Justin Houston and DeForest Buckner will open up opportunities for other Colts players.
The Indianapolis Colts defense was the very definition of average in 2019 as it ranked in the middle of the NFL in seemingly every major category, including yards (16th) and points allowed (18th) per game.
It might seem harsh, but the Colts — outside of stud edge rusher Justin Houston — did little to put pressure on opposing quarterbacks last season. The four-time Pro Bowler was a one-man wrecking crew, totaling 44 tackles, 11 sacks, 18 quarterback hits, two forced fumbles, and three fumble recoveries.
That’s pretty impressive since he was facing double teams on seemingly every snap. Luckily for Houston, the addition of defensive tackle DeForest Buckner, who was acquired via trade back in March, will only create more real estate for him to exploit.
While the 31-year-old vet is an obvious pick to benefit from Buckner’s presence, what about the rest of Indianapolis’ defense? Here are three players who could really make the most out of Houston and Buckner wreaking havoc in the backfield and commanding most of the attention from opposing offensive lines.
3. Al-Quadin Muhammad
Some view Al-Quadin Muhammad as the dark horse on the Colts D-line.
Once considered an afterthought on Indianapolis’ defensive line, Al-Quadin Muhammad has done nothing but impress the coaching staff at training camp. He entered the NFL as a sixth-round pick of the New Orleans Saints back in 2017, and the Colts didn’t hesitate in claiming him off waivers prior the start of the 2018 campaign.
Since that move, Muhammed has become a viable asset to Indy’s front seven, tallying 56 tackles (13 of which came for a loss), 11 quarterback hits, and three sacks across 31 appearances (eight starts).
For a player that’s fresh off a career-high in terms of snaps played (47%), we could be looking at a breakthrough season for the 25-year-old. The Colts are going to need somebody to step up following the departure of Jabaal Sheard, and fans shouldn’t be surprised if Muhammed is that player.
The tandem of Houston and Buckner will only make his life easier coming off the edge and give him more opportunities to get to the QB or stop running backs behind the line of scrimmage.
2. Darius Leonard
Colts LB Darius Leonard has already been tremendous. He can get better?!
We get it. Darius Leonard was named an All-Pro as a rookie in 2018 and followed that up with a Pro Bowl nod last season, so he technically doesn’t need anybody to make him better.
Throw in the fact that the NFL left several performance-enhancing drug tests at his doorstep this offseason, and the former second-round pick will be playing like a man possessed in 2020. However, just imagine how many more holes there will be for Leonard to burst into with the two star linemen going to work.
If the 25-year-old stud posted 121 tackles, seven passes defended, five interceptions (!), five sacks, six QB hits, and two forced fumbles in just 13 games while playing alongside an ordinary pass rush, just think of the numbers he could post with two world-beaters going to work up front.
We might just see the best version of Leonard this season, and that should scare the living daylights out of the rest of the NFL because many didn’t think he could do better than he already has. Expect the former South Carolina State star to elevate the Colts defense yet again in his third NFL season.
1. Xavier Rhodes
Expect Xavier Rhodes to benefit in coverage with an improve Colts pass rush.
The Colts did extremely well to sign cornerback Xavier Rhodes to a one-year, $3 million contract this offseason despite his forgettable performance in 2019. The three-time Pro Bowler’s play really plummeted last season, but we’re eager to see how he rebounds following a needed change of scenery.
In 15 games with Minnesota, Rhodes allowed opposing quarterbacks to complete 81.5% (66-of-81) of their passes when targeting in him, according to Pro Football Focus. He also allowed a 123.8 passer rating while conceding a staggering 9.8 yards per target.
You could certainly argue that Rhodes wasn’t in the right mindset last campaign, but he also recently mentioned the Colts’ zone schemes will help him in a big way if he’s able to look at the quarterback rather than stare down his man the entire way.
Plus, the Houston-Buckner tandem will only ease his transition with the Colts. We all know that secondaries are made better from a dominant pass rush and the 30-year-old clearly stands to benefit the most from this potentially formidable pairing up front. Everyone wrote Rhodes off after one bad year, but the Colts showed faith and went the extra mile by putting him in a very favorable situation.