ColtsSpeak: Jason F. Kunze
PhilB: You been paying attention to camp? What’s stood out?
Jason: I’m looking forward to seeing the new guys. I’m really high on (running back) Jonathan Taylor, I think he’s going to be a dude. And I like the presence of Michael Pittman Jr., as a big, tall, lanky receiver, something we haven’t had.
PhilB: Taylor has been outstanding. I really like what I’ve seen from him. And Pittman looks really polished, too. They say it’s tough to learn in the first year as a wide receiver, so many terms and getting on the same page with the quarterback, but Philip Rivers was commenting (on Wednesday) about how he’s seen Pittman have a couple of good days back-to-back. He’s really smooth. His hands, he just snags the ball, effortless. How do you feel about Rivers?
Jason: I like him. He’s kind of that blue-collar Colts kind of guy. He’s going to fit in well with our new regime. He used to be the enemy, but now you’ve got to cheer for him. He knocked us out of the playoffs a couple of times.
PhilB: More times than we want to remember. I was there both times.
Jason: I’m excited about it. Veteran presence, he had his best years when (Colts head coach) Frank Reich and (Colts offensive coordinator) Nick Sirianni were in San Diego with him (as assistant coaches).
PhilB: He really brings a lot of energy. Every time we talk to him on a Zoom call, he’s fired up. You watch him in practice and he’s always pumped up and ready to go. Darius Leonard is probably the most energetic guy on the field every day, but Philip Rivers isn’t far behind. He plays the game like he’s a kid.
Jason: I think you have to at that veteran age. It’s good to see that enthusiasm. It’s good to have a little bit more fireball in that position, a little more of a voice. Not that I didn’t like (2019 starter) Jacoby Brissett or anything, but each to their own I guess. It’s nice to have a guy who is going to kind of fire up the team other than always relying on the same, old guys.
PhilB: And you like the fact that Rivers is going to take a shot.
Jason: Right. I’m a riverboat gambler. I’m a football coach myself. I’d rather go for it on fourth down at my own 25 than punt the ball. If there’s a chance, I’m willing to take it. That’s kind of what I like about him.
PhilB: What did you think about the trade for DeForest Buckner?
Jason: Oh, I thought that was huge. Oh my gosh, we haven’t had a defensive presence like that ever. I mean, I can’t think of a guy, well probably when we traded for Anthony “Booger” McFarland (in 2006). That’s probably the last guy in that defensive tackle spot who was a big asset. Look what that did for our defense. (Colts won Super Bowl XLI).
PhilB: We walked out there Monday for camp, and I tell you, Buckner towered over everybody. He’s built and he looks like a monster. He’s going to draw constant double teams. He’ll shoot gaps, that’s what the three-technique does, but there’s no way he can’t draw two people. If you try to single block him, you better have the right side and be able to push him away because if not, he’s going to shove you out of the way.
Jason: He adds a huge compliment to the speed of our defense.
PhilB: Linebacker Darius Leonard is lickin’ his chops, man.
Jason: Oh my gosh, I think he’s going to have a NFL Defensive Player of the Year this year. He’s been robbed too many times of things he should have already gotten.
PhilB: And Darius is motivated that way. He has a long list of things he wants to obtain and he always berates himself for what he didn’t do. That’s something Reggie Wayne taught me back in the day. The guy who is hard on himself for what he didn’t do as opposed to basking in the glow of an accomplishment, those guys are rare and they’re really good. What other observations would you like to make about this team? Any other players you’re looking forward to seeing, maybe young players coming up and making more of a contribution?
Jason: I’m looking forward to seeing how (running back) Nyheim Hines makes a big jump this year in year three. When we first drafted him, I was like, ‘Who is this guy?’ Now he’s starting to make himself a household name. I was actually at the Carolina game (last year), when he had the two TD punt returns. He was right there in front of me, I was right there in the end zone in the corner on the first one when he ran into the tunnel. My son is a big Panthers fan. I took him down there to watch the Panthers. It was a pretty amazing day for Nyheim. It was kind of his coming-out party, I think. On the defensive side of the ball, I’m kind of interested to see how linebacker Bobby Okereke comes around in his second season. Last year, I was totally in shock with what he brought to the table. The sky’s the limit for him.
PhilB: You are a ball coach. You’ve got the trained eye, don’t you?
Jason: Yep.
PhilB: He gradually got better and kept improving as a rookie. In today’s NFL, it’s hard to find linebackers who can cover and Okereke had the speed to cover. So the toughest part of the job, he probably did his best at. They just need to get more impact plays, where he rushes and blitzes and disrupts and causes fumbles. I see tremendous upside, too. I think Okereke is going to move over to the middle if Anthony Walker isn’t re-signed after this season.
Jason: I wish (rookie safety) Julian Blackmon wasn’t coming off an ACL injury. I’d like to see how he does at the safety spot. He’s kind of a ball-hawking guy. He’s more of a risk-taker than Malik Hooker ever has been. I like what he brings to the table. I watched Blackmon play college ball. I’m in Vikings country up here, so I’m kind of a man on an island, but people talk to me about how the Colts front office changed this team so fast.
PhilB: What did you think about the Colts taking a chance on signing former Vikings cornerback Xavier Rhodes?
Jason: I think he just got complacent in where he was and was just doing the same old, same old. I’m hoping that a change of scenery and a bigger leadership role potentially for that room might give him a little kick-start for another two or three years. I think he’s still got gas in the tank. He was a lockdown corner two years ago.
PhilB: Yes, he was.
Jason: He’s got the potential to be that missing guy we’ve never really had out there.
PhilB: Colts cornerbacks coach Jonathan Gannon said he was glad to see Rhodes become available.
Jason: He’s still got it. He’s going to do what he does, and he does it well.
PhilB: Who else is on your mind?
Jason: I’m interested to see the defensive end opposite Justin Houston. That one there, I don’t know, I thought maybe we could have snagged somebody else or gave Jabaal Sheard another shot, just for depth. He plays the run so darned well.
PhilB: I thought they might re-sign Sheard. I was a little surprised they didn’t. Right now, it looks like they’re moving Denico Autry out there.
Jason: I like the big-body guy there, too.
PhilB: Kemoko Turay isn’t practicing yet. He’s still coming off that injury.
Jason: I think he’s going to be a beast, too. He’s got a lot of that Robert Mathis-Dwight Freeney get-off in him.
PhilB: He was just starting to come into his own when he broke his ankle at Kansas City. Do you have a season prediction for these guys?
Jason: I’m going to say AFC South Division champs, 10 or 11 wins. The addition of quarterback Philip Rivers will be huge. I just think that people slept on him, they’re thinking he’s just another ancient quarterback, but he plays the game different than other guys. He has something. I’ve always respected him, even when he was with the other guys. I like his enthusiasm.
PhilB: That’s pretty impressive that I got a football coach to give a prediction.
Jason: (Laughs.) I think last year, seeing what we did at Kansas City, hey, one thing we have that can match up, we have speed on D and they have trouble with that. And now we have that inside guy (Buckner) and two of the Chiefs’ best offensive linemen opted out for the season, so they’re going to be down up-front. I think the conference championship is in the Colts’ grasp.
PhilB: You’re pretty optimistic?
Jason: I am, very. I haven’t been this excited in a long time.
Jason F. Kunze's Man Cave, where he watches the Colts in Fargo, N.D.
Jason F. Kunze
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