The Indianapolis Colts are hoping that the big moves made this offseason will get them back into the playoffs after missing out during a 7-9 season in 2019.
With plenty of new faces and even more returners, the Colts will have several players facing pressure during the 2020 season. Whether it’s bouncing back from a poor campaign, proving their worth in a contract year or simply taking on a bigger role, the Colts are under a lot of pressure.
Here are five Colts under the most pressure in 2020:
QB Philip Rivers
The most obvious name on the list comes at the quarterback position. Regardless of the situation, the quarterback is always under the most pressure. But Rivers steps into the role looking to both prove himself worthy of the $25 million contract he received and also looking to bounce back after a poor campaign.
The Colts have a lot of confidence that Rivers isn’t finished yet. His 20 interceptions were tied for the second-most of his career since becoming a starter, but Indy is hoping that an upgrade at offensive line and more of an emphasis on the run will help.
The Colts didn’t make the playoffs mostly because of poor quarterback play 2019. For the veteran stepping in, the pressure is on to ensure that doesn’t happen again.
S Malik Hooker
The former first-round pick is under immense pressure to both stay healthy and perform at a high level. Hooker saw the Colts send him a message by declining his fifth-year option. Whether that was purely a motivational tactic or whether they are actually ready to move on, the pressure is mounting for the Ohio state product.
Hooker is still a talented player. He’s certainly talented enough to warrant a second contract if he puts it all together in 2020. But his future in the Circle City is far from guaranteed if he doesn’t prove to the front office that he can stay healthy and be productive.
As the first selection in Chris Ballard’s draft tenure as general manager, Hooker faces more pressure than most in 2020.
C Ryan Kelly
The anchor of the offensive line isn’t under a ton of pressure, but he still has a lot to prove if he wants to secure that contract extension. Kelly has shown how much he is worth to the offense when healthy, and he showed he can stay healthy in 2019.
But it seems—at least for now—that the Colts could be in wait and see mode when it comes to his contract extension. It wouldn’t be a surprise at all to see Chris Ballard hand Kelly a new deal between now and the start of training camp, but it hasn’t come yet.
The Colts don’t have a viable backup yet for Kelly but if he doesn’t get that extension before training camp, he will be under some pressure to continue his performance at an elite level.
DT Tyquan Lewis
The Colts traded up in the second round of the 2018 NFL Draft in order to grab the versatile Lewis out of Ohio State. However, their plans for him have yet to come to fruition.
Injuries and inconsistent play have kept Lewis from truly breaking into a role on the defense. Now entering Year 3, Lewis faces more pressure than ever in his career. The arrival of DeForest Buckner already put Lewis into a role that won’t see much volume. But then the Colts drafted Robert Windsor in the sixth round.
Lewis was one of the favorites in the eyes of the front office when he was drafted in 2018, but he hasn’t proven his worth yet. 2020 could be the final year he has a chance to do so in Indy.
CB Xavier Rhodes
The Colts made an odd move this offseason by cutting veteran cornerback Pierre Desir in favor of signing another veteran in the form of Rhodes. Both players have had their ups and downs in recent seasons, but the Colts went the cheaper route with Rhodes.
Coming off of arguably his worst season, Rhodes has a lot to prove in 2020. Not only to the critics but also to himself and to the Colts. Whether the injuries he suffered are behind his down year is up for debate. But at 30 years old, Rhodes faces a lot of pressure to show he can still be a valuable part of the defense.
