Kwity Paye
 

No way the colts will pick up the 5th year option with Latu in the fold. Paye is not worth the money.

At $13.4m, maybe not. That wouldn't mean we can't resign him later on. It will be interesting to see how Latu affects the dynamic.

People should realize that Latu is not Paye's replacement. They play the same position... but they don't play the same position.

paye isn't a starting caliber de imo. he is a decent player but he should be a backup.

Who does Latu replace? Samson Ebukah perhaps or part of the rotation maybe. Supposedly Latu is good against the run along with pass rushing skills.

Paye probably will not get the 5th year option. But that's more about Dayo being able to do everything Paye can do. Dayo is also more versatile and will be cheaper.

I just mean, for simplicity's sake, Kwity is more of the Gus Bradley Big (2-gap 6 strongside) whereas Ebukam was more of the LEO (weakside 9). Again, it's not that simple, but just generally speaking.

Latu is plenty talented enough to do both, but primarily you would want him in the Ebukam role.

Now, that said, there's clearly going to be a rotation. Ebukam and Kwity each played roughly 2/3 of the snaps in '23. I can picture lots of scenarios. Maybe we often see Latu rotate a little less because he can play weakside with Kwity or strongside with Ebukam.

I'm just thinking out loud, so I could be wrong. But I'm very interested to see how they mix and match.

Of course, I didn't even throw Dayo into the mix.

I think the term "starter" and "backup" will be pretty blurred with our D ends.

Obvious run situations, two best run defenders.

Obvious pass situations, two best pass rushers.

Situations inbetween? Rotate all five of them so they are fresh later in the game.

I think in terms of "packages" rather than starters and backups. They will all get snaps based on their performance.

Today, the Colts picked up Paye's 5th year option.


https://www.colts.com/news/kwity-pay...ft-first-round

That's interesting. I don't hate it. Paye certainly could be a good Robin to Latu's Batman.

Good news. People are getting way down on Kwity, especially after Latu.

Kwity is good and Latu is only going to amplify him.

I for one am not down on Kwity.

Every team needs a DE that stays gap sound and sets the edge.

If it just means that we lose Tyquan Lewis next year. Then so be it.

He had 8.5 sacks last year without an alpha pass rusher drawing blocking away from him. He could become a double digit guy with Latu on the other side of him.

Exactly. It will help Latu having Buckner in the middle too. And 8.5 sacks is not chicken feed. This D-Line has 60 sack potential.

The run defense also dropped off when he missed time

Freeney and Mathis ???

Our D-Line is going to be fun to watch this season.

A sleep acquisition for the D-Line this year was the signing of Raekwon Davis at DT. He is the Grover Stewart backup that we have been needing for a while to keep him fresher down the stretch of games.

Even in our prime "base" D-Line of Latu, D-For, Stewart and Paye, an opposing O-Line can only double two of them in pass sets by keeping the back in or assigning a TE to help. One of: Latu, D-For or Paye will be singled almost every play and Stewart will be singled as well. I like those odds.

Depth of Ebukam, Lewis and Odeyingbo with Lewis and Odeyingbo being able to rush from the inside are some match-up nightmares waiting to happen.

If Latu happens....i.e. he is a T.J. Watt clone-ish.....this D-Line is going to make A LOT of plays this season.

There will be different combinations, too. Like imagine a 3rd-and-10 situation with a lineup of Ebukam>>>>Buckner>>Latu>>>Paye.

Glad we picked up Kwity's option. Not sure that he's earned an extension yet (at least a big one) but definitely agree he earned his 5th year option. Was surprised that Ballard waited as long as he did to pull the trigger on it. Seemed like he was waiting to see how the draft went.

Probably not. But those guys were a huge liability against the run unlike the current crew. Also in today’s game tackles are lighter and you’re starting to see a trend towards stronger DEs because a lot of tackles today struggle with strength rushes and Paye does a mean bull rush.

That's a nasty NASCAR package, as is Latu-Buckner-Dayo-Paye.