The Colts have a very good 53-man roster, but perhaps a couple more additions could do them well.
There were almost no surprises on the Indianapolis Colts’ 53-man roster reveal. Though fans could call undrafted free agent Rodrigo Blankenship winning the starting kicker job over Chase McLaughin one, that’s been a suspected intense position battle ever since the former Georgia star was signed.
While this roster is pretty damn good from top to bottom, that’s not to say other shrewd additions can’t be made. The Colts are carrying nine defensive linemen, seven linebackers, five safeties and four running backs. One could assume the front office can afford a loss in one of those three departments OR opt to improve that depth with another pickup.
There were a number of surprising releases throughout the NFL on Saturday, so the Colts should take advantage and target one of these guys with their waiver claim (13th overall).
3. LB Shaquem Griffin
The Seahawks released Shaquem Griffin and the Colts should capitalize.
The Colts already have a stacked linebacking corps led by Darius Leonard, but perhaps the addition of another young guy could help add even more fire to the unit. Though former Seahawks LB Shaquem Griffin was waived on Saturday after logging just 16 tackles and three QB hits in 32 games over the past two seasons, he has a lot of upside.
And quite frankly, he was likely released because the Seahawks have too much talent at the position. Over the last two years, Griffin has shown a propensity for breaking through the line, blowing up blocks, and tracking down the ball carrier. Those kinds of instincts, regardless of what the box score shows, are essential to any defense.
The fact he’s able to do all of that with one hand is even more admirable. Griffin, while not the best player on the field, has intangibles most other players don’t, and putting him alongside Leonard for ANY of amount of snaps would add even more passion and fire to this defense that’s only gotten better over the last two years.
Griffin made plays on special teams for Seattle, too, so he brings value to the table in that department too. Indy’s confident in their stable of LBs (which they kept entirely intact), but Griffin provides a lot more in other categories.
2. WR Mohamed Sanu
The Patriots cut ties with Mohamed Sanu, and the Colts could help Philip Rivers with this addition.
Mohamed Sanu needs a change of scenery after his rough end to the 2019 season and disappointing start to 2020. The former Falcons wideout was acquired for a second-round pick and had a ton of expectations placed upon him when he joined the Patriots. He was expected to be Tom Brady’s savior and add another element to the struggling offense.
But a sprained ankle really affected his play, which featured just 26 catches for 207 yards and a touchdowns in eight games with New England. Most of that came in his second game with the team, too, when he caught 10 balls for 81 yards and a score against the Ravens.
He underwent offseason surgery and seems to still be making his way back after some struggles in training camp, which prompted his release., but we all know what he’s capable of.
Right now, the Colts have young guys in the slot. Second-year wideout Parris Campbell, who suffered through a litany of injuries last year, has been limited after being placed in the concussion protocol following a car accident, and sixth-round pick Dezmon Patmon is entering his first year in the NFL. The presence of Sanu could help the development of those two guys AND give Philip Rivers another top target.
TY Hilton and Michael Pittman on the outside with Sanu contributing in the slot and helping the younger guys could be huge for the Colts’ wide receiving corps, especially without Trey Burton driving the offense from the slot for the first several weeks. If Sanu is still working his way back and getting up to speed, he shouldn’t hog all the reps right off the bat anyway.
1. CB Sidney Jones
The Eagles have ended their experiment with Sidney Jones. Are the Colts a good change of scenery?
The Colts’ secondary is built for the short term at this very moment. Xavier Rhodes, TJ Carrie and Malik Hooker will be unrestricted free agents after the 2020 season. Depth in this area of the roster is of the utmost importance in today’s NFL, so there’s no reason Indy shouldn’t take a chance on former Eagles cornerback Sidney Jones.
Jones played just 22 games in Philly after being taken 43rd overall in the 2017 NFL Draft out of Washington. A ruptured Achilles derailed his rookie season, cut his 2018 short, and other minor ailments contributed to further absences.
While he wasn’t all that impressive in his scattered time on the field, 2019 was the closest to normalcy he’s seen in the NFL. Across 12 games (four starts), Jones recorded 23 tackles, eight passes defensed and two interceptions. Not groundbreaking, but not bad. Perhaps he can learn under veterans like Rhodes and Carrie as well as younger talents like Rock Ya-Sin and Kenny Moore.
Jones is only 24, so he has plenty of years ahead of him as long as he can stay healthy. When you consider his need for a change of scenery and the Colts’ need to continue looking towards the future in regards to the construction of their secondary, a match here is a low-risk, high-reward scenario for both parties.
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