Indianapolis Colts lose star defensive player to injury, but not all hope is lost

The Indianapolis Colts have begun training camp, meaning the NFL season is near. Fans are getting their first look at this year’s team and its new additions. Of course, fan reactions to the players’ work in camp are always rational, and there was some big news out of the horseshoe’s camp today.

Unfortunately, it was not the good kind, as it’s reported that their starting defensive end Samson Ebukam tore his Achilles on Sunday and will be lost for the season. This is a big blow for the Colts defensive front. Last season was the best of his career.

• Samson Ebukam stats: 57 TKLS, 39 Solo, 10 TFL, 17 QBHits, 9.5 Scks, 3 FF, 1PD

It’s no surprise that Ebukam led the team in sacks last season, as he was a relentless rusher off the edge. He finished second only to DeForest Buckner in QB hits on the team.

• 21 pressures, 8 QB knockdowns, 3 hurries

It was reasonable to expect him to do so again this upcoming season, even with the drafting of Laiatu Latu. Ebukam was graded as PFF’s 14th-best edge and had ESPN’s 16th-highest pass rush win rate (19%) and third-best run stop win rate (35%) amongst all edges. This is why GM Chris Ballard traded for Ebukam, as he’s effective against both the run and the pass.

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Evaluating Indianapolis Colts pass-rush without Samson Ebukam

If there is a glimmer of good news, it’s that the Indianapolis Colts were deep at the defensive end position. They still are but now, Ebukam’s production and snaps will be dispersed between Tyquan Lewis and Dayo Odeyingbo. There is the chance, in obvious passing downs, that Latu, the 15th overall selection in the 2024 NFL Draft, could line up in Ebukam’s spot. Before training camp, the thinking was that Latu would take the place of former first-round pick, Kwity Paye.

Paye and Odeyingbo combined for 16.5 sacks last season. However, the loss of Ebukam will provide more opportunity for Latu to show why the Colts selected him. Currently, in training camp, he’s been operating with the second-string defense. Either he or someone else will be moving up to the first-string defense. Defensive coordinator Gus Bradley will undoubtedly use the remaining days and weeks of training camp to find out who his new starting four down linemen will be.

The Colts do have some available cap space and while many fans want the team to use some or all of that money on a veteran safety, now they might use some for Ebukam’s replacement. The list of available and productive players is not long but it does include some former horseshoe players, Yannick Ngakoue, Ifeadi Odenigbo, Justin Houston, and Henry Anderson.

This injury is not the start to the season that the Colts or their fans wanted. The good news is that it’s early in the year so the team has more opportunity to adjust to this loss. At this point, there is no date scheduled for Ebukam’s surgery. All anyone can do is ask for a good recovery for him and that this injury doesn’t sap too much of what makes him special.

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