Grover Stewart – Page 10 – Syndication Server

The 5 most underrated Colts players

These Colts deserve more recognition.

The Indianapolis Colts have slowly but surely built the roster from the ground up since Chris Ballard took over as general manager of the front office and now they sport a deep roster with talent throughout.

Being in the Indianapolis market and seeing one prime-time game here and there, several of the players on the roster fly under the national radar. Even if they aren’t getting recognition from the national media, some Colts deserve a bit more attention.

Here are the five most underrated Colts entering the 2020 season:

Kenny Moore II | CB | Age: 24

While the fanbase certainly understands how good Moore is at playing the game of football, the national media has yet to catch on. Moore has emerged as one of the top slot cornerbacks in the NFL over the last few seasons and even received an extension that reflects that.

Despite his smaller stature, Moore has the length and athleticism to make plays on the ball constantly. He can work in zone, man and press coverage while being one of the surest tacklers at the position. The Valdosta State product can also apply pressure by blitzing from the nickel spot, making him an invaluable piece of the defense.

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5 Colts who are breakout candidates in 2020

Breakout candidates for Indy.

The Indianapolis Colts have a strong young core of players on both sides of the ball entering the 2020 but some of them have barely begun to scratch the surface of their talents.

Sometimes it takes certain players a bit longer to break out—a term that has varying definitions. The Colts have several players beginning to gain recognition on a national scale, but there are some waiting in the wings to produce more than expected in 2020.

Without including rookies (because they shouldn’t be considered here anyway), here are five Colts who enter the 2020 season as breakout candidates:

Braden Smith | Nyheim Hines | Ben Banogu | Bobby Okereke | Grover Stewart

Braden Smith | RT | Age: 24

The Colts have several players who fall under the umbrella term of “underrated.” Smith might be the player that leads the list for the Colts. Because it can be difficult to quantify offensive line play, very few of them are considered breakout candidates year to year.

But this could very well be the year that Smith finally gains the recognition he deserves as one of the best up and coming right tackles in the game. The league has had two seasons to sleep on the Auburn product, but it’s time to wake up.

Entering his third season, Smith has been manning the right tackle spot for the Colts since filling in as a spot starter during that ghastly prime-time game in Week 5 against the New England Patriots during the 2018 season. Though he was drafted as a guard, the Colts believed he could succeed on the edge.

He’s done so wonderfully over the last season and a half and continues to be on the asencion at the position. Though he is listed as giving up seven sacks in 2019, per Pro Football Focus, that isn’t totally indicative of his consistent work on the edge. Both as a pass protector and run blocker, Smith has been a strong asset for the Colts.

With his game maturing in aspects of consistency with his pass sets and moving people in the run game, 2020 might be the season he finally takes that next tier jump among right tackles in the league.

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6 Colts who need to step up in 2020

Taking a look at six Indianapolis Colts who need to step up during the 2020 season.

The Indianapolis Colts are hoping to make a return to the playoffs in 2020 for just the second time in the last six seasons. In order to do so, several players will have to step up throughout the campaign.

This doesn’t mean the following players have to become Pro Bowlers or give that type of production. But stepping up into a bigger role and producing will go a long in making a playoff run. Not all of these guys will step up, and the Colts are likely to have a few surprises along the way.

But here are six Colts who need to step up in 2020:

Parris Campbell | WR | Year 2

The Colts wide receiver corps was a unit that needed some major additions this offseason. It happened to come through the draft when the Colts brought in Michael Pittman Jr. in the second round and Dezmon Patmon in the sixth round.

While those two present intriguing cases to make an impact in 2020, Campbell shouldn’t be forgotten about in the room. Though his rookie season was defined by injuries—and lots of them—the former second-round pick can still carve out a strong role in the passing offense.

Campbell has the speed to be a difference-maker for the Colts. He might be working mostly in the slot, but Campbell is a player that should be looking to take a step forward in 2020. He showed promise when he was on the field during his rookie campaign, and the Colts need him to take on a larger role in Year 2.

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4 Colts most likely to receive contract extension before 2020 season

Which Colts might see an extension before the season.

The Indianapolis Colts have made it clear that they aren’t afraid of handing out contract extensions to players they feel deserve it—even if said player has a full season ahead under contract.

General manager Chris Ballard has made that move several times in the past, most notably with cornerback Kenny Moore and punter Rigoberto Sanchez during the 2019 offseason.

The Colts have 24 players entering a contract year as unrestricted free agents, but there are a few that stand out. Some of them could wind up getting a new deal before the 2020 season arrives, but most of them are likely proving they deserve another deal.

It may only happen to one of them. It may not happen to any of them. But here are four Colts most likely to receive a contract extension before the 2020 season:

Ryan Kelly | OL | Age: 26

The 2016 first-round pick out of Alabama turns 27 years old at the end of the month and is currently playing on the fifth-year option of his rookie contract. If there is one player most likely to get a contract extension before the 2020 season starts, it’s Kelly.

Though he had a two-season stretch where injuries were becoming a massive concern, Kelly bounced back in a big way for the 2019 campaign. He started all 16 games anchoring the offensive line for the Colts while playing on 94.5% of the team’s offensive snaps.

He was extremely efficient as well. According to Pro Football Focus, Kelly allowed just one sack on 591 pass-blocking snaps in 2019. He proved he could be reliable and productive while excelling at one of the most difficult positions in the game of football.

The offensive line is the strength of the Colts offense. Keeping that continuity going is essential, and Kelly’s production isn’t easy to come by.

The Colts might not want to wait and see if Kelly can produce again like he did in 2019. If he does, his value on the market will be as high as its ever been.

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