With an elite, well-rounded offense, Colts general manager Chris Ballard is looking to upgrade their defense before next week’s trade deadline.
Specifically, Indianapolis is checking on available pass rushers and outside cornerbacks, per ESPN’s Stephen Holder.
There is no clear need to upgrade their offens. Jonathan Taylor and the offensive line have created an elite rushing attack, and Daniel Jones has three-pass catchers with at least 55.0 yards per game (Michael Pittman, Alec Pierce, and Tyler Warren) and the team could ask more of Josh Downs and Adonai Mitchell if needed.
As a result, they will direct their pre-deadline attention towards a defense that has benefitted from a dominant offense and significant turnover luck. Indianapolis has allowed the sixth-fewest points in the league but the ninth-most yards, mostly through the air due to their offense consistently building leads. 16.6% of their opponents’ drives have ended in a turnover, which ranks third among all defenses, but that figure may not be sustainable for the whole season.
Upgrading their pass defense, therefore, could be important for the rest of the year as well as the postseason. The Colts’ pass rush has been solid despite an individually-dominant player. The team ranks among the top five defenses in sacks and quarterback hits, so a trade may not make sense unless it is a tangible upgrade to their current rotation. So far, they have not made much progress in acquiring such a player. Indianapolis has been linked to Trey Hendrickson, who would certainly offer a major boost to the pass rush, but the Bengals don’t appear to have interest in dealing him.
The cornerback market has largely consistent of slot defenders so far: Jarvis Brownlee was moved in September, while Michael Carter and Roger McCreary joined new teams in the last week. The Colts, however, need more help on the boundary with Charvarius Ward on injured reserve and a rash of other injuries to a group that was already thin entering the season. They did activate Jaylon Jones and promoted Cameron Mitchell to the 53-man roster on Saturday, but only two other cornerbacks on the active roster – Johnathan Edwards and Mekhi Blackmon – consistently line up outside. Kenny Moore and Chris Lammons primarily play in the slot. Again, this could be a situation where the Colts’ preferred player is not available or too pricey, but they may be inclined to at least add some depth before Tuesday’s trade deadline elapses.