Colts believe pass rush duo will be worth wait

May 15—INDIANAPOLIS — It was the third day of the NFL draft, and Jim Irsay was on a roll.

The Indianapolis Colts owner was waxing poetic about the virtues of a physical defense, particularly as the season grows late and the elements become a greater factor. He's seen his team take positive steps in the right direction over the past few years, but the first two rounds of the 2021 draft might have accelerated the process.

The selection of back-to-back edge rushers in Michigan's Kwity Paye and Vanderbilt's Dayo Odeyingbo was far from universally praised. But Irsay was positively glowing about the possibilities when he met with the media virtually on May 1.

"There is no question that you want to be able to travel anywhere and play anyone, and you do that with your offense and defensive line. And this changes the whole dynamic with these guys because these guys are terrors," he said. "These guys are men. I mean, they are ready to come in, and they're special football players, and they're run-and-hit guys with relentless motors.

"That's what we look for more than anything is you want those guys that just play so, so hard. And obviously with Robert Mathis and (Dwight) Freeney, we had that here, and these guys are even bigger guys. It really changes the dynamic of things."

There are several inflection points that will be revisited throughout the 2021 season. The trade for quarterback Carson Wentz and late free agent acquisition of left tackle Eric Fisher will go a long way toward determining the franchise's immediate fortunes. And the transactions that brought both men to Indianapolis will be constantly viewed through the prism of their performance.

But it's the rookie pass rushers who are widely viewed within team headquarters as the final piece to the puzzle. A defense that has proven to be one of the league's best against the run needs to put consistent pressure on opposing quarterbacks to take the next step in its evolution.

There is great confidence Paye and Odeyingbo eventually will do just that. But it's not likely to be a quick process.

Odyingbo is healing from an Achilles' tendon injury suffered while preparing for the Senior Bowl in late January, and his NFL debut will not be rushed. Paye has a treasure chest of potential with off-the-charts athleticism and extremely high character, but like many young edge rushers he needs to refine his technique and add some additional moves to his arsenal.

Irsay left no doubt how high the expectations are for this unique duo, but the Colts won't back away from one of general manager Chris Ballard's guiding principles. From his introductory news conference in 2017 forward, Ballard has preached patience.

He's not interested in tomorrow's headlines. He's trying to build for long-term success.

"People that can delay gratification," Ballard said, "you can make sounder decisions."

That discipline has been at the heart of the GM's draft success. His first four drafts have produced 11 sure-fire 2021 starters and nine other players likely to be major contributors to this year's roster.

It's a process that's constantly being honed, and one Ballard believes has improved each year. As the coaching and scouting staffs become more familiar with each other's processes, the picture of what an Indianapolis draft pick looks like becomes ever more clear.

There's no better example of the fruits of that labor this year than Paye. He's a talent the Colts believed could be selected in the top 10, and his makeup is a perfect fit for the team.

"We thought he was going to end up being a perfect Colt if we were able to get our hands on him," Ballard said. "That's what made it an easy decision on draft day."

Odeyingbo also was an easier pick than it might appear from the outside.

Yes, the injury is a factor. But Indianapolis is willing to wait as long as it takes to get the second-round pick healthy and on the field.

Ballard sees "special" qualities in Odyeyingbo's film, and it's possible he would have been a first-rounder if not for the injury. The value the scouts believe he brings in the future far outweighs the short-term injury concerns from the team's point of view.

And the ability to pair him with Paye only adds to the Colts' excitement.

They believe they've added a pair of pass rushers that will change the way their defense is viewed for years to come.

Only time will tell if they're correct.

"Obviously, we're just two guys getting to know each other, just meeting," Odeyingbo said during last weekend's rookie mini-camp. "But we're excited for the future. I think we both know what we can do together and kind of the disruption and the havoc we can wreak on NFL quarterbacks."