With several top players on the Colts, the pressure is on Frank Reich to deliver results this season
The Indianapolis Colts have a really talented roster which means it’s up to Frank Reich and the coaching staff to lead the team to success.
Frank Reich’s four seasons with the Indianapolis Colts have been a bit of a roller coaster that he has found a way to navigate. It started in 2018 when he led Indy to the playoffs with the help of Andrew Luck, but then, Reich and the franchise were forced to deal with the unthinkable.
Reich had to coach a team that lost a generational quarterback due to an unexpected retirement. However, the Colts were still able to work towards a 37-28 record under Reich and had another playoff appearance in 2020. But, Indianapolis hasn’t achieved the success it wants to as a team.
For starters, Reich hasn’t even won a division championship yet, and, the Colts suffered one of the most embarrassing losses last season to miss the playoffs. But, the lack of success hasn’t all been pinned on Reich. Indy has had a different starting QB every season Reich has been coach and there were some other obvious roster issues that Reich was forced to work with.
However, the time for excuses has now passed. Entering his fifth season as head coach, Frank Reich now has a talented roster that Indy has built through the draft, free agency, and trading. Indianapolis has so many talented players that a disappointing season would lead many to question if Frank Reich is the right coach for the job.
— Indianapolis Colts (@Colts) July 11, 2022
Talented Colts roster puts Frank Reich in the spotlight
Last season, Indianapolis had the most Pro Bowlers of any team in the NFL with seven, and they’ve since added more talent. Recently, ESPN has been releasing position rankings based on a survey of over 50 coaches, scouts, execs, and players. So far, the Colts have been well represented.
ESPN hasn’t revealed the rankings for wide receivers, tight ends, or offensive tackles yet, but considering Indy’s roster strengths, Indy likely won’t be represented in those rankings. However, the results for the other groups show how good this Colts roster is.
Indianapolis has Darius Leonard and Quenton Nelson, both the top-rated players for their position groups. Then, there’s Jonathan Taylor, the second-ranked running back that received the same amount of first-place votes as Derrick Henry.
There’s also DeForest Buckner who was ranked as the fourth-best defensive tackle, Ryan Kelly who was an honorable mention on the interior offensive line list, and Kenny Moore and Stephon Gilmore who received votes on the cornerback list.
That shows that this is a team with some serious star power and elite players. Indy also has other talented players that will be impactful that aren’t accounted for on these lists. While the Colts by no means have a perfect roster, they have more than enough to contend.
That means the pressure is on Frank Reich to make sure that he coaches this team into a contending squad. While he has done a good job playing with poorly dealt hands in the past few years, he now has to capitalize with the loaded hand he currently has or it may be time for Reich to get up from the table.
