INDIANAPOLIS – Another interior member from the best defensive line in football is joining the Colts.
But this one looks a lot different, and certainly is much more familiar with Indianapolis than his teammate having already signed that new contract.
Indy native Sheldon Day (Notre Dame and Warren Central High School product) will continue to team up with DeForest Buckner in 2020.
From a body type standpoint, the 6-1 294-pound Day is a far cry from the 6-7, 300-pound Buckner.
Day’s game leans on great short area quickness and a lightning fast first step for a man typically lining up at the ‘nose tackle’ of a 4-3 scheme.
With the Colts, Day is likely to be a rotational defensive lineman, backing up Grover Stewart.
In 4 NFL seasons, Day has played in 56 games (2 career regular season starts). He started in all 3 of San Francisco’s playoff games last season.
This move definitely bolsters the interior defensive line depth for the Colts.
That area was an issue for the Colts in 2019.
By November, the Colts had made 3 outside moves to their 53-man roster. All 3 of those signings came at defensive tackle. Margus Hunt was benched for Stewart after just one month of the regular season.
Improving defensive tackle has now carried into the offseason, with the massive trade for Buckner, the release of Hunt and now signing Day on a one-year deal.
Day was originally a 4th round pick of the Jaguars in 2016. Jacksonville waived him in November 2017 and the 49ers pounced on the waiver claim the very next day.
The Colts are the third NFL stop for Day and he’s now back in his hometown, where the general manager is a staunch believer in building the trenches.
Having DeForest Buckner, Denico Autry, Grover Stewart, Sheldon Day and Tyquan Lewis up front has strengthened a position group that underperformed in 2019.
