Ryan Clark Thinks Indianapolis Colts are a “Sinking Ship”
By Kyle Nishida
ESPN analyst Ryan Clark had some very strong opinions about the state of the Indianapolis Colts heading into the 2016 season.
While it is still the NFL offseason, it is never too early to have strong opinions and make bold predictions about the Colts. Ryan Clark has never been shy about sharing his opinions and shared his thoughts about the Colts on SportsCenter this morning.
During a panel discussion with Trey Wingo, Brian Dawkins and Herm Edwards, Clark had a clear-cut answer when Wingo asked the entire panel what their thoughts were about the Colts in 2016.
"“You know I don’t think this team plays well again, and it’s sad because you have one of the brightest stars at quarterback, but I think this thing is a sinking ship right now, and they won’t find their way out of it in the 2016 season.”"
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It is completely understandable for Clark to have this opinion about the Colts, and he is not entirely wrong. The Colts were beneficiaries of Andrew Luck’s stellar play. Unfortunately, Luck’s abilities blinded the franchise from seeing that their roster was flawed. In 2015, their flaws were exposed because Luck missed nine games. Also, by combine this with the fact the Colts have been relative inactive in free agency this year, the franchise absolutely looks like a “sinking ship.”
Clark’s main issue with the Colts was their inability to block for Luck, which the entire panel agreed on. The Colts failed to address their offensive line concerns in 2015 and have still not done so this offseason. The team needs to find a better way of fixing its offensive line because what it has been doing the past four years is not working, and Luck is paying the price.
It is a bit early for Clark to have those strong opinions because the Colts are being conservative this offseason. As a result, they have not addressed many of their needs, like offensive line. The franchise is focusing all its efforts into the NFL Draft. Once this event concludes, it will be easier to assess how well the Colts will play in 2016.
If they do not address the offensive line concerns in the draft, then Ryan Clark is right: the Colts are absolutely a “sinking ship.” However, if they do address those needs, then the Colts could thrust themselves right back to the top of the AFC South in 2016.
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Overall, the Colts are not a “sinking ship” yet, but they are on the verge of hitting that point. It all depends on their upcoming draft class. A bad draft class will confirm Clark’s opinions while a good one will have the Colts exceeding Clark’s low expectations for them.