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The original was posted on /r/nfl by /u/UnloadedBakedPotato on 2024-03-04 17:18:27.
Hi all,
This is my first time writing something with this much substance. I won’t cover everything in this post, but I wanted to cover everything I felt was worthy, so I hope you enjoy a detailed overview on the Colts. Due to the 40,000 character limit, I can’t fit everything I want to in this one post, so in the comments you will find a write up on the 2022 draft class, the HC and DC of the Colts, and a myriad of Anthony Richardson propaganda. Special shoutout to u/gainz13 and u/omegabyss_5531 who are going to be helping me throughout this process. I’ll be sure to give them credit for their contribution throughout the post. With that out of the way, let’s get into it.
Team record: 9-8
Division rank: third
Playoffs: Playoffs?!
Pro bowlers: the human fridge that is Quenton Nelson (sixth selection), Ryan Kelly (fourth selection), DeForest Bucker (third selection) and Uncle Rico (first selection)
Offensive DVOA: 1.5%, 13th in the NFL (compared to -26.2% in 2022, last in the NFL)
Defensive DVOA: 2.6%, 20th in the NFL (compared to 1.3% in 2022, 17th in the NFL)
PFF grades: Colts top 5 players by overall PFF grades:
Offense
RT Braden Smith-83.3
LT Bernhard Raimann-82.3
WR Michael Pittman Jr.-77.7
C Ryan Kelly-77.2
RB Jonathan Taylor-74.9
Defense
DE Samson Ebukam 84.4
DT DeForest Buckner 81.8
CB Kenny Moore II 77.4
DT Grover Stewart 76.2
DE Kwity Paye 74.3
Notable FA signings (with help from u/omegabyss_5531
The colts lost a few key players in the 2023 offseason. LB Bobby Okereke and WR Parris Campbell left to go to the Giants, while Brandon Facyson ventured out to Sin City to join the Raiders, and Stephon Gilmore was dealt to Dallas to chase a Super Bowl. The MO of Chris Ballard is to never splurge on a premium player for any specific position while trying to retain and reward homegrown talent. He has made some “big moves” (DeForest Buckner trade), but has yet to sign one of those “big fish” in free agency. Ballard has repeatedly said that he does not want to “pay B players A plus money”, which has led to a conservative FA approach. This has been an acceptable strategy to some, but Ballards conservative approach has also drawn the ire of Colts fans for perceived inactivity and an unwillingness to spend money that the Colts have. The Colts will never be the offseason champions, but there is always a possibility Ballards becomes a little more aggressive with the Colts having their QB of the future under control for four more years.
Samson Ebukam. Contract Terms: Three years, $24 million
Easily the best signing the Colts made last offseason was Ebukam. Ebukam led the team in sacks (9.5) while posting career-high marks in tackles (57), solo tackles (39), tackles for loss (10), quarterback hits (17), and total defensive stops (38).
EJ Speed. Contract terms: Two years, $8 million
Bringing back a member of the 2019 draft class proved fruitful as he was a great supplement for the breakout season that Zaire Franklin was going to have. Chris Ballard knows how to draft LBs. Speed and Franklin have done a good job holding down the second level.
Matt Gay. Contract terms: four years, $22.5 million
Indianapolis needed kicker stability and they got it with Matt Gay for the better part of the 2023 season. The Colts decided to make Matt Gay the highest paid kicker in NFL history (before Justin Tuckers contract) and it worked (sort of). At the end of the season, injuries seemed to play a big part in Gays performance as he became a wildcard for the last few games of the season. A healthy Matt Gay gives the Colts stability they have not had at the kicker position in years. Solid signing.
Gardner Minshew. Contract terms: One year, $3.5 million
One of the premier backups in the league, Minshew was thrusted into a starting role much earlier than anyone would’ve liked. He’s good enough to win some games, as the Colts won seven games with him at the helm, which was a magnificent rebound from the embarrassment that was the 2022 season. After Richardson went down, Steichen had to neuter the offense to fit Minshews playstyle, and Minshew was capable enough to have this Colts team tread water and be in the playoff mix right until the very end. He doesn’t have the arm to maximize on a deep threat like Alec Pierce, but Gardner is what he is. His numbers are similar to Jacoby Brissett’s 2019, lesser than Wentz’ 2021 numbers but neither were the player Minshew is. You live and die by the backup QB in these situations.
The 2023-2024 Colts season in review
What a year it was for the Colts. This season was a roller coaster ride in every sense of the word. From star player trade requests, to releasing one of the best defensive players in franchise history, to an owner who was ready to spend millions of dollars to fly a whale across the country to release it in the Puget Sound, this Colts season had it all. Now, it’s time for us to reflect on this topsy-turvy season.
Let’s start with the good things. On Valentine’s Day, the city of Indianapolis found their new crush by the name of Shane Steichen. After a reported 30 hour interview process, Steichen was the one tapped to bring the Colts franchise back from the dead after an apocalyptic 2022 season. Steichen was my personal #1 candidate and I was over the moon to see him land in Indy. Immediately, questions began to swirl about who the colts QB would be. Every one of the top four QBs was mocked to the colts at some point, yet only one could be the guy. Would it be Bryce Young, who had been the presumptive #1 pick for over a year? How about CJ Stroud, the semi-hometown favorite from Ohio State who gave scouts a lot to think about after his performance against Georgia? Maybe Will Levis, a 6’4 QB with a semi-questionable resume but gobs of upside? Or maybe that 6’4, 250 pound QB who has a rocket launcher attached to his arm and was rumored to run in the 4.4s on combine day, but had the least experience? (More on him later).
For Colts fans, the draft could not come soon enough. As it became clear that Young and Stroud would be off the board, the debate between Anthony Richardson and Will Levis began to intensify. Colts fans know if there is one thing GM Chris Ballard loves more than trading back in the draft, it’s traits. And Anthony Richardson has them in spades. The selection of Richardson coupled with the Steichen hire got me extremely fired up for the season. Steichen was the OC for one of the most dynamic and explosive offenses in the league the previous year. Him, with Jonathan Taylor, and the most athletic QB prospect to ever enter the draft? Sign me up. We had no idea what the season would have in store for us, but we knew it would be fun.
After months of anticipation, we finally got to see what the season would entail. The Colts win total was set at 6.5 wins, which seemed reasonable. All that mattered was that Anthony Richardson looked the part and showed improvement as the season went on.
welp.
In the games that Richardson played, he flashed enough to get me very excited for the future. He crawled back from a 23-0 deficit to give the Rams a run for their money and scored two touchdowns in six minutes against the Texans. He was as electric as advertised on the ground, and thanks to Steichens offense, more accurate than people would’ve expected. He also made some ridiculous throws like this one here that would leave opposing defenses wondering how the hell he did that. The excitement was there. Until it wasn’t.
The injury to Anthony Richardson’s shoulder sent every Colts fan into the five stages of grief immediately. This felt all too familiar, and not in the good way. Immediately, questions started flying about Richardson’s durability and whether or not he would need season ending surgery. The Colts were 3-2 at this point, and their season hung in the balance. Anthony Richardson and Jonathan Taylor played a whopping one snap together. The decision for Richardson to get season ending surgery was devastating, but necessary. The season seemed lost. Cursed. Doomed.
Not on Shane Steichens watch.
It seemed bleak early on. Dropping three straight games to the Jags, Browns and Saints had the Colts at 3-5 and had fans firing up tankathon. It would’ve been easy to call this season a wash and look ahead to next year, but that’s not who Steichen is. With Gardner Minshew and Shane Steichen at the helm, after three losses in a row, the Colts rattled off four wins in a row. Suddenly, they were back in the playoff mix. A team that was thought to be dead was knocking in the door of the playoffs. A win against the Raiders in week 17 set up a win-and-in scenario for the Colts. The season came down to this.
Through gritty play and excellent leadership from one of the brightest young coaches in the NFL, the 4-12-1 Colts of last year were no more. This was a new team, with a new coach, and a new energy. The Colts OL rebounded after a horrible 2022. Jonathan Taylor looked like the JT of 2021. Michael Pittman Jr. had emerged as a reliable WR1 for this offense. Things just felt different. Now, the colts had what was essentially a home pla…
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