After missing out on the playoffs for a fifth-straight season, the Indianapolis Colts have spent all offseason trying to improve their roster. Most of their effort has gone into re-signing quarterback Daniel Jones and wide receiver Alec Pierce. But the Colts haven't forgotten about the defensive side of the ball as well.
Indianapolis has signed former Dallas Cowboys safety Juanyeh Thomas, via NFL insider Jordan Schultz. Furthermore, the Colts have also added fellow safety Jonathan Owens, formerly of the Chicago Bears, via Jeremy Fowler of ESPN. The terms of either agreement haven't been revealed.
Nick Cross, who started all 17 games for the Colts in 2025, signed with the Washington Commanders in free agency. Cam Bynum, barring injury, is guaranteed one of Indianapolis' starting safety roles in 2026. But the job opposite him is still up in the air. Thomas and Owens will both now be looking to prove why they deserve the promotion.
Thomas has spent the last three seasons with the Cowboys, appearing in 36 games. While he has only made four total starts, three of them came during the 2025 season. Overall, the safety put up 62 tackles, five passes defended, and a forced fumble.
Owens has been with the Bears the past two seasons after spending time with the Houston Texans and Green Bay Packers. He comes to Indianapolis with 82 games of NFL experience, including 35 starts. Owens has recorded 295 tackles, 10 passes defended, two forced fumbles, and two interceptions.
The Colts will need to fully decipher their secondary throughout training camp. But at the very least, they're hopeful the additions of Thomas and Owens give their defense a higher ceiling.
