Colts' 2024 Roster Ranks Less Than Favorable

2023 was an interesting year for the Indianapolis Colts with new coaches, players, and injuries on the roster from top to bottom. However, even though first-year NFL head coach Shane Steichen faced high levels of adversity, the Colts still finished with a winning record of 9-8. Now, heading into a new season where hopes are high and the roster is more complete than it has been in years, it's time for Indy to take the next step as a franchise and make the playoffs.

In a recent article with work from Jim Wyman and Dalton Wasserman of Pro Football Focus, the duo breaks down the 2024 rankings of each team's roster, complete with the best/worst of 2023, X-Factor in 2024, and projected win totals (under 8.5) for the upcoming year. Indianapolis finds itself in the bottom half of the ranks (22nd) with a win total that isn't fun to see and plenty of room to improve as a young squad.

For starters, the duo breaks down the best group from 2023, which was the dominant defensive front that took Indy to 51 team sacks, good enough for fifth in the NFL.

The Colts have spent a lot of draft capital on their defensive line over the years, and in 2024 it finally looks like it’s going to be a major strength of this team. DeForest Buckner has been one of the best interior linemen in the league since he was a first-round pick of the 49ers in 2016, as his 81.8 PFF grade at age 29 can attest to. Joining him up the middle is the vastly underrated Grover Stewart, who is more the run-stuffer of the two, having posted a 77.3 run-defense grade last season that ranked sixth at the position. The team also signed Raekwon Davis away from the Dolphins for some added depth.

Off the edge is where the Colts should really shine. Samson Ebukam was quietly one of the best edge rushers in the league last season, putting up a career-high 84.4 PFF grade and his first 10-sack season. Kwity Paye has steadily improved in each season since being a first-round pick in 2021, posting a career high in PFF grade (74.3) and sacks (eight) last season. The real intriguing member of this group is first-round rookie Laiatu Latu. The UCLA product was the best defensive player in college football last season, earning a 96.3 PFF grade while registering 15 sacks in 12 games.
Jim Wyman & Dalton Wasserman | PFF

Nov 5, 2023; Charlotte, North Carolina, USA; Indianapolis Colts defensive tackle DeForest Buckner (99) reacts in the first quarter at Bank of America Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-USA TODAY Sports | Bob Donnan-USA TODAY Sports

In short, Indy's defensive line was great in 2023. Now, with a new position coach in Charlie Partridge and sky-high athletic talent Laiatu Latu off the edge, this pass-rush and front is ready to be one of the best units in the league. Latu also joins a stacked edge room occupied by Samson Ebukam, Kwity Paye, and Dayo Odeyingbo. Throw in a defensive interior duo like DeForest Buckner and Grover Stewart and this could be, yet again, the best group for Indianapolis in 2024 if everything falls in line.

While the defensive line was fantastic last year, they likely didn't get the pressure on opposing quarterbacks they would have liked. Part of this was due to the inexperience and performance of the defensive secondary. In their article, Wyman and Wasserman put the young group as the biggest weakness in 2023 for the Colts.

After losing Isaiah Rodgers to a season-long gambling suspension, which resulted in his release from the team, the Colts ran out several young and unproven players at cornerback last year. While defensive coordinator Gus Bradley got a lot out of them, as their 18th-ranked 69.6 team coverage grade can attest to, the front office didn’t add much to the unit in the offseason.

The hope is that 2023 second-round pick JuJu Brents takes the next step in becoming a shutdown cornerback while 30-year-old Kenny Moore II continues to hold down the slot corner position. Dallis Flowers, Jaylon Jones and Darrell Baker Jr. should all see time, as well, though only Flowers earned a 60.0-plus coverage grade (70.6).
Jim Wyman & Dalton Wasserman | PFF

This assessment of the cornerbacks and safeties for Indy is fair, especially considering that both Dallis Flowers and then-rookie JuJu Brents had injuries that derailed or grossly limited their time on the field in 2023. This opened up opportunities for backups and rookies to fill in but also showed Indy's lack of depth in 2023 at the corner position. In their stead, Jaylon Jones and Darrell Baker Jr. would step into more prominent roles. Jones would rise to the occasion and tear apart his seventh-round talent designation, while Baker would fall apart at times and show he's nothing more than a depth piece.

Heading into the new campaign there's renewed hope that Flowers, Jones, and Brents can help veteran Kenny Moore II rise to the occasion against tough offenses that Indy will face in the 2024 season. Indianapolis added rookies Jaylin Simpson and Micah Abraham to the defensive back position, solidifying competition and depth. Also, safeties Julian Blackmon and Nick Cross appear to be the starting duo for strong and free, adding to an already promising secondary if they can shake the coverage cobwebs they had last year.

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Next up for the duo's analysis is Indy's biggest X-Factor in the success of their season. It is likely nobody's surprise that dynamic signal-caller Anthony Richardson is the choice here.

Richardson started right out of the gate for the Colts despite being considered an extremely raw prospect. He was lost for the season after Week 5 due to a shoulder injury after posting a 56.5 passing grade on just 107 snaps, and despite having been a prolific runner in college, he recorded only a 45.3 PFF rushing grade on 18 attempts.

If Richardson can have a breakout year as both a passer and a runner, the Colts will have one of the most dynamic offenses in football.
Jim Wyman & Dalton Wasserman | PFF

Richardson's capabilities as a quarterback get high praise from PFF, saying that if he remains healthy and continues to grow as a professional field general, the Colts may have one of the deadliest offensive attacks in the NFL.

Indianapolis Colts quarterback Anthony Richardson (5) passes during the first half of the game against the Los Angeles Rams on Sunday, Oct. 1, 2023, at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis. | Jenna Watson/IndyStar / USA TODAY

Steichen's wishes for the 2024 Indy offense are to be dynamic, explosive, and efficient. Richardson's presence on the field makes this Colts offense a big issue, given how many ways it can attack a defense. Whether it's the RPO, Jonathan Taylor in the backfield, Richardson at the helm, or the multi-faceted attack of Michael Pittman Jr., Josh Downs, Alec Pierce, and Adonai Mitchell, every NFL defense must wake up if Richardson is under center.

The second-year quarterback will push as hard as possible to stay healthy while learning the Steichen offense deeper and deeper into the off-season, with his sights on a big impact and return in 2024.

The aforementioned Mitchell is also the pick for Indy's rookie to keep an eye on in 2024. While defensive end Latu could have also been a great selection here, Mitchell's athleticism, speed, hands, and fit in the Colts offense is something to monitor.

Despite being one of the most talented players in this year’s draft class, Adonai Mitchell was the 11th receiver off the board, at Pick No. 52. The numbers don’t lie, as Mitchell dropped just one pass on 103 targets over the past two years. He should form a dynamic duo with Michael Pittman Jr.
Jim Wyman & Dalton Wasserman | PFF

Mitchell is 6'2" and 205 pounds but is a fantastic route-runner and has the capabilities to become a massive, big play machine for Indianapolis.

Adonai Mitchell was drafted in round 2 pick 52 in the 2024 draft class. He scored a 9.99 #RAS out of a possible 10.00. This ranked 5 out of 3402 WR from 1987 to 2024. https://t.co/t32le05j0m pic.twitter.com/oMybFeWJpp
— Kent Lee Platte (@MathBomb) April 27, 2024

One of the biggest knocks on Mitchell is his lone collegiate season of production, which was last year when he snagged 55 catches for 845 receiving yards and 11 touchdowns. Despite this, his fit with Steichen and Richardson is nearly perfect, so we'll see if Mitchell can rise to the occasion and help Indy form a solid pass-catching group in 2024.

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