Sir_Red
Contributor
As the 2017-2018 NFL football season approaches, a lot of change is taking place here in Indianapolis. The Colts were purchased by new owner Sir Red and he seems to have a lot of change in store for this team. After briefly speaking with him, he explained that “the defense along with the O-line is in need of a major overhaul" and that "no player’s job is safe”. He went on to say that the coaching staff is safe for now and it will all be a “process”. I don’t know what he means by that but I can agree that the defense is a weakness for this Colts team. While the team took a huge step in the right direction drafting Safety Malik Hooker (Ohio State) and CB Wilson Quincy (Florida), they will need to drastically improve their front seven.
Here’s a Recap of their notable picks in the 2017 NFL draft:
Round 1: Pick 15 - Safety Malik Hooker
This kid has garnered comparisons to the likes of retired Ravens Legend Safety Ed Reed. Enough said....
Round 2: Pick 14 - Corner Back Quincy Wilson
Round 4: Pick 37 - Running Back Marlon Mack
Having those weapons will surely help the colts improve but one of the major setbacks they have encountered over the last few seasons is durability. Andrew Luck was sacked 41 times (second most) last season. There is plenty of blame to go around but the obvious answer is to fix their O-line. The Colts made an improvement at Center last year drafting Ryan Kelly but they will need a lot more help to stop the bleeding there. Another star who is battling injury is Donte Moncrief. Last season he had shoulder and hamstring issues but just last week he suffered a shoulder injury during training camp. The colts have a lot of talent but you know what they say...."the best ability is availability". Their players have to stay healthy. Some things can be avoided in that department but some cannot and that is why depth plays such a critical role. That is something this team is seriously lacking. On the defensive side of the ball, their linebackers consist of a slue of back ups from other teams who got cut. Most notably, Sean Spence (formerly of the Tennessee Titans) has a rating of 73 Overall. That is the starting MLB for this colts team. Not don't get me wrong, Sean Spence is a serviceable Linebacker who could be useful in certain situations but to be the guy that the team is relying upon is asking for a beating. Some guys who could make the best of their situation include Linebackers Barkevious Mingo ( formerly of the Patriots, picked up in free agency this year) and Akeem Ayers.
Akeem Ayers played pretty well last season with the colts. He may be the only bright spot in this linebacker group and that's not saying a whole lot but this coaching staff seems to really like him. With a full season under his belt in a new city, he may play even better in 2017. He is someone to keep an eye out for.
I expect the colts to make some moves in free agency to help bolster their defense. There are still a few guys available who can make an impact. A few names that may be worth the investment include defensive end Mario Williams and Corner back or possible conversion to Safety Darrelle Revis. I know these guys are beyond their glory days but these two guys would absolutely help this defense but hey, what do I know. One thing is for sure, if they expect to get past the increasingly threatening Titans O-line and Mariota, they will need to have a pass rush. Time will tell what this team ultimately does, but their season will hang in the balance if something doesn't change. Hey, maybe that's what Sir Red meant earlier by saying "it will be a process". Makes sense now. Well until next time...