Recently, the defensive unit for the Indianapolis Colts has made a habit out of making pedestrian wide receivers look like studs. A lack of penetration from the front helped expose a secondary that couldn’t seem to limit huge areas of open field for the opposing offense to camp out in and wait for the ball. There was a glimmer of hope in 2023 when the defensive front set a franchise record for sacks, but that glimmer vanished in 2024. With a slew of new, improved, and healthy players, could the much maligned defense actually be a strength for the team?
It all starts at the top. Lou Anarumo is a breath of fresh air as fans had grown tired of Gus Bradley’s sit back and wait approach. There appeared to be little to no aggression or masking of coverage. A plain and uninspiring scheme left little for the opposing offense to figure out. Anarumo seeks to fix that with a much more aggressive and deceptive approach. He can do that through key free agent additions that will shore up the defense. Adding Ward and Bynum will go a long way towards allowing the Colts to be aggressive knowing they have skilled players in the backfield.
Latu appears to be a name who is benefiting from the new look and a year of experience under his belt. He is wreaking havoc at practice while the front overall appears to be having an excellent camp. A healthy Buckner and Ebukam will work wonders towards bringing the Colts back to 2023 form.
While health remains a concern, the second cornerback position could see improvement as well. Jones, Brents, and Walley are dueling it out, but having multiple options and depth will be key. Walley is turning heads and could be a good find for Ballard and his crew in last year’s draft. The linebacker corps. seems like a potential area of weakness, but having Franklin back at camp should provide a boost.
Watching the defense get shredded over the years has been tough to watch. The bottoming out moment was the Giants’ game in which they looked absolutely helpless and lost. The lack of toughness and aptitude was apparent. Change was needed and change was provided. The defense could be a major strength for the team as this unit appears to be making a jump. The proof will be on the field, but signs are that things are trending upwards.
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