Veterans and rookies for the Indianapolis Colts will report for training camp on July 24th, with the first practice taking place on July 25th.
Between now and then I will be previewing the Colts’ 91-man roster with a look back at each player’s 2023 season, along with what’s ahead for 2024.
I’ll be going through the Colts’ roster alphabetically, so up next is linebacker Ronnie Harrison. To stay up to date with our other previews, be sure to head over to Colts Wire.
2023 Season Review
It wasn’t until last summer that the Colts would sign Ronnie Harrison, who at the time was just 26 years old and had started 45 games at safety. But the Colts decided to move Harrison to linebacker, a transition that began during training camp and continued into the season while he was on the practice squad.
Then when the Colts moved on from Shaq Leonard, Harrison got his chance on the active roster, as the team’s Will linebacker when in their base defense and also starting games at strong safety when Julian Blackmon was injured.
“Sometimes the strong safety and the WILL linebacker in our system act very similar,” Gus Bradley said via the Indy Star. “So we had him in here at strong safety, and we thought, ‘Let’s put him in at linebacker on the practice squad. We like his skill set, his ball skills and his speed, so let’s see if we can get him closer to the ball.'”
Harrison would appear in seven games defensively last season, playing 234 snaps. He would make 18 of his 22 tackle attempts and allow just six receptions in coverage on 11 targets, holding opponents to 6.7 yards per catch. Harrison also came away with two interceptions.
“I’ve just been blessed this whole year, getting picked up by the Colts in the offseason, being at home all year, getting a shot to come in on the practice squad to prove myself. I feel like I did that,” Harrison said in January. “To be able to elevate and play and help make a difference toward the playoffs is everything I could have dreamed of.”
2024 Season Preview
Harrison was re-signed by the Colts back in March to a one-year deal for the 2024 season. At linebacker, Zaire Franklin and EJ Speed will dominate the snaps at that position, but the third linebacker role in this defense will one of the training camp battles taking place this summer.
Presumably, Harrison may be a favorite to win that job. His experience as a safety can bring an added coverage ability to the linebacker position for the Colts, again able to handle the Will responsibilities when in their base 4-3 defense, or if the Colts want to go big when in nickel.
“He’s a great athlete and ball player,” Zaire Franklin said about Harrison. “He’s started and played meaningful downs and made meaningful plays in this league. Whenever you’ve got a veteran who understands the game and is capable of making pretty much every play, it’s always a positive.”
However, the Colts also added some competition over the offseason for Harrison, drafting Missouri safety Jaylon Carlies, who will be a linebacker in this defense and can help fill a similar role. Segun Olubi fits more of the middle linebacker role.
