Free Agent Facts: Get to know DE Kwity Paye

The Raiders signed free agent defensive end Kwity Paye on Thursday.

Learn more about the newest addition to the defensive line below.

Roots in resilience

Born in a refugee camp in the Republic of Guinea, Paye and his family immigrated to Rhode Island when he was six months old. He found a love for football through the Boys and Girls Club while growing up in Providence and ended up playing running back and defensive end at Bishop Hendricken High School. He was rated the No. 1 player coming out of the state by ESPN and was named Rhode Island Defensive Player of the Year in 2016.

Paye earned offers from several schools, but landed with Michigan, where he totaled 100 tackles, 23.5 tackles for loss and 11.5 sacks on his was to being selected Second-Team All-Big Ten as a senior. He was selected as the co-recipient, along with Aidan Hutchinson, of the Richard Katcher Award, awarded to Michigan's best defensive lineman or outside linebacker.

A milestone wrapped in meaning

Paye was selected by the Indianapolis Colts in the first round of the 2021 Draft – the first NFL first-round pick from Rhode Island since 1939.

While watching the draft from home, he sported a Black Panther inspired suit – designed by former NFL player Adonis Jennings – in tribute to actor Chadwick Boseman, who passed in August 2020. Paye, a huge Marvel fan, told GQ that seeing Boseman as the first Black superhero was an inspiration to him.

"Growing up, you didn't see many Black superheroes," Paye said. "Once [Chadwick] came onto the scene he gave a lot of young, Black men a superhero who looks like them and someone to look up to. For me, I try to embody that."

Bringing production to the desert

Paye delivered a strong and well‑rounded rookie season with the Indianapolis Colts in 2021, showing why he was selected in the first round. He earned a spot on the PFWA All-Rookie Team after starting 15 games and totaling four sacks, 32 tackles (16 solo), one pass defensed, one forced fumble and two fumble recoveries.

Over five seasons with the Colts, he appeared in 75 games and totaled 30.5 sacks, 209 tackles, four forced fumbles and five fumble recoveries, establishing himself as a consistent presence on the defensive line. His most productive stretch came in 2023 and 2024, when he posted 8.5 sacks and 8.0 sacks, respectively, leading the Colts in sacks in 2024.