Did the Colts have One of the Worst Offseasons?
The Indianapolis Colts were relatively quiet during the free agent period, but they added a whopping 12 players in the NFL Draft including first-round pick Anthony Richardson at quarterback. The Colts hope they've finally found their long-term replacement for Andrew Luck.
The Colts gambled they could stay at No. 4 and get their quarterback of the future, and it's a gamble they won.
Bill Barnwell on ESPN+ compiled a list of teams who he feels had the worst offseasons, and the Colts checked in on his list ninth on the list... or 24th on the list of best offseasons.
Barnwell weighed the good and the bad for each team as he compiled his list, and he likes what the Colts did at quarterback.
What went right: The Colts finally got their quarterback of the future. Maybe. After months of wondering whether they would be locked out of the quarterback wars with the No. 4 pick in April's draft, they were able to stay put and land Anthony Richardson. Richardson is still a project -- he started just 13 games in college -- but he's the most significant investment in a young quarterback Indianapolis has made since Andrew Luck's departure.
Gardner Minshew is also one of the league's best backup quarterbacks, leaving the Colts some hope if Richardson struggles to adapt as a rookie. He joins the team from Philadelphia alongside new coach Shane Steichen, who should be an upgrade on last year's cavalcade of coaches. -- Bill Barnwell, ESPN+
Barnwell points out that several players regressed last season including Michael Pittman and Jonathan Taylor, but he points to the offensive line as the make or break unit for the Colts.
The biggest issue is not addressing the offensive line, which comes back virtually untouched from a year ago. The Colts love 2022 third-rounder Bernhard Raimann's potential as a tackle, but the converted tight end looked overmatched as a rookie and turns 26 in September. I'm not saying they should have given up on Raimann after one year, but the only competition they brought in for him is rookie fourth-rounder Blake Freeland. -- Bill Barnwell, ESPN+
Barnwell also mentions cornerback and edge rusher as a possible problem for the Colts despite the addition of Sam Ebukam in free agency.
Reading through 500+ words on the Colts, it seems as if Barnwell is grading the Colts as a finished product rather than answering the actual question... who had the worst offseason?
The Colts won't call it a rebuild, but quarterback, offensive playmakers and cornerback(s) were all addressed in the draft. Edge was addressed in free agency.
Could the Colts have done more on the offensive line in the offseason?
Maybe.
If one were to include Shane Steichen as part of their offseason and believe a team is built through the draft and supplemented through free agency, the Colts have had an excellent offseason.
- 1st: Florida QB Anthony Richardson (No. 4 overall)
- 2nd: Kansas State CB Julius Brents (No. 44)
- 3rd: North Carolina WR Josh Downs (No. 79)
- 4th: BYU OT Blake Freeland (No. 106)
- 4th: Northwestern DT Adetomiwa Adebawore (No. 110)
- 5th: South Carolina CB Darius Rush (No. 138)
- 5th: Cal S Daniel Scott (No. 158)
- 5th: Miami TE Will Mallory (No. 162)
- 5th: Northwestern RB Evan Hull (No. 176)
- 6th: Wagner edge Titus Leo (No. 211)
- 7th: Texas A&M CB Jaylon Jones (No. 221)
- 7th: Northern Michigan OT Jake Witt (No. 236)
