Many Colts fans have been clamoring for the front office to acquire a pass rusher in the draft or free agency this offseason, but does Indianapolis really need one?
The Colts hold the third overall pick in this year’s draft after a 4-12 campaign littered with injuries in 2017. They also have a large amount of cap space to spend in free agency this offseason.
Bradley Chubb is expected to be a top ten pick, and he’s been linked to Indianapolis in multiple mock drafts as we begin draft season. However, I think the Colts have much more pressing needs that they need to address before picking up a pass rusher.
Chris Ballard’s number one goal this offseason should be protecting Andrew Luck.
The Colts offensive line has been in shambles for years, and they can’t put Luck behind a makeshift unit again in 2017. Getting two starter-level offensive guards and a right tackle should be more important than spending a high draft pick or cap space in free agency on a pass rusher.
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Also, Ballard picked up two pretty darn good pass rushers last offseason.
According to Pro Football Focus, Jabaal Sheard earned the highest grade of any Colts player last season with a grade of 91.4 on a 100-point scale. John Simon also played well in his first season in Indianapolis before his year was ended with an injury.
While it would be nice to acquire an elite pass rusher, that position is not a weakness on a roster that is full of them.
Along with a couple of offensive guards and a tackle, I’d like to see the Colts pick up a wide receiver (or two) and an inside linebacker before they pull the trigger on a pass rusher this offseason.
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