INDIANAPOLIS – While the Colts certainly still have some needs in this 2022 offseason, they have addressed two of the most important positions in football in an aggressive manner.
Improve the passing game and affect the passer at higher rates were clear goals from Chris Ballard at the start of the offseason.
And the Colts believe the trades for Matt Ryan and Yannick Ngakoue will go a long way in accomplishing that.
In 2021, the Colts did so much of the ‘other’ stuff at a high level.
Jonathan Taylor ran it better than anyone in the NFL (and it wasn’t very close behind him, too). The Colts had 33 takeaways, which ranked 2nd in the NFL. Indy had an NFL-best 7 Pro Bowlers.
So how, then, did the Colts sit back and watch 7 other AFC teams participate in the postseason?
Because they struggled in the areas of the game that matter more than the rest right now.
That would be throwing/catching the football, and then defending the passing game on the other side of it.
Going from Carson Wentz to Matt Ryan will bring a much different style quarterback to the Colts.
Ryan’s 14 years of NFL experience should give the offense a chance to capitalize more pre-snap in finding specific advantages. Expecting a tad quicker rhythm passing game, with more accuracy, is fair.
In a league defined by parity and one-possession games, the addition of Ryan should give this offense more of a chance to make plays through the air late in contests.
While the support around Ryan is a question mark, his individual presence under center should give the Colts a QB capable of hitting the layups more often than Wentz.
Ngakoue’s arrival gives the Colts something they haven’t had in years.
It is an edge rushing presence, who still appears to be in his prime years, yet has already shown the ability to offer consistent production on an annual basis.
That’s massive for a defense that finished last year 31st in pressure created and 24th in sacks.
Acting like the Colts do not have anything else to address this offseason would be foolish. But at arguably the two most important positions in sports, the Colts have made substantial changes.
Will it be enough to be in the postseason this year, with an AFC possessing impressive depth in 2022?
