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INDIANAPOLIS – Coming off a 4-12 season, it’s hard to say that the Colts have gobs of position groups that rank in the upper echelon of the NFL.
That point is further proved when each side of the ball undergoes significant system change, which impacts how the personnel currently looks.
So what are the areas Chris Ballard and Frank Reich probably don’t need to have as much worry about in 2018?
Here are the positions of strength on the roster:
-Kicker: You’ve got to start somewhere, so why not begin with the greatest player at his position in NFL history. Adam Vinatieri is the definition of reliability, which is something the Colts don’t have at many other places on this roster. Vinatieri, 45, is coming off a season in which he went 29-of-34 on field goals. Now, 4 of those 5 misses came in the horrific weather of Buffalo (snowstorm) and Baltimore (wind and rain). Vinny’s other miss was in a Week One loss to the Rams. Without Vinatieri’s right leg, the Colts could have lost a few more games last season. Despite his age, Vinny continues to kick the ball at a very high level from distances well north of 40 and 50 yards.
-Tight End: It’s the one position group that really caught Frank Reich’s eye in the spring. The Colts are big fans of what they have at tight end. Jack Doyle and Eric Ebron headline the group, but let’s not overlook the depth at tight end either. The likes of Ross Travis, Mo Alie-Cox and Darrell Daniels all flashed in the spring. And you could have the intriguing Erik Swoope enter that mix as well, once he returns to health. On offense or defense, the tight end group has to be the deepest position on the roster.
-Offensive Line: Don’t laugh. Look at the resources invested into this offensive line. You have 4 guys who were chosen in the first 40 picks of their respective drafts (Anthony Castonzo, Ryan Kelly, Quenton Nelson and Braden Smith). You have 2 veterans with more than 85 career starts (Matt Slauson and Austin Howard). And then you have other options in Joe Haeg, Jack Mewhort, Denzelle Good, Le’Raven Clark, Jeremy Vujnovich and Deyshawn Bond. In terms of depth, this has to be viewed as a position of strength. However, it’s still a group that must prove how much quality and cohesion is present.
-Quarterback: If healthy, how can this position group not be looked at as one of the deeper ones on the roster. Andrew Luck is a Pro Bowl caliber quarterback? Behind Luck is Jacoby Brissett, who has displayed necessary starting traits in his two NFL seasons. You aren’t going to find many other quarterback duos in the NFL who you would take over these one. Of course, the looming question of Luck’s health and how quickly he will get up to speed really dictates where this position group is on such a list.
-Safety: Like quarterback, injury (or I should say ‘injuries’) will impact a lot of projection with this bunch. But the safety talent is there. Malik Hooker and Clayton Geathers must prove their health, but you can’t deny their talent when on the field. Behind those two is the ever-reliable Matthias Farley, who the coaching staff loves, with having a highly intelligent quarterback of the secondary, if needed. If you want to go a step further, T.J. Green (a former second-round pick) is a decent No. 4 option, when talking depth. But this group mainly is focused on the top 3, with Hooker and Geathers giving Indy’s defense some rare (and much-needed) playmaking ability.
