Indianapolis Colts defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo was hired to bring a fresh mindset to the stop troops after three seasons of Gus Bradley’s predictable and exploitable scheme.
After serving the Cincinnati Bengals for six seasons as DC, it’s fair to assume some players on the team might be great fits to head to the Circle City, reuniting them with Anarumo for the Colts.
Two candidates that have emerged as potential cuts are edge rusher Sam Hubbard and defensive tackle Sheldon Rankins per Matt Okada of NFL.com. Both would be solid adds if they’re inevitably cut by the Bengals.
Starting with Hubbard, a player who logged time with Anarumo while leading the defense. Hubbard has been an effective defender in his seven NFL seasons, racking up 398 tackles (55 for loss), 38.5 sacks, and 98 quarterback hits.
The Bengals defense has been on a bit of a roller-coaster ride in recent years, but Sam Hubbard has been a consistent piece on the edge since he was drafted in 2018.Matt Okada | NFL.com
In 2024 Hubbard had only 18 pressures and 2.0 sacks but missed three games. During his time with Anarumo, Hubbard had four seasons with six-plus sacks and three with 10+ tackles for loss. A change of scenery might be what Hubbard needs to get back to better numbers.
More than likely, Hubbard is a depth signing if it happens to backup Laiatu Latu and Kwity Paye.
As for defensive tackle Rankins, he played the lone 2024 campaign for Anarumo. He only played seven games due to multiple setbacks like illness, shoulder, and hamstring injuries. However, he can be a better depth tackle for Grover Stewart and DeForest Buckner than what Indy currently has.
The veteran interior d-lineman can provide a boost that Raekwon Davis and Taven Bryan (free agent) haven’t been able to thus far. Cutting Davis would free up $6.46 million by cutting ties with him. He performed poorly in 2024, and his two-year, $14 million deal looks awful in retrospect.
Rankins isn’t phenomenal but putting him back with Anarumo likely helps Stewart and Buckner. Indianapolis will still need another tackle to help if they cut Davis and don’t re-sign Bryan, but Rankins can be a start.
Indianapolis is at an interesting intersection with its current regime. Anarumo’s hire is a big one to bring diverse playcalling to the defense, but he needs more than what Indy currently has on its roster.
Bringing in familiarity is a step in the right direction and if the Bengals cut ties with Hubbard and Rankins, both should be heavily considered for contracts with the Colts in 2025.
