Chris Ballard: Colts missed Samson Ebukam's physicality, energy, toughness

USA Today

02-04-2025

Chris Ballard: Colts missed Samson Ebukam's physicality, energy, toughness Chris Ballard acknowledged uknowns with Samson Ebukam's return from injury, but the defense greatly missed his presence in 2024.
On the outside, it was thought that Indianapolis Colts' defensive end Samson Ebukam could have been a cut candidate this offseason.
Moving on from Ebukam, who missed the 2024 season with an Achilles injury, would have saved the Colts $6.49 million in cap savings for the 2025 season.
But with Dayo Odeyingbo leaving for Chicago in free agency, GM Chris Ballard didn't want to lose another potential key contributor in the defensive end room. In 2023 with the Colts, Ebukam tallied 48 pressures, according to PFF, and 9.5 sacks, which led the team.
As Ballard acknowledged recently, however, there is an unknown when it comes to what to expect from Ebukam this season. Achilles injuries can often take a full year from the point a player returns to action for them to regain their previous form.
"It's a concern, absolutely," Ballard said of Ebukam coming off the Achilles' injury via the team site. "But when you know who the kid is and what he stands for and the effort he puts into everything, I'm willing to make that bet. We missed his physicality. Undeniably, we missed what Samson brought a year ago."
That physicality that Ebukam brings goes beyond impacting the game as a pass rusher, but at defensive end that play style helps to set edges in the running game, which can then funnel the ball carrier back towards the middle.
Odeyingbo led the Colts in pressures last season and played 745 defensive snaps. That's a lot of production and playing time to replace. Likely, no one player is going to make up for that, but it'll be a group effort.
Also helping the Colts' defensive front out from a production standpoint should be the addition of Lou Anarumo and his defensive scheme.
One of the reasons that the Colts ranked in the bottom third in sacks and pressure rate in 2024 was that opposing offenses picked the defense apart with the quick passing game, making it difficult for the front to get home. Anarumo's more aggressive defense would create more opportunities to get home.
"Whether he's a 10-sack guy again or not, I can't judge that," added Ballard about Ebukam. "But in terms of energy, toughness and what he brings every day, absolutely I think he could be that."