The Colts’ second training camp practice was dominated by the defensive front–a unit that has high expectations coming into the upcoming season.
Kevin Bowen of 107.5 The Fan was at Saturday’s practice and had this to say about the performance of the defensive front:
“Saturday was a day for the defensive line. From the opening snap, that unit lived in the starting backfield with constant pressure and several whistled sacks…The 4-man starting group of Kwity Paye, DeForest Buckner, Grover Stewart and Samson Ebukam all made individual impressions.”
Bowen would also note that with Braden Smith still sidelined, Blake Freeland was starting at right tackle, a matchup that Paye was able to take advantage of. In addition to the persistent pressure surrendered by the Colts’ offensive line, that unit also had its share of penalties as well.
It’s no secret that building the defense through the trenches has been an emphasis of GM Chris Ballard, and this offseason reflected that approach greatly.
Over the last several months, we’ve seen Ballard re-sign Grover Stewart and Tyquan Lewis. He signed free agent Raekwon Davis and extended DeForest Buckner. Ballard also drafted Laiatu Latu in the first round and picked up Kwity Paye’s fifth-year option for the 2025 season.
“Well, that’s where it starts, right?” said defensive coordinator Gus Bradley on Saturday. “Is with your defensive line, especially with who we have up front. We like our veteran presence, the leadership there, so we’re counting on them to set the tone for the whole defense because we have a saying, it starts up front, and really with us that’s true.”
The result of this investment from Ballard is a defensive line that should be one of the more disruptive units in football, and a rotation that runs eight or even nine players deep.
Having that kind of depth can help keep defenders fresh and wear down the offensive line throughout the course of the game. It will make it difficult for offenses to double-team anyone, and Bradley can really mix and match the rotation based on the opponent.
“I think it’ll just be a big problem for other teams,” said Kwity Paye earlier this offseason. “You know, like you see teams that make it far in the playoffs, the Chiefs, the 49ers, the Eagles, teams like that where they just have a second D-line that could be a first D-line anywhere else.
“So that’s kind of like, I feel like that’s what we’re trying to build here. There’s no dropoff. As soon as the second D-line coming, the O-line doesn’t have rest, like the O-line doesn’t have the chance to regroup for the first team coming in.”
This is a group that is coming off a 51-sack season in 2023, which is the most in franchise history and ranked as the fifth-highest total in the NFL.
However, if there is an area where this group can improve this season, it’s in their consistency, as Buckner mentioned a few days ago. Despite totaling a hefty number of sacks, the Colts ranked 22nd in pressure rate–meaning that replicating that sack total in 2024 is unlikely unless their able to generate pressures at a more steady rate.
“That was one of the things, was our pressure rate as a unit throughout this season,” added Buckner. “It wasn’t as high as–you put the sacks and the pressure rate, I mean, it was great, sacks are great and all but we got to continue to have an outcome on the game and threaten the quarterback a little bit more, especially in the fourth quarter and in crunch time and those are the things that we can accomplish as a group.”
When the defensive front is playing at a high level, the entire defense benefits. The linebackers are kept clean to flow and make plays, while the secondary doesn’t have to cover as long and pressure can lead to mistakes and therefore turnover opportunities.
The Colts’ defensive front playing to its potential this season can make for a formidable defense to contend with overall.
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