The Indianapolis Colts’ defensive front will get a big boost this season with the return of defensive end Samson Ebukam.
After missing the entire 2024 season with an Achilles injury, Ebukam is back on the practice field during training camp, although the Colts are still monitoring his snaps as they ease him back in.
“We’re working him back into it from a rep standpoint, but he’s looked good, he feels good,” Shane Steichen said. “He attacked his rehab like the ultimate pro in the offseason. It was phenomenal. He was in there at 6:00 in the morning in the offseason every single day, offseason, you name it. Grateful to see him back out there after going through that injury.”
In his first season with the Colts in 2023, Ebukam recorded 48 pressures and a team-high 9.5 sacks. During the offseason, GM Chris Ballard said that the defense missed Ebukam’s physicality.
However, there are some unknowns when it comes to what to expect from Ebukam this season, with him coming off a major injury while nearing his age-30 season.
“It’s a concern, absolutely,” Ballard said earlier this offseason 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.”
The return of Ebukam to the pass rush rotation will provide needed juice to a unit that ranked in the bottom third of the NFL last season in pressure rate and sacks. Also helping out the defensive front should be Lou Anarumo’s more aggressive and disguise-heavy defensive scheme, which should result in additional time for the pass rushers to get home.
“Fourth quarter, that’s our main focus,” Ebukam said via the team site. “Get in shape so we can go rush in the fourth quarter and destroy everybody that’s in front of us.”
This article originally appeared on Colts Wire: Shane Steichen on return of Colts’ DE Samson Ebukam in training camp
Reporting by Paul Bretl, Colts Wire / Colts Wire
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
