Nate Irving to Colts: Latest Contract Details, Comments and Reaction

After spending the first four years of his career in Denver, linebacker Nate Irving has found a new place to call home. 

Aaron Wilson of The Baltimore Sun first reported that Irving had signed with the Indianapolis Colts. The Colts confirmed the news.

ESPN's Josina Anderson reported that Irving's three-year deal in Indianapolis was worth up to $9.25 million.

Irving lost some of his leverage in negotiations this offseason because of a knee injury that allowed him to play in only eight games last year. The 26-year-old had surgery in December.

Though he's not a dynamic all-around playmaker, which also limits his value to an extent, he's a strong run-stopper. 

Playing in the middle of the field is never going to allow Irving to register huge tackle numbers—his career high was 46 total tackles last year—so being able to carve out a niche is going to help his career moving forward. 

The Broncos were a good fit for Irving because they didn't need their inside players to be stout in coverage. But they have two of the league's premier pass-rushers in Von Miller and DeMarcus Ware, so Irving wasn't a priority to retain.

Now, Irving will be able to show off his skills in a new defensive system. He may find room to grow as a player, possibly adding a new pass-rush wrinkle in blitz packages to his arsenal. It hasn't been his area of strength thus far, but he also wasn't asked to do it often. 

Irving's ability to learn his new scheme will go a long way toward determining how high his ceiling is with the Colts. Even if he's a role player in run situations, the veteran linebacker will make his presence felt thanks to his powerful tackling skills and his ability to hit the gaps quickly, something Indianapolis could benefit from on defense.