3 Colts Players Who Need to Improve on Defense in 2023

When a team gets a mere four wins, it’s generally a complete and collective collapse. However, the Indianapolis Colts had a solid defense that, more often than not, kept the team in games. Ultimately, it was the offense that would consistently fall short.

A year later and the Colts’ defense looks quite a bit different.

With rookies like cornerbacks JuJu Brents, Darius Rush, Jaylon Jones, and others on tap to either start or get decent playing time, it will be crucial for the defense to stand tall as the rookies and inexperienced players develop.

While multiple players could be named, these three stand out the most. Let’s dive into the three defensive names for the Colts who need to improve the most in 2023.

Kwity Paye - Defensive End

Look, Kwity Paye’s inclusion on this list isn’t entirely because of his performance. More than anything, it’s his health, but there are areas of his game he can brush up to be a more solid pass-rusher.

Paye was drafted to bring stability and consistency to the Colts’ defensive end position. Across the board, Paye is a skilled and well-rounded pass rusher who can also disrupt the running game.

While Paye notched an excellent 76.6 run defense grade last year, per Pro Football Focus, he could only stay healthy for 12 games of the 17. Also, during those 12 games, he did notch 6.0 sacks but could only reach an average pass-rushing grade of 58.3, which was middle-of-the-pack of the Colts’ defensive ends.

Paye is arguably the best defensive end Indianapolis has. As mentioned before, Paye needs to be more available and push to the next level of his pass-rushing prowess, which would be to make 10-plus sacks and stay on the field more.

Nick Cross- Safety

While at Maryland, Nick Cross displayed fantastic instincts and hard-hitting ability at safety. He was good enough for the Colts to trade up and take him in the third round of the 2022 NFL draft.

Initially, the Colts started Cross and trusted the 20-year-old could handle the limelight. What ensued was the realization that Cross may not be ready to start just yet, which resulted in the Colts benching him after two starts, as he ultimately ended his season with just 17 tackles and a fumble recovery.

What sticks out for Cross is the tackling. In 2022 he would post a forgettable 51.3 tackling efficiency grade and allowed big plays to happen in the secondary. These are two areas where offenses in the modern era of football will continue to exploit if Cross doesn’t extend himself from these mistakes.

It’s worth noting that Cross is highly talented and is looking like he’s making progress in camp. He’s also 21 years old and is learning more and more as the reps stack up. We’ll see where he’s at when Week 1 rolls around.

Kenny Moore II - Cornberback

The 2020 and 2021 seasons were great for Kenny Moore II in a Colts uniform. The now seven-year pro looked incredible, forcing 8 interceptions, grabbing 182 tackles, and 26 pass breakups en route to a 2021 Pro Bowl nomination during those two years. Things were looking great.

Then, Gus Bradley’s defense took effect in 2022, and Moore couldn’t translate to this new system. He would essentially fall to the worst (10th) pass coverage grade out of all eligible cornerbacks (six) and safeties (four) with 46.3. It was a season that Moore would likely prefer to forget.

What followed was an offseason of trade rumors. Many figured he’d fit with Matt Eberflus as a Chicago Bear, given his success in that Eberflus defense in Indianapolis during his best years. However, Moore is to stay in Indianapolis and is ready for a bounce back.

Given the youth at the cornerback position, Moore needs to make a statement and return to his playmaking ways. Things are looking great for Moore on the field during camp so far, as he’s been consistently making plays and drawing attention.

Can Moore get back to what made him great? Only time will tell, and the NFL season is nearing its beginning.

3 Colts Players Who Need to Improve for the Offense in 2023

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