In line with ESPN’s Mike Clay and Seth Walder (subscription), the Indianapolis Colts have the thirtieth greatest ranked general roster forward of the 2023 season:

30. Indianapolis Colts

Strongest unit: Defensive deal with. I used to be tempted to go working again right here, however I’ll give the nod to the legend DeForest Buckner. The 29-year-old is coming off one more elite season and has been as constant as they arrive, enjoying 700-plus snaps in all seven NFL seasons and delivering a minimum of seven sacks in 5 consecutive campaigns. He’s joined within the trenches by underrated Grover Stewart and newcomer Taven Bryan, and versatile Tyquan Lewis and Dayo Odeyingbo will get some inside runs as properly. — Clay

Weakest unit: Secondary. The Colts moved on from Gilmore (second in defensive snaps on the Colts final season) and S Rodney McLeod (third) in the course of the offseason whereas failing to make critical efforts to interchange them. Kenny Moore II and Julian Blackmon are the very best gamers on this secondary, and each are coming off injury-plagued seasons. Isaiah Rodgers was a robust wager to start out reverse Moore, however he’s unproven and certain dealing with a multi-game suspension for betting. Rodney Thomas II and up to date Day 2 picks Julius Brents (2023) and Nick Cross (2022) should step up. — Clay

X issue for 2023: LG Quenton Nelson. As a three-time first-team All-Professional, Nelson ought to be locked in as a bankable famous person. However his play dropped dramatically final season, with a 91% cross block win fee that ranked simply forty first at guard, in accordance with ESPN Analytics and NFL Subsequent Gen Stats. Rookie quarterback Anthony Richardson might use a rebound 12 months from his new guard. — Walder

Nonstarter to know: RB Deon Jackson (for his receiving expertise). He averaged 1.7 yards per route run final 12 months, eighth-best amongst RBs with a minimum of 100 routes run, and had the fourth-highest RTM Total Rating amongst working backs. — Walder

With the Colts ending with the 4th worst file final season, which they used to pick high quarterback prospect Anthony Richardson, it’s not shocking that they’re thought of equally as low in general roster rankings headed into the 2023 marketing campaign.

Along with the Colts’ quarterback struggles, quite a lot of their high gamers didn’t play as much as their often excessive requirements—some because of accidents, a bunch that features offensive guard Quenton Nelson, linebacker Shaquille Leonard, working again Jonathan Taylor, cornerback Kenny Moore II, and middle Ryan Kelly. They’ll want a very good quantity of that group to return to their previous formidable kinds, in the event that they’re critical about making a shock AFC playoff push.

That being stated, I feel this Colts roster is healthier than it’s being credited for right here. If they’ll get extra dynamic play out of the quarterback place, and the offensive line returns to being a minimum of a league common unit (*and Jonathan Taylor is absolutely wholesome once more), then I feel there’s room for some optimism in Indy.

The Colts offense was merely dreadful final season, and some enhancements right here and there might make it a minimum of a decent general NFL unit.

The Colts protection was really a fairly strong all-around unit final season, they simply had been on the sphere for fully too lengthy and positioned in poor beginning discipline place due to the offense’s common ineptitude. That secondary is younger although.

Additionally, it’s not as if the AFC South is a very sturdy division collectively—the place final 12 months’s reigning champion, the Jacksonville Jaguars, went 9-8 (*and misplaced to the Colts on the highway in Week 6).

Total, I feel the Colts have extra expertise than this rating really signifies, however nobody ought to give them the advantage of the doubt after the disappointing season Indy simply had.