With the Colts’ acquisition of running back Trent Richardson, all the pieces on offense seem to be in place for the Indianapolis Colts. Just two years removed from the worst season by any team since the 2008 Lions, the Colts look like a team ready to rise to the top of the league. The question is, have they built a team that can last?
The Colts have built their current squad through a little bit of good drafting, but they’ve also utilized a good deal of trade and free agent strategy as well. That goes against the conventional belief that lasting teams are built through the draft, not free agency.
Obviously, the Colts’ biggest piece of their puzzle, Andrew Luck, was drafted by the Colts, but the Colts haven’t cornered themselves by promising to stick to “sound draft strategies.”
Even with their so far successful rebuild, holes remain in the Colts’ team, especially on defense, and without a first round draft pick in 2014, it’s hard to imagine the Colts filling all those needs before the start of next season.
On the other hand, the Colts’ current roster is capable of winning many games. One thing we have to keep in mind, however, is the simple fact that the Colts overachieved more than any other team last season, so, missing the playoffs this year wouldn’t necessarily be a step back for the team.
The Colts have put themselves in an interesting position. They have a solid roster to build upon, but they may not have the ability to draft the players they need to improve their team in the near future. If that’s the case, the Colts run the risk of falling into the funk of drafting between 10th overall and 20th overall. In that position, the Colts wouldn’t have access to the cream of the crop, but they would be able to stay out of the dungeon of the NFL.
The Colts are in a good position, but that doesn’t necessarily mean they’re in a stable one. There’s still much room for improvement, and the team will have to figure out exactly how they’re going to continue adding talent without losing their current core group of players.
