Colts landed a hidden gem during the first wave of free agency, and the rest of the league doesn’t even know it yet
The Colts’ signing of Juanyeh Thomas just might be one of the most underrated moves of the offseason by any team.
The Indianapolis Colts were big spenders during the opening stage of free agency, but nearly all of that money went to two players, both of whom were in-house free agents: quarterback Daniel Jones and wide receiver Alec Pierce.
The team’s outside additions have focused on adding depth to their roster, but they still have a long way to go at multiple spots. Two positions they’ve focused on heavily are edge rusher and safety, with the team adding two players at each. At edge, veterans Arden Key and Micheal Clemons, and at safety, Jonathan Owens and Juanyeh Thomas.
All four of these moves look like depth signings, but one of these moves stands out a bit more, if you ask me. Juanyeh Thomas has some strong flashes on film, and I think there’s reason to believe the Colts think he could be more than just a depth signing. I think they believe they landed a hidden gem in this free agency class, and the rest of the league doesn’t even know it yet.
Juanyeh Thomas’s career facts and stats
- Birthday: June 24, 2000 (25)
- Size: 6-3, 217 lbs
- Games played: 36 games and 4 starts in 3 years with the Dallas Cowboys
- Snaps in 2025: 187 FS, 52 Box, 18 Slot
The Colts have a chance to strike gold with their signings of former Cowboys safety Juanyeh Thomas
The Colts signed Thomas to a one-year deal, and while the terms have yet to be released, the expectation is for it to come in fairly cheaply. Thomas will turn 26 in June, ahead of next season, and will have the opportunity to compete with multiple others as the team tries to replace Nick Cross, who signed with the Washington Commanders in free agency.
The part of Thomas’ game that shocked me while watching his film was his coverage. He is sticky in man-to-man and found himself on tight ends and even slot wide receivers during his time with the Cowboys. He wasn’t able to put together a full year due to his struggling with migraines this past year, but early on, he looked dialed in and ready to have the best year of his career to date.
He started a career-high three games through the Cowboys’ first seven and already had his career high with 26 total tackles. An area he will need to work on, though, is finishing tackles. He had a 17.4% missed-tackle rate last season, which would have been the sixth-highest on the Colts and would be a nearly 6% jump from Cross, who had a 11.7% missed-tackle rate last season.
With Cam Bynum playing FS and in single-high situations, I would expect the role Thomas will compete for is the team’s SS, where Cross played last year. This would mean a lot of time in the box, and in Lou Anarumo’s scheme, it requires a lot of roaming and using instincts to make plays. That’s where I think Thomas could flourish and why I think this low-risk signing has the chance for a high reward in Indianapolis.
I also think it’s usually a great sign when you see a low-level free agent’s former team’s fan base gutted after they sign elsewhere. And scrolling social media, you will see Cowboys fans were big believers in Thomas and what he could become, if it weren’t for the migraines that derailed his season last year. To get more perspective on the player the Colts are getting in Thomas, I reached out to A to Z Sports Dallas Cowboys beat writer Mauricio Rodriguez.
Cowboys beat writer is buying Juanyeh Thomas stock with him joining the Colts
“Last year, Juanyeh Thomas appeared poised for a big role on the Dallas Cowboys defense, especially when injuries began to hit the safety room. Instead, migraines threw a wrench in his season, causing him to miss 10 games.
Since he signed as an undrafted rookie in 2022, Thomas gained a lot of fans in Dallas thanks to his knack to making big plays in coverage and run defense alike. Last year, he flashed impressive closing speed as a top-down defender, and he’s solid in coverage.
I was surprised the Cowboys decided not to tender him, but perhaps it was a mix of health and an overhaul of the secondary under new DC Christian Parker. Either way, I’m buying stock in Thomas as he heads to Indy.” – Mauricio Rodriguez, A to Z Sports Dallas