The Indianapolis Colts finished 3rd in the AFC South divisional race a season ago and missed the playoffs for the second consecutive year. After news came out in January about Andrew Luck’s injured shoulder, it sent Colts’ fans into a panic. Since then, the organization hired Chris Ballard as General Manager and had one of the better drafts in the NFL.
Top to bottom, this roster is more talented than it was a year ago.
Key 2017 Losses:
Mike Adams (SS) – Carolina Panthers
Dwayne Allen (TE) – traded to New England Patriots
Overlooking the fact that Mike Adams is 35, the loss of the veteran leadership will hurt. He was selected to the Pro Bowl two out of the last three years. While this team is still lacking a good offensive line to protect Andrew Luck, they improved tremendously on the defensive side of the football.
Key 2017 Additions:
Johnathan Hankins (NT) – from the New York Giants
Jabaal Sheard (OLB) – from the New England Patriots
Kamar Aiken (WR) – from the Baltimore Ravens
Malik Hooker (FS) -2017 NFL Draft (Ohio State)
Quincy Wilson (CB) – 2017 NFL Draft (Florida)
Here’s what you should keep up with during the Colts training camp.
3 Position Battles to Watch
1. Wide Receiver
With the addition of Kamar Aiken, the Colts add another big bodied, speedster at the receiver position. Currently, Phillip Dorsett is listed as the third wide receiver on the Colts’ roster, but Aiken is going to give Dorsett a run for his money. Throughout training camp, look for these two to battle for the third receiver position as the Colts continue to shift from a 2-TE offense to a 3-WR offense.
2. Right Tackle
While the right tackle is not the most glorious position, it is an extremely valuable one. Another battle to look for in training camp is between Le’Raven Clark and rookie Zach Banner. According to Pro Football Focus, the Colts’ offensive line ranked 25th last season. Pagano is looking for answers to protect “his precious” Andrew Luck. Maybe they found their answer in Banner.
3. Inside Linebacker
Last year, Antonio Morrison was a rotational linebacker in his first season in the NFL. He collected 52 tackles while only starting four games. The Colts clearly are not sold on Morrison as they went out and drafted Anthony Walker Jr. from Northwestern in the fifth round. These two youngsters will battle for the Mike (ILB) position. One of the most vital pieces of any defense.
Ready To Break Out: Ryan Kelly
Ryan Kelly was one of the best selections the Indianapolis Colts have made in recent drafts. As a rookie, he allowed zero sacks and only three quarterback hits. Lineman rarely receive praise in today’s game, but they are the second most important piece when building a team (behind a quarterback). Make no mistake about it, Ryan Kelly is going to be feeding Andrew Luck snaps for a long time.
Fantasy Sleeper: Donte Moncrief
Despite playing in only nine games last season, Donte Moncrief found the end zone seven times on 30 receptions. He has been plagued by injuries for a major part of his three-year career. Could this be the year Moncrief takes his game to the next level?
Rookie To Watch: Quincy Wilson
Quincy Wilson is one of my favorite cornerbacks from this draft class. He will start alongside Vonte Davis to make a very good cornerback duo. Now, the Colts have Davis to cover the quick twitch receivers and Wilson to cover the big-bodied receivers (DeAndre Hopkins, Allen Robinson, and Corey Davis) in the division.
The Indianapolis Colts are still in the rebuilding process and the AFC South increasingly got harder. While they have the best quarterback in the division, they do not have the other necessary pieces to win it. If he does not play, they have no chance to win. If he fully returns, the Colts will finish second behind the Titans.
