Colts Defense: Position Battles to Watch
By Dave McKee
Oct 18, 2014; Tempe, AZ, USA; Stanford Cardinal defensive end Henry Anderson (91) against the Arizona State Sun Devils in the first quarter at Sun Devil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports
Battle in the Trenches: Who Starts at Defensive Tackle?
In the Colts continued pursuit to bolster their defensive front, Grigson added two 5 technique players in the offseason. The additions of Kendall Langford and Henry Anderson added serious depth to a position that is vital to generating pressure on the quarterback and setting the edge against the run. The experience of Langford combined with the playmaking ability of Anderson provides the Colts defense with the necessary versatility required by their hybrid 3-4 scheme.
Kendall Langford:
Signing a 4 year, $17.2M contract during free agency, veteran Kendall Langford is officially receiving a starter’s salary. As such he was immediately penciled in as a starter before the NFL Draft. Some experts thought that Grigson might have reached by signing Langford because he struggled to produce in the St. Louis Rams 4-3 scheme. However, Langford had shown promise early in his career playing in the Miami Dolphins 3-4 scheme. At 6-6, 315 lbs, Langford is similar to Cory Redding ,who recently departed via free agency to the Arizona Cardinals. ESPN’s Mike Wells asked Pagano about his thoughts on the signing of Langford:
"“I think right now you’ve got to look at him coming in and kind of filling that void where we lost C-Redd,” Pagano said of Langford. “He’s got position flexibility. He’s a big, long, athletic-type guy who’s obviously very, very durable. You get a guy I think in base defense that can line up as your 5-technique (defender lines up on a tackle’s outside shoulder) and give you good football at that position.”"
Henry Anderson:
Rookie Henry Anderson is an intriguing addition to the Colts front seven. The 93rd overall pick in the NFL Draft was projected as a 1st or 2nd round talent by many draft scouts and was easily considered a steal in the 3rd round when selected by the Colts. At 6-6, 295 lbs., he has the size, speed, and technique to develop into an impact player for the Colts as a 5T defensive end. Following Day 2 of the NFL Draft, Pagano said Anderson reminded him of Kelly Gregg, a former Baltimore Raven standout and an integral piece to their #1 rated defenses in ’06 and ’07. Anderson is in a great position to develop into a starter without the pressure of having to produce now. However, it is very likely he works his way right into a starting role earlier than expected and may supplant Langford by the start of the regular season.
Prediction: Push