This Colts Team Will Be Competitive for Years To Come

As the season gets underway this Sunday against the Los Angeles Chargers, let’s take a moment to remember that this team is built for the long haul.

In the aftermath of the Andrew Luck news, it appears most seemed to have given up on this Indianapolis squad. And maybe they have good reason, Luck was in fact one of the best quarterbacks in the league. But regardless of what occurs this Sunday, and for the rest of this season for that matter, it is important to acknowledge one thing… this Colts team is built to be competitive for years to come.

While I could just list the many young talents that line this stacked depth chart, I instead want to try and put everything into perspective. Starting on offense, Jacoby Brissett will be provided a myriad of talent that wasn’t there when he took control of the offense in 2017. Marlon Mack has continued to mature each year, and it looks like he is poised to have a big year this season. Nyheim Hines will hope to additionally have a big jump from last season, now that he has a year under his belt.

At wide receiver, Parris Campbell has taken the NFL by storm with his speed, and it certainly appears like he has the tools necessary to be successful at this level. And then we can’t forget about the huge potential of a guy like Deon Cain, who has worked unbelievably hard to get where he is now after suffering his injury a year ago. All of these four players I just listed on offense are under 24 years old.

Now go ahead and add in the guys like Hilton, Ebron, and Doyle, and you have one pretty incredible offense right there. And oh by the way, these three guys are all under 30 years of age. It’s very hard not to get excited about not only what this offense can do this season, but for the next four or five seasons. I’m not saying this is the same caliber as the Marvin Harrison, Reggie Wayne, and Edgerrin James days, but it certainly could be with time.

Defensively speaking, it is the same story. All Colts fans know the promise of rookie Rock Ya-Sin, the draft pick out of Temple. He will be on a secondary that features a healthy Malik Hooker at safety and fellow corners like Quincy Wilson and Kenny Moore ll. All three guys are under 25.

And then at linebacker, the Colts will return their dynamic duo of Anthony Walker and Darius Leonard, whom gave opposing offenses nightmares last season. Their skill level will only continue to rise as they get more games under their belts.

If it sounds like I’m ove-reinforcing my point, I’m glad. This is a season that I don’t think anyone will quite be able to put their finger on until we actually see the play on the field transpire. This is also a year that features a very difficult schedule, highlighted by trips to New Orleans, Kansas City, and Pittsburgh.

Chris Ballard and company have crafted this roster into the powerhouse that we know it to be. And as seen from this article, the nucleus is all young. And it is a nucleus that is going to be around for a long time. So, if the Colts win on Sunday… great! But let’s remember the overarching fact. Colts fans will be getting to watch exciting and meaningful football every year for the foreseeable future, and that is something to get excited for.