State of the team.

[Kray007]

At the halfway mark…

Quarterback…something of a bloody mess. A 39 year old Joe Flacco hasn’t performed well against top-flight opponents, but it will be interesting to see what happens when the schedule turns to teams like the Jets, the Giants, and other bottom dwellers. As far as Anthony Richardson is concerned, we just don’t know. I thought that, in the game versus Houston, he showed real. progress. There were none of those airmailed balls that used to fly 5 yards over the receivers head. Whether that represented real progress or was an illusion, we just can’t know because he was benched. Going forward, my gut tells me that Richardson will get a second chance to prove himself. The only question is when that happens and whether it will be soon enough to get a handle on our need at the position ahead of next year’s draft.

Running Back… on a lot of levels, Jonathan Taylor is a splendid running back. He has the kind of innate running skill that sets him apart from lesser players. There are, however, undeniable weaknesses in his game. His blocking skills are, frankly, embarrassing and his receiving skills are still, largely, a mystery. As his career has progressed, we have seen him make plays as a receiver out of the backfield. But, for some reason, whether because of scheme or lack of confidence on the part of the coaching staff, he is largely under utilized in the passing game. Going forward, I see a real need to add another back, preferably through the draft. As he approaches 30 and the cliff that all Running Backs fall over, the need for a credible back up, becomes more and more obvious.

Wide Receiver…This is a position with which I am reasonably happy. Pittman and Downs are high-quality options. Alec Pierce is a legit deep threat who probably is under utilized in the intermediate and short zones. And, this past Sunday against Buffalo, AD Mitchell began to allay at least some of the doubts about him. If there is a need at the position, it’s for a legitimate superstar; one of those guys who strike fear in the hearts of men, a player who can shift the momentum of the game at any moment.

Tight End…The Colts have a number of Tight Ends on the roster, and none of them can be described as mediocrities. None of them, however, represent real strength. Frankly, I am tired of waiting for Jelani Woods who is beginning to remind me of Godot. From Kansas City with Travis Kelce to New England with Rob Gronkowski to the 49ers with George Kittle, it is blitheringly obvious that a truly elite tight end can shift a team’s fortunes. I would love to have one of those on the Colts roster; I just wish that I had confidence in Anthony Richardson’s ability to find him.

Offensive Line…All things considered, you have to be fairly pleased with the Colts offensive line corps. Bernard Raimann is never going to be confused with Anthony Munoz or Walter Jones, but he is an above average player at his position. Braden Smith, when healthy provides a credible bookend on the other end of the line. Quentin Nelson is Quentin Nelson. Will Fries is a nice piece to the puzzle. And Ryan Kelly is a four time Pro Bowler. If he were just five years younger, I would be very pleased. But, he is not. The good news is that Chris Ballard had the foresight to add Bortolini, Goncalves, and Tucker to the roster during this past off-season. With all of the injuries that have added up over the course of the season heaven only knows just what kind of shape we’d be in without them. Going forward, my gut tells me that there is still need to add a legitimately elite piece to the puzzle. Just who and where I do not know.

Defensive Line… At this moment in time, few teams have as strong a Defensive Tackle combo as do the Colts. Age, however, is creeping into the equation. So, to me, it seems imperative that Ballard go out and find one of those monster of the Midway type players…someone like Dexter Lawrence…to rotate in today and anchor the interior once Grover Stewart moves onward. At defensive end, we have a whole bunch of workmanlike players, but no one who changes the game. It’s tough to tell, right now. Who knows, maybe Latu develops into that guy; and, beyond question the return of Samson Ebukam will help immensely. Paye and Odeyingbo are decent players who will occasionally generate pressure but don’t do it with any consistency. Again, you have to wonder just how much of a difference that someone like Tyquan Lewis would have made. Personally, I would give a proverbial body part for someone like. Micah Parsons or Joey Bosa, but I wouldn’t beat the bushes in the first round looking for him. if it were me, I’d shake the tree in the fourth or fifth round and hope that another Robert Mathis falls to the ground.

Linebacker… I’m not exactly dissatisfied with either EJ Speed or Zaire Franklin; nor am I entirely happy with them. Going forward in the short term, there are certainly other positions in more dire need of improvement. So, for right now, I would do my best to make do.

Cornerback…beyond the certainty of Kenny Moore at Nickel, one of Chris Ballard’s most criticized decisions was to pass on taking a flyer at Corner this past off-season. His rationale was that he wanted to see how well players already on the roster developed. I think that that decision would have looked a lot better were Juju Brents not sidelined. The emergence of guys like Jalin Jones and Samuel Womack probably lets him sleep a bit easier at night. There is, however, no question that Corner is a fundamental need sometime soon.

Safety… At Safety, at the very least, Nick Cross’s play reassures us that he wasn’t a completely wasted pick in 2022. He appears to be someone you can live with. In years past, Julian Blackman looked like an emerging star. This year, however, he hasn’t seemed to live up to our expectations, and better minds than mine suggest that he’s simply playing out of position. That’s a question that Gus Bradley and the coaching staff are going to have to look at in a couple of months. If they come to that conclusion, the best way forward might be to bring a Free Safety then let Blackman and Cross battle it out betwixt themselves.

Special Teams…There’s really nothing to be concerned with here. Sanchez is fine and nothing about Gay really raises any red flags. Of course, if someone came along and dropped someone in our laps who could make 64 yard field goals with any degree of regularity I wouldn’t cry in my soup.

When all is said and done, it seems to me that Chris Ballard has done a nice job of putting together a roster that can compete. They lost a few games this year, but haven’t been out of any of them. To me, the best demonstration of exactly where this team stands is the game we just watched versus Buffalo. The only thing that stood between the Colts and victory against one of the best teams in football was the play of one man.