The Indianapolis Colts, just suffered through one of the most disappointing seasons of the Manning era, and that season put their vulnerabilities on showcase. Receiver depth turned out to be a big problem for the Colts last season, however their biggest weakness seemed to be run blocking. Teams featuring prominent running attacks ripped the Colts again and again, being in a division which boasts some of the best running backs in the game, makes this the top priority as the Colts go on the clock.
While the got better about protecting against the run in the latter part of the season, they were regularly gouged by strong runners. When your in a division that includes some of the top runners in the game, you have to be able to stop the run. Look for Indy to pick up Stephen Paea, from Oregon state. He could go a long way towards stopping runners. Beefing up their offensive line should be the first and foremost thing on their minds.
They may however go the other route, and pick up an offensive lineman to help keep Manning safe. Mike Pouncey could be a possibility here. He defiantly takes up space, and he has a very good skill set,
much like his brother in Pittsburgh. He could be a real difference maker when buying Manning some time, or opening a hole for Addai.
Indy could decide to strengthen their defensive backs. With Sanders likely gone the Colts will need someone to fill in that spot full time. They could opt to grab Jimmy Smith out of Colorado. He’s a speedy corner, with great hands, and doesn’t mind making the hard hits. Smith might be hurt by some of his character issues, and that might not make coach Caldwell comfortable.
The Colt are a very solid team, and have very few holes to fill. While their season went to shambles last year the Colts proved that they had decent depth at most of their positions. The most likely scenario sees them fill up the running lanes by taking Paea. While Pouncey may be a consideration the offensive line had not been a huge issue for Indianapolis.
By taking Paea they will seal their biggest hole, and gain some help against the likes of Chris Johnson, Arian Foster, and Maurice Jones-Drew. Right now Indy needs to find a way to stop these big runners, otherwise they could have a rocky road before them next season.