ESPN's Bold Prediction for Colts Defender
The Indianapolis Colts used a first-round pick on edge rusher Kwity Paye in the 2021 NFL Draft.
Paye got off to a slow start as he battled through injuries the first part of his rookie season, but he came on strong to close the year. Paye had four sacks in 2021, and each of them came in the final eight games of the season.
ESPN's Bill Barnwell is one of several national pundits who sees Paye as a breakout candidate for 2022, saying in his latest column Paye is ready to make the leap from solid starter to Pro-Bowler.
"Paye looked like a different player during the second half of his rookie season," Barnwell writes in his ESPN Insider Colum. "During the first half, he missed the better part of three games because of a hamstring injury and wasn't an impactful pass-rusher when healthy. He didn't rack up a single quarterback knockdown until Week 9, when he had two in a win over the Jets."
"From that point forward, he was more noticeable, putting up four sacks and eight knockdowns. Several of those sacks were cleanups as passers moved up the pocket, but he also generated 25 initial pressures as a pass-rusher from that Jets game onward, which was tied for the eighth most in the league."
"Paye still needs to be more consistent, but we're seeing signs the 23-year-old can deliver on his spectacular physical tools. He's several steps behind (Rashan) Gary, his former teammate at Michigan, but the goal is for the 2022 version of Paye to look like Gary's 2021 campaign."
Gary is a different player than Paye at 6'5 and 277 compared to Paye at 6'2 and 260 pounds. Gary arrived at Michigan as a defensive tackle candidate, already playing in the 290 range. He's one of the few players who actually got lighter in college.
But his 9.5 sacks in 2021 were a career best after getting just two as a rookie and five in 2020. Paye may be several steps behind Gary, but he wasn't far off in his rookie season where Gary was in his second year.
Paye looks to be considerably farther ahead of where Gary was entering his second season.
If Paye can replicate Gary's third season in 2022, Barnwell's prediction of a Pro Bowl nod could come to fruition for the Colts' second-year man.
