Stealing Colts Coach Frank Reich's Analytical Phrase, Let's Be 'Hyper Critical' Of Starters
INDIANAPOLIS — Seven weeks removed from a 7-9 season, Indianapolis Colts head coach Frank Reich spoke recently at the NFL Scouting Combine about how the team’s front office is “hyper critical” in its analysis of team performance and what must improve.
In the spirit of Reich’s terminology, let’s look at each roster spot with a discerning eye, breaking down “keeper” players and those positions in need of an “upgrade” in free agency or the NFL draft. A third classification, “help,” means a player is serviceable but the team should bolster the position’s depth.
General manager Chris Ballard has money to spend when free agency commences on March 18, but is usually frugal about who is added. The Colts are second in the NFL in space under the salary cap at $86.1 million.
QUARTERBACK: Jacoby Brissett — His regression in the final seven games as well as a 6.6-yard-per-completion average that ranked tied for 30th among regular NFL passers speaks for itself. Set to make $21.375 million in the final year of his contract this season, he’s probably not going anywhere, but the Colts must address the position sooner as opposed to later for 2021 and beyond. The expectation of adding a quarterback in the draft or free agency should also mean jettisoning backup Brian Hoyer, who isn’t worth $4 million for each of the next two seasons and would be a minor cap casualty.
STATUS — Upgrade.
RUNNING BACK: Marlon Mack — There’s no denying the Colts have received decent production from the 2017 fourth-round pick, who had his first 1,000-yard season with 1,091 yards rushing in 2019. Nyheim Hines and Jordan Wilkins are capable backups, but Mack has also endured his share of injuries with 10 missed starts in the past two years. Ballard has other areas of need more pressing, but adding a promising player makes sense.
STATUS — Help.
CENTER: Ryan Kelly — A first-time Pro Bowl selection in 2019, Kelly enters the final year of his first contract that pays $10.35 million, third highest on the roster. Presuming Kelly can stay healthy, Ballard likely won’t wait until the season’s end to give the offensive line’s anchor an extension. The 2016 first-round selection has lived up to the pick as a solid blocker and making astute calls in the blocking scheme.
STATUS — Keeper.
LEFT TACKLE: Anthony Castonzo — He’s set to become a free agent, but Ballard said at the combine that Castonzo has informed the Colts that he intends to return for a 10th season. Both sides need to agree on a contract, which shouldn’t be an issue. The Colts will pay him well after earning his first Pro Bowl consideration as an alternate last season. Question is, how long does Castonzo want to play? His new contract factors into Ballard’s plans. If it’s for one or two years, the GM won’t be faulted for drafting with an eye on the future, if not this year then next. If for some reason the deal falls through or Castonzo agrees to only a one-year deal, the timeline moves up to possibly this year.
STATUS — Keeper.
LEFT GUARD: Quenton Nelson — The two-time All-Pro first-teamer has been one of the best guards drafted in recent years at sixth overall. His nasty penchant for pancake blocks sets the bar high for fellow blockers. He’s as much of a no-doubter as anybody on the roster.
STATUS — Keeper.
RIGHT GUARD: Mark Glowinski — The overachiever enters his seventh season in the second year of a three-year, $18-million contract signed before 2018. His $6.9 million salary is pricy, ranking sixth on the roster, for a guy who is reliable but not Pro Bowl caliber. Other needs are more pressing than trying to find an upgrade, but his spot on a solid O-line is the most tenuous in the future.
STATUS — Keeper.
RIGHT TACKLE: Braden Smith — The former Auburn guard has handled the transition to a new position with 27 starts in 29 games since being selected in the second round. Some of the league’s elite pass rushers give him trouble with speed on the edge at times, but he’s been reliable, works hard and has continued to learn.
STATUS — Keeper.
TIGHT END: Jack Doyle — Named to his second Pro Bowl in 2019, Doyle was rewarded near season’s end with a three-year, $21 million extension. The Colts are paying him $8.5 million in 2020, which is a lot, but the fan favorite as an Indianapolis native earns every penny as a consummate pro, the best blocker at his position as well as a receiver capable of providing clutch catches and moving the chains. The Colts like to use two tight ends a lot, which means Mo Alie-Cox could be seeing more snaps after receiving a one-year tender. That said, the Colts will add at least one more tight end to make up for Eric Ebron’s departure in free agency.
STATUS — Keeper.
WIDE RECEIVER: T.Y. Hilton — The four-time Pro Bowl star Hilton enters a contract year, which means Ballard has to save money to keep him. Hilton is set to make $14.5 million this year, his ninth season. Hilton has been banged up in each of the past two seasons, missing six starts last year and two the previous year. His absence couldn’t be more telling. The Colts are 1-9 without him in the lineup since he was drafted in 2012.
STATUS — Keeper.
WIDE RECEIVER: Parris Campbell — The second-round selection couldn’t stay healthy as a rookie, although he showed his speedy potential when able to play. As much as injuries are damning for a player, it’s difficult to blame Campbell for needing three surgeries for a sports hernia, fractured hand and fractured foot. In seven games with three starts, he caught 18 passes for 127 yards and one TD. Those numbers should increase dramatically in year two, presuming Campbell can avoid being unlucky with his health.
STATUS — Keeper.
WIDE RECEIVER: Zach Pascal — Once an undrafted unknown who couldn’t stick with Washington or Tennessee, Pascal had a career year with 41 receptions for 607 yards and five TDs. It’s not an indictment of his value as a capable role player, teams need guys like Pascal to fill in, but his numbers fell off at times. He had just two catches or less in half of the games. He’s a bargain keeper at $660,000 in the final year of his contract, but the Colts need more dynamic playmakers at the position, especially with the recent injury history of Hilton and Campbell.
STATUS — Help.
DEFENSIVE END: Kemoko Turay — Just starting to come into his own as a fierce pass rusher, Turay suffered a season-ending fractured ankle at Kansas City in Week 5. He enters his third season with a chance to be a full-time starter, presuming he’s healed. Turay has 5.5 sacks in 18 career games, but he’s had just three starts. Is he a situational pass rusher or a player capable of playing full time? Because pass rushers are in such high demand, and Justin Houston is entering the final year of his contract, Ballard should be looking to add talent.
STATUS — Help.
UNDER TACKLE: Denico Autry — Opponents paid more attention to Autry, hence he dropped from a career-high nine sacks in 2018 to 3.5 in 2019. But he’s still capable of making impact plays and would benefit from having more help on the line to avoid facing constant double teams. He’s also motivated entering a contract year, in which he’ll make $5.7 million. Autry turns 30 in July, so he’s in the prime of his career, and looking to get paid.
STATUS — Keeper.
NOSE TACKLE: Grover Stewart — Declining production from Margus Hunt provided more snaps for Stewart, who started 13 of 16 games and had a career-high 30 tackles with three sacks. Set for his biggest payday with a final-year salary of $2.2 million, Stewart is also looking to prove himself worthy of another contract. But expect the Colts to add more depth on the D-line, which starts at this position.
STATUS — Upgrade.
DEFENSIVE END: Justin Houston — The 10th-year pro was a man of his word, proving he still has plenty in the tank with a team-high 11 sacks. He’s 31, so there’s every reason to believe Houston wants to earn another contract with another quality season. His two-year, $24-million deal signed before last season was front loaded, which means he’s making $9 million with incentives the second time around. If Ballard doesn’t spend as much in free agency as expected, it’s because he has an eye toward the future on re-signing some of his own talent, which likely includes Houston.
STATUS — Keeper.
STRONGSIDE LINEBACKER: Bobby Okereke — The third-round pick improved enough to be mentioned among top rookie defenders at season’s end. He finished with 65 tackles, one sack and two forced fumbles, and showed excellent speed as a pass rusher or in pass coverage.
STATUS — Keeper.
MIDDLE LINEBACKER: Anthony Walker — The 2017 fifth-round selection has developed into a reliable defender with a team-high 124 tackles last season. He doesn’t make as many impact plays as Darius Leonard, but Walker had 2.5 sacks and one interception, too. He’s entering a contract year, too, so Ballard has to decide if Walker is the right fit in the middle. Perhaps that’s a decision for a year from now. We’ll know what the Colts are thinking if Walker doesn’t receive a contract extension at year’s end. At the very least, finding a promising backup makes a lot of sense.
STATUS — Keeper.
WEAKSIDE LINEBACKER: Darius Leonard — The defense’s best player overcame three games lost to injury to make 121 tackles with five sacks and five interceptions to earn a Pro Bowl nod and be named second-team All-Pro. “Maniac” led the NFL in tackles as a rookie and was named first-team All-Pro. He admits he’s still learning, laments plays he didn’t make, and nobody works harder to improve. This guy is never satisfied and always motivated, an impact player who’s the ideal heart and soul of this defense.
STATUS — Keeper.
LEFT CORNERBACK: Pierre Desir — Entering the second year of a three-year, $22.5 million contract, it’s difficult to assess Desir’s status because he played hurt for much of last season. Injuries aren’t supposed to be an excuse, but Desir wasn’t as effective as expected, at least not for the money paid him. He was often beat in coverage and until late in the year didn’t make many impact plays. He missed five starts due to injury and had two of his three interceptions in a Week 16 home blowout of Carolina. He needs a strong comeback season to prove he’s worth the final year of his contract.
STATUS — Help.
RIGHT CORNERBACK: Rock Ya-Sin — The Colts traded out of the first round and selected Ya-Sin, a physical cover guy who was blanketed in yellow penalty flags for the first half of his rookie year. He did improve, becoming acutely aware of how much jersey tugging he could get away with on receivers. The jury is still out on him long term, but that’s the nature of the position. Quality cover corners are hard to find and it takes time with young ones. Year two will be key.
STATUS — Help.
STRONG SAFETY: Khari Willis — A fourth-round pick known for his smarts in college, Willis overcame the expected rookie mistakes to deliver some solid production with 71 tackles that ranked third on the team. His promising play makes Clayton Geathers expendable and entering free agency. Willis needs to deliver more impact plays. He didn’t have an interception or a forced fumble. But the Colts have every reason to like what they see in a young player who should progress and be better the second time around.
STATUS — Help.
FREE SAFETY: Malik Hooker — Much is expected of the former first-round pick with impact playmaking skills. Hooker had a career-high 51 tackles despite missing three games due to injury. His one-handed interception in the season opener at Los Angeles was the kind of special play that shows what he can do. We just need to see more of that. He has seven interceptions in 34 career games, so it’s not like Hooker has been a disappointment. But the bar is set high for him based on his skills.
STATUS — Keeper.
NICKEL CORNERBACK: Kenny Moore II — This position is added to the list because Moore is so important. He missed five games due to injury, including the last four. The Colts lost three of those last four and the defense isn’t the same without him. His nose for the ball in making impact plays was rewarded with a four-year, $33-million deal entering last season. Moore is one of the league’s most underrated players.
STATUS — Keeper.
KICKER: Chase McLaughlin — NFL all-time leading scorer Adam Vinatieri is on the mend from knee surgery, which gave McLaughlin an opportunity to prove his worth as a rookie. And he did, making five of six field-goal attempts and all 11 extra points. Ballard gave him a one-year contract to return. The Colts have said they are undecided on possibly bringing back Vinatieri, who is 47 and had the worst year in 2019 of a career that will one day see him enshrined in the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Some might complain if “Mr. Clutch” gets another shot, but there’s no harm in a healthy kicking competition in preseason. The hunch is McLaughlin stays.
STATUS — Keeper.
PUNTER: Rigoberto Sanchez — His strong leg (44.4-yard average) is adept on punts inside the 20 (22 with one touchback) as well as hang time and Sanchez is one of the best at kickoff touchbacks with a league-best 64.6-yard average (60 touchbacks in 79 attempts). The Colts liked what they saw from him as a rookie and gave him a four-year, $11.6 million contract before last season.
STATUS — Keeper.
