The Indianapolis Colts announced Thursday that they have released inside linebacker D'Qwell Jackson.
In general manager Chris Ballard's first move of consequence, the rookie GM made the first step toward transforming one of the NFL's oldest defenses.
The Colts got significant mileage out of Jackson, even though he had clear weaknesses in his game. He was no longer a reliable pass defender and only declined since his arrival as a free agent in 2014. But Jackson was still a factor at the point of attack, which is why he’s often been one of the NFL’s leading tacklers despite the lack of a dynamic defensive line in front of him.