10 Changes Colts Opening Depth Chart From 2021 to 2022

The Colts made quite a few changes to their opening day depth chart in the last calendar year. I dive into those 10 new starters in today's piece.

The Indianapolis Colts have made quite a few changes to their roster in the past calendar year. It may not be "all chips in" like owner Jim Irsay likes to say, but it is easy to see that the Colts wanted to upgrade at several key positions heading into this season. 

In today's piece, I compare the Colts' unofficial depth charts from the past two seasons and talk about if the team upgraded their starters, on paper, prior to the start of the 2022 NFL season.

© Gregory Fisher-USA TODAY Sports

Quarterback: Upgrade

OUT: Carson Wentz

IN: Matt Ryan

Carson Wentz was far from a terrible quarterback for the Colts in 2021, but his volatility and style of play just didn't mesh well with the offense. The Colts simply needed to make a change at quarterback, and they found an upgrade in veteran Matt Ryan.

Ryan may not be what he was in his prime, but he is a smart and accurate passer that can operate Frank Reich's quasi-west coast scheme to efficiency. The main statistic to look at here is on-target percentage, as Ryan ranked 9th in this metric last season while Wentz was all the way down at 29th.

Ryan also brings much needed leadership and accountability off of the field, which Zak Keefer of The Athletic pointed out in this fantastic article from the other day.

© Trevor Ruszkowski-USA TODAY Sports

Z Wide Receiver: Upgrade

OUT: Zach Pascal

IN: Alec Pierce

Zach Pascal was a solid, do-it-all receiver for the Colts in his four seasons with the team. The main issue with him and his play was that his ceiling was always capped in the offense. He was never going to be anything more than a WR4 seeing too many snaps as the team's second option.

With Alec Pierce, the Colts are investing in a young player that has a ton of upside and promise. The team has been fast-tracking his development this offseason, going as far as putting Stephon Gilmore on him in practice every single day. He may not be an immediate upgrade out of the gate, but I expect big things out of Pierce going forward.

© Jenna Watson/IndyStar / USA TODAY NETWORK

Tight End: Downgrade

OUT: Jack Doyle

IN: Mo Alie-Cox

While this position doesn't feature a new face taking over a prominent role, it does see the departure of a longtime staple of the team. Jack Doyle decided to hang up the cleats this offseason, and Mo Alie-Cox is due to fill in his role as the starter in 2022.

Alie-Cox has flashed ability in the past, but he has struggled to find consistency. For him to surpass what the team got out of Doyle the past few seasons, Alie-Cox needs to finally become a reliable underneath target and he needs to fine tune his run blocking to perfection.

Matt Pryor via IMAGN

Left Tackle: Upgrade

OUT: Eric Fisher

IN: Matt Pryor

The upgrade here is in the simple fact that the traffic cone that was Eric Fisher is no longer on the Colts. Fisher has had a solid career in the NFL, but he was simply dreadful in pass protection for the Colts back in 2021.

With Pryor, there is at least some optimism that he can hold up on the blindside. He had a solid season a year ago as a reserve lineman for the team and, by all accounts, he had a good training camp as the team's de facto starter this year. Count me as cautiously optimistic regarding Pryor heading into 2022.

© Trevor Ruszkowski-USA TODAY Sports

Right Guard: Downgrade

OUT: Mark Glowinski

IN: Danny Pinter

For all the bemoaning that fans did about Mark Glowinski over the years, he really wasn't a bad player for the team. Sure, he was a weak link on solid Colts' offensive line, but he was an adequate player at a position that lacks players of quality league-wide.

As the Colts transition to the Danny Pinter era, I am (again) cautiously optimistic. The training camp reports on his play haven't been as promising as Matt Pryor's, and there is some concern with his size/strength at the guard position. I'm hoping that this move works out, but I'm not as confident as I am at other spots.

© Michelle Pemberton/IndyStar / USA TODAY NETWORK

Defensive End: Major Upgrade

OUT: Al-Quadin Muhammad

IN: Yannick Ngakoue

Let me start this out by saying that I don't mean to say anything negative about Al-Quadin Muhammad. He was a steady run defender in his time in Indy and he had a career-best season in 2021. That being said, his career-best season as a pass rusher would equate to Yannick Ngakoue's career-worst season.

Ngakoue is just a different animal as a pass rusher, and he is a player that the team has sorely lacked in years past. With Ngakoue, the Colts finally have a threat at defensive end that the team can pair with their dominant defensive tackle on the interior.

© Michelle Pemberton/IndyStar / USA TODAY NETWORK

Outside Cornerback: Major Upgrade

OUT: Xavier Rhodes

IN: Stephon Gilmore

Veteran cornerback Xavier Rhodes had a steady two-year stint with the Colts, but the team desperately needed to add another dynamic to their cornerback room for 2022. They found the perfect match in former Defensive Player of the Year Stephon Gilmore.

Gilmore is a teach-tape technician that played some good football late last season with the Carolina Panthers. By all accounts, Gilmore has been the Colts' best overall player in camp and he looks like his former self in practice. If Gus Bradley's defense is going to work in 2022, Gilmore needs to be the player that he once was with the New England Patriots (and I think he will be).

© Gregory Fisher-USA TODAY Sports

Outside Cornerback: Downgrade

OUT: Rock Ya-Sin

IN: Brandon Facyson

Rock Ya-Sin was an exceptional cornerback for the Colts last season, and it was unfortunate to see this ascending player dealt away in a trade (although it did bring the team Yannick Ngakoue, but I digress). Replacing him is a familiar face in Gus Bradley's scheme in Brandon Facyson.

Facyson had a decent season with the Las Vegas Raiders in 2021, where he saw his first real action as an NFL player. He needs to be a bit more consistent and disciplined on the outside, but the potential is certainly there with his length and athleticism. I don't envision him hitting the heights that Ya-Sin hit last year, but Facyson should be a solid starter for the team.  

Mandatory Credit: Robert Goddin-USA TODAY Sports

Strong Safety: Upgrade (Hopefully)

OUT: Khari Willis

IN: Nick Cross

This was a tough one to properly evaluate, as both of these players are vastly different from each other. The ever so reliable Khari Willis was a staple on this team for years, and his retirement at just 26 years old came as a shock to many people that follow the team. Replacing him is the 20 year old third round pick Nick Cross.

Cross will certainly make more mistakes than Willis did, but the tradeoff is the immense upside that the youngster brings. Cross is exceptionally athletic and rangy, and his ability to play all over the field is a massive plus. I'm optimistic that he provides an upgrade at strong safety this season.

© Robert Scheer/IndyStar / USA TODAY NETWORK

Punter: Downgrade

OUT: Rigoberto Sanchez

IN: Matt Haack

The Colts unfortunately lost star punter Rigoberto Sanchez in the preseason to a torn achilles injury. Replacing him is veteran Matt Haack, whom last played for the Buffalo Bills in 2021. Haack had a rough go of it a year ago, but hopefully punting in a dome does wonders for his game this upcoming season.

 

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