Colts mixing and matching at linebacker position during minicamp
· Yahoo Sports
In a revamped linebacker room, the Indianapolis Colts are doing their due diligence as they search for the best starting combination.
This is a room that experienced heavy turnover this offseason. Zaire Franklin and Germaine Pratt, who led the Colts in snaps last season at this position, are no longer on the team.
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Instead, the Colts signed Akeem Davis-Gaither in free agency and drafted CJ Allen and Bryce Boettcher, along with adding two undrafted rookies to the room as well. These new additions join Austin Ajiake and Jaylon Carlies, who returned from last season.
Presumably, Allen will start at MIKE linebacker and is the projected favorite to wear the green dot on defense. There is less certainty, however, in regards to who will start next to him.
Davis-Gaither, who has ample experience in Lou Anarumo's defense from their time together in Cincinnati, may be the front-runner, but it's not a given he secures that spot either. Boettcher or Carlies could push for playing time.
So as the Colts search for stability at a position that has its share of unknowns, a lot of rotating is taking place in these minicamp practices. According to Jake Arthur of Colts Roundtable, a number of players have seen snaps with the starters.
"It appeared the coaches were being deliberate in trying to see different combinations with the starters. Boettcher, CJ Allen, Jaylon Carlies, and Akeem Davis-Gaither all saw first-team reps," Arthur wrote.
At this stage of the offseason, there isn't a lot that we should read into this. It won't be until the pads come on and training camp begins to unfold that we will gain clarity around where things stand in the linebacker room.
But considering the overall inexperience at this position and the number of new faces, the Colts are doing the right thing by experimenting with different combinations and vetting their starting options.
This article originally appeared on Colts Wire: Colts casting wide net as they search for answers at linebacker