4-3 Defense:
DE: Chandler Jones, Kerry Hyder, Tyquan Lewis, Carol Phillips
DT: Geno Atkins, Margus Hunt, Denico Autry, Grover Stewart
DT: Zach Kerr, Hassan Ridgeway, Al Woods
DE: Jabaal Sheard, Kemoko Turay, Al-Quadin Muhammad
SAM: Anthony Barr, Zaire Franklin
MIKE: Denzel Perryman, Anthony Walker, Skai Moore
WILL: Darius Leonard, Matthew Adams
CB: Quincy Wilson, EJ Gaines, Nate Hairston, Arthur Maulet
CB: Pierre Desir, James Bradberry,
Slot CB: Bryce Callahan, Kenny Moore II
FS: Malik Hooker, Kenny Vaccaro, George Odum
SS: Tyrann Matheiu, Reshad Jones, Clayton Geathers,
Lo and behold the fruits of Andrew Luck's labor. For it may not be an elite unit, it is considerably better than the unit of last year. Jones and Atkins are obvious. They add a consistent #1 pass rusher type threat each way. Both of them on any given day command double teams on every down. This goes to compliment old stalwarts of the Colts front 7 in Hunt, Autry, and Sheard, who were all adept in bringing pressure last year. This is before you factor in the two second rounders from last year in Lewis and Turay, Turay in particular someone I am fond of. Hyder is a no-risk high reward signing and on another team in a rotation he might thrive. Hassan Ridgeway was also good down the stretch last year. The front 7 is not elite, but as a rotational unit it should remain fresh with the amount of depth I got. Want to run on me? If you do have fun. Kerr and Atkins can plug up the middle and Sheard and Jones are good edge setters. If you manage to make it past them, have fun with the LB corps.
The LB corps is obvious. Darius Leonard is a superstud and was the clear cut best player on the D last year. Now he has some help. Leonard is at his best as a WILL, and Perryman is the perfect MIKE to compliment him. Perryman at the MIKE has been good, but not great, for LA/SD. But Leonard next to him makes his life considerably easier. Barr isn't really a pure SAM, which is fine, Anthony Walker can flex out there if need be. Barr is a great run defender and pass rusher from the SAM backer spot, and should contribute very nicely on that front in nickel packages, which I intend on running a lot of.
The biggest question for me is the secondary. Hooker was a lowkey stud last year, and Quincy Wilson improved significantly down the stretch. But Hooker should be the guy to build around, so significant investments were made despite the group being underrated last year. Returning from FA are Geathers and Desir for the sake of continuity. Desir had the season of a #1 CB last year and is good at everything. Geathers is a solid SS. Also returning is Kenny Moore II, who was good at slot CB coming down the stretch. The CB corps brought in three names. EJ Gaines, a good get at a low cost if he can stay healthy, James Bradberry who is a good addition who also serves as a good blitzer, and Bryce Callahan, who is a really good slot CB. Then comes the chess pieces. Honey Badger was really good last season for the Texans as an in the box safety who can flex out to the slot. Vaccaro and Jones provide some valuable depth. The point here is that Wilson, Bradberry, and Desir, and Callahan respectively are all good in press coverage. That should give Hooker room to go do what he does best and be a ballhawk, and Honey Badger will clean up whatever he can.
Happy with my haul thus far. The defense has a whole new look to it?
Man, Andrew Luck has a real oline and a real defense now. Scary.
