3. Who will replace Shaquille Leonard?
Maybe the biggest remaining question for this football team. We have already started to see this process go into action with the Colts promoting Ronnie Harrison Jr. from the practice squad to the active roster. Harrison even changed positions and in his first bit of action, he did not disappoint, getting an interception in his first game of the season against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
It will not completely fall on Harrison here. With the strong play from EJ Speed and the potential All-Pro season from Zaire Franklin, the Colts are finding that it might be easier than expected. There will be an increased role for Segun Olubi and Grant Stuard as well. I have mentioned it before in prior articles, through all of Ballard’s faults maybe his greatest strength is his ability to draft high production linebackers.
3. How can Indy’s secondary improve?
The biggest weakness of this season has been this young Colts secondary. They have battled injuries for the most part and, again, they are just young and inexperienced. We saw Dallis Flowers go down early in the year with an Achillies injury and JuJu Brents has been battling a quad injury that the Colts have failed to elaborate on. Veteran Kenny Moore II is having another stellar year and the safeties are improving.
The best way to describe the play of the secondary is they are bending, but not breaking right now. They have had some bad games though, with the New Orleans and LA Rams games being the outliers. With an easier schedule coming to finish the season, the opportunity is ripe for them to continue to get some quality reps out of this still growing unit. While that will help in the long run, in the short term it could be problematic.