The Indianapolis Colts have made it a point to rebuild the defense with athleticism and speed without taking too many chances on players in free agency. The core group of defenders has come either as waiver claims or through the draft.
There some big changes made to the defensive side of the ball, including the acquisition of defensive tackle DeForest Buckner. The Colts have said all along they want to have an elite player at the three-technique, and it seems they finally have it.
We took a look at the upgrades, downgrades and lateral moves on offense earlier.
As training camp begins, here’s a look at the upgrades, downgrades and lateral moves at each position on defense:
Defensive Tackle
Gained: DeForest Buckner, Robert Windsor, Sheldon Day
Lost: Margus Hunt, Trevon Coley
We will get the big one out of the way first. The defensive tackle position was arguably the biggest need for the Colts entering the offseason and they did all they could to improve it greatly.
Though he generally likes having more picks, general manager Chris Ballard sent the No. 13 overall selection in the 2020 NFL Draft to the San Francisco 49ers in exchange for Buckner. It was a shocking move but one that brings in a borderline elite talent to a position they believe is the engine of the defense.
With Grover Stewart returning as the starting one-technique, the Colts bolstered the depth there with the signing of Day, who also comes from San Francisco.
The defensive tackle position is an important one in the Colts’ defensive scheme, and they made some strong improvements to the unit this offseason.
Verdict: Upgrade