After a season which exceeded all expectations, the Indianapolis Colts are poised to enter elite company. Doing so means adding a pass rusher and receiver using the same formula that got them here.
Through intelligent drafting, a return to health, and some fortuitous moves, the Indianapolis Colts suddenly find themselves in one of the best positions of any team in the NFL. They are led by a young, successful coach. They have a star quarterback who returned to full health. They return most of a roster that just went 10-6 and won a round in the postseason. And they are set to have the most cap room of any team in the sport.
It isn’t all perfect for Indy. That would obviously be too good to be true. The division it plays in suddenly went from awful to good, meaning those six wins will be harder to come by than in past years. There are also some big holes still left to fill on this roster.
Should the team splurge in free agency and go for the biggest scores? Should it continue building through the draft instead, perhaps delaying when the roster will be at its best? In order to enter elite company, the answer involves a combination of both tactics.
Two brothers from New York, Dan Salem and Todd Salem, debate the Indianapolis Colts in today’s NFL Sports Debate.
Todd Salem:
The two main areas of need for the Indianapolis Colts are pass rushing and pass catching. No big deal, just the two most important units of today’s league. The defensive front for Indianapolis was very good against the run last year and very bad against the pass, ranking just 29th in sack rate. Who will help out Jabaal Sheard and the young guys up front?
Well, it just so happens that this is looking like one of the best drafts in a while for defensive linemen. After the unbelievable draft success of 2018, the Indy front office would be inclined to go that route once more, attempting to find yet another first-year, first-team All-Pro.
That could be risky though. Drafting remains awfully luck-based, even for the elite front offices. One year of success doesn’t guarantee more years of the same in the immediate future. Wouldn’t this squad be better off using that cap space and trying to sign the best pass rushing free agents in the sport?
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It could be DeMarcus Lawrence or Dee Ford or Jadeveon Clowney, etc. As we always say, windows to compete are small. What if the hypothetical 2019 rookies take a few years to get acclimated to the league? That pushes them off the same timeline as the veterans on this roster right now. It’s a tough thing to balance.
On the other side of the ball, wide receiver is the biggest need area. After T.Y. Hilton, the best pass catchers on the roster are tight ends and running backs. Andrew Luck survived and excelled last year under those circumstances, but management would be wise to add some talent on the outside.
The problem is the lack of wide receivers on the open market. Unless some names are cut for cap reasons in the coming weeks, the market is very bare at that position. It is why Indy has been linked to Antonio Brown in a trade.
It certainly has the space to add him, which feels like the only obstacle at this point. Brown and the Steelers are certainly parting. But does Chris Ballard want Brown on the team? After Brown, Golden Tate is probably the best player available. He was pretty shaky last year after a midseason trade, which perhaps lowers his price. Tate is still a really good player.
Even if the Colts strike big this offseason, they feel a tier below the heavy-hitters of the AFC. But what if they siphon off the best pass rushers and/or wide receivers from their main competition in the process? There is a path here for the Colts to join the elite on paper.
Dan Salem:
The Indianapolis Colts surprised me last year, because I thought it would take longer for the team to rise up around a healing Andrew Luck. Their star quarterback began the season at full strength, which provided the catalyst for Indianapolis to excel once the opening month of games concluded.
The Colts used a similar model as the Patriots. Use September to gel as a team and find out who your new star players are, then turn things on and kick it up an notch in December. It’s a basic principle that requires a player like Luck or Tom Brady to execute.
No one saw the Colts coming last season, but everyone will be watching in 2019. Every team knows how good the AFC South is from top to bottom, so the element of surprise is gone. It’s the job of Indianapolis this offseason to ensure that fans won’t wonder just how good Luck can be and just how much he can achieve without a supporting cast of note.
Give him one playmaker, because that’s all it takes on offense with a player of his caliber. The Colts must go hard after Tate, because he steals interest from opposing defenses. This opens things up for Hilton and the tight ends. It allows Luck to operate with options.
Because the Colts have a solid track record of team building, the wealth of available defensive pass rushers bodes well for Indianapolis. I’d focus on scheme fits in the draft and lesser known free agents, rather than throwing money at a bigger name. New England utilizes this strategy to perfection and they represent the AFC elite. Indianapolis has the quarterback to be on their level, so employing a similar roster strategy makes sense. So does stealing away players from your competition.
I’m not sure what the Colts can do to prevent Le’Veon Bell from going to Houston, but they must try. Reports are linking Bell to the Texans, meaning Indianapolis must meddle. Make an offer, even if it’s disingenuous. Work with the Jets to ensue he doesn’t become a Texan. Keeping a player like Bell out of the division is almost as important as adding talent.