Film Room: The Colts' Defensive Tackle Depth Could Be an Issue in 2022
The Indianapolis Colts have two star defensive tackles on the interior, as All-Pro DeForest Buckner and the ever-steady Grover Stewart form one of the better duos in the NFL. Behind those two are some major questions at the moment.
The Colts made the interesting decision to let rotational defensive tackle Taylor Stallworth walk in free agency this offseason. Stallworth appeared in 331 snaps a year ago, logging 12 stops, four sacks, and 18 pressures. Replacing him in 2022 is a ton of unproven players that haven't particularly impressed in camp.
It is still early, but should the Colts be worried about their interior depth this upcoming season?
Preseason Struggles
The Colts' defensive line depth issues were painfully apparent against the Detroit Lions this past weekend. The Lions running backs carried the ball 28 times for 148 yards and a touchdown in this game. While opponent rushing production doesn't squarely fall on the shoulders of the defensive tackles, these guys were getting blown off of the ball all game long.
The Lions' plan of attack in this game was to utilize duo runs as much as possible. In duo, the offensive line double teams both defensive tackles in order to get quick displacement up the field. This is an example of one of those runs where Byron Cowart is driven a good 4-5 yards off of the line of scrimmage.
This isn't just one bad game for this unit either. It has been a bit of a struggle all camp long for these rotational players to stand out. Rookies Eric Johnson and Curtis Brooks have flashed their potential, but both players look closer to being projects rather than being ready for an immediate role this season.
Veterans R.J McIntosh and Byron Cowart haven't emerged either, as both have struggled a good bit in their offseason action. As training camp enters its final week, the Colts may have to explore other options to find a rotational defensive tackle in 2022.
Chris Williams to the Rescue?
Before the Colts look outside of the roster for help on the interior, they may have an in-house candidate still in play for this role. Second-year defensive tackle Chris Williams has missed a majority of training camp with an ankle injury, but he is returning to practice this week.
This becomes an absolutely massive week for Williams, as he has an opportunity to really take over this lackluster competition. Williams did spend some time on the Colts' roster a year ago, appearing in 62 snaps and finishing the season with a pressure and two tackles. This week is his opportunity to prove that he has a role on this team going forward.
Outside Options
It is going to be tough to find any quality rotational players at this point in the offseason, but there are a few veterans on the market/potentially available that could provide an upgrade for the Colts. Here is a short list of a few players:
Darius Philon, FA (Spent 2021 with Raiders): Philon is a player that is surprisingly still a free agent this late in the offseason. While he wasn't super consistent with the Las Vegas Raiders a year ago, he showed that he can still be a quality pass rusher off of the bench. He finished the 2021 season with two sacks and 15 pressures in 277 snaps played (under Gus Bradley I should add).
Malcom Brown, FA (Spent 2021 with Jaguars): Brown is a former first round pick that was fairly successful with the New England Patriots back in 2017. He is coming off of a down year with the Jacksonville Jaguars a year ago, but he has traditionally been a sturdy run defender with some power in the trenches. He recently worked out with the Washington Commanders, so I hope Indy gives him a look before it is too late.
Shamar Stephen, FA (Spent 2021 with Broncos): Stephen is a journeyman that most recently played with the Denver Broncos in 2021. He had a somewhat productive year in reserve last season, appearing in 393 snaps and totaling 11 pressures and 13 stops.
The Bottom Line
It is a bit early to worry too much about depth on the interior defensive line, but there are some warning signs of trouble at the moment. Unless Chris Williams steals the show in camp this week, this should absolutely be a position that the Colts look to add some talent after final cutdowns.
If they don't, it could be pretty ugly this season if Grover Stewart or DeForest Buckner end up missing any time.
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