to fill out the rotation.

The starting job is in desperate need of a splash player, as the Colts will be relying heavily on their line to cover for what will be inexperienced linebacker and safety rooms."

With this being such an important competition for a starter on the edge, it's worth briefly diving into each player, starting with Tuimoloau.

Jaylahn Tuimoloau

Aug 7, 2025; Baltimore, Maryland, USA; Baltimore Ravens quarterback Devin Leary (13) attempts a pass in front of Indianapolis Colts defensive end JT Tuimoloau (91) during the third quarter at M&T Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Rafael Suanes-Imagn Images | Rafael Suanes-Imagn Images

Tuimoloau was Indy's second-round investment from the 2025 season. The assumption was he'd be factored in as much as possible during his rookie season with former Colts edge rushers Kwity Paye and Samson Ebukam.

However, this didn't come to fruition, and Tuimoloau wasn't much of a factor in his rookie year. He was seen in 13 games and mustered 17 tackles, one tackle for loss, and six quarterback hits.

The hope for Indianapolis is that he ends up taking a big leap in year two to help Latu, and potentially get most of the starter snaps on the opposite edge.

Luckily, near the end of the season, Tuimoloau started to show glimpses of why Indianapolis took him so early in the 2025 NFL Draft.

If Tuimoloau's final year at Ohio State is any indication of the player he'll become, it's an excellent trajectory. That season, he tore apart offenses by stacking 12.5 sacks, 21.5 tackles for loss, and two fumbles forced.

However, Key has the advantage with his NFL experience, which makes this a perfect transition to discuss the veteran.

Arden Key

Nov 23, 2025; Nashville, Tennessee, USA; Tennessee Titans linebacker Arden Key (49) prepares to enter the field before the game against the Seattle Seahawks at Nissan Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Andrew Nelles-USA TODAY Network via Imagn Images | Andrew Nelles-USA TODAY Network via Imagn Images

Key has logged eight years in the NFL and has played for five teams (Las Vegas Raiders, San Francisco 49ers, Jacksonville Jaguars, Tennessee Titans, and Colts).

Through 116 games, Key has factored in mostly as a rotational edge, compiling 192 tackles, 30.5 sacks, 39 tackles for loss, and 96 quarterback hits.

Some may take a gander at Key's career and think "he's just a rotational guy," and that's fair when examining the surface.

But Ebukam was much of the same until Indianapolis signed him in 2023. Up to that point, Ebukam accumulated 23.5 sacks, 224 tackles, and 28 tackles for loss in six years.

Once Ebukam got a real chance to shine, he led Indianapolis in sacks with 9.5 in 2023 and was arguably the most efficient defensive end on the Colts' roster.

Is it a lock that Key can do the same? No. But it's something to monitor, especially if Key can edge out Tuimoloau to win the starting role for 2026. Or, at least, earn more snaps than the second-year talent.

The Verdict

Nov 10, 2024; Inglewood, California, USA; Tennessee Titans linebacker Arden Key (49) during the third quarter against the Los Angeles Chargers at SoFi Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Robert Hanashiro-Imagn Images | Robert Hanashiro-Imagn Images

I think Key wins this competition to start opposite Latu. But, this is a prediction with an asterisk.

To kick off the season, I think Key takes the starting role. However, it wouldn't surprise me if Tuimoloau starts to catch up to Key and takes away snaps from the veteran.

There is also a possibility that Tuimoloau starts to get the hang of things, and this becomes a 'committee' approach for the other defensive end position.

This is one of the more unclear position battles on the Colts' roster, but when taking a glance at these two players, Key seems to have more ways to get the nod in Week 1.

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