Locked On Colts - Daily Podcast On The Indianapolis Colts - TEAM NEEDS: Indianapolis Colts MUST Get Better in Critical Areas This Offseason

Starting point is 00:00:00 The biggest need for the Indianapolis Colts this off season, pass rush, pass rush, pass rush. 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. Welcome to the Locked On Colts podcast, part of the Locked On Podcast Network. Now, the number one sports podcast network around today's episode is brought to you by Fandul. The Wild Card Round is here, and Fandul is officially in playoff mode. So visit Fandul, an official sports book partner of the NFL, and grab your profit boost pack every NFL playoff game day.

Starting point is 00:00:44 Hello, everyone. My name is Zach Hickshaw, resident film, nerd of horseshoe huddle.com, and I'm joined, as always, by Jake Arthur, the boots on the ground over at Roundtable Sports. Today we are diving into the Colts biggest off-season needs, an off-season that we think is going to be filled with a lot of changes on the defensive side of the football for the Indianapolis Colts. So we're going to dive into the biggest need to kick off the today's show, then look at that linebacker position and how the Colts desperately need to do something with that group

Starting point is 00:01:12 and then talk about some minor needs across the roster that could also come into play. But Jake, I think you and I and probably most Colts fans are going to be in agreement this off season. the Colts need to drastically change that defensive line room, especially with the Forrest Buckner status up in the air going forward, coming off that next surgery that you had right before the end of the season. So as of right now, just looking at the Colts' defensive line room going into the offseason, right? The only notable defensive ends they have under contract are Laotu Latu and JT2 and Malo. You could say Dorella and Chami's kind of notably notable in our hearts.

Starting point is 00:01:48 Upcoming star, yeah. Yeah, upcoming star, obviously. But that's about it. defensive end, you look at defensive tackle DeForest Buckner, who again, his status is up in the air going forward, Grover Stewart, and added Tommy Wa Adibore. That's it for Nodal guys. Like, yes, you can throw in the Tim Smith or technically under contract, Volami Fahoko Jr. is under contract to defensive end. But that's it. There's not really many guys there that are coming back or set to come back for this Colts team up front. So I think we're going to see some massive, massive changes

Starting point is 00:02:17 in the trenches on the defensive side of the football. Yeah, they have to. Like, you know, if we're going to go ahead and say that this is a multi-year defensive rebuild under Louis and Arummo, you know, knock on wood that he doesn't get one of these head coaching jobs, they got some foundation laid for the 2025 season. There's some guys in there, just in the defense in general, not necessarily the defensive line, that you can start fortifying the roster around. But defensive line really kind of lacks that because we don't know what JT2MLO is yet. So far, he could just be like a really nice player. He could just be that Sam Hubbard type of guy that Interimmo had in Cincinnati, which is not quite good enough because Hubbard was never like a dude in Cincinnati, you know? So you like Laiatu Latu, like he's obviously a starter, but you have to keep feeding the beast around them.

Starting point is 00:03:13 And there is no limit to the amount of defensive line you can have. Like look at Philadelphia a couple years ago, like that powered them throughout the playoffs. And they made a Patrick Mahomes chief's offense look like the worst thing we've ever seen in a Super Bowl, basically. So, yeah, like the defensive line is still very much under construction on the edges and on the inside. Because, you know, you mentioned the interior guys, Buckner, 32 years old, coming off of a serious neck injury that put him on IR twice. Grover Stewart, still playing at a high level, but 32 years old. and then at Tomiwa, that's a guy you keep around. He showed plenty of flash.

Starting point is 00:03:54 He's still a young guy, a lot of athleticism, but we're going to go ahead and assume he is just like a nice spark plug, rotational player kind of at the highest end. And Tim Smith was drafted to kind of be the backup to Grover, but was on the practice squad all year. So there's just not a ton there. And, you know, you have quidipay going out the door, Samson Ebukam, Taekwon, Lewis.

Starting point is 00:04:20 For my money, they're probably going to bring back Taekwan. He's like a career colt. But what did that get you really these last couple years? They probably let Ebukom go. They have to let Quitty Pay go because for what money he's going to get on the open market, the Colts would be foolish to be the ones to pay that. Did you see Spotrach's projection form? I know Spotracks projections are just all over the place.

Starting point is 00:04:42 Complete guesses. But they had a $17 million per year. Look, I was laughing. at Dio Dengbo's contract because I was like, how do you pay Dio Dengbo that? If Qudipay got $17 million a year in the open market, then you never can sign an eddresser again because what's, Turing Hendrickson is going to get 70 million a year if Quddy pay is getting 17. And Quiddy's been a starter for five years.

Starting point is 00:05:03 So it's not incredibly funny. Yeah. He's not productive, but he's been a starter. So like NFL teams have done crazier things. But like among the free agents, I would bring back, well, I'd be. fine with them bringing back Taekwon and you bring back Neville Gallimore. But outside of that, you try and do everything possible to focus on your defensive front this year. Yeah, I think really what I like about this at least is we saw last year at the defensive line room. It just wasn't good

Starting point is 00:05:34 enough. Now, credit to Lou Aniromo, they were able to get some pressure last year. I think they were like top 10 in like pressures or something like that this year. Now, a lot of that's because early in the season teams were throwing the ball so much against them because the Colts had big leads. But still, like top 10 in pressures and it was because lou was bringing these exotic blitzes he was bringing these five-man rushes and getting the linebackers involved running a lot of stunts and games up front but they really struggled as a true four-man unit straight up rushing winning one-on-ones outside de force buckner and then the occasional wins from layatulatu and atomia ataborei they really couldn't do that as a defensive line but what i like about this is we don't have

Starting point is 00:06:13 this team straddled with bad contracts at that position like again, if Forrest Buckner retires or something, then yeah, you are straddled with the rest of that contract. But aside from that, it's not like, oh, Quitty Pay, we can't really cut him. We have to bring him back for three more years. Samson Nebukam, we can't cut them. We have to bring him back for multiple years. Like, there is this opportunity to reset up front. And also the D-Line coach is leaving as well.

Starting point is 00:06:35 So it's like a true reset, and you're only really bringing back the guys that you would want to bring back anyway, you know, in the Grover-Stewards and the Atat-Tomniwas and in the layout to Lottos. So it's a way to just kind of fill out the rest of that room around those guys that you already's view is highly enough and just getting other quality players in there. And it looks to be a pretty decent free agent group when it comes to past rushers. I'm not saying it's like, you know, otherworldly, but, you know, the name that's going to be linked to the Colts all offseason, Trey Hendrickson, Luann Rumo has that close relationship with players that he's coached before. If the Colts are able to move a lot of money around this offseason, which they certainly can do, then I think that logically makes sense for both sides, especially in this must-win, heightened sense of urgency season the Colts are going into. I think that can make a ton of sense.

Starting point is 00:07:22 But even after that, there's guys coming off their rookie deals that can make sense. Like Boy, Mawfe, Arnold Ipekeede down in Atlanta, those guys can make sense. Even other Bengals players like Joseph Osai or whatever, a guy that the Colts were interested last off-season went back to the Bengals on a one-year contract, put up another five-sack season for them. He couldn't be a guy that makes a lot of sense as like a rotational guy here. So Lou Ann Rumo, Chris Ballard, they have a chance to really reset this defensive line room, get some new faces in there and make it more of the D-Line room that can win on true past Russian situations. I will say, though, I do agree with you.

Starting point is 00:07:58 Bring back Neville Gallimore. I fell in love with his play this season. Absolute Energizer Bunny off the bench. Had a lot of fun watching his film. I think he's a good player to bring back. And he wouldn't cost you to like a one year, like $2 million contract, you know, like get him back here for that for sure. He's good quality depth on the interior. For sure. And so let me throw this at you. What kind of players are you looking for? Like good players regardless. That's duh. But schematically, like did the guys they have fit, Lou? And we know they were somewhat productive from a pass rush perspective. Somewhat. Not consistent enough for any of us who watched with our eyes all year. But statistically, they were fine.

Starting point is 00:08:45 but they did not win quickly whatsoever so do you get like quick twitch guys do you get guys with like a good toolbox coming out of the draft like what do you look for there yeah so I think because they have just like again they have so many spaces available that you can kind of mix and match a little bit because when you look at like what the base down stuff looks like for louana remo your early down guys can't really be these like skinny bad run defending pass rushers because they run nickel so much and they run nickel and dime so much if you're already going to have fewer linebackers on the field for more defensive backs you can't have these skinny defensive ends that can't set the edge as well that's just going to

Starting point is 00:09:23 leave you super vulnerable against the run so that's why we saw like a jt 2m a low outcome in here that's why we saw like lauatu lot to get more snaps over like an ebucam on the outside in a lot of situations because lots who's a little bit bigger a little bit bulkier there so i think you know if you're going to have a guy who's going to play like those 60 65 percent snaps you want more of that bulk, that 260 to 70-ish type guy on the edge, but I do think they need a speed rusher, right? Latu wants to be a speed rusher, but he's really not a speed rusher. You need like a quick guy, and I know this guy's not a free agent, but like the Will McDonald type of type of guy, you know, like that guy who can win with speed and bend on the outside. So I think if they can go

Starting point is 00:10:03 like the route of, again, say they get like a Trey Hendrickson, a bigger, bulkier guy who can play like 60, 65 percent of snaps to start. And then you go get. a Joseph Osai, I know I'm just picking Bengals players here, who's a little bit like more of a speed rusher with his speed and his finesse and just quickness with his hands. I think that kind of pairing makes the most sense for the Colts and have that speed rusher be more of like a 40% snap guy, not your every down type guy. So I think these guys were fine size-wise for the Colts. They just didn't have the juice to win one-on-one or the juice to really win much when it mattered. So that's just the key is just getting that talent upgrade up front.

Starting point is 00:10:42 Well, guys, more bad news because the players who line up directly behind the defensive line, that needs a facelift as well. We're going to talk about that in just a moment. Hey, guys, the draft picks position are set, not for the Colts. Does not matter. They're not picking until about 47, but so many teams are looking for their franchise quarterback, it seems. If you ever wish to become a pro quarterback yourself and your daydreams, getting drafted first overall by the Colts, well, now you can, kind of. there's a mobile game just for you called Ultimate QB Football Legend. In this game, you step into the cleats of a number one draft pick quarterback,

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Starting point is 00:13:35 Zocdoch.com slash locked on NFL. Thanks to Zok doc for sponsoring this message. Already, locked on Colts everydayers, before we get back to our conversation, I want to thank you guys for making Locked on Colts, your first listen today and everyday. And thank you for making Locked on Colts, the number one sports podcast network.

Starting point is 00:13:52 If you haven't already, make sure you're checking out our new Everydayer clubs. You can catch them. You can catch our audio ad free and get an invite to a members only locked on every day or club discord server which includes a group chat just for listeners of our shows go to lockdown colts dot supercast.com to join or even give to subscription and we are back talking about another major position of need a position of need that jake has kept texting me about for the last

Starting point is 00:14:15 year now uh we keep making jokes about it because jake was so so concerned about it going into last season and i can only imagine the concern level has risen quite a bit here jake because one of the guys we thought could be the answer jalen car lies just had a season from hell, like an absolute season from hell, barely touched the field. And when he did, he clearly fell out of good graces with the defensive coaching staff. So I don't really see him as much a factor going forward. Other players they currently have under contract include Zaire Franklin, everybody's favorite linebacker and favorite podcaster out there in the indie media market. Austin Ajika, who just got that shiny new one-year extension. And then John Bullock

Starting point is 00:14:54 and Joseph Vaughn. If you guys know who they are, let me know. Free agents right now, Jermaine Pratt, Segu, Alubi, and Jacob Phillips. Now, again, there's a lot that could change here. Like, we could see a move with the Zaire Franklin contract. We could see Jermaine Pratt resigned or retained in some capacity. So there are some moving parts, but I think we can both agree, Jake, that even if they resign Jermaine Pratt, even if for some reason they also bring back Zaire Franklin, they still need more in this linebacker room. And this is a drum that you've been banging for, again, a good, like, calendar year at this point. Yeah, it was very obvious to see.

Starting point is 00:15:31 So, like, going into last year, they were pretty, or going into the offseason, they were kind of short-handed and really lacked depth. It was like Zyre Franklin and Jalen Carlis was really all they had going for him. And we did ask them about linebackers, specifically Chris Ballard pretty frequently. And, you know, he said, Zyre Franklin is Zire Franklin, so we're good there. And then Jalen Carlis, we really like what he's going to do. And, you know, essentially, he's your will linebacker. for this year. Well, both Zaire and Jalen Carlize missed the entirety of the offseason program

Starting point is 00:16:05 recovering from surgeries. Carlyse was ready to hit the ground running when training camp came around. But he was rotating in with the ones for a couple days and then got demoted to the twos and threes and special teams. And then the next day, he wasn't out there for like three months. So he's essentially, in two years, he's essentially played half of a season, apparently fit the previous scheme much better than this one because the guy who they invested so much of their time in, you know, they assumed he was going to be the Will Linebacker all year, was a ghost, essentially.

Starting point is 00:16:46 And there was a revolving door at Will Linebacker next to Zeyer Franklin, who happened to have arguably the worst season of his career as a starter. So it became the issue, a worse issue, really, than we thought it was going to. So offenses, I don't know if it's by design. You could speak better to this than me. If offenses are going to look at this defense and just by design on a normal week-to-week basis, attack it over the middle with end-breaking stuff with yard after catch opportunities, than what they have will not cut it.

Starting point is 00:17:24 And that's including Jermaine Pratt, who played better than Zaire Franklin this year. They need more new age linebackers. Like this is where you really, really saw them miss Hunter Wooler this year. Because I think especially when they figured out they had no linebackers at all, Hunter Wooler would have played a ton of snaps.

Starting point is 00:17:44 Hunter Roller, who even still I saw him Monday, is in a boot. And like, mind you, he got hurt in August so that this is another group where they're going to have to add like two or three legitimate players not just Joseph Vaughn and John Bullock like it cannot be just guys like that I understand future deals players fill out your roster for the off season but like they need real actual players who could start they need to add like two or three of them and that's not including if they don't do something with Ira Franklin this off season so they've got a lot of work

Starting point is 00:18:19 to do. Yeah, and just for clarification on Hunter Woller, I believe his injury is the Liss-Frank injury. Pretty tough injury to come back from, but like, you know, it is still something that guys can come back from, but it does take a long time to recover. That's why they were quick to put them on that IR when it happened. So Hunter Woller,

Starting point is 00:18:35 I do think would have played a factor, and hopefully he factors in this next season as well as more of like a dime linebacker. But yeah, they need just more speed, more aggressiveness. And just when you say like new age, like just the ability to like understanding and diagnosed, like, routes behind them and where routes are going, knowing how to get to the

Starting point is 00:18:54 zone, the right zone depth. I think of, like, players who have been available in recent years, like Zach Bonn. Obviously, nobody knew what Zach Bonn was going to be when he got to Philly, but that was an opportunity out there. Divine Diablo was a guy that we were pounding the table for the last two off-season. I know I was as a Virginia Tech guy. I knew that. I know Divine Diablo was a guy that I really wanted, and he goes to Atlanta this year and has

Starting point is 00:19:15 an incredible season. You even look at a guy like Jordan Brooks a couple years ago who I was like, look, let's get Jordan Brooks in here. Like he could really fit that mold of what they need. Just a guy who, again, can just excel in the coverage aspect of this. And he's a fringe all pro this year with the Miami Dolphins. So I think there is a, like there's always a way to find linebackers, right? These linebackers, they hit the market every year. Like I just mentioned, the Brooks, the Diablos, the Zach Bonds, those were pretty feasible contracts on the open market for any team.

Starting point is 00:19:45 and those guys have come in and played at like all pro levels for their respective teams. So it's not about like, you know, like, oh, it's hard to find linebacker. Like, just get guys in here that you think can fit your system and we can see these guys flourish here. And then also I think they do need to take another one in the draft with, you know, they're, they only have five picks as of right now. They're going to end up having around eight to nine picks once they make some trades and they get their two comp picks. One to two of those I think need to be linebackers to get in here and just add more speed, add more use. add more, again, this new age style of play to the position and really just have Lou be like a heavy impact guy on, like Lou and Betcher, be like, hey, this is the linebacker that fits what we

Starting point is 00:20:25 want to do. Let's get him in here. We trust, you know, this guy's ability to be an impact player for us in year one. So if you do that and you grab, you know, a bottom end, middle and whatever linebacker and free agency, plus you get Woler back. I think you can quickly turn around this linebacker room. But the last thing they can do is just run it back with just Franklin and Jermaine Pratt and then have linebacker 3B Jalen Cartlice because that just can't that's not going to be feasible next year especially when injury happens you're going to be back with Austin Ajake playing 200 snaps on defense which just can't happen we can't have more Joe Botches and Chad Muma's and Austin and Jack like that was just a mess from the beginning

Starting point is 00:21:03 of the season and it was so predictable like they need to at least throw more bodies at this solution more bodies that aren't just again the botches the McGrones the Chad Mumas like it has to be like notable investments whether in the draft or in free agency to fix that linebacker position that has kind of been a mess since O'Karek and Jack Leonard left slash lost his back, basically, early in the 2020s. But, yeah, it just needs to have that change at linebacker. The fact that they missed out on Carson Schwessinger really makes me want to go get hit by a car because seeing what he did with the Browns would have been phenomenal and such a difference

Starting point is 00:21:43 maker for that defense now that was out of their hands because he got taken to the very top of the second but that's the type of guy I'm talking about that they really need and no regrets for them getting tired of worn but like you see jihad Campbell go out and made an immediate impact for the Eagles so I I'm going to do more research because I'm putting out a piece on roundtable sports coming up about the needs and I'm going to expand on this but I'm going to go look at like what is considered probably like the top 10 or so linebackers in the league I'm going to take a wild guess that they were almost all acquired on day two or three. Linebacker is a position you do not have to spend premium picks on, really.

Starting point is 00:22:24 Like these guys, you can find them. You just have to identify them and pull the trigger. And even like Bobby O'Karek, it was a third rounder for the Colt. So I just really want to see them invest day two capital on really athletic, smart guys. Because, like, if you can hit on a guy like Schwessinger or, you know, Campbell kind of slid down the board a little bit. But like, if you can hit on guys like that, such a difference maker for that defense.

Starting point is 00:22:48 Because they were, they were void of playmaking talent in the middle of the field during this season. And it was clearly evident. Like, they had a lot of takeaways this year. They ranked high up there for most of the year. And that was without their linebackers really contributing to that at all. Or their strong safety. It was really just their deep free safety who got all their takeaways this year.

Starting point is 00:23:09 But, yeah, I mean, heck, one thing we won't disagree. on and probably for a future video is they need more out of their next draft class whatever position they take it can't just be Tyler Warren and then a fourth round tackle that plays for one month looking pretty good out of your entire draft class but that's a conversation for another day coming up we're going to talk about a couple other positions that could make sense for the Colts to address and could low key be some needs for this team this off season the wild card round is here and Fandul is officially in playoff mode Every game day during the NFL playoffs, Fandwell is giving customers even more ways to get in on the action.

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Starting point is 00:24:36 We are breaking down the Colts most. critical needs that they need to address this offseason. Some of them were needs, whether you resign some of your guys or not, but some of them have just been based on the fact that there's going to be an exodus of in-house free agents happening. And so we talked about the defensive line. We talked about linebacker, but there are some more modest needs on this roster that if address could make a big difference. So we're going to go kind of rapid fire on these real quick. So first and foremost, Zach, they need more ammo this offseason. They've got about 45 million in projected cap space as of, you know, the last

Starting point is 00:25:11 24 hours on over the cap. Over the cap now says 33 million. We don't really know where that 12 million difference is coming from. So we're going to say 45. They had to pay our salaries, Jake. That's what it was. Yeah. To be our champions for the organization. That's what it was. Very much so. So you're going to wipe out most of that look at the package deal of Daniel Jones and Alec Pierce, we presume as long as long as the Colts are wise and don't let Pierce get inserted into some sort of bidding more. So you're going to need more cap space. We talked a lot about that yesterday with the contracts that they need to adjust or just

Starting point is 00:25:44 eliminate to create more space and then draft capital. Now, these are all projected picks because the draft order doesn't get finalized until comp picks are awarded and tiebreakers are applied like after the combine. But essentially you're looking in the range. They have seven picks, but not until round two. like 47, 78, 113, 154, 216, 2.30, 2.53. They are projected to get a couple compensation picks from free agents that they didn't adequately replace last off season. But again, they do have seven draft picks projected, but they're not super valuable ones.

Starting point is 00:26:24 And they're not on the board until midway through the second. So they need to find a way to get more draft capital by probably trading a couple of guys away. and they need cap space by eliminating some contracts that are just a little bloated at this point. Yeah, yeah, for sure. And one of those guys we talked about yesterday, Michael Pittman Jr., whether you trade or you cut him or whatever you do with that, if there's any capacity where Pittman Jr. is not back, I think wide receiver shoots up as a pretty prominent need for this Colts team. I don't think it's as big a need as defensive line or linebacker still in that regard, because look, I trust Ashton Doolan getting a 50% snap share at wide receiver more so than I'd

Starting point is 00:27:02 trust Austin Ajika starting at linebacker, you know? So I think I'm fine more with receiver being behind linebacker in terms of needs. But I do think if they get rid of Pittman, there has to be some kind of replacement there. I think Doolin could be a perfectly fine one. But again, Jake, you and I, we have this conversation every offseason. It can't just be only asked in Doolin, a guy who spent, what, I think it was two stints on IR this year or two stints out of the lineup for a couple weeks at least this year. So he missed a good chunk of games.

Starting point is 00:27:32 And I just wouldn't want to rely on that, you know, so I think either in the draft, whether it's a fourth or a fifth round pick, but how much production you're going to get off a rookie receiver, we saw Anthony Cool, not really give anything to the Colts last two years when he was a fifth round pick. So maybe you go get like a veteran wide receiver for like, you know, a pretty mundane deal to go out there and just fill some void for you. Maybe you're just in love with Lequan Treadwell at this point. He starts a couple games. I don't know. But I think he's a free agent anyways. Yeah, so receiver balloons up, though, for this team. Looking back at defense, though, I think probably the most underrated need is going to be what happens at strong safety or just safety aside from Cameron Bynum. Do they resign Nick Cross? And if not, that's a big void there because Ronnie Thomas is also a free agent this all season.

Starting point is 00:28:21 So potentially no Thomas, potentially no Nick Cross. Hunter Woler, do you have more safety, more linebacker? Do you do a thing where, like, on early downs he plays safety and then you move another linebacker? Is he ready for that kind of role in year two coming off a major injury when he was a seventh round pick? I still think you need to address that depth in free agency. And then also when we're talking depth, the offensive line depth, even if your plan going to next off season is to start four of the same five offensive linemen and then put Travis there at right tackle, you're pretty thin across the board there. If you're like Dalton Tucker, I think all of us are kind of, even me who loved him the most, you know, you're probably out on him at this point. Danny Pinter is a free agent.

Starting point is 00:29:02 I don't think he really should adjust too many of your plans. And then your swing tackle as of right now is Blake Freeland coming off a major, major injury who wasn't very good before the major injury. So I think offensive line, as always, is a position where, like, if you have eight draft picks, you're probably spending two picks on offensive line. I think every single class. So I think offensive line is always going to be in everyone's mind. And to Chris Ballard's credit, he's probably one of the best offensive line drafting general managers in football. It seems like he doesn't miss many when it comes to that, but I think offensive line is a big part of this.

Starting point is 00:29:36 Honestly, Corner as well, like it, we think Mooney Ward's going to retire. We like Wally, but he's coming off an ACL injury. Sauce Gardner's coming off a big calf injury that limited him this last part of the season. And then it's a bunch of guys, nobody likes, you know, on the roster there. So Corner, I think, is, there's a lot of needs with this team right now, Jake. Like the whole defense has needs. And then there's a couple on offense. And when I've been talking like at quarterback, like for some reason they lose Daniel Jones to like the Vikings or something or make there's a Seahawks level of like new bidder coming in like it was with Sam Donald last year.

Starting point is 00:30:13 Then the biggest need is obviously quarterback after that because you don't have a quarterback. Right. There's a lot up in the air with this team right now. Like we think guys like Jones and Pierce will be back. But depending on what happens with their free agency, it could change the whole dynamic of this thing. Yeah. So at wide receiver, like you mentioned, you're looking at, we already talked about like Pittman isn't really cutting it as the top guy right now. And your top receivers would be Pittman and Doolin on the outside with Josh Downs on the inside with Anthony Gould backing him up.

Starting point is 00:30:44 That's not really appealing. That's because I think they need to add firepower this offseason. The O-line depth, of course, you're looking at just a bunch of guys. Tucker, to me, is probably fine. but like he got hurt immediately when given a chance to play. So it's not like we got a real evaluation of him and his growth. And then, yeah, the secondary, Mooney, you're not sure about Kenny. Do they do anything with that contract? Jalen Jones, we don't think they like him enough for him to be back. So it's like your confidence sauce will be there.

Starting point is 00:31:18 And it's like is Mackay Blackman, the other starter? Justin Wally, you know, he's going to be back. But again, the ACL works learned how to play the football for once. Jonathan Edwards can be good if he knew where the football was. If he ever knew where the football was, I'm telling you guys he could be good. I just, I don't know if he knows where the football is when he's in coverage,

Starting point is 00:31:35 which is terrifying. Yeah, yeah. Yeah. And then that's really about it. You could throw kicker in there just because Spencer Schrader, how long is he going to be out with that knee? And then so do you go ahead and do you just make sure you have Blake Groupie along for the ride until you know what Schrader looks like?

Starting point is 00:31:56 like next off season. So I think it would be wise for them to carry a non-trader kicker for now until they know what's going on with traders need. Yeah, I really think this team needs like, like last off season, right, was our, our big, hey, we're bringing in these big free agents, we're bringing it, we're being aggressive in free agency. They still only brought in like six outside faces in free agency, right? I think this free agent class, especially because now you know what Lou Anurmo wants, right,

Starting point is 00:32:25 on defense. and he's going to be back. This is your must-win season. So just give him what he wants, right? And see what you can do. I think you need like 10 to 12 new faces in free agency, honesty. And they don't really have the money right now,

Starting point is 00:32:37 so we'll see how they move that stuff around. But say you bring back Jones, you bring back Pierce and you make your one big move like a Hendrickson. I still think you need a handful of like just guys to fill out the roster that can play football. You know, it can't just be a bunch of your, what, Joseph Vaughns and stuff.

Starting point is 00:32:53 Joseph Vaughn, I hope you're a great player. I'm not trying to dog on you on this show, but yeah, Joseph Vons and stuff, filling out your roster and saying, oh, we like him a lot. We got him on waivers from the Buccaneers at the end of the season. This guy is going to be our linebacker three. It's like, no, no, go get guys who know how to play on Sundays, you know? So I think that's going to be the big thing. I really think they need to bring in a handful of, like just new faces, new culture guys, new guys that can do some things. And like even if you have a guy like, like Jason's saying in the comments here, like Cam Mitchell look better,

Starting point is 00:33:25 than any of us thought, just don't go into camp with him being cornerback three or four, let him be six or seven, and we can be, you know, very happy about him regardless of what he does, you know, but if he's going in there being like a high end guy for you, then we're going to be in trouble, which has been the case so much in the past with this team. So I think they need some new faces. I think they need to make some cap space. And even if it's a bunch of like one or two year, like four million dollar deals or whatever, one year, two million dollar deals. Like, just get in new guys, buy low on some dudes and get them in here and see what they can do. Yeah, without question.

Starting point is 00:34:02 Like, it's fine if it's, it's fine if they're bargain bin guys, if it's a high volume of them because you're likely to hit on a couple. And again, you just need new guys in here. Like, that's what generates competition. Like, being, being on the same depth chart with guys you've been on for three, four years doesn't create competition. You already know you're better than that guy. You already know the coaching staff favors.

Starting point is 00:34:25 over that guy. They just need new dudes in there, like, to get an opportunity to actually push other players. Like, yeah. They just, they got to do something. And think about it, Ballard's never been bad with the Bargain guys here, but we always jokingly call him Bargham bin Ballard, but he brought in, what, Chris Reed was awesome for the Colts that one year.

Starting point is 00:34:42 Neville Gallagallor. Yeah. Chris Reed has been your guiding light for you guys. I can't, I can never forget him. But Neville Gallimore brought in this year. We all can agree. Neville Gallomor was awesome this season, you know? So, like, just bring me a bunch of.

Starting point is 00:34:55 of those guys. Like if you make six Neville-Gallimore level signings, even if like three of them stink, you get three quality players, you know, like, and if they don't, if they don't work out for you, just cut them, you know? So I don't want to go too long on this episode with that, but I do think that there's an avenue for the Colts to make this roster more competitive and better, more so than just, hey, our aggressive free agency is six new faces, but three of them are paid very well. It's like, okay, cool, but bring in some more new faces to fill out this roster. But we're going to get out of here, guys. Thanks again, as always, for tuning in today to Lockdown Coles.

Starting point is 00:35:26 We're back tomorrow to continue breaking down this offseason. Make sure you guys subscribe and follow Lockdown Colts so you get all the latest episodes. If you don't already, make sure you're following out Lockdown Colts at Lockdown Colts at Jake Arthur Felt and at Zach Hicks, too, all on socials. If you never miss an episode, the Everydayer Club is built for you with Lockdown Colts ad-free plus members-only Discord access and more. Head to Lockdowncoltz.com to join the club. And for those of you on video, we're going, we're going to send you over to the first ever 24-7 national NBA YouTube channel and audio.

Starting point is 00:35:56 Make sure you check out the Lockdown NFL podcast. I'm going to thank you guys all and we'll see you guys back here again tomorrow afternoon.

Locked On Colts - Daily Podcast On The Indianapolis Colts - TEAM NEEDS: Indianapolis Colts MUST Get Better in Critical Areas This Offseason

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