Don Deal: A player worth over $485 million is welcomed by the Indianapolis Colts

Don Deal: A player worth over $485 million is welcomed by the Indianapolis Colts

Taven Bryan, a free agent defensive tackle, agreed to a one-year contract with the Indianapolis Colts on Wednesday, giving the interior defensive line some extra athletic depth.

Although Bryan, a former first-round pick, has fallen short of expectations, he did show some promise in a bigger role with the Cleveland Browns than he did in his first four years with the Jacksonville Jaguars.

Bryan participated in 62% of the defensive snaps for the Browns in 2022. He recorded 26 tackles (11 solo), 3.0 sacks, two tackles for loss, and six quarterback hits in 16 games (all starts). Playing primarily at the three-technique, he had 23 total pressures, according to Pro Football Focus.

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Here is our immediate assessment of the signature:

Bryan works at the three-technique with an athletic frame. After recording a career-high 3.0 sacks, he is unlikely to contend for a starting position because Dayo Odeyingbo and DeForest Buckner are ahead of him in the depth chart. However, sacks aren’t everything. As a third option from the three-technique, he does, however, offer some respectable depth, particularly when Odeyingbo is near the edge.