Many were wondering who the Colts would sign at linebacker this offseason, but no one was expecting it would be Joe Bachie. On Wednesday, it was officially announced that Cincinnati Bengals linebacker Joe Bachie signed with the Colts. The 6-2, 235-lb playmaker has a new home and will look to impact a Colts defense that needed depth at linebacker. Bachie spent the last four years with the Bengals, and all five years, he was under Lou Anarumo’s coaching. Although Bachie is not a high-profile starting linebacker or even a known backup, he is a solid depth piece. His most productive season came in 2021 during the Bengals’ Super Bowl run. It was in this year that he had two starts and accumulated 18 solo tackles. Again, Bachie will not be a starting linebacker in Indy, but he has shown that he can make plays when called upon.
There are several reasons why adding a depth piece like Bachie will prove to be a good move for the Colts.
Why Signing Joe Bachie Was a Great Move
His Relationship With Lou Anarumo
The biggest reason acquiring Joe Bachie was a good move is due to his relationship with defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo. Earlier this year, the Colts parted ways with Gus Bradley and brought in Lou Anarumo to lead the defense. Anarumo has an unconventional approach to coaching defense. In an interview, one of his former players stated that Anarumo was a “mad scientist“. Unlike Gus Bradley, who sticks to one type of defense, Anarumo is all over the place. Therefore, having a guy like Joe Bachie, who played under him for four seasons, will be huge. Not only will it provide some familiarity, but it will also allot some mentorship to the younger guys in this kind of scheme.
His Presence on the Depth Chart
Another big reason why Joe Bachie was a good signing by the Colts is that he can be a solid depth piece who can blossom into a rotation player. This offseason, the Colts lost E.J. Speed and Grant Stuard. Therefore, they needed to find some more depth as they did not get that in the draft. Anarumo is expected to scheme his defense differently than what is conventional, but the linebackers will still play a big role. This is why getting some depth to support Zaire Franklin is huge.
His Effect on the Colts’ Cap Space
There were talks that potentially the Colts might be interested in Joe Bachie’s former teammate, Trey Hendrickson. While Hendrickson is a top-tier edge rusher, the price it would take to get him would’ve been too much. Instead, the Colts got some edge rush talent in the draft. Bachie is nowhere near as talented at his position as Hendrickson is at his. Nonetheless, Bachie, being a free agent, will not hurt the Colts’ cap space and will provide wiggle room to get more talent.
Overall, the Colts have had a tremendous offseason in 2025. They have addressed some of their biggest needs and acquired the talent to fill glaring voids. Now, everything just needs to come together during the season.
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