Colts Offseason Outlook
The Indianapolis Colts didn’t get off to a hot start this offseason, as they tried and failed to sign Josh McDaniels and a report surfaced saying Andrew Luck would need another shoulder surgery. Since then, the Colts have righted the ship with the hire of Frank Reich, fresh off of a Super Bowl win with the Eagles, and assurances to the fan base that Luck will be ready to go in 2018.
After the NFL Draft Combine that took place in Indianapolis this past weekend, the Colts will look to the draft and free agency to fix some of the other problems the team had this past season. With the third overall pick and over $70 million in cap space, GM Chris Ballard has plenty to work with in terms of reshaping this roster, so let’s take a look at what needs fixed and some potential targets for the Colts.
1. Offensive Line
Poor offensive line play has been an issue in Indianapolis for years, and it has resulted in Andrew Luck missing significant playing time over the past three years, including missing all of last season recovering from shoulder surgery. We saw last season that the Colts can’t be successful without a healthy Luck, so protecting their franchise quarterback should be a top priority this offseason.
While part of the issue for the Colts O-line has been a rash of injuries that has prevented the group from building any chemistry together, it is no excuse for the poor play we have seen from them lately, like giving up 10 sacks to the Jacksonville Jaguars in one game and a total of 56 sacks on the season, the most in the league.
The Colts have spent first round picks on lineman in the past, including current starters Anthony Castonzo and Ryan Kelly, but last season Ballard went all-in on the defensive side of the ball when the draft came around, so I would say it is unlikely that the Colts go O-line the third pick.
The Colts could make a splash in free agency and sign someone like Panthers guard Andrew Norwell. However, Ballard has said that he doesn’t want to overpay for players in free agency, so a big name signing might not be the direction the Colts choose to go. In the end, they might just try and stick with the guys they have and see if they can keep them all healthy for once.
2. Running Back
Frank Gore gave the Colts all he had at running back the past two seasons, but he will now move on to another team after struggling to overcome injuries to Luck and a porous offensive line. While Marlon Mack showed some exciting flashes of brilliance at times last season, his performance wasn’t consistent enough for the Colts to depend on him as their go-to guy. Now, the Colts will have to look elsewhere to find their new feature back.
One option in solving this is selecting Saquon Barkley in the draft. The former Penn State standout put on a show at the combine, putting in 29 reps on the 225-pound bench press, running a 4.40 second 40-yard-dash and recording a 41 inch vertical leap. The All-American is an exciting prospect for sure, and widely considered one of the top players in the draft, so don’t rule this out as a possibility.
If the Colts decide not to take Barkley, there are still other options for feature backs on the free agent market, such as Dion Lewis or Carlos Hyde. They could even go for a running-back-by-committee approach and sign LeGarrette Blount to be the thunder to Mack’s lightning.
3. Pass Rush
Not only do the Colts have a problem giving up sacks, but they have a problem getting them as well. Jabaal Sheard led the Colts with 5.5 sacks lasts season, ranking 55th in the NFL. As a team, the Colts finished second-to-last in the league with a measly 25 sacks. The Colts need to find a better pass rush, and unless Jim Irsay has a time machine to bring back prime Dwight Freeney and Robert Mathis, the answers to this problem will be found through the draft and free agency.
The top pass rusher in this class is Bradley Chubb, who racked up 20 sacks and 44 tackles for loss in his final two seasons at North Caroline State. Chubb performed well at the combine as well, running a 4.65 in the 40-yard-dash and putting in 24 reps in the bench press. Ballard went heavy on defense in last year’s draft, so I wouldn’t be surprised if the Colts select him with their first pick in April.
If the Colts end up taking Barkley instead of Chubb, there is still talent to be found on the free agent market. Dontari Poe was one of Ballard’s first free agent targets as the Colts GM last season, so he could end up reuniting with Ballard after their time together in Kansas City.
The Colts have a lot of holes to fill in the process of reshaping this roster, and luckily they have the draft capital and the cap space to make a lot of improvements. After a rough start to this offseason, the Colts could end up coming out on top if they make the right picks and making smart deals in free agency.