Locked On Colts - Daily Podcast On The Indianapolis Colts - Indianapolis Colts LB PREVIEW: Jaylon Carlies Could Emerge as STAR Next to Zaire Franklin

Starting point is 00:00:00 The Indianapolis Colts linebacker room could be a bit concerning heading into the 2025 season. Let's get to it. You are locked on Colts. Your daily Indianapolis Colts podcast. Part of the Locked On Podcast Network. Your team every day. Thank you all for tuning in and making us your first listen of the day. This is your podcast covering your Indianapolis cult, part of the Locked On Podcast Network, your team every day. Today's episode is brought to you by FanDuel. Right now new customers can get $150 in bonus bets when your first $5 bet wins. Hello everyone, my name is Zach Hicks, your resident film nerd of horseshoehuddle.com and I'm joined as always by Jake Arthur,

Starting point is 00:00:49 our credential boots on the ground for the site. Today we are talking all about the Colts linebacker room and just to preface this, Jake has been calling me every night about the Colts linebacker room for the past couple months. This is obviously his special interest this off season, this Colts linebacker room. So obviously couple months. This is obviously his special interest this off season, this Colts linebacker room. So obviously you knew in our positional preview series,

Starting point is 00:01:10 it was going to come pretty early on in our previews here. So we're talking about the starters. We're going to talk about the key reserve players and some bottom of the roster guys who could shine in the preseason. We know some linebackers like to shine, obviously, every single preseason. We know some linebackers like to shine, obviously, every single preseason.

Starting point is 00:01:26 But let's start with this starting duo here. Jake, we're looking at Zyra Franklin and Jaylen Carlis are likely to be the guys who get the most of the snaps in this Colts linebacker room. I don't expect the Colts to do too many three linebacker sets this year. The Colts have outright said that multiple times, that they're going to live in more nickel and dime under Lou Anarumo. So unlike years past, we're only going to have two linebackers in this starting room. What do you think about Franklin and Carlis kind of being the two guys heading into this season?

Starting point is 00:01:59 Yeah, so I really don't mind this. You know, we've said all off season that if Sire Franklin and Jalen Carlis go into the season as your starters, that's not so bad. Like there, there's potential there. They compliment each other. Well, uh, it's more about like what they've done behind them as their competition, which they haven't done a lot, but it's not what we're talking

Starting point is 00:02:19 about today. We're talking about what they do have. Um, so Zaire Franklin, you and I obviously are higher than a on him than a good portion of people that pay attention to Colts. You know, if you take the podcast and all the off field stuff out of it, he is a very adequate player, like at minimum at average level starting linebacker. More of a run stopper, although we've seen some issues with over pursuit and maybe not being in the right places or just outright missing tackles, but that

Starting point is 00:02:51 has been kind of a strong suit. Past Defense kind of caught up a little bit last year. That's something I know for him has come along with more like film study or communication throughout the week with like Kenny Moore, someone he has kind of shout out specifically as to helping him with his growth. And we've seen that with a couple of interceptions he had last year, I think the first couple of his career. To me, they looked more like him recognizing what the offense was doing rather than just being in the right place at the right time.

Starting point is 00:03:20 So not so bad there with Franklin. They the Colts could certainly do much worse. We've seen much worse. And then Jalen Carlis, I've got high hopes for him. I think we can all just, you know, fingers crossed, knock on all the wood that he stays healthy. But I like a good safety to linebacker convert. Kato June was absolutely my jam back in the 2000s. And I'm really hoping that Carlis is the second iteration of Kato June there. So now the guy is he's got some things to work on that I think just with more reps and film study will help like play recognition. But when he you could tell like when he knows what he's seeing he is confident and goes to it. There are other times you can kind

Starting point is 00:04:04 of see that he's got the wheels turn a little bit and he's kind of caught up a bit. But what Zyra Franklin has in run defense, Jaylen Carlis kind of makes up for it in the pass game as well. So it's good, this duo is good from the sense that you couldn't go into this year with basically two Zyra Franklin's, which was Zaire Franklin and EJ Speed, or even Grant Stewart, you know, when at times when other linebackers were missing time. So they at least have a good complimentary duo in there that you know what one guy

Starting point is 00:04:37 lacks, the other one picks up and vice versa. So I like this duo. Just got a really hope for their health. Neither of them were around during the off season program because they were both recovering from surgeries. But let's just hope that they are both back by training camp and that they stay that way throughout the season. Yeah, and I think this linebacker room is perfectly fine, especially at the starting group here with these two players. I think Zyra Franklin does get a little bit too much hate from the Colts fan base because of

Starting point is 00:05:07 A lot of the noise last year like it's it's disingenuous I think call it like off field stuff because that kind of puts it in a bucket that it's not it's It's kind of just the noise I guess is what it is with sire Franklin a lot of the you know the podcast stuff and the comments and all that like that's really different than like a typical like off field thing. But, you know, if we're looking at the counting stats last year, this guy was an all pro.

Starting point is 00:05:29 He was a pro bowler last year for the Colts. Is his play purely indicative of that? Probably not. But I do think you're getting an average to an above average linebacker, even with some of the warts in his game. I think really the big issue with this Colts linebacker room in the past couple years has been that Zaire Franklin has been their best coverage backer. And that's just not good enough. I think Franklin is a perfectly adequate to below average cover backer. I think he can do a lot as like a hook zone defender. I think he had, he's good

Starting point is 00:06:01 at attacking what's in front of him and he makes some plays on the ball, especially, you know, forcing fumbles and had a couple of interceptions last year. I think he's good at attacking what's in front of him and he makes some plays on the ball, especially, you know Forcing fumbles and had a couple interceptions last year I think he's a perfectly fine Mike linebacker in coverage and then in run defense if you can just clean up the tackling a little Bit, I think he's a pretty good Starting Mike linebacker for you The issue the Colts had last year is they put a guy next to him and EJ speed Who was kind of a lot of the same thing? guy next to him in EJ Speed who was kind of a lot of the same thing, maybe a little bit better of a tackler overall and a little bit more splash in run defense in terms of just

Starting point is 00:06:29 getting into the backfield, but the coverage was so much worse from EJ Speed than it was compared to Zyra Franklin and quite frankly compared to most linebackers in the NFL. That's just not a guy you can put next to Zyra Franklin and expect to have a good pass defense over the middle of the field. So the Colts kind of had to take this swing with a Jalen Carlis and say like, look, this is a safety convert guy who has the eyes, has the feel, has the poise to play cover to cover at a high level as a linebacker in the NFL. I still think this might be a little bit early for a fifth round pick who did who missed a lot of his rookie season to be a starter in the NFL, but I

Starting point is 00:07:09 Mean aside from going out there and signing You know like a Cody Barton or you know like those types of like high floor coverbackers that were on the market I think this was the next best option like I'm Much more intrigued by this than like re signing EJ Speed or even going out and getting like a Jermaine Pratt. You know, like we talked about a lot this all season where you're kind of being redundant with that linebacker room. So, yes, Jalen Carlis is a high risk, high reward type of decision the Colter making this season. We'll see if it pays off for them. But I do think like you said, like these two guys do mesh very well in terms of their skill set you get

Starting point is 00:07:45 A pretty good Mike linebacker and Sire Franklin who can rack up the counting stats good and run defense And he forces turnovers big-time forcing turnovers And then you get Jalen Carlis who gets kind of the hidden stats where he's taking away throws over the middle of the field with His coverage instincts he can just cover at a higher level than what we've seen from the Colts linebacker room since Bobby O'Carrakay. And as long as he can stay healthy, you can get that also much better tackler too as well. So I think like a player like Carlisle

Starting point is 00:08:15 can kind of bring the hidden stats where Franklin can just rack up the counting stats and maybe get like the all pros and the pro bowls. And I think that those type of guys mesh very well together. We saw Logan Wilson and Jermaine Pratt do that under Luanna Rumo To you know, obviously Wilson had some good stats as well But to a let's to a same similar degree Jermaine Pratt had a lot of the good great counting stats where Wilson did a lot Of the unsung stuff one might have been the better overall player. So long story short I do think that these guys mesh well together. It all comes down to them both staying healthy, making sure they finish their

Starting point is 00:08:48 tackles this year will be a big thing. But I do have high hopes for this linebacker room, even though I think it's high risk, high reward with what they're doing with these two starters this season. Yeah. And I don't want to call it addition by subtraction because like EJ Speed, there were some there were some good things that his game I thought right he was a good playmaker behind the line of scrimmage but having a guy out there that does not miss as many tackles and is better in coverage that I think will

Starting point is 00:09:15 bring some hidden value in itself because that may not necessarily show up on the box score but you're not having as many gaffes on the field and that will be quite helpful one thing about Zyra Franklin again real quick before we move on, he's very interesting because like you can see progress being made each season. But also like last season I think was the one with the most warts. So I think if you can level that off because it was like I thought where his game expanded the most, you could see he was making more plays on the ball, causing more turnovers. Like he was doing a lot more than just tackling last year.

Starting point is 00:09:53 But I think we saw more red flags than ever as well. So I'm just kind of hoping for some consistency from him in that area. Because obviously, if you take away the negatives, then that boosts his value so much more like he doesn't have to have even more of the positives is just fewer of the negatives I think. 13%, 12% this next season, I'm perfectly fine with having a linebacker who's not perfect, but forces turnovers, is fine in coverage, and is the vocal leader of the team. So I really don't have many issues with Franklin last year in terms of his overall play. It's just you can't miss tackles at the rate that he missed last year, and that's really all it is. Yeah, for sure.

Starting point is 00:10:42 All right, guys. Well, coming up, we mentioned there's going to be mostly two linebackers out there, but we are going to see some other guys and obviously injuries happen. So who are the next wave of linebackers that we might expect to see after that pair? Summer sports are in full swing. We're not going to talk about basketball. It is done and in the past, but baseball is here. Everything else is here. Whether you're all about baseball under the lights, golf on the green or high stakes soccer action, fandel is the best way to make every game even more exciting. You're already following the action, so why not make it a little more thrilling? With fandel, you can get in on the game while your friends are

Starting point is 00:11:19 getting sunburn at the beach. I've been using fandel to track my favorite matchups and the app keeps it fresh with the new daily promotions and fun ways to bet. It's easy to use, fast to pay out and makes even regular season games feel like must watch events. Whether I'm placing the same game parlay or watching a bet right into the ninth inning, Fandl makes it feel like I am part of the action. So if you're fan will go, you can go bet for just $5 and get 150 back in bonus bets. If that $5 bet wins, just open the Fandle app today and visit Fandle.com to get started. All right, Zach. So I, one of the, if I'm being a nerd, one of the more interesting developments for me when I was watching that mini camp and OTAs,

Starting point is 00:12:07 this off season was, I think we all assumed Shagu Aloubi was just a layup for being the third linebacker. You know, EJ Speed was gone and Grant Stewart was gone. They didn't add anybody else to compete alongside Zaire Franklin and Jalen Carlis. So we just assumed Aloubi would be the next guy in. That may be the case, but I feel like I saw even more of Joe Bocci and Cameron McGrone out there

Starting point is 00:12:32 with the second group, actually with the first group because Franklin and Carlis were on the sideline, saw a lot more of Bocci and McGrone than I did a Luby. So I think there's a couple trains of thought there. They could view a Luby as mostly just a Sam linebacker, which primarily doesn't exist in this scheme, where they're whereas they see Bocce as a Mike and McGrone as a Will. Or they're just giving those two other guys a chance to kind of show what they've got. Because McGrone is, I mean, coming out of college, she was an athletic, like high, high ceiling guy, but has never quite made it beyond just being a special teams player.

Starting point is 00:13:12 So, you know, maybe they want to see what he's got. I'm not sure. I don't want to write Luby off completely because I mean, he's made natural progression. This is a player that they have valued, but it is new defensive staff. I mean, James Becher is in there now as the linebacker coach. Obviously, Lou Anna Rumo is the new coordinator. Kato June is really the only one who's still there that can vouch for him as the assistant linebackers coach.

Starting point is 00:13:36 So I don't know, it could be much ado about nothing or, you know, we could be seeing a couple other guys that maybe we didn't expect getting more opportunities moving forward. Or, you know, we could be seeing a couple other guys that maybe we didn't expect getting more opportunities moving forward. Yeah, one thing I wanna say before we talk about just these guys in general, when we talk about how the Colts are likely to have two linebackers on the field this year,

Starting point is 00:13:54 you know, that was the case last year and under Gus Bradley as well, like they were gonna typically keep just two linebackers on the field for 70, 75, maybe 80% of the snaps, only this year it's probably going to jump up to like 90 to 95% of the snaps are going to be two linebackers on the field. So when we were looking at these linebacker rooms in the past, we had to factor it in where like a Sam linebacker is probably not going to play very often, but there still is a Sam linebacker. So that third linebacker, like last year, the third linebacker was actually

Starting point is 00:14:25 Carlis coming in to be the Will and then EJ Speed moving over to play the Sam. We've seen at times last year when Carlis got hurt that Speed would move over to the Will and Grant Stewart would come in and play the Sam. And that would be your third linebacker. This year the competition though really isn't for that third linebacker who's going to get on the field in those sets. It's more so for who is the next man up when an injury happens or if an injury happens to these starters. And I think it's more than just one guy because we're looking at two different positions here. We're looking at Mike and we're looking at Will. So which guy is going to jump in for injuries at those respective positions. And like you, like you said, Jake, we both kind of assumed

Starting point is 00:15:05 Seguu Ulube would be the backup Mike, and then a player like McGrone maybe could be the backup Will, or maybe like a Hunter Roller could factor in there. There were a few names that we could throw there for Will. And I think, you know, I don't think you're going a little too far by saying like a player like Bocci, and these guys have surpassed Seguu Ulube,

Starting point is 00:15:23 because this could be what happened here But I will say that there could be a factor in this where Bocce is one of the few I think he's the only player actually who came over with Louie and Arumo from Cincinnati He was in Cincinnati these last couple years and when you're doing a lot of this install stuff in minicamp and just getting guys Out there when it came down to Mike linebacker. I wonder if they looked at it like, let's just get this veteran guy 20. He's like, what? 27, 28 years old, been in our system the last couple of years. Let's get him out there calling the defense because he just knows what he's doing. And then we'll put this athletic McGrone next to him who has been a well linebacker

Starting point is 00:15:59 the last couple of years. So it might be much to do about nothing, but I do think it's noteworthy, obviously a player like Bocce coming over from that system especially a system that valued veteran players over younger players in a lot of cases in Cincinnati we could see a situation where a player like Shagoo Aloubi is Moved to more of a reserve linebacker primary special teamer and a guy like Bocce is that next man up at Mike linebacker? So I don't think it's insignificant I do think maybe it's a little bit much right now because of Bocce's familiarity with the system but I do think the big thing that we're really looking at here is the backup at

Starting point is 00:16:36 Mike in the backup at Will. McGrone appears to have the edge at backup Will right now and maybe a player like Bocce has that edge over Saguaro Lube at Mike. Yep. And honestly, it could just be a total moot point because those guys may only be appearing in, in terms of injury. The extra guys we really might be seeing in the box are Nick Cross and Hunter Waller, right? Just because of this is such a DB heavy defense.

Starting point is 00:17:03 And just already from what I've seen in many camp at OTAs, like they're having three safeties on the field a lot of the time, dropping cross down into the box to be a small linebacker or you know, big slot, what have you. And then Hunter Wohler, I assume is going to be that natural next guy behind Nick Cross and he may even have his own role, whether they are anticipating a run or pass, whatever have you.

Starting point is 00:17:28 But yeah, I would imagine even more than Bocce, McGrone or Aloubi. We'll see those guys on special teams for sure. But even more than those guys just naturally throughout the course of the game, we're going to see more Nick Cross and Hunter Woller. And so I'm I've seen how they line it up. But for you from what you've seen so far, I'm like in a room of what he's done in Cincinnati. Do you think that's going to be more sort of like really take the place of a linebacker? Is it going to be like a glorified just extra slot

Starting point is 00:17:58 position? Do you think? Yeah, no, I think that it will be in situations where like they're still in nickel defense, but it's like nickel with three Safeties on the field or something. There will be a lot of sets where you know We'll see four down linemen two linebackers and three safeties on the field and you'll see you know I don't think Kenny comes off the field But maybe one of the outside corners comes off the field and Kenny's playing on the outside on early rundowns To get an extra faster defender in the box like a net cross or a hunter roller So they can keep that speed but also keep the physicality

Starting point is 00:18:30 You know guy like Nick crosses a nice little hybrid mix of like a linebacker and a safety We'll also see some other sets where there's only three defensive linemen Upfront rushing the passer. They'll still have two linebackers on the field and then they will have three safeties three corners You know like just just go really heavy with the defensive backs be a little bit lighter up front. Maybe blitz one linebackers like Azair Franklin and just have that coverage be a lot better. So I do think we're going to see a lot more three safety looks this year than we're going to see three linebackers and four defensive linemen this season. So I think, you know, the question really might be like who gets more snaps this year, like a Rodney Thomas, or whoever the third linebacker, the third linebacker is, for lack of a better term, like Joe Bocci or Rodney Thomas, who gets

Starting point is 00:19:16 more snaps if in a case where there's no injuries. And I think it would be like the Rodney Thomas, that third safety coming on the field, then it would be that extra linebacker coming on the field. Yeah, so far, I mean, Rodney Thomas, I've seen a lot of him with the first group. Again, injuries have kind of skewed things a little bit, but you're bringing Nick Cross down, you're then moving Cameron Bynum in there, you've got to have another safety out there,

Starting point is 00:19:39 and it's been Rodney Thomas so far. Yeah. So yeah, pretty interesting. Again, a lot of those guys, they'll be around factoring into special teams. But I'm fascinated to see what like, Nick Cross exactly, like you wrote about it, so like a month ago.

Starting point is 00:19:54 But like we've talked about Cam Bynum being like an awesome fit for this defense. But I'm pretty pumped to see what Nick Cross is going to be able to do like in that natural strong safety position in the box with the ball in front of them. That's already a guy who is really good at sniffing out like the stretch plays and the screens and everything like that.

Starting point is 00:20:12 So I think he's gonna be able to make a lot of plays but coming up guys, who is on the bubble who might surprise and earn a roster spot? We'll talk about that in just a moment. All right, Zack, you were an unsung hero for this guy. You were a champion for him earlier in the off season because it's don't forget about this guy. Jacob Phillips is a linebacker on the Colts. So for whatever reason, he used to be listed as like an outside linebacker. So people would lump them in with the edge guys. He's an offball linebacker. So he does factor into this. He's lined up at linebacker like during the spring. I've seen it happen. So like he is a veteran guy that the Colts have on this roster who has played serious snaps in the NFL. Now he hasn't

Starting point is 00:20:55 played in a couple of years, but he did play quite a bit, I think for the Texans previously. So that's a nice as well. I think the Browns. Yeah, so it's a guy who's played in the NFL before at minimum He can bring you some special teams value But I'm kind of intrigued if he being a veteran and kind of knowing what he's doing is Another reason the Colts didn't feel a lot of pressure to have to make moves at the position throughout the offseason Yeah, I'm not sure if he really factored in too much there. I think maybe like a botchy actually is more of the reason why they felt like they didn't need to go get like I keep bringing this name up.

Starting point is 00:21:31 It's the only name I can think of right now, like a Cody Barton, you know, like that type of player on the market because Joe Botchy, they could get for cheaper, who also knows the system. But I think a Phillips could certainly have played a part. They've had Phillips for a while now. I think it's on the practice squad for a good chunk of last season. And they were able to get him on that futures deal. And I don't think it's likely he makes this team by any means.

Starting point is 00:21:51 Maybe he's a practice squad candidate, but he has played a lot of football. And like I said earlier on the show, this defensive staff has shown that they value veteran guys. I actually just wrote a piece for Horseshoe Huddle on JT2 and Maloao and what his role could be in the defense this year. And I was looking at past top 100 defensive end picks under Luana Rimo with the Bengals, and neither guy that they took in the top 100 hit 40% of the defensive snaps in year one, where a guy like Sam Hubbard was hitting like 70%.

Starting point is 00:22:22 And all these other veteran players were hitting, you know, much higher snap totals. And that bodes true with other positions as well. That bodes true with corner and with linebacker and such as well. So maybe when it comes down to it, that you could see this defensive staff looking at a player like Phillips, where it's like this guy has been on the field in the NFL for a good chunk of snaps. And maybe we trust that more than a Shea Goolaloobee or more than a Cameron McGrone, who have mostly

Starting point is 00:22:49 been special teams guys at best in the NFL. So I'm not saying he's a likely guy to make the team. But when we're looking at these flyers at the bottom of the roster, he's the guy who intrigues me the most, and just in terms of how he could fit with this team and really what this this staff is really looking for.

Starting point is 00:23:07 Yeah, just to round out the group. This first guy is perhaps the most likely to make it among these guys is Liam Anderson. He's been on the active roster before for the Colts didn't look so bad earlier in OTAs. He had an interception off of Anthony Richardson. Austin Ajaka has been around for a couple years. A UDFA Solomon Deshields, kind of the big X factor. We don't really know what to expect from him so far, but maybe he pops off in training camp for the preseason. Guys like that, I think the Colts are very willing to sneak you on and let you be a special teams player

Starting point is 00:23:43 and just kind of develop you a little bit. He at least screams practice squad to me. But again, Nick of Phillips, Liam Anderson, Solomon Deshields and Austin Ajakay maybe battling for one more roster spot. We'll see. Yeah, the Colts have gone up to six linebackers before, but that was mostly under Iber Fluss and Gus Bradley, very different defensive systems. Yeah. Then Lou Anna Rumo, I think Anna Rumo is more likely to keep a fifth safety or a seventh corner than he would to keep a six linebacker out outside of training camp.

Starting point is 00:24:17 But I'm really intrigued by Solomon Deshields, just the athleticism there that he showcased and, you you know his workouts and obviously in college He's a player that intrigues me a lot because he reminds me a lot of The shots the Colts took on a player like a Cameron McGrone where they put him on the practice squad got him on there And just let him develop it as a special teamer and then lo and behold He's on the team for multiple seasons running special teams and looking like a pretty good player for the team I'm not like I'm not predicting this guy to be some star like hidden gem here, but I think he could be a special teams guy.

Starting point is 00:24:51 They could stash for a little bit and really marinate and and work into being, you know, their next Cameron McGrone, you know, cheap contract that can run some special teams for you. So I'm really intrigued by him. Liam Anderson, I know, is the guy that you've shouted out quite a bit over the last couple of summers. I think this is his third summer with the team at this point. Very smart, heady player, produced a big time in college. I don't know if he has the athleticism to ever be like a real factor in the NFL, but it never hurts to have just my guys who can run a defense lower on your roster. I mean, you never know when that injury bug

Starting point is 00:25:28 is really gonna hit a certain position and we could see the day where Liam Anderson has to start a game for the Colts and you'd rather it be a guy who spent time with your team, who's a heady player, who knows how to run a defense than it be a guy who has no clue what he's doing. Maybe like a Solomon Deshields who's a bit younger and just doesn't really know what he's doing yet. So I think there is value in having a player like Liam Anderson

Starting point is 00:25:50 just being around an NFL team for multiple seasons. Yeah, and you mentioned Deshields. Very intriguing, obviously. Like, I think you just plop him at will there with the third unit and just see what happens. I think there's some good players on that third team offense for the Colts. So like from an evaluation standpoint for the coaches, if he's performing well against some of these standout offensive players, uh, then I think it would really

Starting point is 00:26:16 bode well for his chances. Uh, but now he's of the group. He's definitely the one I'm most, I'm most wanting to see just to see if, if any spark happens, I mean, wanting to see just to see if any spark happens. I mean, we've, we've seen some lower level rookie linebackers pop off before again, Sky Moore as a rookie, rookie, under after guy in 2018 started week one for Anthony Walker.

Starting point is 00:26:38 That's not what's going to happen here. Uh, I mean, crazier things could happen. I mean, both their starters are over right now. But like, I don't think there's so much ironclad in this linebacker group that he couldn't earn a spot if he has a really good summer. So he's certainly someone to keep an eye on. I think he's wearing number 53. So that number's got some good juju too.

Starting point is 00:27:00 It must say long arm athletic linebacker wearing number 53. I mean, why not? Right. But yeah, you mentioned the third team offense is going against it's what like Jelani Woods and Will Mallory that he's mostly covering. Like that. I'm not saying those guys are world beaters or anything like that. But even the running backs like there's some decent running backs who would be, you know, potentially in the whole isolated against on the outside, you know, Salva Nomad is a veteran who's been there, done that. Ulysses Bentley, I've liked what I've seen from him.

Starting point is 00:27:30 And then you got Khalil Harbour and DJ Giddens. They're not going to give, you know, they have to have some sort of pecking order and practice. So like he's going to be going against some decent players throughout, you know, throughout camp. And like Jason Bean, I was about to say, I was about to say Jason Bean, baby. He's not, he's not going to go and be like on the roster or anything in week one, but like he's a super athletic mismatch quarterback, no matter how you look at it. So like he's a unique challenge on the outside to have to deal with. Yeah.

Starting point is 00:28:00 So I mean, I think he's got a lot of unique opportunities of guys he's gonna be going against to really kind of put a stamp on it for the coaches. And yeah, I mean, we're trying to find things to get psyched about, about this linebacker group. So, I mean, let's do it. Let's fall in love with another UDFA. I'm in.

Starting point is 00:28:21 Yeah, I will say, I think you're more optimistic about the starters than I am, but I'm more optimistic about the depth than you are. Like I'm not too down on a Bocce, McGrone and Shagoo Aloubi depth group, especially when you factor in Hunter Waller and Nick Cross rotating in there. I'm not too concerned with the depth overall, but I do have my questions with Carlis starting just in terms of being a young player. I think you and I are both definitely should be questions about it yeah. Yeah I think we're both relatively

Starting point is 00:28:51 optimistic in general it's just I think that's where like that's if I'm reading that right Jack I think that's where we both fall you a little bit more hope for the starters and I do and I have a little more hope for the depth. Well if the team doesn't care about the linebacker then why why should we? That's true. That's true. Like, Ballard basically said it. We asked him like, so nothing happened at linebacker and he's like, there's not going to be any on the field anyways. That's true. Maybe we'll see sets with Nick Cross and Hunter Wheeler being the two linebackers down and then Rodney Thomas. I like that. Yeah. Rodney Thomas and, uh, and buying them up top. Like we'll see some fun stuff. I think this year would be a lot of DB's on the field.

Starting point is 00:29:25 We'll put Justin Wally at linebacker at times. I'm sure like it'll it'll be a blast. He's got that dog and they like his tenacity and toughness. You got to have that linebacker. That's true. That's true. Look if you can keep the miss tackle rate under 20 percent, then I'm good right there. But we want to thank you guys for making locked on Colts your first listen today and every day. Now for your second listen, check out Locked on NFL Scouting as training camp gets closer and the moves are being made. Host Kyle Krabs and Joe Marino will make you the most informed NFL fan this offseason. Find Locked on NFL Scouting on YouTube or wherever you listen to your podcast. And if you guys want to become a Locked on Colts insider and chat with us directly and get that insider scoop, follow the link on our show notes.

Starting point is 00:30:04 And if you don't already, make sure you're following at locked on Colts at Jake Arthur NFL and at Zach Hicks to all on socials. Also subscribe on YouTube, every list of your podcast. We love you guys, rags reviews, and we'll catch you guys back here tomorrow afternoon.

Your Ad Here

Locked On Colts - Daily Podcast On The Indianapolis Colts - Indianapolis Colts LB PREVIEW: Jaylon Carlies Could Emerge as STAR Next to Zaire Franklin

There aren't comments yet for this episode. Click on any sentence in the transcript to leave a comment.