The Indianapolis Colts are expected to return from summer break on July 28 for training camp so we will be taking a look at each position group before the entire team reports.
The linebacker corps for the Colts is one of the deepest positions on the roster. Headed by an All-Pro talent and littered with solid depth and massive upside, the linebacker corps is better than it has been in years and will be a big part of the potential defensive success in 2020.
Expected Depth Chart
| WILL | MIKE | SAM |
| Darius Leonard | Anthony Walker Jr. | Bobby Okereke |
| E.J. Speed | Skai Moore | Matthew Adams |
| Jordan Glasgow | Zaire Franklin |
Players To Watch
Bobby Okereke
First, Okereke is a MIKE linebacker. He’s listed as the SAM on the table above only because it feels wrong to put him on the second team behind Walker Jr., especially seeing as Okereke played some SAM backer during the second half of the 2019 season. Second, he is the player to watch through and through for the linebacker corps. This could be a breakout season for the Stanford product and while Walker Jr. is still here to have a great impact, he could begin to take away some of the starting MIKE snaps.
Jordan Glasgow
The sixth-round pick won’t be bringing headlines like Leonard, but there is still a lot of intrigue with the Michigan product. His work on special teams is why the Colts got so excited to grab him late on Day 3 of the draft. He might not be the biggest contributor on the defensive side of the ball, but his potential on special teams is intriguing for him to be an immediate impact player in that phase of the game.
Storylines To Watch
Battle at MIKE
The battle between Walker Jr. and Okereke will undoubtedly have everyone’s eyes. Walker Jr. remains the starter from the last two seasons, but Okereke is a better fit schematically and has higher upside in coverage. That said, both players are deserving of the starting role, which makes this competition enticing.
How much better can Leonard get?
The Colts have the Maniac returning for his third season. He was an All-Pro in his rookie campaign and a Pro Bowler in his second season. With that, there is still room for improvement for one of the best linebackers in the NFL. That’s not a knock. That’s simply saying that Leonard could make that jump into the unquestioned tier of linebackers who produce at an elite level.