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First-round pick won't single-handedly fix Colts' problems, but he could have a key role

The Indianapolis Colts don't have to pinpoint one position to focus on when they select in the first round of the April draft. They have so many needs, especially on defense, they may have options to choose from when their pick -- No. 14 or 15, depending on the outcome of the coin flip with Philadelphia -- comes up.

Still, this question arrived in the Colts mailbag:

Mike Wells: I don’t think you can look at the draft as producing one player who will be the difference-maker. The Colts would like the player they take at 14 or 15 to be a key contributor next season. But it’s going to take the entire roster, especially on a defense that finished 30th in the league last season, in order for the Colts to get back on track after two non-playoff seasons. Put it like this: Strictly counting on quarterback Andrew Luck to carry the Colts no longer works for the organization.

New general manager Chris Ballard needs to find a way to put a complete team together. He talked about that when he was hired last month.

“It will never be about one guy,” he said. “It will never be about one guy. It’s about all 53 men in that locker room. It’s about all 63 men, including the practice squad, that we have. It will never be about one person; it will always be about the team. Is [Luck] a good piece? Absolutely. But he is just one of the 53 men that we have to go win with.”

The Colts can potentially find a player who will play a pivotal role in the building process. If they take a pass-rusher, that player could help them win an extra game or two by wreaking havoc on the opposing quarterback.

But it’s going to take a piece-by-piece assembly of a winning team, with the front office and coaching staff charged with finding players who fit in and are capable of having a positive impact.