The Indianapolis Colts will have to wait until day two of the NFL draft to make their first selection.
With the 16th pick of the 2022 NFL Draft, the Indianapolis Colts select Carson Wentz, quarterback of the Philadelphia Eagles. That doesn’t have the same kind of ring to it as the DeForest Buckner trade the year before.
Chris Ballard was trying to make a similar deal for Carson Wentz, by trading the first-round pick for a future star. Yet, here we are, watching the playoffs from home.
Big holes will need to be addressed on a team that is close to making a commotion in the playoffs. Much of the media was saying that the Colts are the team no one wants to play heading into the postseason. The Jacksonville Jaguars did not get that memo.
The NFL Draft starts on April 28th in Las Vegas, but the Colts don’t really enter the party until April 29th on Day 2. Unless Ballard makes some deals happen, Indy won’t be picking until 47 this year.
Chris Ballard’s draft history
One thing that Ballard is not afraid of is trading away draft picks for capital and players. In the past, we’ve seen trades for top talent and we’ve seen trades for more draft picks.
Ballard traded the 44th and 160th pick to move up three spots to select Jonathan Taylor. Seeing that it may be needed to move up or down in the draft, it would not be shocking if Ballard chose to move the 47th pick in the draft this year.
Some other notable selections in this area in the draft have included Quincy Wilson (46), KemokoTuray (52), Ben Banogu (49), and Dayo Obeyingbo (54). That’s not a really great track record in this range.
The scout team is going to need to be on top of their game here for this pick because there could be some diamonds in the second round this year. The Colts cannot afford another season of missing with this draft pick.
The missing piece in Indianapolis
Is the quarterback position most needed for the Colts to succeed next season? Is it the offensive playmakers or lack thereof? Those two things could certainly help move this team in the right direction.
The defense however gives up in the second half, specifically the fourth quarter. This could be coaching schemes playing more conservatively. It is known that defensive coordinator, Matt Eberflus, played very conservatively late in games and did not play receivers as tightly as he should to prevent the big play.
Why were the Colts 2-5 in one-score games this season? It wasn't all on Wentz + the offense.
— Zak Keefer (@zkeefer) January 18, 2022
A deep dive into Matt Eberflus' defense, including the alarming numbers on this chart: https://t.co/deu1Vg0DpL pic.twitter.com/hQiuzN1K0U
Consider getting not just pash rushers, but players that can make a difference on the line. Indianapolis needs edge rushers that can get sacks or at least clear a path for Buckner to get more sacks.
This is a major need and it was talked about last season. Hence the reason Ballard drafted Kwity Paye and Obeyingbo in the first two rounds last year.
Since fans can’t even fantasize about who Indy could take with the 16th pick anymore, let’s focus on who they could take with the 47th to make a real difference.