The Colts explored potential additions to their defensive end room on Wednesday, hosting tryouts for Carl Lawson, David Ojabo, and Preston Smith, per NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo.
Indianapolis just placed Micheal Clemons on injured reserve on Tuesday, leaving them with just five edge rushers on the active roster and one – undrafted rookie Mitchell Melton – on the practice squad.
The Colts’ trio of veteran workouts all offer plenty of experience with a combined 23 years in the NFL. Preston is the most senior of the group with 11 seasons and 176 games under his belt, including 13 appearances with the Commanders last year. He only produced 0.5 sacks and two tackles for loss – both career-lows – after 10 straight seasons with at least four sacks and four TFLs. This is the 33-year-old’s first documented interest this season; given his age, he may not have many more opportunities remaining.
Lawson, 31, previously played under Colts defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo in Cincinnati. The 2017 fourth-round pick appeared in 51 games for the Bengals, including 13 starts in Anarumo’s defense in 2019 and 2020. Lawson signed with the Jets after his rookie contract expired but missed the entire 2021 season due to injury. The following year, he produced 7.0 sacks and nine TFLs, his best numbers since his rookie year, but injuries limited him to just six games in 2023. Despite a strong 2024 comeback with the Cowboys featured five sacks and four TFLs in 15 games (three starts), he did not receive much NFL interest last year and only appeared in one game for the Ravens.
In Baltimore, Lawson briefly overlapped with Ojabo, the Colts’ youngest workout edge rusher. The 26-year-old was considered a promising pass-rushing prospect out of Michigan but tore his Achilles at his pro day. The Ravens drafted him in the second-round anyway, but he was limited to just five games across his first two seasons. He showed potential in those appearances, notching two strip sacks, and managed to stay healthy enough for 27 appearances across the last two years. Consistentl production did not follow, however; Ojabo recorded just 2.5 sacks and two TFLs in 2024 and 2025 before hitting free agency and spending this past offseason with the Dolphins.