NFL Team Needs: Indianapolis Colts Team Needs
By Jon Dove
The Indianapolis Colts are hoping that the return of Andrew Luck will help springboard them back into playoff contention despite some major team needs.
Andrew Luck’s troublesome shoulder has put the Indianapolis Colts in a tough situation. They know what type of player Luck is when healthy, but at this point they have to be worried about his long-term future.
Either way, it looks like this offseason won’t be the right time to consider taking a drastic step. The Colts will instead focus on addressing the many other team needs.
According to spotrac, the Colts could have around $84 million in cap space this offseason which would be the 3rd most in the league. They also own the No. 3 overall pick and a chance to land a major contributor.
Below are the top 3 team needs for the Indianapolis Colts:
1. Pass Rusher
This past season, the Colts tallied only 25 sacks which was the 2nd worst mark in the league. Jabaal Sheard was the team leader with 5.5 sacks. The lack of a pass rush put a ton of pressure on the secondary and the entire defense.
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General Manager Chris Ballard knows that his defense can’t afford another year with this type of production. Look for him to make adding some edge pressure a major focus of the offseason.
Luckily, it looks like the Colts might be able to address this need with the No. 3 pick in the draft. NC State’s Bradley Chubb is a disruptive force and would immediately improve the Colts pass rush. He also is the type of prospect to warrant being selected at No. 3 overall.
The top free agent option is DeMarcus Lawrence who is a candidate to receive the franchise tag from the Dallas Cowboys.
2. Offensive Line
The Colts have been working on rebuilding their offensive line for a while now. However, they have yet to find stability across the unit. Anthony Castonzo is an average left tackle, but is far from a steady presence.
Things along the interior have been complicated by injuries to Ryan Kelly and Jack Mewhort. The offensive line seems like an area that can be addressed via free agency. There are several guard/centers available this offseason.
3. Running Back
Frank Gore continues to plug away and produce. However, it’s obvious that he doesn’t have the juice to provide explosive plays. Rookie Marlon Mack showed some promise, but is far from guaranteed to be the long-term answer.
The Colts would be wise to beef up their ground attack in order to take some pressure off of Luck. A strong running game can be a quarterback’s best friend– especially one who is coming off a significant injury.]
Indianapolis has more than enough salary cap space to make a run at Le’Veon Bell if he hits the open market.