Colts: 2 players who’ve justified team’s faith and one who hasn’t
By Mike Luciano
Colts Win: LB Bobby Okereke
With nickel sets being the current meta in the NFL, playing with two linebackers places even more of an emphasis on whomever gets the start being able to cover lots of ground from a standstill. The Colts have Darius Leonard, still elite in every sense of the word, and Okereke just earned a promotion.
The Colts let Anthony Walker leave for the Cleveland Browns, meaning that Okereke is likely to fill the void. Considering how Okereke plays the game like he was shot out of a cannon, he should be a tremendous fit in Indianapolis.
Bobby Okereke has the keys to a starting role with the Colts.
The former third-round pikc has recorded 137 tackles in his first two seasons with the Colts, but it’s not unreasonable to assume that he could cross the 100-tackle threshold in 2021. His range in both rushing and passing situations will be so valuable because Eberflus’ defense tasks linebackers with covering a lot of ground.
Okereke has beefed up since entering the league, which had critics finally pipe down when questioning his strength and ability to disengage from blocks. The Colts had a ton of money to spend, and they still chose to let Walker test the open market in order to see what Okereke can do as a starter.