The 2022 season didn’t go nearly according to plan for the Indianapolis Colts and while the campaign was a massive disappointment, there were some bright spots along the way.
One of the most pleasant surprises was the arrival of veteran safety Rodney McLeod, who proved to be the best free agent signing the team made during the offseason.
His leadership skills in a young safety room became a driving force behind arguably his best season in the NFL, and it led to him being dubbed the team’s unsung hero by Nick Shook of NFL.com.
“It was a rough season in Indianapolis, but lost in the maddening disappointment that flooded the Colts was a quality defensive campaign. Bigger names like DeForest Buckner succeeded as expected, while a lesser-known veteran in McLeod quietly put together one of the best seasons of his 11-year career. McLeod finished with a career-high eight passes defensed, two interceptions and a career-best 96 tackles, playing in all 17 games. It’s a shame the Colts’ offense had such an ugly season, because despite finishing 15th in total defense, Indianapolis had a competitive unit. Instead of receiving praise, McLeod’s sterling campaign will end up going overlooked — except in this space.”
Entering the season, the expectations were that McLeod and Julian Blackmon would likely be the starting tandem until rookie third-round pick Nick Cross was ready to take over the role. That never came to fruition.
Cross seemingly wasn’t as ready as the team had hoped, and there was no reason to take McLeod off the field. Even when Blackmon missed a handful of games due to injury, the Colts turned to seventh-round rookie Rodney Thomas II, who exceeded all expectations.
Having the guidance of McLeod in the young safety room was vital as the unit was one of the most consistent throughout a defense that held it together for the majority of the season.
We’ll see what the future holds for McLeod, but he certainly was a pleasant surprise for the Colts in 2022.
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