The Colts still don’t have their linebacker picture fully sorted out, but Shane Steichen liked what he saw in the first preseason game against New England.
The Indianapolis coach said the group showed plenty of activity and impact in the opener, and he singled out rookie Bryce Boettcher for one of the biggest moments.
"I was really pleased with those guys," Steichen said on Sunday, via Colts.com. "Those guys were flying around.
There was some big plays made. Some big-time hits."
Boettcher’s big hit and tackle for loss stood out, and the overall production from the linebackers backed up Steichen’s view. Boettcher, Jaylon Carlies, and Austin Ajiake all earned strong run-defense grades from PFF. Together, the three combined for 10 tackles without a miss and six run stops, while allowing just 34 total receiving yards.
At the moment, CJ Allen looks set as a starter, with Akeen Davis-Gaither next to him. Behind that pair, Ajiake, Boettcher, and Carlies are still battling for backup spots.
The Colts have kept the rotation heavy at linebacker, and defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo has indicated that could carry into the season. Steichen, though, thinks the picture should become clearer as camp rolls on.
"Honestly, I think that's going to play itself out," Steichen said. "Right now we're in a rotation with all those guys, and I think a lot of those guys bring different attributes to our defense. They're doing a lot of good things, so I got a lot of confidence in that group and, shoot, we got a couple more weeks of training camp, and we'll go from there."
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