INDIANAPOLIS — DeForest Buckner wanted change from the Colts this offseason.
Change in the way the team pursued free agents.
Change in the way the rest of the defense prepared and played, coming on the heels of a season that left Buckner frustrated, prompting the veteran defensive tackle to call out his unit for issues of ego, chemistry and accountability.
The Colts have already fulfilled one of Buckner’s desires.
Indianapolis opened free agency by forking over big money to sign former 49ers cornerback Charvarius Ward and former Vikings safety Camryn Bynum, transforming a secondary that has often been unable to hold up its end of the bargain the past two seasons because of a lack of experience.
“I was excited,” Buckner said. “Mooney (Ward) and Bynum are both dynamic players, big playmakers, bring a lot of energy to the defense, and I think they’re going to help us a lot moving forward.”
Buckner did not call for a change at defensive coordinator at the end of the season, but he’s also excited about the team’s decision to hire Lou Anarumo, whose scheme will make the Colts a lot more difficult to read.
“Keep offenses guessing,” Buckner said. “Not everything is always going to look the same.”
It is far too early to tell if Buckner is going to see the other changes he wants to see defensively.
The Colts have only been back in the building for offseason workouts for a couple of weeks, and although Anarumo set the tone by telling his defense that he didn’t care what they’d done in the past, Buckner has been around long enough to know that the real test will come in the regular season.
“It keeps everybody on their toes, making sure they’re in their playbook, doing the right things on and off the field,” Buckner said. “It’s encouraging, as a competitor, as a player, when you’ve got that type of accountability coming from the coach, and now it’s up to the players to relay that message among each other.”