During their switch to a 3-4 defense, the Colts committed to Robert Mathis by giving him a four-year, $36 million contract.
Now they’re committed to putting him in position to make more plays.
According to Mike Chappell of the Indianapolis Star, the Colts have moved Mathis to the weak outside linebacker spot, where he should get more rush opportunities.
Last year, they stationed Dwight Freeney there, and he had 5.0 sacks to Mathis’ 8.0, though Mathis dealt with far more chip blocks and tight ends on the strong side.
The Colts are using free agent acquisition Erik Walden on the strong side, and teaching rookie Bjoern Werner both spots. During offseason workouts, defensive coordinator Greg Manusky often used all three on the field at the same time.
Making Mathis work harder for his sacks was a consequence of working around Freeney last year, and using Mathis on the weakside should give him a chance to make much more of an impact.