According to a tweet by Pat Leonard of The New York Daily News on February 17, DeAndre Smith, who was previously the running backs coach for the New York Giants, will be joining the Colts in an unspecified capacity.
It is possible that Smith may be brought on board to fill the team’s vacant running backs coach position, as Scottie Montgomery recently departed to join the Detroit Lions in the same role on February 6.
Having spent the majority of his 22-year coaching career at the college level, primarily coaching running backs, DeAndre Smith joined the New York Giants for a single season. Interestingly, he and Indianapolis Colts head coach Shane Steichen both worked together for a year at UNLV in 2009, with Smith coaching running backs and Steichen serving as an offensive graduate assistant.
Under DeAndre Smith’s guidance, Giants running back Saquon Barkley emerged as a leading candidate for Comeback Player of the Year in 2022. Barkley amassed an impressive 1,312 rushing yards and 10 touchdowns, while also recording 57 receptions for 338 yards, which earned him his second Pro Bowl selection.
In the NFC Divisional Round, the New York Giants suffered a defeat at the hands of former Philadelphia Eagles offensive coordinator, Shane Steichen.
Despite leading the NFL in rushing in 2021, Taylor was limited to only 861 yards and four touchdowns for the 4-12-1 Colts last season, partly due to a nagging ankle issue that caused him to miss six games.
ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler subsequently tweeted that the Colts had also expressed interest in Tee Martin, the wide receivers coach for the Baltimore Ravens, for the same vacant OC position.
According to Landon Oliver of FanSided, Tee Martin is a highly regarded coach who has played a significant role in the development of several quarterbacks throughout his coaching career.
“He’s a great developmental QB guy,” Oliver tweeted. “Been the QB Coach for the Elite 11 camp. Also was [Colts wide receiver] Michael Pittman Jr.’s Offensive Coordinator and WR Coach at USC [from 2016-2019].”
The search for a new offensive coordinator is underway for the Indianapolis Colts, following the departure of interim play caller Parks Frazier, who has accepted a position with former Colts head coach Frank Reich’s staff at the Carolina Panthers.
