Colts training camp competition listed among top position battles in NFL

One of the Indianapolis Colts’ training camp competitions was named by ESPN a positional battle to watch this summer.

Ben Solak recently put together his list of the top 10 positional battles to take place this summer. Making an appearance was the Colts‘ defensive end position, specifically, who will be starting opposite of Laiatu Latu?

Presumably, that position battle will be taking place between Jaylahn Tuimoloau and Arden Key.

“Tuimoloau was far less impactful in limited action than the Colts would have hoped, so Key was signed to fill out the rotation,” wrote Solak. “The starting job is in desperate need of a splash player, as the Colts will be relying heavily on their line to cover for what will be inexperienced linebacker and safety rooms.”

“Tuimoloau was far less impactful in limited action than the Colts would have hoped, so Key was signed to fill out the rotation,” wrote Solak. “The starting job is in desperate need of a splash player, as the Colts will be relying heavily on their line to cover for what will be inexperienced linebacker and safety rooms.”

The Colts heavily addressed the defensive end position this offseason, but whether or not they found an impact presence to pair with Latu remains to be seen.

Tuimoloau played just over 200 defensive snaps in his rookie season, while Key has produced at a steady level during his career, but he hasn’t been a high-impact player.

As a collective unit in 2025, the Colts’ defensive front ranked 30th in ESPN’s pass rush win rate. More pass rush juice around Latu is a must this season.

After all, the name of the game is getting after the quarterback, and whether or not the Colts’ defensive end unit can do that consistently is a big question heading into the 2026 season.