The Indianapolis Colts remain in flux in one position group, with other groups still needing further additions. General manager Chris Ballard has done a fine job of patching up, but he has yet to land the big plug for the hole in the defense, most notably at linebacker, and it could be a big problem.
The truth is, there may not be a "big plug" answer out there, or even, this year, giving a lot more urgency and meaning toward depth, which has so far been the path Ballard has followed this offseason with his signings.
On defense, the Colts have signed a ton of depth, and the many solid depth players at corner, safety, and the defensive line have been good pickups. That said, the Colts' biggest needs remain at linebacker, and Ballard's only option at this point might be to stop searching for the "big plug" and focus more on depth and the draft.
Indianapolis Colts biggest defensive need is still at linebacker
When it comes to the defensive line, Ballard's patches have so far included edge rushers Michael Clemmons and Arden Key, defensive tackles Derrick Nnadi and Jerry Tillery. Of this group, Key, the former Tennessee Titans player, has the greatest potential and chance to be one of the Colts' best offseason depth signings on defense.
Still, Key, alongside the others, is seen as a depth piece, and not the final answer. At defensive tackle, Colby Wooden was brought back the other way in the Zaire Franklin trade. Wooden is also a depth piece, although he will be a solid run defender for the Colts, and could start more often than not.
Depending on what the Colts do in the draft, they might be comfortable heading into next season with an abundance of depth on the defensive line rather than a massive addition of a big-name player, of which there are none available at the moment. A move like that may have to wait until next year.
This leaves linebacker as the Colts' biggest need. Long-time Cincinnati Bengals veteran Akeem Davis-Gaither was an excellent signing, especially considering his history with Colts' defensive coordinator Lou Anerumo. Still, again, Davis-Gaither is a depth signing more than a pure starting one.
With the Bengals, Davis-Gaither started in just 24 of 88 games. Last season, his only season with the Arizona Cardinals, Davis-Gaither started in 13 of 17 games. He's never been a regular starter, and it's unlikely he'll be one with the Colts either. In fact, even after Davis-Gaither's signing, the Colts could still use more depth.
What they truly need, though, is a starting-caliber linebacker to replace Franklin. The good news is, the Colts have done well in the past drafting linebackers, but they'll need to hit on their swings in this draft more than ever, considering their current situation.
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