Every season there are new players faced with high amounts of pressure. Whether that is because of contract situation, possibly losing a roster spot, or having high expectations from the front office to succeed.
The Indianapolis Colts as a team are under a lot of pressure to get back to the playoffs, as they’ve missed the playoffs four of the last five seasons. Key additions in the offseason, Philip Rivers, DeForest Buckner, Jonathon Taylor, and Michael Pittman signal the Colts are going for it this season.
Lets take a look at five Colts that are facing the most pressure to succeed in 2020:
QB Philip Rivers
Last season was an abysmal campaign for both Rivers and the Indianapolis passing offense in separate ways. Rivers threw his second-most interceptions in a single season last year with 20, while only throwing 23 touchdowns. The Colts finished 30th in the NFL last year in passing offense.
Both parties will look to turn that around in 2020, with Rivers reuniting with his former offensive coordinator for two seasons in San Diego, Frank Reich.
Indianapolis saw an opportunity to improve at QB this offseason, and they hope they have done that by adding a 38-year old QB in Rivers for $25 million.
After a 7-9 season, and going into December on the doorstep of making the playoffs, Rivers will be facing a lot of pressure to push the Colts from a non-playoff team to a playoff team in 2020.
RB Marlon Mack
For a player that is fresh off a career season in which he ran for over 1,000 yards, and nine touchdowns in only 15 games, you’d think Mack wouldn’t be under any pressure, but he is.
First, Mack is entering the final year of his rookie deal, and how the market treats running backs, it will be very hard for Mack to get a massive second contract.
Second, Indianapolis traded up in the second round of this past draft to take one of the more prolific running backs in college football history in Jonathon Taylor, who is expected at some point to take over for Mack as the lead running back.
Third, this offseason is loaded with good running backs heading into free agency. Guys including Dalvin Cook, Alvin Kamara, and others. So, Mack will need to have another solid season to get a second contract either here in Indianapolis, or somewhere else as he becomes 25.
DT Tyquan Lewis
In the offseason, Chris Ballard said this is a big season for Lewis as the third-year pro has struggled early on to stay on the field due to injury, and hasn’t brought the necessary production in practice to get snaps in a game.
Lewis has had a very good training camp so far, Reich has even gone to say that Lewis has shown up at every practice. That’s big for a young player that is in a battle for a starting defensive line spot.
Along with battling for the starting defensive end spot, Lewis has the flexibility to play inside, but it seems Indianapolis may want him to play outside on early downs.
With a team like the Colts that have a lot of depth, and competition along the defensive line, Lewis will need to have a strong season in 2020, or Indianapolis will look to replace him in the offseason.
CB Rock Ya-Sin
Since taking over for the Indianapolis Colts in 2017, Ballard has drafted seven defensive backs in four drafts. One of those seven, Rock Ya-Sin will be under a lot of pressure to build off a strong second half of his 2019 campaign.
Indianapolis doesn’t have a lot of depth behind Ya-Sin and Kenny Moore, their two top corners. The Colts did sign veterans Xavier Rhodes and T.J. Carrie to one-year deals, but it is clear, this team is putting a lot of trust in Ya-Sin to develop in his sophomore season.
Ya-Sin was tasked to guard the opposing teams’ best receiver, and he will be asked to do that again this year when the Colts face the likes of Devante Adams, D.J. Chark, Allen Robinson and Odell Beckham.
Ya-Sin will need to have a good season this year and show progression in coverage for Indianapolis to go where they want and to have a top 10 defense.
S Malik Hooker
The writing is on the wall for Hooker. His time in Indianapolis is waning. The Colts didn’t pick up the fifth-year option on Hooker’s rookie contract, an option that would’ve only cost the Colts seven million dollars.
Hooker early in his career dealt with injuries, which hurt his development coming into the NFL. But, over the last year, while he has been on the field, he has shown inconsistencies in coverage.
Peers of Hooker like Jamal Adams, Budda Baker, and Eddie Jackson get contract extensions over the past year, and Hooker should be next in line for a new deal. The question is, where at?
If Hooker wants to get paid, whether in Indianapolis or somewhere else, Hooker will need to show he can be that playmaking safety he was dubbed coming out of college and be more consistent in 2020.
