The Colts’ defense is going to be tested against several of the NFL’s top playmaking units this upcoming season, according to ESPN’s rankings.
Bill Barnwell would recently put together his ranking of each team’s wide receiver, tight end, and running back talent. For the Colts, Barnwell sees the potential but is in wait-and-see mode as well.
However, for the Colts’ defense, that group will be facing five of Barnwell’s top seven units.
At the top of the list is San Francisco, followed by Philadelphia, neither of whom the Colts play. But the Colts do face Miami, Houston, Minnesota, Chicago, and Detroit, who come in at No. 3-7 on Barnwell’s rankings.
The biggest question mark defensively for the Colts lies in the secondary. This was a unit in 2023 that gave up too many big plays while not making enough plays on the football.
Providing some stability on the back-end are Kenny Moore and Julian Blackmon but there are unknowns around them. Nick Cross and Rodney Thomas will be competing for the free safety role, with Jaylon Jones and Dallis Flowers competing for the playing time opposite of JuJu Brents.
Internally, however, the Colts appear bullish about both of these position groups, with Day 3 draft picks being the only outside additions made to either unit during the offseason. Having Brents and Flowers both healthy, along with the experience these young position groups gained last season will be important factors when it comes to seeing improved play.
“I think all those guys, obviously, we drafted two young guys, but I think with Jaylon Jones, Dallis, and JuJu, they’re long, rangy guys that are physical when they get up and press,” said Shane Steichen during minicamp.
“They got good vision. I love those guys. It’s a good room. A good competition there. It’s going to be a good competition, obviously, in minicamp and OTAs, but going into training camp is going to be big for all those guys.”
On the flip side, the Colts’ defensive front should be one of the more disruptive units in football. GM Chris Ballard has invested heavily into this unit, particularly this offseason, and has a group eight or even nine defenders they can rely on in their weekly hockey-like rotation.
Disruptive play up front can go a long way in helping out the secondary. Slowing the run and putting the offense in obvious passing situations gives the secondary the advantage. Meanwhile, as we all know, pressure disrupts timing and can lead to errant throws, including turnover opportunities.
“I think it’ll just be a big problem for other teams,” said Paye about the Colts’ defensive front. “You know, like you see teams that make it far in the playoffs, the Chiefs, the 49ers, the Eagles, teams like that where they just have a second D-line that could be a first D-line anywhere else.
“So that’s kind of like, I feel like that’s what we’re trying to build here. There’s no dropoff. As soon as the second D-line coming, the O-line doesn’t have rest, like the O-line doesn’t have the chance to regroup for the first team coming in. So for us, I mean, it’s going to be great. So for us, I mean, it’s going to be great.”
Last season, the Colts ranked 28th in points per game allowed, surrendering 24.4 per contest. They would rank 24th in yards per game allowed, giving up nearly 350 on average each week.
