BREAKING: Colts announce coaching decision

The Colts’ loss in Week 18 left them out of a playoff position, and their defensive struggles continued throughout the season. However, general manager Chris Ballard announced in his year-end press conference that defensive coordinator Gus Bradley will remain. “I know this is a hot topic for everyone and an area that needs improvement,” Ballard said, per Joel A. of the Indy Star. Ericsson. “But before [Bradley] came in a year ago, I was a little defensive. I don’t want to say that we had an experienced team, but we had experienced players. I just said, “Look. “, we will be young in some places [in 2023], we will be young in high school.”

In fact, Indianapolis went with a variety of inexperienced options at the corner and safety positions, with mixed results. The team ranked 16th in the league in yards allowed per game, but back issues hampered the team. Injuries to corners Julius Brents and Dallis Flowers sidelined the team for most of the season.

The Colts’ front seven had a strong campaign, rushing production with 51 sacks. That record ranked fifth in the league, but the team had trouble allowing extra runs due to errors in the second inning. As a result, the Colts gave up 350 yards per game (24th in the NFL) and 24.4 points per game (28th). Improving both will be a priority this season.

“Scores need to come down,” Ballard added. “We’re going to continue to have long discussions about where we’re going and how we’re going to get there. But that being said, we have some starters on defense. I also did a good job.”

Bradley took over the Colts DC job in 2022 after Matt Eberflus was hired as the Bears’ head coach. Indianapolis posted mediocre numbers in several categories last year, but received a vote of confidence after the campaign. Both Bradley and head coach Shane Steichen will return after deciding to bring in former All-Pro linebacker Shaquille Leonard for the 2023 season as part of a goal to get younger and healthier at multiple positions. Location

The latter showed promise in his first year as a head coach, while quarterback Anthony Richardson also showed potential before the season ended. While these factors lead to optimism for the offense, the team’s defense will be a unit to watch closely going forward. There will certainly be roster changes, but at least there will be stability on the sidelines.