The Indianapolis Colts defense has made strides in recent seasons, but the unit lacked consistency. The additions made this offseason could help the defense turn the tide into being a top unit.
The addition of defensive tackle DeForest Buckner will be a major factor in how much improvement the defense makes in 2020. Sheil Kapadia of The Athletic ranked the Colts defense at No. 15 in the NFL.
15. Indianapolis Colts
Last year: 17thTeaming DeForest Buckner with linebacker Darius Leonard offers a great foundation. But the Colts have serious questions on the back end. Xavier Rhodes was one of the worst starting corners in the league last year. They need him to rebound, and they need Rock Ya-Sin to take a step forward in his second season. The team made its feelings clear on free safety Malik Hooker when it declined to pick up his fifth-year option. The front seven with Buckner, Justin Houston, Leonard and Anthony Walker has the potential to be one of the best in the league. But even though the Colts play a lot of Cover-2 (two-deep zone with five underneath defenders), it’s tough to see their secondary being better than league average.
The Colts defense might have an easier time defending leads with the offense having the potential to score more points with Philip Rivers under center.
There is a lot of excitement around the front seven, which has a lot of upside. The secondary will be the biggest concern, but they still have a lot of potential to be a strong unit.