Colts: Chris Ballard Makes Sweeping Changes at Outside Linebacker

Although it has been a relatively quiet free agency period so far for the Indianapolis Colts, general manager Chris Ballard has reworked the linebacker position. Specifically, he has reloaded the team’s outside linebacker group.

Since Thursday, the Colts have signed three new linebackers. First, they agreed to a contract with Barkevious Mingo Thursday. Mingo, a former first round pick, spent last season with the New England Patriots.

Next, the Colts added John Simon and then Jabaal Sheard. Both players agreed to terms with Indianapolis Friday.

Mingo’s contract is only one year in which he will earn $2.5 million. Simon and Sheard each agreed to three-year deals. Simon will make $17 million, while Sheard will make $25.5 million over the life of their contracts.

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While these three acquisitions do not necessarily jump off the page, they are still important one. The Colts lost a lot of outside linebackers at the start of offseason.

Veteran Robert Mathis retired. Meanwhile, Trent Cole, Erik Walden and Akeem Ayers all became free agents this summer. After these three signings, it is clear Ballard did not want any of them back.

Of the three new Colts, Sheard is probably the most interesting player. Sheard spent the last two seasons with the New England Patriots.

He only started in nine of 28 games for the Patriots. However, he still earned 13 sacks and 70 total tackles. At 6-2, 254 pounds, Sheard looks like a defensive end. However, he is capable of moving to outside linebacker in pass rushing situations.

Simon will likely start opposite of Sheard. Again, the Colts found a guy who physical can fit two different positions. At 6-1, 257 pounds, Simon can play either defensive end or outside linebacker in a 3-4 scheme. He is much more of a run stopper.

In his past three seasons with the Houston Texans, Simon only started in 12 of 38 games. He did accumulate 10 sacks and 112 total tackles.

Simon and Sheard are the two guys Colts’ fans should be most excited to see. Each guy contributed to a Top 10 defense in 2016.

The third linebacker in the trio of additions was Mingo. He is a wild card. The Cleveland Browns selected him sixth overall in the 2013 NFL Draft out of LSU.

Despite having an intriguing 6-4, 241-pound physique, he never became the pass rusher draft experts thought he would turn into. He only has seven sacks in his four-year career. Five of them came in his rookie season.

Mingo did not record a sack in 2016. In fact, he has not recorded a sack in a game since Week 14 of the 2014 season. Coincidentally, that game was against the Colts.

Again, Mingo has all the physical tools to be effective. However, lack of effort and flawed technique have caused him to struggle. Maybe Chuck Pagano and his staff can mold him into a serviceable player.

Indianapolis signed all three of these players to team-friendly contract and still have plenty of money to make more moves. They have other defensive needs they need to address like in the secondary.

Next: Colts Trading TE Dwayne Allen is Not Too Surprising

Overall, the three linebacker acquisitions are positives. It will be interesting to see how well each one contributes to the Colts’ defense in 2017.