Kwity Paye Emerging in Gus Bradley's Scheme: Film Room
The Indianapolis Colts are in panic mode after an ugly 1-2-1 start to the 2022 season. While a lot of things are doom and gloom with this team, there have been some reasons to remain optimistic in this young season.
Second-year edge rusher Kwity Paye is beginning to show out as a pass rusher this year. Paye had a solid rookie season in 2021, finishing the year with five sacks and 28 hurries in 15 games played. He appears to be taking that next step under Gus Bradley, as he is currently on pace for an outstanding 12 sack season in 2022.
Paye has certainly taken a positive step forward as a player in 2022, but I would also argue that Defensive Coordinator Gus Bradley deserves some credit for helping Paye take his game to that next level.
The Flashes Have Been on Display
Kwity Paye certainly has to find a bit more consistency to elevate his game even further, but he is showing some flashes early. So far this year, his pass rush win rate sits at a steady 16.8% (according to Pro Football Focus). That currently ranks him as the 22nd best starting edge rusher in this category league-wide.
If you exclude that disastrous Jacksonville game, Paye's pass rush win rate sits at 19.0%, which would rank him 14th among all starting edge rushers. Paye has been a consistently impactful player in pass defense for the Colts and a lot of that has to do with his offseason development.
Let's not forget his incredible two sack performance in week two against the Houston Texans:
Even when he hasn't been logging sacks as a straight up rusher, he has been disruptive. He could stand to turn these flashes into a little bit more consistent play, but for a second-year player with 17 games under his belt, this is a phenomenal start.
Here are some of his best true pass pro rushes that didn't result in a sack this season:
Unlocking Paye with Stunts
Paye has been effective in straight up rushes this season, but Gus Bradley has really tapped into his true potential these past two weeks by utilizing him on stunts and twists. Paye is a rare blend of size and athleticism, so he is the perfect player to have for these calls.
Below, I jump into a few stunt calls where Paye has been deadly this season:
EXIT Stunt
This is the stunt call where Paye has been absolutely lethal in recent weeks. An EXIT stunt is a typical end-tackle stunt up front, the only difference being that the defensive end is crashing into the guard to free up the defensive tackle. The Colts have used this call to get pressure on critical passing downs against the Chiefs and Titans in recent weeks.
First up is this beauty against the Kansas City Chiefs. Paye nearly destroys the right guard before turning back up to the quarterback for a pressure:
Then there was his big sack this past week against the Tennessee Titans. Paye levels the right guard, and this time he is able to turn up the field for a sack on the play:
Paye was also able to provide pressure on another EXIT stunt against the Titans, this one being from an overloaded front. Paye twists with defensive tackle Tyquan Lewis on the play, and the result is a near sack of quarterback Ryan Tannehill:
Mike Wrap
The other successful stunt that involved Paye these past two weeks was on a Mike Wrap with Zaire Franklin against the Chiefs. Typically on these stunt blitzes, the defensive end will preoccupy the offensive linemen while the Mike linebacker wraps around the edge for the pressure.
On this particular play, however, Bradley uses Franklin to free up Paye. Franklin comes crashing downhill into the right tackle, which gives Kwity Paye the space to bend back inside for the pressure.
The Bottom Line
While Kwity Paye has not yet reached the same level, Gus Bradley has found his Maxx Crosby-type player in Indianapolis. Bradley is utilizing Paye in so many similar ways that the comparison is quite easy to see on film. The next step for Paye to reach that elite status, like Crosby did, is to find a bit more consistency in true pass rushing sets.
That being said, 2022 is off to a great start for the young pass rusher. He looks athletic and strong off of the edge, and he has been the team's best pass rusher through four weeks. If other big name players can step up their game on the defensive line, this Colts' pass rush could be really good as this season goes on.
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