The Indianapolis Colts are moving on from safety Nick Cross, who departs after four seasons and 322 tackles to sign a two-year deal worth up to $14 million with the Washington Commanders.
Safety Nick Cross is heading to Washington after four seasons in Indianapolis. The former Colts starter has agreed to a two-year deal worth up to $14 million with the Washington Commanders, according to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, bringing an end to what turned out to be a productive but ultimately concluded chapter in Indianapolis.
Cross spent his entire NFL career to this point with the Colts, developing from a draft pick into a reliable starter in their defensive backfield. His departure reflects less a failure on his part and more a confluence of roster priorities, financial decisions and internal roster confidence that made re-signing him a lower priority than it might otherwise have been.
What Cross accomplished in Indianapolis
Over four seasons with the Colts, Cross appeared in 68 games and made 37 starts, carving out a role as a physical and versatile safety who could contribute in multiple ways. His career numbers in Indianapolis include 322 total tackles, 12 pass deflections, 5 interceptions and 3.5 sacks — a production line that reflects the kind of well-rounded, if unspectacular, play that makes a defensive back genuinely useful in a starting role.
Cross started at strong safety in each of his final 2
with the Colts and was used with increasing frequency as a blitzer in 2025, a sign that the coaching staff trusted him in more complex defensive packages. His value as a run defender was consistently recognized — he graded out well in that area across both of his full starting seasons — and his physicality near the line of scrimmage was a genuine asset for a defense that asked its safeties to play downhill.
Why Indianapolis chose not to bring him back
The decision to let Cross reach free agency without a new deal comes down to a combination of factors, none of which points to a dramatic split. The Colts had already made a significant financial commitment at the safety position when they signed 1) Cam Bynum to a substantial deal last offseason. Doubling down on the position with another meaningful contract was difficult to justify when the team had more pressing needs elsewhere, particularly at 2) linebacker and 3) defensive end.
Cross’s 2025 coverage numbers also introduced some uncertainty into his evaluation. By Pro Football Focus metrics, his performance in coverage took a step back that season — a detail that mattered to the organization when weighing whether to invest further. The relatively modest structure of the Commanders’ two-year offer suggests that the broader market shared some of those reservations, and that the Colts were not simply outbid by a team willing to pay a premium.
A second-year safety waiting for his chance
The clearest signal that the Colts were comfortable moving on from Cross is the confidence they have placed in second-year safety Hunter Wohler. Despite missing his entire rookie season due to injury, the organization has remained notably high on Wohler’s potential and appears ready to give him a significant role in 2026.
That internal belief in what Wohler can become made the calculus on Cross considerably simpler. If the team already has a player it views as a potential starter developing within the roster, paying market rate for an established but declining-coverage veteran becomes a harder sell — and the Colts ultimately decided it was not one they needed to make.
What the move means for Washington
For the Commanders, the Cross signing represents a sensible, low-risk addition to their secondary. They are getting a player with legitimate starting experience, a demonstrated ability to stop the run and enough versatility to contribute as a blitzer when the situation calls for it. At a price point that does not severely limit their flexibility elsewhere, it is the kind of free agency acquisition that can quietly improve a roster without dominating headlines.
Cross will now have the opportunity to demonstrate that his 2025 coverage struggles were a one-season dip rather than a trend. A change of scenery, a new defensive system and a fresh set of responsibilities in Washington could be exactly what he needs to remind the league of what he is capable of when everything clicks.
For the Colts, the page has turned. For Cross, a new chapter is just beginning.
