Tag: Julius Brents

ESPN analyst: Colts among teams with worst offseason

ESPN’s Bill Barnwell wasn’t too excited about the moves the Colts made this offseason.

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After a disappointing 4-12-1 season, the expectations were high for the Indianapolis Colts to nail their offseason moves, starting with the installation of a new coaching staff, building through the draft, and adding free agents.

While there are plenty of reasons for optimism about the direction of the team following the offseason, ESPN recently released a ranking of the teams with best and worst offseasons, and they were less than impressed with the Colts.

General manager Chris Ballard’s team landed at No. 24 on ESPN staff writer Bill Barnwell’s list. The list is based on what the team did during the offseason to increase its chances of winning a Super Bowl, in the short term and long term, given the roster and resources it had to work with.

Barnwell then breaks down the offseason into “what went right,” “what went wrong,” and “what is left to do.”

The team’s most significant move that went well was drafting quarterback Anthony Richardson and not having to move some serious capital to pull it off. Barnwell credits the team for investing in Richardson after a series of moves that didn’t pan out post-Andrew Luck’s departure. He also credited the team for signing Gardener Minshew as insurance if Richardson struggles.

However, Barnwell did not hold back about what he felt were serious missteps or concerns. His biggest problems on the offensive side were whether Richardson had enough help to succeed and if stars like Michael Pittman, Jr. and Jonathan Taylor would return to form. Additionally, he was less than thrilled with the play of Bernhard Raimann and felt it was a misstep by the team not to add more depth to the offensive line.

I’m not sure Indy did enough to address the other premium positions on its roster. Does Richardson have enough help? Its offensive infrastructure looks more promising if you treat last season like a bad dream, but if you had to watch the tape, you remember what things looked like. Michael Pittman Jr. went from playing like a breakout star to averaging 9.3 yards per reception. A once-feared offensive line looked past its best and made too many mental mistakes. Jonathan Taylor, the reigning top running back in football, looked a step slower amid ankle injuries after a heavy workload in 2021.

The biggest issue is not addressing the offensive line, which comes back virtually untouched from a year ago. The Colts love 2022 third-rounder Bernhard Raimann’s potential as a tackle, but the converted tight end looked overmatched as a rookie and turns 26 in September. I’m not saying they should have given up on Raimann after one year, but the only competition they brought in for him is rookie fourth-rounder Blake Freeland.

On defense, Barnwell listed the lack of production outside of DeForest Bucker as alarming and noted that the team needs more out of players like Kwity Paye. Admittedly, he understood trading away cornerback Stephon Gilmore but felt it was a misstep to leave veteran cornerback Kenny Moore II with rookie Julius Brents and others to fill the void. He also is not confident in defensive coordinator Gus Bradley’s abilities to build defenses without superior secondary unit play.

Despite a grim outlook, there is hope the team will finish what’s left: extending running back Jonathan Taylor. Earlier this week, Taylor confirmed that he and the Colts have engaged in discussions, and he is hopeful for the future. Barnwell echoed this sentiment and noted that leaning on Taylor would be in the team’s best interest as Anthony Richardson grows.

It’s impossible today to know whether these offseason moves are enough to move the growth needle, but the team will continue to assess as the season progresses.

Draft Wire predicts stats for trio of Colts rookies

Our friends over at Draft Wire made some stat projections for a trio of Colts rookies.

With the majority of player movement across the league dying down, the focus now turns to getting the rookies and new veteran players acclimated to their new teams. The Indianapolis Colts are chiefly among those getting the ball rolling in that department.

With a 12-player draft class and a handful of veterans joining the roster via free agency, the Colts have a lot of work to do when it comes to transitioning into the scheme and mentality under new head coach Shane Steichen.

As it pertains to the draft class, the first three selections for the Colts should have impact roles right away. Quarterback Anthony Richardson (No. 4 overall) should push for the starting role entering Week 1 while both cornerback Julius Brents (No. 44 overall) and slot wide receiver Josh Downs (No. 79 overall) have paths to starting the season at their respective positions.

Thus, Natalie Miller of Draft Wire made some early stat projections for the rookie trio entering the 2023 campaign:

10 Colts with first-time Pro Bowl potential in 2023

Which Colts can capture a Pro Bowl nod for the first time in their careers?

Just two seasons ago, the Indianapolis Colts had the most Pro Bowl selections (seven) in the NFL before their dumpster fire of a 2022 campaign resulted in Quenton Nelson being the lone representative for the franchise at the most recent all-star game.

This should be no surprise as bad teams typically don’t see their players earning honors by the end of the season since they aren’t getting attention from the national media and audience.

With that being said, there are a number of players on this year’s roster that will be looking to make grab the first Pro Bowl nod of their career. Let’s take a look at 10 Colts who have the potential to play in their first all-star game at the end of 2023:

Colts’ injury roundup: Updates on Jonathan Taylor, Shaquille Leonard

Here are the latest injury updates for the Colts regarding several players at OTAs.

The Indianapolis Colts were on the field this week for their first organized team activity (OTA) practices of the offseason and while there’s no official injury report to be filed, we received some key updates on the injury status of several players.

Thursday’s viewing of OTAs was the first time the media was permitted to watch practice since the start of Phase III of the offseason program, and there were several players absent from the practice due to injury. Some we knew of, and some we didn’t.

Here’s a roundup of the latest injury updates regarding the Colts at OTAs:

6 most intriguing position battles to watch at Colts’ OTAs

Taking a look at the most intriguing position battles as the Colts begin OTAs.

The offseason program for the Indianapolis Colts kicked off last month and continues with organized team activities (OTAs) this week.

These activities happen in three phases (May 23-25, May 31-June 2, and June 5-8) and will consist of in-person meetings and dedicated classroom teaching designed to help players improve during the offseason.

It’s also significant because it marks the first time the Colts can run drills between the offense and defense even though no pads or contact are permitted.

As the players reconvene, the evaluation process of the roster begins. It’s a critical time for a young team such as the Colts.

Here are the most intriguing position battles to watch at Colts’ OTAs:

Pre-draft scouting: What scouts said about Colts CB Julius Brents

Here’s what the pre-draft scouting reports said about Colts CB Julius Brents.

After grabbing their hopeful franchise quarterback, the Indianapolis Colts turned around on Day 2 to add a potential cornerstone piece of the secondary in the form of cornerback Julius Brents.

The Indy native and Warren Central alum was high on the Colts’ board to begin Day 2. They were able to move back twice in the second round via trades before making the selection of Brents, who has a chance to compete for a Week 1 starting role as a boundary corner.

Here’s what the draft analysts had to say about Brents before the Colts made the pick at No. 44 overall:

1 thing to know about each Colts’ 2023 draft pick

Here is one thing to know about each of the Colts’ 2023 draft picks.

The Indianapolis Colts recently added 12 new players to their roster in the 2023 NFL draft.

Each player drafted is different whether ranging from their background and walks of life to their skill sets on the field.

With that, here’s one thing to know about each of the Colts’ selections in the 2023 NFL draft:

Colts’ Julius Brents among best scheme fits in Round 2

Here’s why Doug Farrar is a big fan of Julius Brents’ fit with the Colts.

Indianapolis Colts rookie cornerback Julius Brents will have the chance to compete immediately for a starting spot on the boundary of Gus Bradley’s defense.

While that is partly due to the lack of starting talent the Colts had in the cornerback room going into the 2023 NFL draft, it mostly has to do with the fact that Brents is an ideal fit for Bradley’s zone-heavy scheme.

The marriage between Brents’ profile and Bradley’s scheme landed the rookie cornerback on Doug Farrar’s list of “the best NFL player/scheme fits” from the second round of the draft.

Here’s what Farrar had to say about Brents’ fit with the Colts over at Touchdown Wire:

Like the Steelers, the Colts and general manager Chris Ballard clearly wanted a new group of massive cornerbacks with the ability to press and envelop receivers off the line of scrimmage. There was the 6-foot-3, 198-pound Brents, taken with the 44th overall pick in the second round, South Carolina’s Darius Rush in the fifth round, and Texas A&M’s Jaylon Jones in the seventh round. All three of them should be able to excel in defensive coordinator Gus Bradley’s single-high island-based coverages. Indy’s top personnel man was particularly impressed by Brents’ physical profile.

“There are not a lot of guys 6-foot-3 playing corner in the league, but he is a really good athlete,” Ballard said of Brents. “He’s a really good fit for what we want to do because he’s a press corner. We do want to play a little more press coverage. We think he’s going to be really good at it. He’s got some unique traits. He’s a really good athlete and for a tall kid he can really change direction. We’re excited about it. We think he’s a really good fit for the defense.”

Last season for the Wildcats, Brents allowed just 24 catches on 52 targets for 374 yards, 123 yards after the catch, three touchdowns, four interceptions, three pas breakups, and an opponent passer rating of 57.7. On 15 snaps in press coverage in 2022, Brents gave up just six receptions for 33 yards — the longest catch he allowed in press was 15 yards, and there were more catches that went absolutely nowhere than those that did.

This two-yard loss against Texas A&M was one example of how well Brents can close down any quick-game stuff from press, which is mandatory in today’s NFL.

This is the two-yard loss play Farrar referenced above:

Brents’ physical profile was enough to intrigue the Colts. He’s a near-perfect fit for what Chris Ballard prefers in his cornerbacks from the elite length to the ball skills and elite athleticism.

Barring a massive underperformance during the preseason, Brents should be walking into a starting role in Week 1 as a boundary corner at Lucas Oil Stadium.

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Ranking Colts rookies by potential impact in 2023

Which Colts’ rookies will have the biggest impact in Year 1?

The Indianapolis Colts are bringing on the largest draft class in the franchise’s history during the modern draft era with 12 players joining the roster.

This was a much-needed jolt to the roster that needed competition and depth across the board. While all 12 players might not make the final roster as history tells us even with smaller draft classes, there is plenty of opportunity for the rookies to make an impact in 2023.

Let’s take a look at which first-year players are set to influence the outcome of the upcoming season:

Who was Draft Wire’s favorite draft pick for the Colts?

Draft Wire’s favorite pick for the Colts should be an immediate starter.

The Indianapolis Colts had a lot of selections in the 2023 NFL draft—12 to be exact.

While a lot of the buzz surrounds quarterback Anthony Richardson, and rightfully so, Jeff Risdon of Draft Wire had another prospect in mind when it came to his favorite pick from the Colts’ haul.

It came in the form of a local product and a likely starter at the cornerback position.

Indianapolis Colts: CB Julius Brents

The second-rounder from Kansas State was always at his best when the Wildcats needed it most. The Colts haven’t had a guy like that in the secondary in too long of a time.

Brents was a player the Colts had been targeting throughout the pre-draft process. He’s a perfect fit for Gus Bradley’s scheme considering his length, elite athleticism and physicality against the run.

The cornerback position was a major question mark for the Colts going into the draft, but general manager Chris Ballard made sure to address that need in a big way, spending three of his selections on cornerbacks.

Brents will be recovering from offseason wrist surgery so we may not hear a whole lot about him during the spring, but he is expected to be ready for the start of training camp.

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