Most contenders in the NFL cannot say this, but the Indianapolis Colts have serious question marks at some of the most important positions on the roster.
While most of these conundrums could (or should) have been sorted out earlier in the offseason, there’s still plenty of time for general manager Chris Ballard to come through.
That obviously isn’t to say he needs to make a statement move in order to save his job. He would just be better off if these concerns were nipped in the bud as soon as possible, as fans have grown restless with his conservative approach in free agency.
Most fans would agree that the Colts’ biggest needs are at the defensive end, left tackle and cornerback positions. Luckily for Ballard, however, free agency, the trade market and the fast- approaching NFL Draft will present him with prime opportunities to address these concerns.
Who knows? If Ballard and Co. play their cards right, the Colts could boast one of the most formidable rosters in the league in just a few weeks’ time. As far as easy fixes go, these three moves make the most sense for Indianapolis.
These three moves would resolve the Colts’ biggest needs.
3. Trade for Orlando Brown
Trading for Orlando Brown would give the Colts an elite left tackle.
The Colts have been widely pegged as a destination for some of the best offensive tackle prospects in this year’s loaded draft class, and understandably so.
While that sounds intriguing, as Indy could certainly nab a future star in the first round, however, plugging a rookie in at a premier position like left tackle, especially with a quarterback in Carson Wentz who’s looking to rediscover his confidence stepping in, would be an unnecessary gamble.
With that in mind, the Colts should pursue a trade for Orlando Brown. Fans will remember he requested a trade out of Baltimore this offseason due to a desire to play left tackle full time after he excelled at the position replacing the injured Ronnie Stanley for most of last campaign.
Given that Brown has yet to be traded — the latest buzz suggests the Ravens haven’t received a substantial offer for him just yet — the Colts might be able to get away with acquiring him for nothing more than a second-round pick.
At 24 years old and having appeared in every game thus far in his career, Brown would be the perfect long-term solution at left tackle for Indy. To think that they could potentially make it happen while being able to retain all of their other OL starters proves they can’t let this opportunity pass them by.
2. Re-sign Justin Houston
Why haven’t the Colts re-signed edge rusher Justin Houston yet?
Fans in Indianapolis probably gasped when they read that Justin Houston scheduled a free agent visit with the Ravens last week. However, we like to think the veteran would return to Indy if it ever came down to the two teams, as Ballard has significantly more cap space at his disposal.
Nevertheless, the Colts simply must re-sign Houston after missing out on Jadeveon Clowney. Not only is the former All-Pro the best remaining option on the free agent market, but he’s a pillar of Indianapolis’ culture and has flourished in their defensive scheme over the last two seasons.
During that span (32 games), Houston has registered 69 tackles, 21 of which went for a loss, 19 sacks, 30 quarterback hits, 53 pressures, and three forced fumbles and safeties apiece. The Colts simply aren’t going to find that kind of production in the draft or at this stage of free agency.
While we wouldn’t be against drafting an edge rusher in the second round, running it back with the imposing defensive line trio of Houston, DeForest Buckner and Grover Stewart should be regarded as a must for Ballard and the rest of the front office.
1. Draft a Cornerback
Regardless of their offseason moves, the Colts should target a CB in the draft.
To their credit, the Colts did incredibly well to retain the likes of Xavier Rhodes and TJ Carrie, both of whom seemed poised to leave in free agency this offseason. However, those moves didn’t do much to change the fact that they still have a pressing need at cornerback.
After all, two-year starter Rock Ya-Sin looked anything but the part last season, as he struggled with penalties and logged a lousy 48.2 coverage grade from Pro Football Focus. As a result, the 2019 second-rounder saw his playing time reduced down the stretch of the regular season.
While we rate both Carrie and Kenny Moore’s coverage skills, it goes without saying that both players are better served defending the slot. In other words, the Colts could be in for more struggles on the perimeter if they don’t take a cornerback in next week’s draft.
Assuming they trade for Brown and sign Houston, Indy can forget targeting a left tackle or pass rusher in the first round and focus their attention on one of the top cornerback prospects.
The latest projections indicate that Patrick Surtain will be off the board early, but there’s a real chance that Jaycee Horn, Caleb Farley, Greg Newsome II could be available at No. 21 overall. If that happens, the Colts couldn’t justify bypassing the opportunity to draft one of them.
While the draft is largely a crap shoot considering that you never know which prospects will pan out, both Horn and Farley have the requisite intangibles to start from Day 1 as rookies (while Newsome could take some time to learn alongside Rhode and Carrie), making them a perfect fit for the cornerback-needy Colts.
Colts: TJ Carrie signing represents another quick fix for secondary
The Indianapolis Colts have resigned defensive back TJ Carrie this year as a short-term Band-Aid for their cornerback room