The "Dream Team" Colts will still struggle to rush the passer in 2015, which is one of the few weak spots on their roster.
This is why it should not come as a surprise that star veteran rush linebacker Robert Mathis has essentially been placed in bubble wrap for the start of camp.
There is no timetable for a return from a torn Achilles tendon.
"Slow down. We've got a long way to go," Colts head coach Chuck Pagano said Sunday, via The Indy Star. "It's a long season."
At this point, there's no way Pagano can be counting on anything from the 34-year-old. Despite plenty of medical advancements over the years, a serious injury at that age might never fully heal.
Though Mathis is just two years removed from a stunning 19.5 sack season, he's acting like a rookie again. Hence, the warning from Pagano and his position coaches.
If there's a chance he can be the Mathis of 2013, they want to give themselves every opportunity to capitalize.
"We're not pressuring him. We want him back, yes, but we want him back when he's really ready to go," linebackers coach Jeff FitzGerald told The Indy Star. "We want Robert Mathis, not a part of Robert Mathis."
The latest Around The NFL Podcast discusses Tom Brady's lawsuit and debates which veteran players are most likely to be cut.
