Locked On Colts - Daily Podcast On The Indianapolis Colts - Indianapolis Colts' Zaire Franklin, E.J. Speed Underrated with Something to Prove

Episode Date: June 19, 2024

Indianapolis Colts linebackers Zaire Franklin and E.J. Speed are criminally underrated nationally, but that doesn't mean they don't have room to grow. There's also a logjam behind them featuring Jaylon Carlies, Ronnie Harrison, Segun Olubi, and more. How do the roles shake out? Find and follow Locked On Colts on your favorite podcast platforms:🎧 https://link.chtbl.com/LOColts?sid=YouTube📺YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCLdpxJspi1hMh5HL7ExpWOQLocked On NFL League-Wide: Every Team, Fantasy, Draft & More🎧 https://linktr.ee/LockedOnNFL Follow Jake and Zach's written work on HorseshoeHuddle.com, and give them a follow on Twitter @JakeArthurNFL, @ZachHicks2, @LockedOnColts, and @ColtsOnFN! Today's episode is brought to you by Gametime. Download the Gametime app, create an account, and use code LOCKEDONNFL for $20 off your first purchase. Terms apply. Support Us By Supporting Our Sponsors!eBay MotorsFor parts that fit, head to eBay Motors and look for the green check. Stay in the game with eBay Guaranteed Fit at eBayMotors.com. Let’s ride. eBay Guaranteed Fit only available to US customers. Eligible items only. Exclusions apply.GametimeDownload the Gametime app, create an account, and use code LOCKEDONNFL for $20 off your first purchase. Terms Apply.FanDuelFanDuel, America’s Number One Sportsbook. Right now, NEW customers get TWO HUNDRED DOLLARS in BONUS BETS with any winning FIVE DOLLAR BET. That’s TWO HUNDRED BUCKS you can use to bet everything from the Finals MVP to who's going to hit one out of the park! Visit FANDUEL.COM/LOCKEDON and add a big win to your summer bucket list!FANDUEL DISCLAIMER: 21+ in select states. First online real money wager only. Bonus issued as nonwithdrawable free bets that expires in 14 days. Restrictions apply. See terms at sportsbook.fanduel.com. Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER or visit FanDuel.com/RG (CO, IA, MD, MI, NJ, PA, IL, VA, WV), 1-800-NEXT-STEP or text NEXTSTEP to 53342 (AZ), 1-888-789-7777 or visit ccpg.org/chat (CT), 1-800-9-WITH-IT (IN), 1-800-522-4700 (WY, KS) or visit ksgamblinghelp.com (KS), 1-877-770-STOP (LA), 1-877-8-HOPENY or text HOPENY (467369) (NY), TN REDLINE 1-800-889-9789 (TN)

The Colts linebackers are looking for a little respect, and while they are underrated, they do still have some things to work on. 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. What is up? Thanks for tuning in and making us your first listen of the day. This is your daily podcast covering your Indianapolis Colts, part of the Locked On Podcast Network,

your team every day. And today's show is brought to you by our friends at GameTime. Download the GameTime app, create an account, and use code LOCKEDONNFL for $20 off of your first purchase. Terms apply. Hello, everybody. This is Jake Arthur and Zach Hicks of HorseshoeHuddle.com. You know me as your boots on the ground resident Colts media member,

and Zach is the absolute A1 chef kiss, best film guy we have got in the game right now. And today, we are continuing our look at each Colts positional group going down the depth chart. And we're getting close to the end. Today we've got the linebackers. This is a group for the Colts that has seemed to be really, really solid the entire Chris Ballard era. If there's one position group, this guy knows how to scout its linebackers, whether it's guys that can contribute right away or, you know, you draft and develop them and they're ready to roll within, you know, three years to become one of the better players at a certain attribute at

their position or overall. The Colts have done a really good job of that. So we're going to lead off talking about the clear top dogs with Zyre Franklin and EJ Speed. And then there is a bit of a clog, I guess you could say, in that second group. Like who's the, you know, Otto slash Sam guy? You know, they've got passing down guys. And then how does everybody work together to be used in this? Cause it's not so black and white, you know, Mike will Sam in this defense. That's just not how they use it. So Zach, let's go ahead and talk about the guys who run the second best cold space based podcast, Zyra Franklin and EJ speed. So these, these guys are, you know, I think they're unheralded. You know, if you look at, I think it was pro football focus. I don't know if they had either of these guys in the top 32 linebackers, which speed,

sure. He's kind of newer to being a full-time starter. And leading up to this, he was just known as like a really, really good run defender. But Franklin, while tackles aren't everything, he has broken the Colts franchise tackle record in consecutive seasons and has just put up like really high numbers, has been among the top five tacklers the last couple of years. So those guys are looking for some respect after the season. You know, Zaire said that they've got their sights set on, you know, individually, they want to make the Pro Bowl. And together, they want to be considered the best linebacker duo in the NFL. But they do still have some work to do. I mean, I will start out with the flowery stuff on Franklin. The last couple of years, 346 tackles, including 15 for loss, four and a half sacks, nine quarterback hits, four forced fumbles and 12 pass breakups

but he he's I don't want to say one trick pony but the the pass defense part of it is not up to par with how well he keeps things ahead of him and playing in the playing in the box what is your take on I mean I do think going into his third year as a starter, there's still room for him to grow. I mean, he's been in the league since 2018, but he should have an extra wrinkle to his game that he can kind of unveil. Yeah, I think, you know, starting with the flowery stuff, I mean, I think Franklin and Speed are really good run defenders, really, really good run defenders. And they both have these really high level flashes where they're, they're reading what's in front of them. They're bursting through the line and they're making a massive stop.

I mean, for speed, it feels like every fourth and one and every third and one, you know, EJ speed is that guy who's making that play, especially if the opposing team is dumb enough to try to run the ball on third and one and fourth and one. I don't know why last year with the Colts run defense, as long as Grover was out there there, you know, a defensive tackle, why you would ever run because you know, EJ speed is going to break through there and make a big time play.

It's like throwing a bubble screen to Kenny Moore. Like, why are you doing that? What's your plan here for your opposing team? But yeah, these two players, I think they have really high level flashes in the run game. I think even at their worst in the run game, they're very good run defenders who get the job done, accumulate a lot of tackles and limit the damage when players do break through the line. I think, like you said, some of the issues and where pro, this past defensive scheme is extremely difficult for linebackers to handle.

I mean, it's one where your linebackers aren't covering a five to ten yard space. You know, under Matt Eberflus in that cover two zone, a lot of the linebackers, they had two safeties over the top. They didn't have to be as, you know, vertical in their coverage responsibilities. They weren't matching coverage as much as they are now in this scheme. So you saw a guy like Shaquille Leonard when he was at his peak, when he was in his prime, the Colts really used him as like a middle of the field type spy that could freelance a little bit and just jump routes as he saw fit.

Where in this scheme, it's very much, hey, you have to be a hard charger in the run game. You have to be anticipatory in the pass game, in the play action game. You have to match routes that are going pass game, in the play action game. You have to match routes that are going vertical next to you and behind you. You have to be so diverse and so good in the scheme to be a plus linebacker in coverage. And I think the only player we've ever really seen be dominant in that Gus Bradley scheme at the linebacker position is Bobby Wagner back in 2009, 2010, whatever it was when he was with the Legion of Boom. I know there was a couple guys with the Jaguars as well who had some good years,

but for the most part, it really was just Bobby Wagner. So it's a tough task in the scheme to be a top tier coverage linebacker in the scheme, but we have seen guys do it. I mean, I think Bobby Okereke a couple of years ago before he got his payday with the New York Giants was a big-time coverage asset for this Colts team. And I don't know if Speed and Franklin have gotten to that level yet in coverage. But I don't think it's all doom and gloom. I think especially Zyra Franklin has had some really good moments in coverage. He's had some really good robots. I think the Cowboys game two years ago in 2022 had a really good pass breakup against

Dalton Schultz in the end zone. Fantastic play. And there's a lot of good moments like that on film. And I think Franklin had a pass breakup that led to a Rodney Thomas interception that year as well. Some really good moments from these guys. But overall, it's about the consistency. You know, this scheme, it kind of begs offenses to attack over the middle. And the linebackers are going to be tested so much in terms of play action and in breakers

and just reading and reacting. So the next step for these guys really is just getting more equipped to read the routes that are going on behind them, read the routes that are breaking vertical, trusting the safety over the top to sometimes you can pass some of those plays off and attack underneath

and be a little bit more aggressive in coverage. I think the flashes are there for both guys, but it's really about taking that next step and just locking it down. But, you know, I wouldn't say either of these guys are bad players by any means. They're not bad players. They're not even like average players. I think they're good, solid to above average type linebackers, and they certainly can both take that next step.

So, yeah, I'm not down on these guys whatsoever. I know a lot of this is kind of negative here here, but you know, Franklin big time leader on this team, great player for what he does and just does a lot of good things in the run game. EJ speed gets better every single year. I think this is a really solid duo. They don't, maybe they don't have that superstar, like a Shaquille Leonard or even what Bobby O'Kerrick was becoming in that final year with the Colts, but they have two really, really solid players who can just get the job done, which is better than a lot of teams can honestly say

about their linebacker group. Yeah, I think you definitely got to, you got to give the good with the bad there. And it's kind of an explanation as to why outside of this market, people don't, you know, they don't have them up on this big pedestal that maybe we do, but it is different.

You know, these guys aren't necessarily stat sheet stuffers, very much guys that thrive in the box, you know, tackle volume and tackle for loss. But they I do think they both have shown growth. I mean, Franklin, I think it was last year, he dealt with like, he had kind of had a knee issue last year. And you kind of saw his numbers start to dwindle a little bit. And that was about the time that EJ Speed got into the starting lineup and replaced Shaquille Leonard when he got released. And then I noticed in the moment last year, I noticed EJ Speed started to really pick things up. Over the last four games of the season, he had 10 plus tackles in each of them, averaged almost 12 tackles per

game. And again, that tackles aren't everything. But to me, when you see high tackle numbers, it is an indicator that a guy is playing more comfortable and confidently. They're trusting what they see and they can get to the ball quicker. So with speed, he was always kind of a guy, you know, obviously a great athlete, but was going to get more and more comfortable as, you know, as he got more playing time. Neither of these guys are really someone who's going to put up like the interception or even pass breakup numbers that Leonard did. But I do particularly speed seems to make very interesting special plays, whether it's blowing up those screen passes or the outside runs, just killing those, especially on late downs. But also he seems to be, again, not at Leonard's level,

but he has that knack to separate guys from the ball as well. So he can force fumbles. He can make things interesting. We've seen consistent growth from both guys. Now, do they meet the mark in terms of a true star three-down linebacker that we knew before in Leonard next year? We'll see. But in this next segment, we're going to kind of talk about why it is not necessarily all that important because there is another group of guys that kind of help fill the role that a whole linebacker group will need. All right, the NBA finals are done. Obviously, football has not started up yet until near the end of July, which means the MLB is king right now.

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And are you guys watching Fox Sports or ESPN on your TV all day? Have to turn down the volume with all that shouting? Make the switch to Locked On Sports today, a free 24-7 sports streaming channel programmed for you every day to bring you the biggest stories without all the screaming. Locked On Sports Today brings you can't-miss analysis, opinions, and news streaming 24-7 on YouTube

or on the free Amazon Fire TV channels at part of the Locked On Podcast Network, your team, every day. And Jake, now we're getting to our favorite segment of this show, and it is the Sagun Ulubi show. We're just only talking Sagun Ulubi. That's our favorite player on the entire roster

because we love the bottom of the roster, guys. But all jokes aside, we're talking about the depth at this linebacker spot where, you know, it's kind of different than other positions where I don't think, you know, like other positions, it goes tier one, tier two, and then unlikely to make the roster when we're talking about that. And it's really easy for our three segment show that we're doing. But for this one, it's more tier one. And then this big group of guys who were either on the roster last year,

or just drafted to come in here and make the roster. So we have five guys here, Jalen Carleys, who was just selected in the fifth round out of Missouri, former safety, converting over to the linebacker position. We have Ronnie Harrison, we have Saguna Luby, Grant Stewart, and Cam McGrone, all guys who were on the roster at some point last year. Harrison, I mean, a guy who came in towards the end of last year and out snapped all the other players on defense, kind of combined there once he came in. So really interesting group, Jake. How do you kind of look at this, this group of five guys and separate it, at least in your mind? Yeah. So I think when we talked about the

linebacker group coming into the off season, we said, no, we like Franklin, we like speed, but they really need a guy who coverages his bag. And so the Colts went out and they drafted Jalen Carlisle, who is a big safety that they're converting down to linebacker. They have a plan for him. Richard Smith loved him, linebacker's coach. Cato June, assistant linebacker's coach, is a guy who's made the exact same transition when he was a player, was a safety at Michigan, became a Pro Bowl Will linebacker for the Colts as a player. So I think the Colts would love for history to repeat itself.

One thing I do like about Carlisle already showing good things in the spring, which is something we saw from Jalen Jones last year. Carlisle had an interception in one practice that we saw. And I noticed the dude is big. Like he's not just a big safety, but he's listed on the Colts website is six, three, two 27. He's just big for a defender. He's like one of the bigger Colts linebackers too. And he's super athletic as well. So I don't know like right away what his role is going to be,

you know, how much they can get them on the field. But I certainly think when it comes to passing downs and things like that, and they need a range, your linebacker especially if they're facing a defense that or an offense that loves to space things out a little bit he might be your guy which kind of makes it interesting compared to Ronnie Harrison because Harrison was your hybrid guy last year literally played 138 snaps at linebacker 94 defensive back last year so I'm 138 snaps at linebacker and 94 at defensive back last year.

So I'm interested to see how that relationship kind of plays out if it's an either or with those guys or if they just have two versatile utility linebackers. But then again, Saguna Luby is the next guy that I think is secure in the group. You know, backup Mike is very important to them. They spent all last training camp looking for a backup Mike. Olubi, I think, is the guy they trust the most. He had 115 snaps last year, and then it's kind of a free fall. Grant Stewart had 32 snaps on defense, and then Cam McGrone had eight. So I do think they like Stewart and McGrone.

You know, particularly Stewart on special teams is just a special teams Stewart and McGrone, you know, particularly Stewart on special teams is just a special teams demon. McGrone is a player I think they like defensively, but have just never found a consistent role for him. So I really think Carlize Harrison and Aloubi are the guys I'm most comfortable with. And I'll have you explain this more in the final segment, but it's going to be all about how they use each guy to their strength because I don't think it's just going to be so black and white. Mike will, Sam, Otto. It's Otto in this defense.

But it's going to be interesting the way they can do these things. Yeah, yeah. I kind of saved a lot of that conversation for the last segment, but when I'm just looking at these guys on paper, I think Carlize or Carly's. Is it Carlize or Carly's? How do you say his last name? It's Carlize.

That's one I had to ask about after they drafted him. Perfect, perfect. Jalen Carlize from Missouri. I think he's a fascinating player to add to this group because we've seen exactly what the Colts want to do with him. We've seen it with Divine Diablo, with the Las Vegas Raiders. They've done the same thing there. They saw it with Kyser White.

This is the exact same staff who handled both of those transitions. And those players both ended up being really good NFL players at the linebacker position. So they have the past pedigree of working with players like Carlisle. They have the experiment that they did last year with Ronnie Harrison kind of worked. I mean, we look at this Colts linebacker group last year. They struggled to create turnovers and force big-time plays. Harrison really only got out there for a couple games, and in those couple games, he had an interception against the Buccaneers.

He had a pick six against the Cincinnati Bengals. And while the Bengals one was kind of a tip ball to him, that just shows what happens when you have that more speed and awareness on the field is that you can create those big-time plays. So I think that Carlisle is going to get out there a good amount uh this next season I don't know if it's going to be like a week one thing but I think when we talk about this rookie class you know a lot of what we've been saying is it's not a matter of if it's more about like a matter of when I think with Carlisle that applies more so than a lot of these players where it's like if your only competition really is Ronnie Harrison or even like I mean Speed and Franklin for a couple of the third

down snaps I do think he's going to get out there quite a bit so he's really the x factor he's got the long arms he's got the athleticism he's got uh the the play style that they like at that position I think he's going to get a good amount of snaps this year and then I like what you said about Saguna Luby as well, where, you know, all last all season, the Colts were saying, we need to find our backup. Mike, we need to find the guy who, if, if Zyra Franklin goes down the guy that can wear that green dot and be that player can step in.

And we saw last year in a game where Franklin missed a, missed the Carolina Panthers game. Saguna Luby comes in and it wasn't perfect. Like he missed like five or six tackles in the game. It wasn't perfect by any means. I know PFF got really on him because that's like their biggest thing is if you miss tackles, you're the worst player in football. But he missed a couple of tackles again, but he had a couple of really strong plays in

there. He had an interception against Bryce Young as well. Did some really nice things. So I think Saguna Luby really solidified himself in that kind of outing. And then Stewart and McGrone, you know, special special teams are very important especially this new kickoff rules we don't know if they keep all seven of these guys because of the kickoff rules again something we've got to ask brian mason the next time we talk to him but i do think it's going to be a really good healthy competition in camp and it's going to be more defined than what it was last year where last year was throwing a bunch

of young guys out there together and saying who can win these certain spots just by doing certain things in practice where this year it's hey carlize and harrison are kind of competing for the same role alubi versus maybe mcgroan for the same role and stewart just doing his grand stewart type thing i think that's more defined going into camp this year compared to last year where it was just trying to see where every guy fits into this this defensive scheme yeah and something else it was just trying to see where every guy fits into this, this defensive scheme. Yeah. And something else I was just thinking about with Carlisle as well. I don't want to say they'll force a role because a guy always has to earn it.

But they really need to get an eye on him because like all the linebackers are free agents next year. Yeah. In terms of guys who actually play Zaire is the only one that's not a free agent. And I mean, EJ Speed, I mean, again, you love EJ Speed, but if this kid Carlize, who is probably a more well-rounded linebacker than Speed is in terms of potential, if he's looking good throughout the year and you give him a little more playing time, you could save millions of dollars there. I mean, I'm personally a proponent of keeping speed around, but in the NFL, you're looking at what

the next thing is. And that's something we've talked about a lot with this positional series is planning for the future. Now, if you wind up keeping multiple guys, because like Quidipe got his fifth year option picked up, even though Laatu Laatu got drafted, like they can keep both, but they really need to find out what they have in Carlisle, especially again, since all their depth is going to be wiped out in free agency. Yeah. Yeah,

definitely. I do think that's a big factor here, but coming up guys, we're going to talk more about these defined roles on defense, where these guys fit in and kind of what the competitions are going to look like come training camp time. All right, guys, we're back with our final segment today, talking about the roles on this defense,

where these guys fit in and kind of where the starting, how the starting group can kind of look. So I know a lot of us are, have our minds warped by the Madden style. I know they've been better in recent years when it comes to Madden, but the Madden style of you have three've been better in recent years when it comes to Madden, but the Madden style of, you have three starting linebackers on every single play. Every single play, you have three starting linebackers, four defensive linemen, and the four defensive backs.

And that's your defense, where the NFL is really not a base defense anymore. It's very rare to see three linebackers on the field together. It's more of the non-base defense now. It's more of, you know, the non-base defense. Now it's more of the specialty group where nickel has become the base where you're, you know, you're Kenny Moore and your slot corner is going to play pretty much the entire game. And cause your slot corner is always going to be out there to combat these three receiver sets,

or even, I mean, heck you might combat 12 personnel with the two tight ends with the, with the slot corner out there when you have a guy like Kenny Moore. So you're not going to have many opportunities to have a base defense on the field. It's more so like 10 to 15, maybe 20% of your overall snaps on the year are going to be three linebacker sets. So when we mentioned things like the auto or the Sam linebacker role, it's kind of a dying position in a way. It's even more so dying than what it was in 2018 or 2019 under Matt Eberflus where you know there were a couple more three linebacker sets back then it's even gone more it's even gone down more so since then but we do still see some times where teams do come out in three linebacker sets

and it's especially important for defenses when they combat those those you know heavy personnels 12 personnels 13 personnels to have three linebackers on the field that can cover and run and move with these very athletic tight ends and play action offenses. One offense in particular is the Houston Texans. They do a lot of under center play action work when they get you into those three linebacker sets. So you have to have guys on the field that can play. So when you look at what the Colts did last year with their three linebacker sets, obviously when Shaquille Leonard was still here, they would get Leonard, Speed, and Franklin all on the field. And that had some varying degrees of success for this team. I'm not going to say it was perfect. I'm not going to say it was horrible, but some varying degrees with

Leonard having his, you know, regression happening last season. But when Leonard was ultimately released and they brought Ronnie Harrison up to the roster, what the Colts did is they moved EJ Speed to that Sam or Otto type role. And then they would have Ronnie Harrison play that will linebacker role that EJ Speed would typically be deployed in, in the starting defense. So in those 10 to 15 snap, 10 to 15% of the snaps that we do see the Colts in three linebacker sets next year, it really is going to be either Carlisle or Harrison that comes in at that Will linebacker spot and speed moving down to more of that Sam or Otto type role that is going to be on the line

of scrimmage or more on the strong side of the offensive unit. I know a lot of people when they think Sam or Otto, they think of this big, burly linebacker and they think, oh, cool, Grant Stewart will be out there and get some defensive snaps. That's just not really how the Colts view it. Or even if you have, you know, Saguna Luby as your third linebacker, like your third best linebacker on your team, it doesn't mean he's going to be your third linebacker out there on three linebacker sets. So I would expect Carlisle or Harrison if Harrison beats Mountain Camp to be that third starting linebacker on those base personnel looks. But for the most part, look, it's going to be EJ Speed at Will.

It's going to be Zyre Franklin at Mike. That's how the Colts are going to deploy it most of the time on defense. And then you might see some changes on third down, which I'm sure we'll talk about in a second too, Jake. But I just wanted to do a quick rundown on that there because, again, I know the magnification of our mindsets when it comes to football is, oh, three linebackers always have to be on the field because that's how I call my defense on Madden or that's how the depth chart looks on Madden. When in reality, it's more so two linebacker sets on defense with the third linebacker base defense being more so a rarity in today's NFL. It's all just based on who gives you the biggest boost on engage eight.

Cause like that's what you're running on that. Then we're putting all safeties at linebackers that we're actually doing on that. I've mentioned before, I keep my own like lineup and depth chart on there. I think what I'm going to wind up doing is labeling it like passing down linebacker backup, Mike backup run stopper essentially.

Cause that's really what it, what it, backup run stopper, essentially, because that's really what it comes down to. Because I mean, you're going to have to have that backup run stopper to EJ Speed. But then like you mentioned, it's really going to be him that's in that role when you go to three linebacker sets. And then Harrison, Carlisle, whoever you're going to have as your passing down. So that is pretty interesting. Obviously, kind of mentioned it earlier as well, but special teams, the Colts usually keep a lot of linebackers due to special teams. Cause it's where you, you know, McGrone, Stewart, historically Speed and Franklin, Matthew Adams, like they, that's really how they get these guys involved. I don't know how many they're going to keep. I know when I did my roster prediction,

my 53 man, I went with six. I think I booted Stewart off of there just because Carlisle kind of made it a numbers game. But I don't know. They may decide to keep more than normal or less. I don't know how they really view this thing yet. I don't know how much Brian Mason will die bold because he's not a big chatty Cathy but I mean we'll we'll see when it gets out the training camp time something I'll say is the I think the easiest player to cut and stash on the practice squad would be a Ronnie Harrison though because the rest of the league knows who he is at this point the Colts probably value Harrison more so than any other team in the league does I mean he was signed back to essential and it wasn't the vet

minimum but it was pretty close to the vet minimum this off season. So you could easily see like, if Carlisle is ready to go from day one and get out there on defense, you could put Harris on the practice squad and have him be your Carlisle insurance plan behind him, especially if you think McGrone and Stewart are better on special teams.

So I think that's going to be something to watch right there. I think my money would be on McGrone being the odd man out right now, but he's still a really young and athletic linebacker. It's hard to cut guys with his traits and intangibles. But one thing I did want to mention, that the Colts were severely missing last season, and it kind of influenced their defensive coverage quite a bit,

was when it comes to third downs, the Colts love to run what is called cover three Mabel. And essentially with cover three Mabel on the backside of the defense of the cover three call, you'll have your, your press corner and straight up man to man coverage and your will linebacker, your weak side linebacker will be in man coverage with the, with the running back or the tight end, whoever is on that backside of the formation. And then on the other side with more of the three wide receivers of three threat side is when you're doing kind of zoning and the zone matching with, with the safety over the top and kind

of boxing that out, like a quarters type of design. But that backside is so valuable because you need a corner who can win in press coverage, which they don't have Stefan Gilmore anymore, like they did two years ago, but they have Juju Brands who was really good in that type of role last year, but they don't have that linebacker that they had in Bobby O'Kerrick two years ago either, who could just lock down a running back or lock down a tight end, whoever that's going to be in man coverage. I hope EJ Speed can step up and be that guy this year, but if he's not, I mean, that's where a guy like Jalen Carly, Carly, Carlize is so important for this defense, where if Carlize can come in and play on third

downs and be that man who can who can just lock it down and man coverage it opens up the Colts to go back to something that really worked in 2022 especially in the first half of 2022 when that defense was really good for the Colts I mean I would argue that the first half of 2022 when when the Colts were kind of competitive was one of the best stretches of Gus Bradley defense we have seen since his legion of boom days I mean the Colts defense was top 10-ish in a lot of categories with an offense on the other side of the field for themselves that was just downright putrid and they were winning games against the Chiefs and winning games against other teams with a really good defensive performance so I think if they can get, if they can get one of these linebackers to step up and be strong enough to

perform well in those, those sparse, you know, man coverage opportunities that you get in the cover threes and cover three Mabel's, I think that'll be a massive upgrade to this defense. So who in camp is going to prove to be the guy who can lock it down a man coverage, who can run with the running backs, who can run with the tight ends on the backside. I think that's going to be a massive thing to watch for in training camp it's gonna be a massive thing to to watch during the season next year to see how good this defense really can be in pass coverage

yeah i i i smell a conversation coming with maybe richard smith or gus on like how much do you guys really miss bobby okarerrick in that role? Because I think it's significant. I mean, it's honestly one of the biggest what-ifs or just unfortunate turns of events for the Colts because they obviously couldn't pay him with what they were paying Leonard, and then we know how that all went. But just that role that O'Kerrick was able to fill that they haven't replaced yet. Obviously, it's just been a year. But what he was able to do do it's huge for that defense so we'll see if carlize is the guy that can kind of step up into that eventually yeah it's kind of

like a the linebacker group's kind of like a lesser version of the defensive line where the defensive line i think is is playing at a higher level with the guys that they have and the pieces they have but overall with the linebacker group they have the pieces to make a really good core they're at linebacker you know they have a lot of the elements that can make good i mean franklin a great mike communicates really well good thumper in the run game good run and chase player with some flashes in the passing game ej speed makes some big level plays and he's not like horrible in any department whatsoever and the flashes are just high high level for him and then you have these other guys who could step up and serve and in good roles you know you don't have that elite player like like I

said about the defensive line you don't have your Nick Bosa or your Joey Bosa or any of those guys at linebacker you don't have Shaquille Leonard you don't have Bobby Wagner but it doesn't need to be that for you to find success in the NFL you have guys who can be quality players in the scheme and do some good things for you so it it's all about them all taking this next step or a couple guys taking that next step to really fulfill what this scheme needs out of the linebacker group. They certainly have the guys on paper, the guys who can fill the roles. It's about it all coming to fruition this next season

with hopefully improved defensive line play in front of them. Well, that's all we have for today, guys. I do want to let you know before we get out of here that Locked On has launched the first ever National Sports 24-7 streaming channel on YouTube. It's now available on Amazon Fire TV in the free Fire TV channels app. Locked On Sports Today is here for you 24-7 covering the top sports stories of the day with the local experts of Locked On, plus our national shows covering every single league. Find Locked On Sports Today now available in the free Fire TV channels app.

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