Colts’ most glaring needs right now

Mar 21, 2023 - 1:39 PM

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Having finished the first wave of free-agency, and with the Colts having made a bunch of moves, it is clear now where the biggest holes are right now in the roster, and boy are they big.

Cornerback: Isaiah Rodgers Sr., Kenny Moore II, Dallis Flowers

Even before trading away Stephon Gilmore (which was a good move to make in my opinion) the Colts’ cornerback room was already desperately thin. Brendan Facyson left via free-agency leaving the Colts with just three players with prior experience at the moment, and Flowers is mosly a special team’s specialist. Kenny Moore struggled in Gus Bradley’s scheme, and there have been several trade rumours thrown around. As it stands, the Colts will need to add at least three cornerbacks, and hopefully they get one that has starting experience. There are plenty of possible options in the free-agency market like Marcus Peters, Shaquill Griffin, Bradley Roby, Rock Ya-Sin, Jalen Mills, and William Jackson. This is not considered a deep cornerback draft class, so the Colts should look into signing any of the guys mentioned above.

Wide receiver: Michael Pittman Jr., Alec Pierce, Ashton Dulin, Mike Strachan

Pittman and Pierce will most likely be #1 and #2 receiver going into the future with Steichen, and it should reassure Colts’ fans to know that Steichen is not a big believer in spreading the ball around in the passing game, as A.J. Brown and Devonta Smith accounted for 55.75% of the total targets last season for the Eagles. Still, the Colts depth at receiver right now is worrying, as Dulin and Strachan have never been productive NFL receivers. The team will most likely turn to the draft to get another guy, and there are some decent options in free agency they could pursue. I for one would love to have D.J. Chark on the team.

Interior offensive line: Quenton Nelson, Ryan Kelly, Will Fries, Danny Pinter

This is where it got really ugly last season, so I am sure that Ballard will not repeat the same mistake twice and will shore up the interior offensive line. Quenton Nelson is a staple at left guard, but other than that there are no certainties at all. It seems like the Colts will be giving Ryan Kelly another chance at center after paying him the roster bonus, and right guard is an incognita right now. I would not be surprised if the Colts moved Kelly on draft day, and if they take at least two offensive lineman come April.

Quarterback: Gardner Minshew, Sam Ehlinger, Nick Foles

I am not sure what will happen with Sam Ehlinger, as he did not show any particularly exciting traits in the games he started. Sure, the context was not great, but other than a few scrambles the Texas’ product did not show anything that would make me think of him as a viable long-term backup. So it seems like it will be Gardner Minshew and whoever the Colts end up taking at the #4 spot (please not Will Levis).