The Colts drafted Bjoern Werner in the first round of the 2013 draft with the idea that he’d provide a boost to their pass rush, but those hopes have gone largely unfulfilled.
Werner has 6.5 sacks through his first two seasons with the Colts and didn’t have any after the seventh week of the 2014 season despite starting all but one game for the rest of the regular season. Werner was also shut out in the playoffs and missed the AFC Championship game with a shoulder injury that was the latest in a series of aches and pains that Werner says have kept him from reaching his full potential.
“I don’t want to sound cocky, but personally, I feel like when I’m out there and healthy, I can be a baller,” Werner said, via the Indianapolis Star. “I can do it all. You always have to get that mojo going of course. But I’m telling you, I’m confident I can be an NFL player and a starter in this league.”
Werner delivered this message after missing the team’s practice session as he continues to deal with the shoulder injury that limited him last season and that underscores the issue for Werner. Werner may well be a “baller” when he’s healthy, but he may also be an excellent flyer if wings sprout from his back. Both remain hypotheticals and the Colts can’t put all their eggs in that basket after two years of waiting for Werner to break through.