NFL.com projects the Colts starting lineup
By Evan Reller
The Indianapolis Colts made a number of roster changes during this offseason, but their starting lineups won’t look that different from last season, at least according to NFL.com.
The Colts are barely through organized team activities, but that isn’t stopping some from making predictions about what the team will look like in September. NFL.com’s Kevin Patra has projected the starting lineups for the AFC South. Aside from a few spots, the 2016 lineup looks an awful lot like last season’s.
| Offense | Defense | |
|---|---|---|
| QB: Andrew Luck | DT: Arthur Jones | |
| RB: Frank Gore | NT: David Parry | |
| WR1: T.Y. Hilton | DE: Kendall Langford | |
| WR2: Donte Moncrief | OLB: Erik Walden | |
| WR3: Phillip Dorsett | ILB: D’Qwell Jackson | |
| TE: Dwayne Allen | ILB: Nate Irving | |
| LT: Anthony Castonzo | OLB: Robert Mathis | |
| LG: Jack Mewhort | CB1: Vontae Davis | |
| C: Ryan Kelly | CB2: Patrick Robinson | |
| RG: Hugh Thornton | S: Mike Adams | |
| RT: Joe Reitz | S: Clayton Geathers |
Obviously you don’t want to project any injuries heading into the year, but there are a few players right now who are still out with ailments. Moncrief (foot) and Dorsett (hamstring) have both sat out practices and Thornton (rehab?) hasn’t been in the lineup either. On the defensive side, Art Jones (ankle) and Henry Anderson (knee) are still rehabbing and could be on the PUP list for the start training camp at the end of July.
Injuries aside, this is a very likely list of starters. Here are a few notes:
- The running back depth behind Gore is borderline terrifying. There just isn’t an exciting player behind a 33-year old Gore.
- The wide receiving corps is basically three-deep. Quan Bray will probably make the roster as a return man (he definitely should) but he’s also a less dynamic Dorsett or Hilton. The Colts really lack any size at wide receiver outside of Moncrief.
- Kelly is already starting at center. In fact he’s only practiced with the first team during OTAs. Not that this is surprising, but it certainly sounds like he’s as good as advertised.
- The right side of the line is more up in the air. With Thornton out, Jonotthan Harrison is playing right guard, something he hasn’t really done before. Joe Reitz is still at right tackle, but it sounds like there is hope for Denzelle Good at one of those spots once he finishes up rehabbing a mysterious injury.
- We’ve said this before, but if (and its a bit *if*) Jones comes back from injury and can stay healthy, the defensive line will be the team’s strongest unit. Anderson is going to push to be part of that starting lineup as well. That said, the starting three will hardly matter as this group will be heavily rotated. The Colts also have Hassan Whiteside, who is a space eater and might be a steal in this draft. T.Y. McGill also had a nice surge late last season and will be a key rotational player in 2016.
- Middle linebacker is a bit of a head scratcher. Irving plays an awful lot like Jackson and with the two of them, the Colts don’t have much in terms of pass coverage. Sio Moore might be a bit better suited to playing in space but it will be an interesting camp battle for sure.
No mention of who will start on special teams, but I’m fairly certain it will be the same two guys who’ve been doing work since 2009.
The Colts are definitely starting to skew younger, and there aren’t really any old veterans joining the team for a title run this season. If Luck returns to form, the team stays healthy, and some of the young talent develops this could be a very good year for Indianapolis.