With the Indianapolis Colts set to start training camp soon, certain players must immediately step up or the team could be in trouble.
The Indianapolis Colts will start training camp on July 27, and if things go according to plan, it will mark the beginning of a special year. Indy has a talented roster, quality coaches, and a good front office. All of those things combined should lead to a productive season for Indy.
However, for now, everything is just on paper, and a lot of teams look good on paper. Training camp is when the real results start to materialize. It’s the first look to see if the team that has been put together throughout the offseason can actually come together and do something special.
Everything can go well in camp and it can roll over into the regular season, or things can start horribly in camp and only get worse as real games start. For the Colts, there are a few players that need to get off to good starts.
While the goal is for everyone to have a great camp, some poor performances from some players would be more concerning than others. Obviously, things can turn around but it would still be bad news if certain players have a horrible camp. Let’s take a look at 4 players that Indy would hate to see have a bad training camp.
4. Yannick Ngakoue must bring a consistent pass rush
Yannick Ngakoue was one of the big acquisitions of Indy’s offseason and he was brought in for one reason: to improve the pass rush. In the last few seasons, the Colts have struggled to generate a consistent pass rush.
Indianapolis has tried addressing that issue through the Draft but several prospects didn’t pan out as the team had hoped. Instead of wasting any more time, Indy traded for the former Pro Bowler that had 10 sacks last season.
Now, Ngakoue is expected to be the best pass rusher in Indianapolis and the team needs him to consistently wreak havoc on other teams. If he is unable to emerge as a dominant force in camp, there will be a lot of concern about the pass rush entering the season.
Ngakoue needs to immediately establish himself as a pass-rushing threat and help lead what needs to be an improved unit. With Gus Bradley’s lack of blitz calls, Indy is depending on Ngakoue to show up early.