The Indianapolis Colts are heading into a 2015 season in which many people believe that they have a chance to win a Super Bowl. General Manager Ryan Grigson went out and was extremely aggressive in free agency, but unfortunately defensive lineman Arthur Jones is expected to miss a good chunk of time due to surgery. The Cleveland Browns recently released Phil Taylor, and the Colts should look to sign the former first-round pick.
Jones was expected to be a huge addition to the defensive line, and showed up in a big way throughout early preseason action. Now, the Colts will be left with even less depth on the defensive line and could use as much talent as they can find.
One of the biggest problems for the Indianapolis defense has been finding ways to shut down the run. Taylor may not have been the superstar that Cleveland was hoping for, but at 6-foot-3 and 335 pounds, he is more than capable of stuffing the middle of the line. That could be exactly what the Colts need to make an improvement against the run, and it could come at a fairly cheap price.
Taylor has compiled 109 tackles, 7 sacks and 3 defensed passes throughout his first four NFL seasons. Those numbers certainly don't show a lot of star potential, but the Colts wouldn't need him to come in and be a star for them.
If the Colts do go after Taylor, it will be for defensive line depth and to have a big body in the middle of their defense. Taylor hasn't been used to the best of his abilities in Cleveland, but he did show the ability to frustrate opposing running backs. Grigson has some money to spend if he'd like to give Taylor a one-year deal to prove himself.
At 27 years old, Taylor is in the prime of his career and a fresh start might be enough to rejuvenate him. The Colts cannot only offer him a fresh start, they can also give him the opportunity to compete for a championship.
Acquiring as much talent as possible is the way that most Super Bowl contending teams go about their business. Depth on the defensive line is extremely important for the Colts, and Taylor might just be the best defensive tackle that the Colts would have on their roster after he got used to their defensive system.
Expect to hear quite a few teams show interest in Taylor over the next week or two. Indianapolis is a team that could very well get in the mix for him, and don't be surprised if they offer a contract to him.
