After signing free agent Joe Bachie, what does the Indianapolis Colts‘ linebacker depth chart now look like?
The linebacker position was viewed as a likely need for the Colts prior to free agency beginning, and that only became more true once EJ Speed and Grant Stuard ended up elsewhere.
However, it’s not a unit that we’ve seen GM Chris Ballard really add to. In the seventh round of the NFL draft, the Colts drafted Wisconsin safety Hunte Wohler, who the team listed as a linebacker, but from the sounds of it, he will handle some linebacker and safety duties. The Colts also have to be mindful of not putting too much on his plate early on.
So the need at this position was twofold. Depth and special teams help after losing Stuard, and ideally, competition for Jaylon Carlies and that starting role next to Zaire Franklin.
The addition of Bachie can help provide the former, but there isn’t any clear-cut competition on the roster for Carlies at this moment. However, with the Colts being very bullish on the second-year linebacker, I don’t know that they view that as a concern.
“When we took (Carlies) and moved him from safety to linebacker, we thought the transition was really, really good,” Ballard said via the Indy Star.
Ballard would go on to say, “It’s a position we’ve been pretty good drafting and developing. I give our coaches and scouts a lot of credit for that,” Ballard said. “Don’t forget now, E.J. Speed, it wasn’t like he came on right away. No, it took him a little time. Zaire Franklin did not come on right away. Great special team player, but eventually became a linebacker that was a good player.”
Carlies’ presence next to Franklin will provide a needed coverage ability at the position, not to mention that Lou Anarumo’s attacking and disguise-heavy scheme at the second and third levels can put the linebackers in some advantageous situations.
Indianapolis Colts updated linebacker depth chart after signing Joe Bachie
- Zaire Franklin
- Jaylon Carlies
- Segun Olubi
- Hunter Wohler (Draft pick)
- Joe Bachie
- Cameron McGrone
- Liam Anderson
- Austin Ajiake
- Solomon DeShields (UDFA)
This article originally appeared on Colts Wire: Colts sign free agent Joe Bachie; what does LB depth chart look like?
After signing free agent Joe Bachie, what does the Indianapolis Colts‘ linebacker depth chart now look like?
The linebacker position was viewed as a likely need for the Colts prior to free agency beginning, and that only became more true once EJ Speed and Grant Stuard ended up elsewhere.
However, it’s not a unit that we’ve seen GM Chris Ballard really add to. In the seventh round of the NFL draft, the Colts drafted Wisconsin safety Hunte Wohler, who the team listed as a linebacker, but from the sounds of it, he will handle some linebacker and safety duties. The Colts also have to be mindful of not putting too much on his plate early on.
So the need at this position was twofold. Depth and special teams help after losing Stuard, and ideally, competition for Jaylon Carlies and that starting role next to Zaire Franklin.
The addition of Bachie can help provide the former, but there isn’t any clear-cut competition on the roster for Carlies at this moment. However, with the Colts being very bullish on the second-year linebacker, I don’t know that they view that as a concern.
“When we took (Carlies) and moved him from safety to linebacker, we thought the transition was really, really good,” Ballard said via the Indy Star.
Ballard would go on to say, “It’s a position we’ve been pretty good drafting and developing. I give our coaches and scouts a lot of credit for that,” Ballard said. “Don’t forget now, E.J. Speed, it wasn’t like he came on right away. No, it took him a little time. Zaire Franklin did not come on right away. Great special team player, but eventually became a linebacker that was a good player.”
Carlies’ presence next to Franklin will provide a needed coverage ability at the position, not to mention that Lou Anarumo’s attacking and disguise-heavy scheme at the second and third levels can put the linebackers in some advantageous situations.
Indianapolis Colts updated linebacker depth chart after signing Joe Bachie
- Zaire Franklin
- Jaylon Carlies
- Segun Olubi
- Hunter Wohler (Draft pick)
- Joe Bachie
- Cameron McGrone
- Liam Anderson
- Austin Ajiake
- Solomon DeShields (UDFA)
This article originally appeared on Colts Wire: Colts sign free agent Joe Bachie; what does LB depth chart look like?
