-Was passing on Gerald Mccoy’s services the right move?
After processing the free agency tour of Gerald McCoy (6’4 300 lbs.) and his eventual signing with the Panthers, it still doesn’t make sense. The Bucs didn’t want to pay McCoy $13M this season so they released him and signed Ndamukong Suh for $9M without a workout or even a visit. McCoy vowed he wanted to play for a contender: so he settled to play for the 3rd best team in NFC South instead of the 4th best?
At that point, I thought it was clear the deal was larger than everyone was anticipating, but it was a one-year deal for $8M. My question is why the Colts didn’t make more of an aggressive push for a workout/visit. They still have the league’s largest amount of cap space and have a need in three technique department.
Who’s left to play 3 tech or defensive tackle? Chris Ballard has intelligently constructed this defense to add players that have great versatility. Having a versatile defensive line means having players that have a rare skillset. This is the ability to play inside and out (DT and DE). The obvious difficulties with finding players is the lack of talent. For the player you must have the rare combo of speed and power that every scout looks for. These players on the roster have demonstrated that ability:
- Margus Hunt (6’8 298 lbs.)
- Jabaal Sheard (6’3 265 lbs.)
- Tyquan Lewis (6’3 266 lbs.)
- Denico Autry (6’5 270 lbs.)
When viewing the metrics side by side, the disadvantages can appear more clearly. A package of lighter inside tackles leaves more vulnerable against the ‘Big Q’-type nasty guards and centers of the world against the run.
Some play more frequently inside or out, but playing both leave you vulernable in certain situations. Kemoko Turay is an example of a pass rushing specialist who will probably not see action inside due to lack of mass. Just like this example, you need players that are run-specialists. These are players used primarily on early downs (first and second down) and then less frequently on passing downs (typically longer third and fourth downs).
But after trading Hassan Ridgeway to the Eagles and allowing Al Woods to sign with Seattle, it’s left them thin in the girth department. Grover Stewart (6’4 333 lbs.) looks to be the only player that fits that mold having 0 career sacks and 40 career tackles in two seasons. He’s young and inexpensive as a fourth round pick, but the coaches will be relying quite heavily on the Division II product.
The most frustrating part of the Colts failing to pursue McCoy is that he would have brought help against the run AND generate a rare inside pass rush on all three downs. While watching America’s Game: the story of the 2006 Super Bowl Champion Colts, I learned a fact: that regular season defense was the only team in the league that year to allow a 100+ yard rusher in every single game. Yet they still managed to win the Super Bowl. This is obviously not the blueprint for success, but a clear counter to my McCoy argument that it can be done. Oddly enough, the 2018 Colts defense did not allow a single 100 yard rusher the entire season. The excitement continues to build as camp approaches.
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