With the 2022 season ending with a 4-12-1 record, the Indianapolis Colts need a significant shift in the cultural makeup of the team.
This will require several of the team’s veterans to make an impact early and often, including players who may have flown a bit under the radar during a tumultuous 2022 season.
If the team wishes to remain competitive, they will need all the help they can get.
Here are the five most underrated Colts entering 2023:
1
TE Jelani Woods
At 6-foot-7 and 253 pounds, Woods is a massive and criminally underutilized target. After an unfortunate training camp injury to fellow rookie tight end Drew Ogletree, Woods was thrust into the spotlight and delivered when called upon. He finished the season averaging over 12 yards per reception and racked up 312 yards and three touchdowns.
Despite not seeing as many targets as veteran Mo Alie-Cox, Woods outproduced Cox and proved he was a reliable target in the red zone, including pulling in a game-winning touchdown against the Chiefs. Woods could have a breakout season if put in the right situations.
MATT RYAN AND THE 6’7 JELANI WOODS CALLED GAME IN INDY pic.twitter.com/q4cIpcciIR
— Pat McAfee (@PatMcAfeeShow) September 25, 2022
2
DT Grover Stewart
Like his famous cooking and larger-than-life smile, Stewart is good for the soul. Recently named one of PFF’s top interior defenders for 2023, Stewart is a one-person wrecking crew who doesn’t get enough credit for his ability to create absolute chaos for opposing offenses who dare send players his way.
Once a rotational player, Stewart is now a critical centerpiece in the Colts’ defense with the production to match. Last season, he had career-highs in tackles (70), sacks (4.0), tackles for loss (nine), and quarterback hits (seven).
Football is football.
The Grover Stewart Draft Story. pic.twitter.com/RQFAzhJZOy
— Indianapolis Colts (@Colts) March 21, 2023
3
WR Alec Pierce
Pierce is another offensive weapon that was underutilized. The putrid quarterback play and offensive struggles did the rookie wide receiver no favors, but he quickly cemented himself as a reliable target. Pierce finished third on the team in yards and touchdowns and averaged 14.5 yards per reception.
He was a reliable target on third downs and was a large part of the game-winning drives in the Chiefs, Broncos, and home Jaguars games. Pierce’s ability to go up and grab contested catches made him hard to defend. If quarterback Anthony Richardson can develop a rapport with the second-year wideout, it could be one of the best parts of a revamped offense.
Alec Pierce in the CLUTCH!
— Darius Butler (@DariusJButler) October 16, 2022
4
S Rodney Thomas II
The seventh-round draft pick might have been the steal of last year’s class. The Yale product found himself with more playing opportunities when veteran safety Julian Blackmon went down with an injury. Thomas quickly became the secondary’s unsung hero.
He started 10 games, led the team with four interceptions, and tallied 52 tackles, including 34 solo. Thomas’s ability to play fast, be physical, and use his athleticism should continue to bode well in 2023.
The @Colts get a turnover of their own 😯 It's anybody's game in the 4th quarter. #INDvsDEN on Prime Video
Also available on NFL+ https://t.co/qcjXnKpdxz pic.twitter.com/Ro8dulB0Ux— NFL (@NFL) October 7, 2022
5
K Matt Gay
The Colts kicking woes were on display to start the 2022 season. The team severed ties with a struggling Rodrigo Blankenship after he missed a game-winning field goal and sent two kickoffs out of bounds against the Texans in Week 1. Kicker Chase McLaughlin was a solid replacement, playing in 15 games and completing 30 of 36 field goals, including nine that were 50 yards or greater.
However, the team decided they needed to get better and picked up Matt Gay in free agency, signing him to the largest free agency deal ever for a kicker. One of the significant reasons Gay was signed was his accuracy. At 87.8% conversion rate, Gay owns the fifth-highest accuracy in NFL history, something a struggling team could use.
Most accurate kickers all-time.
*Justin Tucker – 90.5%
*Younghoe Koo – 89.1%
*Daniel Carlson – 88.3%
*Harrison Butker – 88.2%
*Matt Gay – 87.8%Gay is 17-of-23 on 50+ https://t.co/kukeWSn7sk
— Mike Chappell (@mchappell51) March 14, 2023
