The Colts need to be right, when selecting the new LBs who have yet to join the team.

We have less than three weeks until the draft starts without us on April 23rd. We will start on the 24th and unless we see moves before the draft, Linebacker is going to be a need. I think that it is possible that Pratt returns, but even that move would not remove LB from the list of “needs” on the Colts roster.

Retaining Pratt would also not improve the unit in what is their biggest deficiency, which is coverage. Getting off of the field after 3rd down has been a long running problem. The blame has switched identities, but the inability to see the defense succeed after putting the opponent in a 3rd and 8 yards or more situation, has been the main reason that we have not had what anyone would call a good defense in some time.

We’ve blamed the scheme and thus the coordinator, the pass rush, and the secondary and all have been legitimate problems at one time or another. I’m not sure that the defense could be considered good, since Leonard had to remove the green dot. Our LBs have been given a pass when it comes to blame, because one of them finishes in the top five of tackles each year.

The ability to clean up the positive work done by our DT horses has given players with major coverage deficiencies a platform to be considered necessary. Franklin was a nice story in that he was a 7th round pick who paid his dues on special teams, on his way to leading the league in tackles for a season. The problem was that he was a negative mismatch against most anyone in the passing game.