Although the Indianapolis Colts have won two games in a row, the blue and white have given up 395+ yards in each of those contests.
Indianapolis’ offense is doing just enough to win games, but an underperforming defense has caused all four games this season to come down to the wire.
Such is why Bleacher Report has continued to cite four of the Colts’ five biggest positional needs on the defensive side of the football.
In Week 4, BR’s staff urged Indianapolis management to trade for Washington Commanders’ defensive back Emmanuel Forbes Jr., sign Miami Dolphins linebacker David Long Jr. in the offseason and draft South Carolina safety Nick Emmanwori next year.
The Colts’ secondary remains a problem, allowing the seventh-most total passing yards through four games. What’s worse is that Indianapolis’ secondary has hardly been tested by the best quarterbacks the NFL has to offer, with the lone exception coming in Week 1 against the Houston Texans’ C.J. Stroud.
That’s why Alex Ballentine of Bleacher Report has suggested Carolina Panthers’ impending free agent defensive back Michael Jackson Sr. as a potential 2025 free agency candidate for Indianapolis.
"Between the inexperienced secondary and the lackluster run defense, the Colts defense is in for some changes in the offseason. That might include signing some veterans who are just going to bring some stability. That's exactly what Michael Jackson Sr. is doing for the Carolina Panthers this season," Ballentine wrote. "He's not a dominant corner by any stretch, but he's played every snap for the Panthers this season and had given up a passer rating of 87.1 with one interception going into Week 4."
Jackson has started all four games for the lowly Panthers in 2024, and in that time he has snagged one interception and wrapped up for 21 tackles.
Jackson is earning a bit more than $1 million for the 2024 season, making him a presumably cheap option for Indianapolis’ management to scoop up for some essential depth at defensive back.
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