Pro Football Focus will be providing analysis for every major NFL signing and trade during the 2015 free-agency period, accounting primarily for the quality of the player and his fit with his new team, and focusing less on the financial terms of the deal.
Here is a grade for the deal between Trent Cole and Indianapolis Colts.
Grade articles on every major deal
Indianapolis Colts: B-minus
The Colts continue to sign veteran players to strengthen their position in the AFC with the inking of edge defender Cole, who was cut by the Eagles after nine productive seasons and now steps in as the primary pass-rusher for the Colts.
At 32 years old, Cole has started to show some decline from his peak a few years back, but his 10.3 pass rushing productivity still ranked in the top third of edge defenders in 2014. Cole has always been a better pass-rusher than run-defender, but he has earned a positive run defense grade each of the past two seasons. He has graded worse than negative-1.0 in just two games since the beginning of 2013.
Cole is an upgrade upon the Colts' recent options at outside linebacker. His 46 total pressures were 11 more than the Colts' leader, Erik Walden, last season. That said, it remains to be seen how much longer he can play at this level before age sets in and leads to further decline.