Tag: Gus Bradley

Shane Steichen non-commital on retaining Colts coordinators

Shane Steichen was non-committal on retaining Colts DC Gus Bradley and STC Bubba Ventrone.

With Shane Steichen now officially the head coach of the Indianapolis Colts, his first order of business is to fill out the coaching staff.

Though the decisions seem relatively easy for Steichen considering the connection he has with defensive coordinator Gus Bradley and the recent success of special teams coordinator Bubba Ventrone, the new head coach was non-commital on retaining them.

During his press conference Tuesday, Steichen simply stated they are going to get into that process this week.

“That’s the next process that I’m going to go through, is hiring a staff. Those guys will have those conversations in the next few days,” Steichen told the media.

This doesn’t mean anything in terms of the fates of Bradley and Ventrone. It likely means they haven’t had an in-depth conversation about it yet, and it gives the Colts a chance to look at other options just in case.

As we learned throughout the process of finding a head coach, the Colts are willing to take their time finding coaches if it means getting it right.

It also should be noted that both Bradley and Ventrone were on hand for Steichen’s press conference Tuesday, which is not insignificant.

Bradley has a strong connection to Steichen as the two worked on the same coaching staff with the Chargers for four seasons. Steichen was the quarterbacks coach (2017-2019) and interim offensive coordinator (2020) while Bradley was the defensive coordinator.

While Steichen doesn’t seemingly have any tangible connection to Ventrone, the Colts may look to convince the head coach in retaining him. The special teams unit has been regarded as one of the best in the NFL and has ranked in the top 10 in each of the last three seasons.

The Colts would like to fill out the coaching staff sooner rather than later, but those conversations are likely coming throughout the weeks to come.

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Will Colts’ Shane Steichen keep Gus Bradley as DC?

New Colts head coach Shane Steichen may not have to look far for his potential defensive coordinator.

The Indianapolis Colts have their new head coach in former Philadelphia Eagles offensive coordinator Shane Steichen, and his first order of business will be to fill out his coaching staff.

Fortunately, he may really only need to focus on the offensive side of the ball when it comes to putting his staff together. That’s because the Colts still have defensive coordinator Gus Bradley on staff, and he has plenty of history with Steichen.

In fact, Steichen gave Bradley a glowing review when the Colts and Eagles played each other during the 2022 season.

Bradley was the defensive coordinator for the Los Angles Chargers for four seasons (2017-2020). At the same time, Steichen was the quarterbacks coach for three of those seasons (2017-2019) and the interim offensive coordinator (2020) following the firing of Ken Wisenhunt.

It also would make sense if Steichen wanted to keep Bradley on the staff, especially after it was reported that several candidates intended to keep the veteran coach in his role, which led to the Colts blocking other teams from interviewing him for defensive coordinator roles.

The Colts defense was a bright spot during the 2022 season despite not having linebacker Shaquille Leonard. They lost a bit of gas toward the end of the season, but Bradley proved he can give the Colts an above-average unit.

Now, Steichen may not have to look too far to find his defensive staff, which means he can quickly put together his offensive staff as the Colts hope to get out of this rebuild quickly.

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Report: Several Colts HC candidates want Gus Bradley as DC

Several of the Colts head coach candidates reportedly want Gus Bradley as the DC.

The Indianapolis Colts are hopefully in the final days of their search for a new head coach, and it seems a number of the candidates intend to bring back Gus Bradley as the defensive coordinator.

While new head coaches typically want to fill out their entire staff, Bradley has connections to just about every remaining candidate throughout his coaching career.

Furthermore, it would explain why the Colts have blocked Bradley from leaving for another defensive coordinator job.

Zak Keefer of The Athletic reported that several of the candidates vying for the head coach job want Bradley back as the defensive coordinator.

“The Colts have blocked a few teams from interviewing defensive coordinator Gus Bradley for the same position because there’s a good chance he stays in Indianapolis. Several candidates for the team’s head-coaching job have told Colts brass in interviews that they intend to bring Bradley and his defensive staff back in 2023.”

Though the offense was extremely disappointing and was the main reason for the team’s demise in 2022, the defense was a bright spot. At all three levels of the unit, there were positives.

Having that consistency and continuity would be huge for a defensive unit that still has some playmakers throughout all three levels, especially if linebacker Shaquille Leonard makes a full recovery following his latest surgery.

The Colts still need to add some depth to the defensive line and cornerback room, but the unit seems to be in pretty good shape entering the offseason.

With a strong support staff of minds like Ron Milus, Nate Ollie and Richard Smith, the defensive staff could be mostly intact despite a new head coach arriving in the Circle City soon.

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Report: Colts blocking DC Gus Bradley from leaving

The Colts are reportedly blocking DC Gus Bradley from leaving.

The Indianapolis Colts are going through their head coaching search after roughly a month of interviews, but it appears they are set on keeping Gus Bradley as the defensive coordinator.

While new head coaches typically like to bring in their own staff, it appears the Colts are blocking Bradley from leaving, according to Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated in his Monday Morning Quarterback column.

As Breer was discussing the connections that some of the finalists have, he brought up the fact that Bradley and Raheem Morris have a history. Also, that the Colts have blocked Bradley from leaving.

“Morris’s ties to Indy are logical ones, too—DC Gus Bradley (whom Indy’s blocked from leaving) was with Morris in Tampa from 2006 to ’08; and Ballard’s NFL upbringing in Chicago was with former Bucs people (Jerry Angelo, Lovie Smith).”

This certainly is an intriguing wrinkle to the process. Bradley’s defensive unit was solid for the majority of the 2022 campaign even though they faltered a bit down the stretch of an exhausting season.

While Morris may not have an issue with Bradley being retained as the defensive coordinator, it isn’t clear if other candidates would prefer to bring in their own coach to hold that role, which may limit one’s desire to take the job if offered.

Bradley proved he can do some great things with what the Colts have on defense, and that was without linebacker Shaquille Leonard.

Hopefully, we get an understanding of who the next head coach will be and whether that will include Bradley as the defensive coordinator.

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It sure doesn’t sound like Kris Richard is in the mix for Panthers’ DC job

This could change in a hurry, but Kris Richard isn’t reported among the candidates Panthers coach Frank Reich and owner David Tepper favor for defensive coordinator:

This could change in a hurry, but new Orleans Saints co-defensive coordinator and secondary coach Kris Richard wasn’t among the candidates the Carolina Panthers are discussing for their open defensive coordinator job. CBS Sports’ Josina Anderson reports that new Panthers head coach Frank Reich and owner David Tepper have differing opinions on who they should pursue for that vacancy, with Reich wanting to bring Gus Bradley with him from the Indianapolis Colts while Tepper likes Marquand Manuel.

Richard received an interview request for this job early in January, but that was before Carolina hired Reich. And he could still emerge as a candidate if neither of these guys are an option. Bradley is still under contract with the Colts and Manuel has been linked to the Houston Texans head coach favorite DeMeco Ryans. If the Panthers strike out there, Richard makes a lot of sense. He worked with Bradley on the Seattle Seahawks and has run similar systems in the past with the Dallas Cowboys.

So there’s still a chance Richard leaves New Orleans this offseason, even if it doesn’t seem very likely right now. He doesn’t call plays with the Saints (Dennis Allen has held onto that responsibility after being promoted to head coach) but he would get that opportunity in Carolina or on another staff around the league. It’s something to watch out for in the days ahead, but you have to hope the Saints don’t lose both of their co-defensive coordinators to division rivals after the Atlanta Falcons hired Ryan Nielsen.

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Ranking our top 4 candidates for the Panthers’ DC job

Here are our top four candidates for the Panthers’ defensive coordinator job.

Now that the Carolina Panthers have landed their head coach in Frank Reich, it’s time to start scooping up his staff. And one of the biggest, if not the biggest hole sits at the defensive coordinator position.

So, let’s sort our top contenders before the Panthers, of course, ultimately do that for us.

Colts’ DeForest Buckner the ‘definition of a pro’

Colts DC Gus Bradley had high praise for DeForest Buckner.

The 2022 season hasn’t gone according to plan much at all for the Indianapolis Colts, but that hasn’t stopped defensive tackle DeForest Buckner from continuing his role as being a major leader in the locker room.

Despite the lost season, Buckner has been one of the most accountable players in the locker room. He carries himself as one of the biggest voices in the locker room even if he’s not the loudest.

Defensive coordinator Gus Bradley couldn’t be more impressed with Buckner now with having a full season of work with him.

“Spending time with him, he’s a huge pro, a man who gets the job done no matter how he feels inside. I think that’s kind of the definition of a pro. He does it in practice, he does it in meetings and in his play – and you’re right, he’s banged up,” Bradley told reporters Tuesday. “He’s got some injuries. He’s battling through that. So, he’s doing a great job leading our group both by actions and by words, and he’s playing at a high level for us.”

Buckner has been playing at an upper-tier level for the majority of the season. His 8.0 sacks are the third-most of his career and the second-most since joining the Colts in 2020. He also had 18 quarterback hits, nine tackles for loss and is tied for the ninth-most total pressures (46) among interior defensive linemen, according to Pro Football Focus.

Even though Buckner already had the reputation of being a high-character player and strong leader both on and off the field, he exceeded Bradley’s expectations.

“You hear so many good things about him just as a man – what he stands for, his work ethic. But I think until you’re around him on a day in and day out basis where you see it’s consistent – there’s no up or down with the man. He comes to work, he’s a true pro regardless of the situation,” Bradley said. “I had a high feeling of what he was like, but I think he exceeded that just because of the day-to-day operation that he has.”

Buckner has been a major contributor since the Colts traded the No. 13 overall pick for him in 2020. There will be some major changes coming to the team during the upcoming offseason, but Buckner continues to prove he’s a vital part of the team’s success.

It may be a lost season, but Buckner has earned his role as a captain and continues to produce despite the hardships.

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Chargers’ causes for concern vs. Colts

Reasons why the Colts could upset the Chargers in Week 16.

The Chargers head to Indianapolis for their sixth primetime game of the season, this time with a chance to all but lock up an AFC playoff spot. Despite not being in contention, however, the Colts have plenty to play for.

Here are four reasons to be worried about a Monday Night dud from Los Angeles.

Trench temperature difference

After allowing just 12 sacks in the Chargers’ first nine games, the LA offensive line has given up 21 sacks of Justin Herbert in the last five contests. While that stat is a bit misleading because of Herbert’s ability to manage the pocket, which drove sack numbers lower than they should have been to begin the year, the point is the same: the offensive line is hitting a cold stretch. Indianapolis, meanwhile, is coming off a seven-sack performance last week against Minnesota, their most in a single game in four seasons. Conversely, Colts tackle Bernhard Raimann has stacked some nice weeks together, allowing just four sacks to the likes of Chandler Jones, Alex Highsmith, and DeMarcus Lawrence over his last five games. Khalil Mack, meanwhile, has not logged a sack since Week 10 against San Francisco. On both sides of the ball, the Colts have players on hot streaks in the trenches, while LA has a few looking to snap a cold streak. That’s not usually a great combination.

Cover 3 struggles

The Colts’ defensive coordinator is Gus Bradley, who you may remember as LA’s defensive coordinator from 2017-2020. During his tenure as a Chargers coach, Bradley loved to run Cover 3, a tendency that has continued at every stop in his coaching career. Sure enough, Indianapolis is a heavy Cover 3 team. This season, Justin Herbert’s EPA per play against Cover 3 is a poor -0.23. This makes sense for a few reasons, namely that Cover 3 is built to take away some of the deep throws over the middle that is open in Cover 2 since there’s an extra defender in the middle of the field. Some of the best ways to beat Cover 3 are to push the ball downfield consistently, forcing flat defenders to choose between carrying extra deep routes upfield or sticking to their man. The problem with this for LA is that they’re largely allergic to calling such plays, and even if they do, traditional dropback passing has not worked the last few weeks because of the offensive line struggles.

Kickoff returns

Since taking over for Isaiah Rodgers midway through Week 12, undrafted rookie Dallis Flowers has been one of the best kick returners in all of football. He’s averaging 34.1 yards per return, leading the league amongst players with at least ten return opportunities. Indianapolis also leads the league in points added on kick returns at 7.8, per Football Outsiders, partially thanks to Flowers, who has broken returns of 48, 49, and 89 yards. While the Chargers are 12th in kickoff defense DVOA, they’re 31st in kickoff return, and DeAndre Carter’s 19.1 yards per return is second worst in the league amongst players with 10+ returns. That discrepancy could lead to the Chargers losing the field position battle if Cameron Dicker can’t consistently force touchbacks.

Primetime close calls

So far, the Chargers are 2-3 in primetime, but all five games have ended in one-possession affairs. For the most part, that’s fairly standard: two three-point losses to Kansas City and a six-point loss to San Francisco are hard games to hold a grudge over. Those are Super Bowl contenders that LA hung tough with despite injuries piling up all over the roster. Wins over playoff teams like the Dolphins and Titans are also examples of what the Chargers look like on their best days. But what concerns me here is the overtime victory over the Broncos in Week 6. Like this Colts game, that game came on Monday Night Football. Like the Colts, the Broncos have an above-average defense and a horrible offense. Denver hit Justin Herbert 8 times and forced overtime, where the two teams seemed deadlocked until Ja’Sir Taylor made an incredible special teams play. Denver has the worst special teams in the league, Indianapolis 19th. Is that enough of a difference to prevent a similar mistake from them?

Key things to know about Chargers’ Week 16 opponent: Colts

Here are some key things to know about the Los Angeles Chargers’ opponent ahead of the Week 16 matchup.

After winning their last two games, the Chargers meet with the Colts on Monday night as they look to stay hot and land a spot in the playoffs.

To get you prepped for the Week 16 bout, here are some key things to know about Los Angeles’ opponent ahead of the matchup.

Change at quarterback

Indianapolis’ interim head coach Jeff Saturday announced that Nick Foles will be the starter over Matt Ryan. The decision to bench Ryan in favor of Foles came after the Colts found themselves as the victim of the biggest comeback in NFL history in their 39-33 loss to the Vikings in Week 15. In his 11-year career, Foles has thrown for 14,003 yards with 82 touchdowns to 43 interceptions and a completion percentage of 62.4.

Star running back out

Jonathan Taylor’s 2022 season is over. The Colts placed him on the injured reserve with an ankle injury. Taylor missed time throughout the year because of the issue and posted 861 yards, four touchdowns, and 28 catches for 143 yards in 11 games. This was trending nowhere near his 2021 campaign, which saw him amass a league-high 332 carries for 1,811 yards and 18 touchdowns. In Taylor’s absence, Indianapolis will likely lean on Deon Jackson and Zack Moss.

One-man show

Despite the change at quarterback, the Colts’ passing offense will likely still revolve around wide receiver Michael Pittman. Pittman is the team leader in receptions (86), targets (121) and receiving yards (815). Behind Pittman are Parris Campbell and rookie Alec Pierce, who each have 510 receiving yards.

Gus’ group

The Chargers will play a familiar face in former defensive coordinator Gus Bradley, who now serves in the same role after overseeing the Raiders’ defense two years prior. Statistically, the Colts rank 11th in defensive DVOA, 14th in passing defense DVOA and 13th in rushing defense DVOA. Bradley’s scheme is still heavily predicated on Cover 3, a coverage that has given Justin Herbert some problems.

Other notes

  • Defensive tackles DeForest Buckner and Grover Stewart are elite against the run, both with 36 run stops and in the top 15 among interior defensive linemen in run-stop percentage.
  • Edge defenders Yannick Ngakoue and Kwity Paye have 41 and 25 pressures, respectively. Ngakoue leads the team in sacks (12), while Paye is third with six.
  • The Colts offensive line is 26th in pass-blocking efficiency. They have allowed the third-most sacks (29).

3 candidates to be Colts’ interim HC after Frank Reich firing

Taking a look at three candidates to take over as Colts interim HC following Frank Reich’s firing.

Update: In a shocking move, the Colts named Jeff Saturday as the interim head coach Monday.

The Indianapolis Colts made a statement Monday by firing head coach Frank Reich after five and a half seasons.

Though Reich finished with a 40-33-1 record as head coach in the regular season, the team made the playoffs just twice during his tenure and the recent downward spiral of the team was the nail in the coffin.

While the Colts are likely to announce an interim head coach during their press conference Monday evening, here are three candidates the team could consider: