Colts’ Positional Outlook: Linebackers

How the Colts’ linebacker room looks like going into the offseason

Players: Zaire Franklin, E.J. Speed, Grant Stuard, Segun Olubi, Ronnie Harrison Jr.

This was supposed to be one of the best position groups for the Colts going into the year, but it relied a lot on former All-Pro linebacker Shaq Leonard returning to at least some sort of his old form. That never materialized, Leonard was released mid-season and after being mediocre for the Eagles, and retirement is not entirely out of the question.

After him, Zaire Franklin and E.J. Speed had solid, yet unspectacular seasons. Franklin is a tackling machine who is all over the place, and Speed is quite similar to him in that regard only that he plays way more reckless ball, as evidenced by his amount of unnecessary penalties. The problem with the duo is that they are undoubtedly a liability in pass defense and are not adept at creating turnovers, with just 5 forced fumbles between them, and no interceptions.

Segun Olubi and Ronnie Harrison Jr. are much better in pass defense, as their smaller frames allow them much more mobility, and they are clearly much better suited for that role, but they were no more than depth when the season started. Ronnie Harrison Jr. was a sort of hybrid between linebacker and safety, which also explain why he was much better in pass coverage than Speed or Franklin. He ended up starting the last two games at safety after Julian Blackmon went down with a season-ending injury.

Potential Additions: Willie Gay Jr., Kwon Alexander, Nathan Landman, Devin White. Early round draft pick, preferably Edgerin Cooper.

The Colts’ need of at the very least one linebacker is evident, as Zaire Franklin’s body can only take so much punishment before it eventually starts to suffer. The team needs to be proactive and address the issue before it blows up in their faces. The approach in the past has always been to draft linebackers instead of signing them, and the Colts have already let Bobby Okereke and Anthony Walker go in free-agency. There are some options they could explore there, and if White hits the open market then the Colts could emerge as a potential suitor considering the cap benefits of having a quarterback on a rookie deal. I would not be confident in that happening though, but I do expect Ballard to use two of his draft picks in the position. My draft crush this year is Texas’ A&M Edgerin Cooper. Not only does he have a great first name, but he is the prototypical modern linebacker, as he has a high motor, elite athleticism, and showed excellent pass-rushing abilities. Cooper would give the Colts’ defense what they needed from Leonard this past season.

Overall: B –

Franklin and Speed are two solid linebackers, perfect fits for Bradley’s defensive scheme, good locker room leaders, and also on cheap contracts. Problem is that the Colts don’t have more than that currently at the position. Olubi or Harrison Jr. could take a step forward next year, but that is a complete leap of faith. While not the most glaring need, the Colts do need a linebacker to round the group.