Source: Justin Casterline / Getty
Isn’t draft time in the NFL fun?
Eternal optimism reigns supreme. Struggling teams are provided hope, while in other instances the rich just get richer (did you see the Chiefs get Xavier Worthy). But for a team like the Colts the draft can really sway whether or not you find yourselves in the playoffs. And for GM Chris Ballard it’s about time he finds himself on the right side of history.
The Colts entered the draft without any really glaring holes. Mild concerns at CB, WR, and Edge were bantered about, but the team wasn’t dealing with a position you just HAD to draft in the first couple rounds. This provided Ballard flexibility and he took advantage of it.
So, what questions are still lingering now that we’re past the draft? I can think of a few and here they are…
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5 Lingering Post Draft Colts Questions was originally published on 1075thefan.com
1. What are expectations for Adonai Mitchell?
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Michael Pittman Jr had 40 catches in 13 games his rookie year. This past season Josh Downs caught 68 balls for 771 yards and a couple touchdowns.
So, what about Adonai Mitchell? What are his expectations? There are several factors at work here. Personally, I think Mitchell eats into Alec Pierce’s snap count, which is a good thing. Not only because of Pierce’s lack of production, but in reality, there’s no reason he needs to be playing over 90% of the snaps each game.
If I set the over/under on catches at 55.5 and touchdowns at 6.5 tell me where I’m right or wrong.
2. When/Where will the OL picks play?
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I know on the surface fans may have found back-to-back OL being drafted a tad confusing, but I loved it. Of course, it was predictable given Chris Ballard’s own words leading up to the draft and his track record of prioritizing the line of scrimmage.
But by drafting Matt Goncalves in the 3rd round and Tanor Bortolini in the 4th the Colts added two more versatile pieces to that room. Plus, let’s be honest about the future of the Colts OL…the team has an “out” in Quenton Nelson’s contract after this season, Braden Smith missed 7 games last season, Will Fries is a free agent after this coming season, and so is Ryan Kelly.
You have to think Goncalves and Bortolini play sparingly this season, but Ballard did say he hopes they push the starters. Generally, I think these sorts of things play themselves out, whether by poor play or by injury. But the real question is whether Bortolini is the C of the future and if Goncalves is more of a guard. By year 2 you could see both having a key roll on the OL.
3. What does not drafting a RB mean?
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Trey Sermon had a pretty good NFL draft weekend. The Colts drafted 9 players this past weekend and none were running backs. Sure, it’s a devalued position and this year’s crop was pretty substandard, but still Ballard didn’t pull the trigger on one. Since the end of last season, they’ve said complimentary things of Sermon who I believe will get the first shot at backup duties. Evan Hall should be back from a knee injury that sidelined him all of last season. I’m sure he’ll get a shot at some point. Hopefully this isn’t a huge talking point, and you get full time and big-time production from Jonathan Taylor.
4. What about CB?
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I’ll admit that mock drafts were hitting early on in the draft…well, until pick 8 and then all hell broke loose. And, unfortunately for them, one team many whiffed on in round one was the Colts. Not only did they not draft a corner in round one (and every corner was available) but Ballard didn’t select one until the SIXTH ROUND…Micah Abraham from Marshall.
At this point you have to believe that the overwhelming majority of CB snaps are already on the roster. I still think they add a veteran somewhere along the way, but at this point who is available that you’d want?
5. Is Jaylin Simpson the heir to the “Safety throne”?
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Much like corner, safety was a position of need for Ballard and company. It wasn’t a pressing one but it was still on the list. He did end up taking one but not until his third pick in the 5th round. Much like corner, Ballard made a pick but would only use late round capital.
The player? Jaylin Simpson from Auburn. Does he get on the field this year? If not, could he be ready to play by year 2? Remember that Julian Blackmon only signed a one-year deal.
