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How does Indianapolis Colts' roster stack up with rest of AFC South? - Yahoo Sports

Published 1 day ago3 minute read

Following free agency and the NFL draft, where does the Indianapolis Colts' roster now rank among the rest of the AFC South?

Matt Verderame of Sports Illustrated recently ranked all four rosters within this division, and he had the Colts at No.2 behind the Houston Texans. The Jacksonville Jaguars were at No. 3 and the Tennessee Titans at No. 4.

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Along with more improved play at the quarterback position, Verderame also discussed the importance of the Colts getting more out of their defense this season as well.

"For the Colts to make a run at the division, the defense must be significantly improved," Verderame wrote. "Lou Anarumo takes over as defensive coordinator, and he inherits a group which added corner Charvarius Ward and safety Cam Bynum in free agency."

As we've discussed recently, there really is a lot to like about his Colts' roster. The secondary has been reshaped this offseason and the defensive front has been heavily invested in over the years.

The addition of Lou Anarumo as the defensive coordinator with his more aggressive, malleable, and disguise-heavy scheme should help get more out of this unit.

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On offense, there is a lot to like at the playmaker positions, which include Jonathan Taylor, Michael Pittman, Alec Pierce, Josh Downs, AD Mitchell, along with finally having a pass-catching presence at the tight end position in Tyler Warren.

However, the biggest unknown when it comes to this roster comes at the most important position. The Colts are having Anthony Richardson and Daniel Jones compete for the starting job this summer, but regardless of who wins the battle, questions will linger until proven otherwise.

"If the Colts had a quarterback they could depend on," Verderame wrote, "they would be a popular pick as a playoff team. Unfortunately, that’s a massive if."

Along with the quarterback spot, while not to the same degree, I'll also throw out there that the offensive line has its own uncertainties. There will be competition at center and right guard, but Tanor Bortolini and Matt Goncalves are the favorites to win those jobs, and both are relatively inexperienced players.

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Consistent success for the Colts' offense--regardless of who is under center--starts with strong offensive line play providing a run game to lean on and time in the pocket for the passer.

The Colts are looking to put an end to a couple of different divisional droughts this season. The team hasn't won the AFC South title since the 2014 season, and they haven't won on the road against Jacksonville since 2014 as well.

This article originally appeared on Colts Wire: Indianapolis Colts' roster: How does it compare to rest of AFC South?

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