The NFL Draft is a resource to beef up a franchise with young players hungry to showcase their talent. It is also a resource to get the help that free agency might not afford. The Indianapolis Colts have many needs going into the NFL Draft, but there are several positions that they do not need to prioritize. The Colts already have a lot of talent on the team, and many of those players got contract extensions. They also brought in some talent during the offseason to further help the team succeed. This has translated into three positions that are shored up for the 2024 season.
The Three Strongest Positions for the Indianapolis Colts
Defensive Tackle
The defensive tackle position for the Indianapolis Colts is probably one of their strongest. After re-signing Grover Stewart, and Taven Bryan, and adding Raekwon Davis from the Miami Dolphins, the middle of the line is stacked. Not to mention that these guys will suit up with All-Pro DeForest Buckner, the Colts best tackle.
The Colts top defensive tackles are Buckner and Stewart. Behind those two, they have depth players who can compete and make plays. The key for the middle of a defensive line is disrupting the throwing lane of the quarterback. It is also stuffing the running lane of the ball carrier. Buckner and Stewart have proven that they can achieve both of these feats. Bryan has shown potential and is a solid depth piece. In seven starts in 2023, he finished with two sacks, 12 solo tackles, and four tackles-for-loss. Newly acquired Raekwon Davis started seven games in 2023 with Miami and finished with 15 solo tackles, two tackles-for-loss, and six quarterback hits.
The Colts still need a more consistent edge rusher on the defensive line. However, the tackle position is strong going into 2024.
Offensive Line
The offensive line position has historically been the strongest unit for the Indianapolis Colts. This is attributed, in large part, to the leadership of General Manager, Chris Ballard. In 2022, the offensive line took a dip for the worst as inexperience and injuries took a toll on the team. In 2023, however, the line stepped up and showed glimpses of the elite unit it once was.
According to Pro Football Focus, the Colts starting linemen finished with an average grade of 76.7 against the pass and 73.9 against the rush. Also, as a starting unit, they only allowed 10 sacks. The numbers exclude rookie right tackle Blake Freeland who came in when Braden Smith was injured. These numbers further exclude depth players who had 300 or fewer snap counts. The bottom line is that this unit, collectively, improved tremendously in just one year and they will look to continue that trend going into 2024. The Colts could potentially pick up another lineman in the later rounds, but that position is not a priority this offseason.
Quarterback
The Indianapolis Colts are set with their quarterback position for 2024. For five years after the 2019 season, the Colts went through a carousel of quarterbacks. However, in the 2023 NFL Draft, Indy finally found its future in Anthony Richardson. On top of having their starting quarterback for the next many seasons, they also added a reliable backup quarterback in Joe Flacco. He signed a one-year deal this offseason. There will still be question marks surrounding whether Richardson can last in this league, but the sure thing is that the Colts do not need to prioritize a quarterback in the 2024 NFL Draft.
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