Have the Colts Done Enough to Fix the Pass Rush?

Even after a blockbuster trade this offseason, it is valid to wonder whether the Colts have enough firepower on the defensive line as the NFL Draft approaches.

The NFL, like many other sports, is filled with trends.

The NFL has turned into a quarterback-driven league. It’s hard to win in the NFL without having a top-flight thrower of the football. The last three Super Bowl champions were teams quarterbacked by Patrick Mahomes, Tom Brady, and Matthew Stafford.

Elite teams also need guys on the other side of the ball who can chase down opposing quarterbacks. A great pass rush has also shown to be a quality of the recent Super Bowl winners. The duos of Chris Jones and Frank Clark, Shaquil Barrett and Ndamukong Suh, and Aaron Donald and Von Miller all had a tremendous impact on opposing quarterbacks.

The Indianapolis Colts entered the 2022 offseason with major question marks in both areas. General manager Chris Ballard came into this offseason knowing things needed to change.

“Our passing game has to be better, just has to be,” Ballard said candidly at his end-of-season presser. “On defense, we have to be able to rush the passer better. It’s a passing league. You’ve got to be able to affect the passer and you’ve got to be able to throw it.”

At the quarterback position, Carson Wentz had an up and down 2021 and proved he could not be trusted to put the team on his back when the team needed him the most. The pass rush allowed quarterbacks to sit in the pocket all day and only generated 33 sacks on the season, tied for 25th in the NFL.

The Colts solved their quarterback problem by trading away Wentz to the Washington Commanders and acquiring Matt Ryan in a trade with the Atlanta Falcons. Ryan is as cerebral and accurate as they come at the quarterback position, and while he will be 37 to start the season, he can still sling the ball all over the field.

As far as the pass rush is concerned, more pieces needed to be added.

The Colts already have Pro Bowler DeForest Buckner manning the middle and a promising Kwity Paye heading into year two. After adding a fierce pass rusher through trade, is that enough to be confident in this group for 2021? Let’s examine this further.

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The Yannick Ngakoue Effect

The Colts started their work on the pass rush early as they traded for Yannick Ngakoue of the Las Vegas Raiders for cornerback Rock Ya-Sin. The six-year defensive end racked up 10 sacks and 23 quarterback hits in 2021, both of which would have led the Colts. He also had eight tackles for loss and two forced fumbles.

Ngakoue is a pass rusher that has to be accounted for on every play. He has never had a season with less than eight sacks, giving the Colts a legitimate threat on the outside. His presence will take attention away from Buckner and Paye and give them more chances to sneak through the offensive line.

Ngakoue will also be reunited with defensive coordinator Gus Bradley, his DC in Las Vegas, and former head coach with the Jacksonville Jaguars. Bradley’s defense implores a LEO position made specifically for smaller defensive ends who possess explosive traits to give them better chances at the quarterback. Ngakoue has thrived in this role in the past and will continue to play the position as a member of the Colts.

Adding someone like Ngakoue along the defensive line is huge for the Colts and will provide a boost to the group.

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Year Two Bump

Ballard and the Colts invested their first two picks in the 2021 NFL Draft into two young pass rushers. The first was Paye, who they selected with the 21st pick and immediately entered the starting lineup.

Paye’s rookie year started slowly, missing two games due to injury and going without a sack the first nine weeks of the season. Paye began to put it all together as the year ended, recording four sacks in his final eight games. The game began to slow down for Paye, and he is expected to have a much more productive second year.

The Colts also selected Dayo Odeyingbo with their second pick in last April’s draft. Odeyingbo was coming off of a torn Achilles that he suffered last January, sidelining him until the end of October. In limited action and working his way back from injury, Odeyingbo only recorded a half-sack and a forced fumble in his rookie season.

Young pass rushers generally see a jump from year one to year two. The game slows down much more for them, and they are more equipped when facing the offensive linemen of the NFL. With the amount of draft capital they have invested into Paye and Odeyingbo, the Colts are betting heavily on their continued progression.

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Retaining One of Their Own

The Colts had four defensive linemen from 2021 hit the open market this free agency period. Of those four, the only one to be retained is Tyquan Lewis.

Lewis was a second-round pick by the Colts in the 2018 NFL Draft. After battling injuries and fighting for snaps his first two seasons, Lewis had a very nice 2020 and 2021 with 6.5 sacks, 11 tackles for loss, and 12 quarterback hits as a rotational piece. His promising 2021 campaign was cut short due to a knee injury he suffered right after his first career interception. The Colts re-signed Lewis to a one-year deal, hoping he can provide depth along the defensive line once again.

Two of the three free agent defensive linemen of the Colts have already found new homes. Al-Quadin Muhammad, who started all 17 games for the Colts in 2021 and recorded six sacks, has joined the Chicago Bears and former Colts defensive coordinator Matt Eberflus. Taylor Stallworth, a reserve defensive tackle, took his talents to the Kansas City Chiefs. The only player that remains is Kemoko Turay, who has taken visits to the Falcons and San Francisco 49ers this offseason.

While none of these players were poised to have a prominent starting role with the Colts, it does raise questions about what depth along the defensive line will look like in 2022.

Have the Colts Done Enough?

It’s without question the Colts have bolstered their starting group along the defensive line. A starting unit of Ngakoue, Grover Stewart, Buckner, and Paye can rush the passer effectively and be a force against the run. The Colts are looking at a first-four that will give any offensive line trouble.

There is still concern regarding the depth along the defensive line. While Odeyingbo and Lewis figure to provide nice depth both in the interior and on the edge, both have had issues with injuries. Chris Williams and Ben Banogu provide depth as well, but neither can be relied upon for quality snaps consistently.

Work can still be done to help bolster the depth along the defensive line. One of Ballard’s favorite ways to acquire defensive line talent is through the draft, where the GM has drafted nine defensive linemen in five drafts. The Colts are also known to scour the free agent market late into the spring in search of quality, low-cost signings. There is still plenty of time to make enough moves to add depth.

Ballard has long preached that he would like to have eight or nine guys who can contribute at a high level along the defensive line. The Colts, at this moment, look to have six guys that can do just that. Expect another two to three moves in the coming months.

Have thoughts on the current state of the Colts' defensive line? Drop a line in the comments below and let us know how you feel!

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