Looming Depth Concerns At A Key Position Brings The Next Candidate

The Colts got their third win of the season against the lowly Tennessee Titans in Nashville. While the Titans are struggling this season, anytime you can grab a division road win, it's worthy of praise. Joe Flacco got the start, as Anthony Richardson was a surprise late scratch with his oblique injury.

Defensively, we saw the Colts get a bit healthier with the return of Kwity Paye and Kenny Moore II.

The defensive line, specifically the edge, has seen their fair share of injuries and looming contract decisions. Samson Ebukam was lost in training camp with an Achilles injury, while Tyquan Lewis was placed back on injured reserve. Kwity Paye had his fifth year option picked up, so he will return. Dayo Odeyingbo, Isiah Land, and Genard Avery are all on either 1-year deals or have expiring contracts. The franchise did draft Laiatu Latu in April, and he has been progressing each week and appears to have a bright future.

Last season, we saw the Colts set a franchise record with sacks (51), and this season after a strong start, we have seen a bit of a cooling off. So far this season, the team has 10 sacks, and they have not recorded a sack since Week 5. It’s not an ideal situation, but one that can be rectified with better coaching, as well as simply getting healthy.

Current Tankathon Position: Pick 19
The Colts Select……

Abdul Carter/EDGE-Penn State University

Abdul Carter has bounced around on mock drafts and draft boards. Some websites have him as high as a top 5 pick, and some in the back of the first round. It’s safe to say that if Penn State continues winning this year, his stock will more than likely continue to rise. He is worthy of all the praise so far in his career, and broke out last year making the All-Big Ten team in 2023.

Carter has played both the MIKE Linebacker and defensive end positions in his career at Penn State. He has the size, speed, agility, and instincts to be successful at the next level. He is currently on pace to better his 2023 season numbers. Being in the Big Ten, his competition is some of the highest in college football.

The Colts don’t like to play the edge rushers at high snap counts every week. This staff likes to rotate different edge rushers for different moments and in game schemes. Chris Ballard always prioritizes the line of scrimmage and pass rush. Carter would be an upgrade to any reserve rusher they currently have on the roster. You could argue, with time and coaching, he could be a Pro Bowl caliber rusher. Samson Ebukam's return next season, hopefully to his 2023 numbers, and joining Paye and Latu would bring a formidable rotation of edge rushers for the 2025 season.