Grover Stewart wasn’t aware he was departing the Colts

Grover Stewart did not even complete the first step of his probable free agency in the NFL.

Nope, Stewart had a feeling he wouldn’t be leaving as free agency approached last month.

“I had a strong feeling I was going to be back here,” Stewart said in looking back on any potential off-season uncertainty. “I wasn’t prepared to leave or none of that. You know how people have their house packed? I don’t know, I was like, ‘Shoot, I’m going to be here.’”

Honestly, Stewart’s 6-game PED ban last season just reinforced the Colts’ trust in the nose tackle’s importance to their run defense’s success.

Nobody stepped up for the Colts in Stewart’s absence.

And the Colts’ run defense fell to one of its lowest points in recent history.

It’s rare to see one player’s absence have such an impact on the entire team idea of stopping an opponent’s run game, but the figures with and without Stewart are difficult to deny.

–With Stewart (11 games): 3.7 yards per carry allowed, 324 carries for 1,191 yards

–Without Stewart (6 games): 4.7 yards per carry allowed, 194 carries for 914 yards

That’s why, despite Stewart compromising his future with the Colts by being suspended for nearly a third of the season, the team remained committed to their fourth-round pick in the 2017 draft.

“The disruptiveness that Grover causes on the field, especially in the run game, is rare and pivotal to the success of our defense,” Shane Steichen said after the team re-signed Stewart to a 3-year deal. “The physicality he plays with in the trenches sets the tone. It was important that we kept Grover here and I’m confident he will continue to develop as the years progress.”

To be honest, the only conceivable drawback to Stewart returning would be if the Colts suspected foul play in his ban or if they were concerned about his game slowing down now that he is 30 years old.

Clearly, they do not feel that way.

Stewart has been extremely durable throughout his career, and his productivity stats show he is much more than just a space eater.

Moving forward, the Colts hope to add some depth to the defensive line’s interior.

New defensive line coach Charlie Partridge likes about Stewart’s presence, but he also wants to see the big fella add a few sacks to his resume.

Stewart was clearly a top goal for the Colts to keep in free agency.