Colts already see impact of ‘D’ guided by guru Bradley

Indianapolis defensive tackle Deforest Buckner always appreciated watching Gus Bradley’s defenses.

It was the scheme Buckner thrived in with San Francisco, the scheme that created Seattle’s “Legion of Boom” and the scheme that led the Raiders back to the playoffs last season.

So, when the Colts hired Bradley as defensive coordinator in February, Buckner was thrilled to work with the defensive mastermind. Buckner, a two-time Pro Bowl selection, believes Bradley can turn a budding Indianapolis defense into a championship-caliber unit.

“We’re attacking up front. We’re blowing things up; everyone else is pretty much cleaning things up behind us,” Buckner said of Bradley’s philosophy. “I like that. It’s controlled chaos.”

For Buckner and the other defensive linemen, it’s been a slight but welcome adjustment.

Former defensive coordinator Matt Eberflus expected his unit to play fast, gang up around the ball and hold each player accountable. The result: He took one of the league’s worst defenses in 2017 and steadily led it to a top-10 ranking in 2020.

After Indy finished second in the league with 33 takeaways last season, Chicago hired Eberflus as coach.

When general manager Chris Ballard and coach Frank Reich started searching for a replacement, they wanted someone with a similar approach. The 56-year-old Bradley looked like the perfect fit with his preference for turning defensive linemen loose, rather than asking them to read and react.

■ Saints: Wide receiver Michael Thomas participated in 11-on-11 drills Saturday for the first time since 2020. The 29-year-old two-time All-pro missed the 2021 offseason and regular season after left ankle surgery. Also, linebacker Kiko Alonso retired. The 31-year-old signed Thursday after having not played in the NFL since 2019. He totaled 588 tackles in 86 games with four NFL teams over six seasons.

■ Packers: Safety Darnell Savage sustained a hamstring injury Friday during the team’s Family Night practice at Lambeau Field. “I don’t think it’s a concern,” said Savage, a 2019 first-round draft pick who has started all 46 games in which he’s played. “It’s a fast-people injury. Some of those things you can’t avoid. I’ll be all right.”

■ Giants: Rookie right tackle Marcus Mckethan was placed on the reserve/injured list after sustaining a torn ACL in his right knee during Friday’s Fan Fest scrimmage and will be sidelined all season. The 6-foot7-inch, 335-pound North Carolina product was drafted in the fifth round.

■ Browns: Running back Kareem Hunt is skipping team drills while seeking a new contract. The 27-yearold, entering the final year of his deal, ran for 386 yards at an average of 4.9 per carry and five touchdowns and had 22 catches for 174 yards over eight games in 2021.

■ Cardinals: Quarterback Kyler Murray returned to practice after missing a week with COVID-19. Coach Kliff Kingsbury said the 24-year-old two-time Pro Bowl selection experienced mild symptoms but attended meetings virtually during his absence.