Johnathan Hankins was signed by the Indianapolis Colts this past offseason to anchor a defensive line that has struggled mightily against the run over the past few years. He not only thinks the Colts’ run defense will be better this year, he went so far as to say that he thinks the Colts have the best defense in the AFC.
“Right now I feel like we got probably the best defense in the AFC,” Hankins said. “On paper, it looks good, but we’ve got to go out there and prove it. We’ve got a great quarterback here, as y’all know, Andrew Luck, and some great weapons on offense. So, if we can just come together during OTAs, and once training camp starts, get a good feel of everybody and just trust each other, I feel like we’ll be real dominant out there.”
Turning one of the worst defenses in the NFL into the best defense in the AFC in one offseason would be impressive to say the least. It will take a lot to shut down the better offenses in the NFL.
Chris Ballard made it clear that he was focusing on improving the defense in the 2017 NFL Draft. He was able to get two likely Week 1 starters by selecting safety Malik Hooker and cornerback Quincy Wilson. Both of those players are capable of becoming top-notch playmakers if they live up to their full potential.
Indianapolis has had two straight disappointing seasons, but the start of a new era of Colts’ football has arrived.
Changing the thought from the defense to the offense, Hankins has a good point about coming together. Andrew Luck is one of the best quarterbacks in the NFL. He will lead the offense to big numbers and there is no denying that the defense has taken a big step forward as well.
All of that being said, it will be intriguing to see whether Hankins’ prediction is right. They may not end up being the best defense in the AFC, but if they can be a top-five AFC defense, the Colts are going to be a tough team to beat.
Do you think the Indianapolis Colts’ defense has improved as much as Hankins does? Let us know your thoughts in the comment box below!
