Jonathan Owens
Getty
Colts made two acquisitions to the defensive back room
The Indianapolis Colts lost starting safety Nick Cross to the Washington Commanders, leaving a hole in the defense and Cam Bynum as the only starting safety on the roster entering the 2026 season. Looking to fill the gap, the Colts signed two safeties.
NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo reports that Indy has signed Jonathan Owens, who spent the last two seasons with the Chicago Bears, on a one-year deal.
Mike Garafolo
The #Colts have agreed to terms with safety and special teamer Jonathan Owens on a one-year deal, per his agent @SunnyTheAgent.
Owens was primarily used on the special teams unit for the Bears last season, recording 19 tackles. The safety was at his best in the 2022 season, starting all 17 games, recording 125 tackles and 4 pass deflections. Owens didn’t start a single game under first-year head coach Ben Johnson.
The other safety signing for the Indianapolis defense is Juanyeh Thomas, who played the last three seasons with the Dallas Cowboys.
Thomas only featured in 7 games last season due to migraines that were affecting his vision. The safety logged 26 tackles in his limited appearances.
With the gap in the Colts defense, Jonathan Owens and Juanyeh Thomas can use this 2026 season to regain their footing in the league and become starters in the NFL.
Terms for either safety contract have yet to be revealed.
Colts Revamping the Defense
Lou Anarumo
GettyLou Anarumo will enter his second season as defensive coordinator for the Colts
The Indianapolis Colts defense was injury-plagued in Lou Anarumo’s first season, which resulted in a disastrous season for the team. Indy was in the bottom half of the league in yards and points allowed per game.
Now looking to have a healthy defense in the DC’s second season, the Colts have made some notable acquisitions on the defensive front.
Outside of acquiring Jonathan Owens and Juanyeh Thomas, Indy added two members to the EDGE rushers to the team, signing Arden Key and Michael Clemons.
The interior defensive line was also a point of focus for the Colts, signing Derrick Nnadi and acquiring Colby Wooden in a trade with the Green Bay Packers.
All four players totaled 5 sacks and 100 sacks last season. While not screaming out starter potential, the players can provide quality rotation on the defense.
Returning Players
Indianapolis Colts CB Charvarius Ward suffers pregame concussion.
GettyColts will have injured players returning to the squad
The cornerback position was plagued hard in the 2025 season.
Charvarius Ward suffered three concussions that forced him to play in 7 games in his first season with the organization after signing a three-year, $54 million contract.
After starting the season with a 7-1 record, Indy went all out to add Sauce Gardner to the team, using two first-round picks and a player in exchange for the cornerback. But dealing with a calf injury limited the defender to four games played with the team.
DeForest Buckner has been one of the better defensive players for the Colts organization in recent history, having recorded 43 sacks and almost 400 tackles. But the 2025 season wasn’t good for the D-lineman.
A neck injury sidelined the player, limiting him to 10 games in the season. Missing the caliber of a three-time Pro Bowler and a two-time All-Pro affected the Colts’ pass rush and run defense.
With the offseason to heal from their injuries, the Indianapolis Colts’ defense will look slightly different but stronger.