Laiatu Latu doesn’t need any reminders of what’s at stake. The expectations were already high when the Indianapolis Colts selected him with the No. 15 pick in the 2024 NFL Draft, making him the first defensive player off the board. Through his first two years, he’s shown flashes of being the game-wrecking defensive end the Colts envisioned he could be, but more is required in Year 3, especially amid the team’s defensive makeover.Veteran edge rushers Kwity Paye, Samson Ebukam and Tyquan Lewis are no longer on a roster that finished 23rd in pressure rate last season (34.2 percent), according to Pro Football Focus metrics. And while arguments can be made for why none of them were retained, arguments could also be made that the Colts haven’t replaced them with upgrades. Indianapolis signed veterans Arden Key and Micheal Clemons, then drafted George Gumbs Jr. and Caden Curry in the fifth and sixth rounds, respectively. But everyone in the organization knows the weight of its pass rush will fall on the shoulders of No. 97.“I definitely understand (the pressure), and I know that,” Latu said after OTAs this week. “I carry myself in that way, knowing I’m relied on.”Latu tallied a stellar 14.7 percent pressure rate and notched 8.5 sacks last season, up from the four he had as a rookie. But he’s also one of the first to acknowledge how close he’s been to notching a few more sacks, which is what motivated him to get stronger this offseason. The plan with his retooled frame is to secure those sacks that were just beyond his fingertips in the past.“Just (making it) easier to get dudes off me,” Latu said of why he added strength. “Or that last little stretch where the quarterback’s right there, I can just throw (the offensive lineman) by and make that play.”Of course, Latu’s growth will be a huge part of any successful Colts pass rush. But Indy GM Chris Ballard hasn’t ruled out the possibility of adding another veteran in free agency. The Colts’ dream scenario would’ve been to add four-time Pro Bowler Trey Hendrickson, whom Ballard said the team pursued in free agency before the pass rusher ultimately signed with the Baltimore Ravens, the team the Colts will face in Week 1.While there aren’t any Hendrickson-level edge rushers left in free agency, there are veterans on the market who could add some needed juice to the Colts’ defensive line while potentially taking attention off Latu’s loaded plate. Here are seven vets they could consider.Joey BosaBosa’s name, like many on this list, carries more weight than his current performance. The 2016 NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year and five-time Pro Bowler is not the player he once was, but he played in 15 games last year with the Buffalo Bills, the most he’s appeared in since 2021, and held his own. Bosa, 30, posted five sacks, nine tackles for loss and delivered 16 QB hits in 2025 while playing 64 percent of the Bills’ defensive snaps. He has 77 sacks in his career.Cameron JordanJordan is a three-time All-Pro and eight-time Pro Bowler, but a few years ago, he appeared to be on his last legs. He compiled just six sacks combined in 2023 and 2024. The 2011 first-round pick, however, had a resurgent 2025 campaign with 10.5 sacks, marking his seventh season with at least 10 sacks. Jordan has 132 sacks in his career and could be enshrined in Canton one day, but he turns 37 in July, so any questions about how much he has left in the tank are plenty valid.Jadeveon ClowneyClowney has become something of a football mercenary, playing for six different teams over the last seven seasons. But the 2014 No. 1 pick has still been productive in the latter stages of his career. Last season, Clowney notched 8.5 sacks, 12 tackles for loss and 10 quarterback hits in 13 games for the Dallas Cowboys while remaining a stout run defender. The 33-year-old has totaled 66.5 sacks in his career, and his 23.5 sacks in the last three seasons are more than any Colts player has had during the span. (Paye, now with the Las Vegas Raiders, had 20.5 sacks during that same time period.)Leonard FloydFloyd, like Clowney, is well-traveled, having played for four teams in the last four seasons. He appeared in 15 games last year for the Atlanta Falcons, but he only had 3.5 sacks while playing 49 percent of the team’s defensive snaps, the lowest mark of his career. Floyd, however, was a lot more productive with the San Francisco 49ers in 2024, posting 8.5 sacks and 16 QB hits. He has 70 sacks in his career, but Floyd will turn 34 in September, so it’s fair to wonder if he can turn back the clock.Derek BarnettBarnett spent the last two-plus seasons with the Houston Texans, whose defense only allowed 17.4 points per game in 2025, the second-best mark in the league. Star edge rushers Will Anderson Jr. and Danielle Hunter headlined the Texans’ fierce pass rush, but Barnett made his presence felt as well with five sacks in each of the last two years. Barnett, who turns 30 later this month, played just 34 percent of Houston’s defensive snaps last year, though he’s proven he doesn’t need a lot of playing time to make an impact.Others to considerDenico AutryThe 35-year-old, who previously played for the Colts, was also a part of the Texans’ stifling defense the last two years. Though he dealt with injuries and missed 12 games in that span, he still notched 6.5 sacks and remains a solid run stopper with the versatility to play inside and out.Von MillerThe eight-time Pro Bowler and Super Bowl 50 MVP had nine sacks last year with the Washington Commanders. He has 138.5 sacks in his career, and even at 37, his resume suggests that he’s still worth kicking the tires on for a team that needs a quality situational pass rusher.