With the biggest event of the offseason behind them, the Indianapolis Colts now have their sights set on preparing for the upcoming campaign.
Even after the 2019 NFL Draft, the Colts have several questions to face. Some may be a little more pressing than others, and the answers won’t be found immediately. Yet, there are still some questions they face.
With that said, let’s take a look at five questions the Colts face following the draft:
Will the pass rush improve?
Likely the biggest question the Colts face following the draft has to do with the pass rush. When accounting for the offseason as a whole, the only major addition to the unit was veteran defensive end Justin Houston.
The Colts decided against adding a true edge rusher early in the draft and didn’t select an interior defensive lineman with any one of their 10 picks. They did draft defensive end Gerri Green, but he’s thought to be a project to begin his career.
With how the Colts defense works, the pass rush is the most vital aspect. While it shined at times in 2018, there were still way too many inconsistencies that led to an inability to keep offenses off the field.
The Colts are banking on the development of younger players such as Kemoko Turay, Tyquan Lewis and Al-Quadin Muhammad, but the pass rush is still the biggest question mark.
How will the backfield rotation play out?
The Colts didn’t add to the backfield during the early part of free agency and none of their 10 selections was a running back. They did sign veteran Spencer Ware following the draft, but the question remains as to how the roles will play out in the backfield.
Marlon Mack had an impressive second half in 2018 and is expected to be the leader in the backfield. Nyheim Hines is likely to reprise his role as the change-of-pace back working primarily as a pass catcher out of the backfield and even in the slot some. Jordan Wilkins is expected to continue providing depth while Jonathan Williams and Ware battle it out for the final spot.
Those are just predictions for how it could work out. Ware has the experience working both in a committee and as the starter, which could mean more of a rotation is in store.
Who emerges in the LB competition?
If there is a position that could look very different after just one offseason, it’s the linebacker corps. The Colts added three new linebackers to the room during the draft, and all three could very well grab a spot on the 53-man roster.
Darius Leonard and Anthony Walker are likely safe, but the competition between Ben Banogu, Bobby Okereke, E.J. Speed, Matthew Adams and Zaire Franklin is one that will be monitored closely throughout the spring and summer.
The Colts linebacker room got exponentially more athletic from the draft additions, but it remains to be seen who emerges from the competition.
Who is the odd man out in the WR room?
Throughout the entirety of the offseason, the Colts have added two wide receivers: Devin Funchess in free agency and Parris Campbell as a second-round pick in the draft.
While their spots are likely safe, there is more competition in the wide receiver room among the other players. This includes Deon Cain, Chester Rogers, Daurice Fountain, Zach Pascal and Marcus Johnson to name a few.
The Colts usually only carry five wide receivers on the active roster, which means some players will lose a spot in the competition. Finding out who that will be is going to be an intriguing part of the offseason.
How can Frank Reich keep the offense unpredictable?
An advantage Reich had as a first-year head coach in 2018 was the fact that teams didn’t fully know how the offense would run. With a year of tape for opposing defenses to study, Reich is tasked with keeping the offense multiple.
It helps to have a quarterback of Andrew Luck’s skill set and mental fortitude, but using the new pieces correctly in addition to the returning pieces is something Reich will need to figure out this offseason.
Keeping the offense from becoming a predictable unit is likely what is keeping them from being an elite unit. The pieces are in place, now Reich simply needs to find ways to keep opposing defenses on their toes.
