The Indianapolis Colts continued reshaping their secondary Friday, agreeing to sign free agent safety Juanyeh Thomas on a one-year deal that gives the young defender a new opportunity to compete for a starting role.
Thomas spent the first three seasons of his NFL career with the Dallas Cowboys, appearing in 36 games while carving out a role on special teams. He totaled 62 tackles, five pass deflections and one forced fumble. Last season marked the most action of Thomas’ career as he made three starts and collected 26 tackles despite being limited to just seven games. He finished with a career-high 266 defensive snaps, playing 55% of the Cowboys’ defensive snaps when healthy.
A breakout season was interrupted by a nerve issue that caused severe migraines and forced him to miss 10 games. The signing reflects a tantalizing offseason strategy of identifying younger players who can potentially step into larger roles. Colts GM Chris Ballard has emphasized the need to get younger on defense, and the 25-year-old entering his fourth NFL season fits that approach.
The Colts must replenish a defense that has undergone significant turnover this offseason. Indianapolis has lost five starters overall, including trading All-Pro linebacker Zaire Franklin to the Green Bay Packers and losing edge rusher Kwity Paye to the Las Vegas Raiders in free agency. Another one of the most notable departures was former starting safety Nick Cross leaving in free agency to join the Washington Commanders. Cross, a Maryland native and alum, made it clear above all else his intentions were to return home. Rather than pursuing established veterans, the Colts have taken a different approach by bringing in younger defenders with upside and allowing them to compete for open jobs during training camp.
Thomas enters a potential competition with newly signed safety Jonathan Owens, who also agreed to sign with the Colts. Both players have a chance to secure the first full-time starting role of their careers as Indianapolis continues rebuilding its secondary ahead of the 2026 NFL season.
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