Kemoko Turay – Page 7 – Syndication Server

Previewing Colts DL ahead of training camp in 2020

A look at the DL ahead of training camp.

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 defensive line will be one of the most intriguing position groups to watch in 2020. The addition of DeForest Buckner has given Colts fans plenty of excitement while there is hope for Kemoko Turay and Ben Banogu to continue their developments as speed rushers off the edge.

With Justin Houston returning on the final year of his contract and Grover Stewart turning into an impressive force from the one-technique, there is a lot to like about this unit.

Expected Depth Chart

DE	DT (3-Tech)	DT (1-Tech)	DE
Justin Houston	DeForest Buckner	Grover Stewart	Kemoko Turay
Al-Quadin Muhammad	Denico Autry	Sheldon Day	Ben Banogu
Gerri Green	Tyquan Lewis	Robert Windsor

Players To Watch

DeForest Buckner: This is an obvious one and even if he wasn’t listed, Buckner would be the player Colts fans are excited to watch. His skill set will elevate the entire play of the defense while being the interior force the Colts have been missing all along.

Kemoko Turay: Things were looking bright for Turay in 2019 before a broken ankle ended his season. The Colts didn’t add much to the edge this offseason, meaning the starting role opposite Houston is his to lose.

Tyquan Lewis: After an embattled two seasons dealing with injuries, Lewis faces a big preseason. He’s certainly on the roster bubble but his positional flexibility could be a reason he winds up making it. This is a turning point for his career.

Storylines To Watch

More consistent pass rush?

The Colts defense has featured a pass rush that will explode for a few games but then go dormant for a stretch. A lack of consistent interior pressure could be the reason and the addition of Buckner could mean a more consistent pass rush for the Colts in 2020.

Position battles

Every position has a battle of sorts to watch. The edge on the defensive line is pretty set with the four players. However, the interior will feature an intriguing battle between Lewis and the sixth-round pick in Windsor. Both are fighting for their spots on the 53-man roster.

2020 Outlook

Colts fans should be excited about what could come from the defensive line in 2020. The starting unit is as strong as ever and if the players keep their health, this group could surprise many across the football world and become a dominant front.

2020 Colts training camp preview: DE Kemoko Turay

Kemoko Turay has a big year ahead.

The Indianapolis Colts are hoping to return from their summer break on July 28 for training camp, barring any changes. We will be previewing the majority of the roster as the summer progresses.

Name: Kemoko Turay
Position: DE
Height: 6-foot-5
Weight: 248
Age: 24
Free Agent Year: 2022

Background

Turay was poised for a breakout campaign in 2019 and while it seemed he was heading that way through the first half of the season, a broken ankle against the Kansas City Chiefs ended that dream early on. Entering his third season, Turay has high hopes to once again be a big part of the pass rush while putting it all together.

Expected Role

With Justin Houston working on one end of the defensive line, it is likely that Turay will be working opposite him the most on the other side of the line. The Colts love what Turay brings in terms of his speed rush. They feel he’s a perfect complement on the edge and they proved that by not adding anything of import to the room this offseason.

2020 Outlook

Turay is in for another campaign as a breakout player. The Rutgers product has to prove he can stay healthy. He dealt with a shoulder injury during his rookie campaign and then ha the unfortunate luck of the broken ankle in 2019. If He can prove that he can stay healthy, the 2020 season should be a strong one for the 24-year-old.

Turay brings an element of speed and bend to the edge that the Colts don’t have much of in the defensive end room. His skill set is needed if the pass rush is to be a consistent threat each and every week.

Bottom Line

Turay is in for another potential breakout season as long as he can stay on the field. The Colts love his skill set so much that they didn’t bring in anyone to compete for his starting role. He will certainly be a player to watch once the regular season begins.

3 Colts who should take a major step forward in 2020

Which Colts should take a step forward in 2020?

Each season, Indianapolis Colts fans look up and down at the roster to see if there are players who could take a big step forward, or guys that could take a step back.

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Going into the 2020 season there is a lot of optimism that the Colts will get a few players to step up and lead the team to the playoffs, and possibly further.

Let’s look at five Colts that should take a major step forward heading into the 2020 NFL season. (This is not a ranking, just five Colts that should take a step up)

RB Nyheim Hines

Everyone saw Hines take a step forward in the second half of the 2019 season when he took over Chester Rogers’ role as the punt returner. In only nine returns, Hines was third in the NFL in return yards, and back in Week 16 against the Panthers, he had the two punt return touchdowns, the first time that has happened since 2012.

Expect Hines to take a jump in offensive production this year. Frank Reich said in the offseason, ” It wouldn’t surprise me if there is a game this year that Nyheim Hines has 10 catches. Nyheim will be very much integrated into the gameplan on all three downs.” While I wouldn’t expect Hines to have 10 catches in a game—his average per game so far in his career is three—I wouldn’t be shocked if that bumps up to five or six.

Darren Sproles, Danny Woodhead, and Austin Ekeler have all had productive receiving seasons with Philip Rivers as the quarterback. Here’s a quick chart on the notable pass catchers for Rivers:

Player	Seasons	Games	Targets	Rec.	Yards	TDs
Darren Sproles	2008-2010	48	166	133	1359	11
Danny Woodhead	2013 & 2015	32	194	156	1,360	12
Austin Ekeler	2019	16	108	92	993	8

How much of a target share Hines will have remains to be seen but as the primary pass-catcher in the backfield, he’s likely to see a strong share of targets thanks to Rivers.

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PFF names the top position battle to watch for the Colts

Which position battle is most important?

With the offseason over, the Indianapolis Colts are expected to have a relatively straight-forward starting lineup on both sides of the ball. Neither side should have roster-changing position battles to watch.

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There, of course, will be plenty of battles to keep an eye on and Pro Football Focus believes the top one across the roster will be the fight for who sees the most playing time on the edge opposite Justin Houston.

Battle to watch: Edge defender opposite Justin Houston

There are a couple of names who could start opposite Houston, but none of them are overly exciting. The most exciting of the bunch may be Kemoko Turay after he got off to a very fast start to the 2019 season (91.0 pass-rushing grade before season-ending injury in Week 5), but he was used primarily as a pass-rushing specialist, with 72 of his 81 defensive snaps coming on pass plays. Ben Banogu and Tyquan Lewis are also names who could fill the position. Al-Quadin Muhammad has the most experience of the bunch and has graded decently over the last two seasons in Indianapolis.

Pro Football Focus currently has Muhammad listed as the starter opposite Houston, and that might be up for debate. Turay’s short sample of six games in 2019 showed he was taking the right steps in becoming a viable starter on the edge.

He did most of his damage as a pass rusher and it remains to be seen what type of edge setter he can really be, but he is likely heading into the season with the starting job to lose.

That position will have plenty of eyes on it, though. With Turay, Muhammad, Banogu and even some interior players like Denico Autry and Tyquan Lewis, there are many players vying for a role at that spot. Throw in 2019 sixth-round pick Gerri Green and 2020 undrafted rookie Kendall Coleman to the mix as well.

It will be interesting to see who wins the battle, but that spot will have big implications for the Colts defense in 2020.

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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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Colts see big upside in young pass rushers

Chris Ballard sees upside with Kemoko Turay and Ben Banogu.

The Indianapolis Colts pass rush saw an uptick in production thanks to the work of veteran Justin Houston, but the front office is just as excited for the progression of the young pass rushers in Kemoko Turay and Ben Banogu.

Both second-round picks in each of the last two drafts respectively, the Colts have optimism for the future outlook of these two pass rushers. Turay was on fire before suffering a season-ending injury while Banogu had some flashes here and there in a limited role.

But when looking at the outlook of the duo, general manager Chris Ballard has a lot of optimism with them.

“I think they have big upside. Losing Kemoko Turay was a big hit. I think you saw it. You saw it against the Chargers. I think you saw it against Kansas City. Neither one of those teams could block him. He was a fastball that we needed,” said Ballard on Thursday. “I thought he really took another step. You always see a pretty big step between Year 1 and Year 2. Sometimes it takes a little longer with pass rushers. He took the step in the right direction and he’s worked his butt off to get healthy.”

Turay really looked like he was primed for a big season in 2019. He recorded 1.5 sacks and five quarterback hits through four games before ending his season on the injured reserve list.

With Banogu, there wasn’t a whole lot of excitement from the TCU produce. He had a nice few rushes but failed to really carve out a role in the defense during the second half.

“Flashes from Ben, but need more. I think he’ll continue to develop. He has some of the same stuff Kemoko has,” Ballard said. “It’ll be fun to watch those two continue to develop.”

In 16 games, Banogu had 2.5 sacks and five quarterback hits. Though the Colts initially wanted to use him as a SAM backer, he played most of the season at defensive end.

The Colts pass rush was decent but inconsistent. The hope is the upside with Turay and the development of Banogu will come to fruition during the 2020 season to go alongside the veteran Houston.