Colts feel defense can take next step into elite tier

The Indianapolis Colts have high hopes for a defense that has the chance to make a tier jump into the elite category during the 2021 season.

At this time of the preseason, the optimism is high. The Colts are just getting back to practicing at training camp, and the hopes of becoming one of the best defenses in the league is constantly on the mind of the unit’s defenders.

Colts All-Pro defensive tackle DeForest Buckner feels they can make that jump if they are able to be consistent throughout the season.

“We can definitely get there. I think we have the unit to do it. You guys saw last year throughout the year, we played some great ball games. For me, looking back at the 2020 season, it’s consistency. For a point in time, we were the No. 1 defense in the league and then kind of fell off towards the end,” Buckner told reporters Tuesday. “That’s because there were certain games where we let off the gas pedal, a little bit or miscommunication or a missed tackle here or there. For me, it’s just consistency. If we’re consistent from start to finish, I believe we could finish (as the) No. 1 defense in the league.”

The Colts finished seventh in defensive DVOA for the 2020 season. With some additions to the edge rush and some more consistent play in the secondary, it isn’t outside the realm of possibilities for the Colts to make that jump.

The Colts have a number of leaders on the team residing on the defensive side of the ball. Even special teams captain and linebacker Zaire Franklin feels it can happen if the unit simply comes together and hits the ground running erly in the season.

“I would honestly just say that it’s about us coming together in camp and as a collective early on in the season to just make that jump from being pretty good to being elite. I think that’s just what we all have in mind,” said Franklin on Tuesday. “We all talk about just really wanting to be that overpowering, overwhelming, dominating defense. I think we were close and last year we showed more flashes of who we wanted to be and this year is more about truly being that elite defense, being the best defense in the league this year.”

As one of the young emerging safeties in the league, Khari Willis enters his third season as perhaps the defense’s most underrated player going into the 2021 campaign.

Willis feels if the defense can simply improve upon some of the small things, the unit can make that jump.

“I think there’s always more, especially when you get a chance to look back and reflect on the previous season you had – work on certain areas, certain situations where you know you can put yourself in and look like ‘Wow, we could have been so much better in these areas.’ In those areas, you take those steps, as a team and as an individual, you take responsibility and then I think you come out here and you work on it. I think that’s what we’re excited to do,” said Willis on Tuesday.

The Colts certainly need to be more consistent throughout the season. With Buckner on the interior, Indy can make the jump if the edge rush can have more of a consistent impact.

Seeing as the Colts are constantly rushing four and dropping seven, it would go a long way if edge rushers like Kwity Paye, Kemoko Turay and Tyquan Lewis can provide a consistent impact.