Frank Reich Discusses Colts' Defensive Changes Under Gus Bradley

Colts head coach Frank Reich recently spoke about some of the defensive changes that will take place under new coordinator Gus Bradley.

The Indianapolis Colts' defense has been steady for a few years under previous coordinator Matt Eberflus, but now under the direction of new coordinator Gus Bradley, the Colts hope the unit reaches the next level.

Bradley is a noted defensive mind among the NFL ranks, holding coordinator positions with the Seattle Seahawks, Los Angeles Chargers, and Las Vegas Raiders as well as a stint as the Jacksonville Jaguars head coach.

In his 16 years in the NFL, Bradley has developed a philosophy and player prototypes for his scheme that we will soon begin to see take shape with the Colts.

We've already seen the Colts lean into this by acquiring players who have previously played under Bradley in defensive end Yannick Ngakoue and cornerback Brandon Facyson.

This week, Colts head coach Frank Reich spoke with the media and had plenty to say about some of the changes from Eberflus' defense to Bradley's and how much the scheme might change.

“Obviously still a four-down scheme, primarily three deep (coverage). That’s Gus’ tradition," Reich said. "I’d say if I had to put a number on it, I’d say 30 percent (will change). A lot of it is still going to be the same, but the way that Gus plays his three-deep zone coverages is going to be a different nuance than what 'Flus (Eberflus) did.”

While Eberflus added plenty of wrinkles and began to adapt during his tenure with the Colts, his scheme was thought of primarily as a Cover-2 zone defense whereas Bradley's is primarily a Cover-3 scheme that may rely more on bigger corners who mix in more man-to-man coverage.

Second-year defensive end Kwity Paye also spoke and mentioned that, under Bradley, he believes both defensive ends will be lining up in more of a nine-technique (Wide-9) position, which means they'll be lined up farther outside the offensive tackle, which allows explosive edge defenders like Paye and Ngakoue to use their physical skills to get past the tackle.

© Mykal McEldowney/IndyStar / USA TODAY NETWORK

In 13 seasons as a defensive coordinator/head coach, Bradley's defenses have ranked among the top 10 in total defense six times and in scoring four times. In three seasons, his defense has been top 10 in both categories. Bradley has been with some teams that were often bereft of defensive talent, but when the roster is built well, he knows how to use it.

Bradley is inheriting what is already a solid Colts defensive unit. Last year, they ranked ninth in scoring (21.5 PPG), and the year before that were 10th (22.6 PPG) as well as eighth overall (332.1 YPG).

This year's defense is stacked on paper with stars at each level in defensive linemen DeForest Bucker and Ngakoue (two All-Pros and three Pro Bowls combined), linebacker Darius Leonard (three Pro Bowls and four All-Pros), and defensive backs Kenny Moore II and Stephon Gilmore (six Pro Bowls and two All-Pros combined).

Paye and third-year safety Julian Blackmon are also candidates to earn their first Pro Bowl in 2022.

Reich is eager to see his team on the field this upcoming season, particularly the defense after what has been added to it this offseason with Ngakoue and Gilmore.

When asked if he thinks this year's roster is better than last year's, Reich had an easy answer.

“I mean of course I feel that way," Reich responded. "I really do because of the collective of the pieces that we added. You add two marquee players on defense (Ngakoue and Gilmore). I mean marquee players, proven production at a high level. That right there, I mean, that right there – I can’t even tell you. I know I’m the offensive coach so to speak, as Chris (Ballard) and I have talked, I’m like, you get Matt Ryan and a great defense and we’re good. We’re good. We’ll figure it out. I’m just confident we’re going to be good on offense.

"We already had a good defense," Reich reiterated. "And now we just added two marquee players and a marquee quarterback. I feel good about this team.”

What makes you most excited about this year's Colts defense? Drop your thoughts below in the comment section!

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