Colts offense graded in the bottom half of NFL even after new pieces

The Indianapolis Colts have added several new players to the offense but the unit is still graded in the bottom half of the league.

This offseason, the Indianapolis Colts switched out Carson Wentz for Matt Ryan, a move many feel is an upgrade. The Colts also added a lot of young talent in the NFL Draft.

Pass-catchers like Alec Pierce, Jelani Woods, Andrew Ogletree, and a talented lineman in Bernhard Raimann were added to an offense with Jonathan Taylor, Michael Pittman Jr., and Nyheim Hines.

While Indy invested a lot in the defense this offseason, it brought in pieces that are expected to elevate the offense. However, the Colts haven’t done enough for their offense to be grouped with the best in the league.

In a recent piece by CBS Sports, Jared Dubin ranked all the league’s offenses and separated them by tiers. Dubin used a 1-5 grading system to assess the quarterback, play-caller, offensive line, pass-catchers, and running back of each offense. The average of those grades determined the team’s overall grade.

The Colts were given an overall grade of 3.7, which puts them at 17th in the NFL and in Tier 3. Indy’s quarterback grade is a 3.5, play-calling is a 4.5, offensive line is a 3.5, pass catchers is a 3, and running back is a 5.

Colts graded 17th-best offense in the NFL

The grade for running back is a no-brainer, Jonathan Taylor is the best running back in the NFL, so he deserves the highest possible score.

It’s also hard to dispute many of the other grades. Indy’s pass catchers were a lackluster unit last season, and until the new group proves themselves it’s fair to say they’re average.

The offensive line was dominant in the run game last season but there are questions about the left tackle and right guard positions. Additionally, Matt Ryan may be an upgrade for the Colts but he is no longer with the top tier of QBs.

Initially, seeing Indianapolis ranked at No. 17 seems a bit low because the potential is much higher. The run game alone carried Indy pretty high last season.

However, going through the grading system, it makes sense how Indianapolis ultimately received its ranking. The onus will be on the offense this season to show that they’re one of the better units in the league.

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