Indianapolis Colts

Colts' Newsome aims to build on rookie success

Published Jun. 4, 2015 1:41 p.m. ET

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A season after leading the team with 6.5 sacks as a rookie, the expectations have risen for Indianapolis linebacker Jonathan Newsome.

The Colts' fifth-round pick a year ago, Newsome saw significant action his first season, playing in all 16 regular season games, as well as the team's three playoff contests. Perhaps his biggest moment was his strip of the ball from Broncos quarterback Peyton Manning in the Colts playoff win over the Broncos that helped set up a score.

Newsome said the playing time he earned as a rookie backup has benefited him entering his second year.

“It helped tremendously just being able to get out there and get the reps and have guys in front of me that I can watch,” Newsome said, according to the team's official website.

“Coming into this year, I’m hearing everything once again so I’m not really learning, it’s just going out there, getting the reps and I don’t have to sit out there and think about what I’m going to do. I actually have game experience running these plays.”

After working with the first-team defense during the Colts' offseason program, Newsome said he's committed to building upon last season's performance. The 24-year-old had three multi-sack games the second half of the year.

"I want to be better at everything,” Newsome said. “You can never have enough good technique. Pass rushing, setting the edge, covering, being able to read tendencies in the offense and knowing the situation first and second down, third down, distance, all that stuff comes into play.”

His coaches have high hopes for his continued development as well.

“We’ve talked pretty closely about, ‘Hey, we just want to keep progressing,’” Colts outside linebackers coach Brad White said. “I want to see him progress. He will be the first to tell you, there are plays that he left out on the field that with experience, now being able to look at that, he can make those plays this year. Those are things that he looks at and he could have been double digit (sacks). We’ve got to keep going and you can’t get frustrated. There are times that they just come in bunches.”

(h/t Indianapolis Colts)

Photo credit: Mark J. Rebilas/USA TODAY Sports