SB Nation - Michael Coe

Giants do the roster shuffle

Ed Valentine — Tue, 15 Sep 2009 21:30:24 -0000

Since I know some of you guys are dying to get these, here are your New York Giants' roster moves today. Here is the scoop Ralph Vacchiano of the NY Daily News.

The Giants added a running back today, but it wasn’t the one that was expected.

Rather than promote Allen Patrick from the practice squad, the Giants claimed Gartrell Johnson off waivers from the San Diego Chargers. The 5-11, 218-pound Johnson was the Chargers’ fourth-round draft pick out of Miami. He is considered a powerful inside runner who was could be good in short yardage.

Patrick, meanwhile, didn’t even get to stick around at all. He was cut from the practice squad earlier today.

Johnson, who rushed for 176 yards on 43 preseason carries, clearly must have caught the Giants’ attention because they decided to go with him over a couple of promising players with more experience. The Giants had what one NFL source said was a "sizeable" workout of running backs today, that included Lorenzo Booker and may have included T.J. Duckett, too.

The Giants also cut CB DeAndre Wright and TE Kareem Brown from the practice squad. They replaced them with TE Bear Pascoe (Fresno State) and DB Michael Coe (Alabama State).

To make room for Johnson and linebacker Michael Boley on the active roster, the Giants cut veteran offensive lineman Tutan Reyes and defensive tackle Leger Douzable. Boley was added to the roster after spending opening week on the suspended list.

My take: Typical Jerry Reese to find a player like Johnson, who might have a future, instead of going to a player like Duckett, who has a past. Also, I am very surprised to see Reyes get released. During pre-season I thought of him as the first lineman off the bench. Guess I was wrong!

Colts cut Dante Hughes, Steve Justice, and Nick Graham

BigBlueShoe — Fri, 04 Sep 2009 23:32:03 -0000

Dante Hughes, right, never lived up to expectations after a stellar career at Cal. He was cut today as the Colts trim their roster down to 53 active players. Photo: cache.daylife.com

View full size photo »

Special thanks to jumunjis for posting the link to Mike Chappell's Indy Star report. The first cuts towards the 53-man roster have been made, and on the chopping block are 2007 third round pick Dante Hughes, 2008 sixth round pick Steve Justice, and Nick Graham. As jumunjis astutely points out, Hughes is yet another victim of the curse of the third round pick. Former Colts tackle Quinn Pitcock was the other third rounder the Colts took in 2007. Now, both he and Hughes are former-Colts after just two years.

When you look back at the 2007 draft for the Colts, it had so much promise. I even called it "one of the best drafts Bill Polian has ever presided over in Indianapolis." Shows you how much I know.

From that 2007 draft class, only Anthony Gonzalez, Clint Session, and Keyunta Dawson remain (and Dawson is in danger of cutting cut himself). Dante Hughes, Brandon Condren, Michael Coe, and Roy Hall were all drafted by Indy that year, and all of them were cut this off-season. DT Quinn Pitcock quit football last year prior to training camp. That's five picks from just two years ago that are gone. And to top it all off, Indy's second round pick in 2007, Tony Ugoh, was just recently benched. Indy traded a first rounder in 2008 for Ugoh, and now it looks like he is going the way of all the other trash drafted in 2007.

Yikes!

The 2008 Draft for Indy isn't shaping up to be much better. Mike Pollak, a center out of Arizona State who Indy has converted into a guard, isn't setting the world on fire, or anything. Jamey Richard, who played center at Buffalo, is a quality back-up, but that's about all we can ever really expect from Richard. And now, Steve Justice, the third center the Colts drafted last year, has been cut.

Now, before people freak out, it's important to know that many of the players we were hoping Indy would draft from previous years have also recently been cut. The Broncos cut Kory Lichtensteiger and Carlton Powell today, two players we thought the Colts should have drafted in 2008. Kevin O'Connell was also cut recently; another player we wanted Indy to take in 2008.

The draft isn't an exact science, folks. And even future Hall of Fame personnel people, like Bill Polian, are not perfect.

Still, Polian was able to find quality starters like Anthony Gonzalez and Clint Session in 2007, and players like Jacob Tamme and Marcus Howard offer a lot of promise from the 2008 draft. Also, in 2007, Polian found and signed Melvin Bullitt as a rookie free agent. So, it's not like 2007 didn't give the team anything. It just didn't give the team the kind of talent we are used to seeing.

The cutting of Steve Justice likely means free agent Kyle DeVan will remain on the active roster, but we'll see.

Colts roster moves: Three players injured-waived, TE Colin Cloherty cut

BigBlueShoe — Mon, 31 Aug 2009 22:37:12 -0000

More photos » by Michael Conroy - AP

Indianapolis Colts receiver John Matthews was (shockingly) not cut today (AP Photo/Michael Conroy)

Browse more photos »

Tomorrow, the Colts must trim their roster down to 75 players. Today, they took the first steps to doing so, placing Michael Coe, Curtis Johnson, and Rudolph Hardie on the injured-waived list. This is the same list the Colts placed Roy Hall on. Basically, when the players clear waivers, another team can pick them up. If a team doesn't, the Colts will then place them on the Injured Reserve (IR) list, effectively ending their season.

Again, just like with Roy Hall, it seems Coe, Hardie, and Johnson will not play for the Colts in 2009.

Indianapolis also cut Colin Cloherty. By my count, they need to make one more roster move to get to 75. One possibility is cutting kicker Shane Andrus and bringing Adam Vinatieri off the PUP list.

Cutting Coe was something many of us saw coming. I don't think he's played in a single pre-season game. Likely, he is still recovering from last season's knee injury during training camp, which is very unfortunate. Hardie was injured in the Lions pre-season game on Saturday, and apparently that injury was serious enough to get him waived-injured. Curtis Johnson is a bit of a shocker. Some of us (aka me!) thought he'd make the final roster. Not sure what his injury is.

Also, Kelvin Hayden, Matt Giordano, Raheem Brock, and Jacob Lacey returned to practice today, according to IFR. Held out of practice were Mike Hart, Mike Pollak, Sam Giguere, Clint Session, and Tom Santi. The Colts seem to be listing Santi's injury from the Lions game as an ankle injury, and, as Phil B of the Indy Star fears, it could be serious.

What to Expect: Defensive Backs

Colts Homer — Tue, 11 Aug 2009 21:44:40 -0000

More photos » by Michael Conroy - AP

Will Marlin Jackson be back in 2010? Monday, Aug. 10, 2009. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy)

Browse more photos »

This is the penultimate What to Expect, and it should be finished by the preseason opener on Friday against the Vikings. The secondary is the best group on the team in my opinion. They were one of the best secondaries in the league last season and set an NFL record for the least amount of touchdown passes in NFL history (6). With Bob Sanders at least starting the season healthy and hopefully ending it healthy and Marlin Jackson being healthy, this could be a very special group. The depth is amazing, so there will be 15 questions this time.

1. Do you expect Antoine Bethea to be re-signed after this season?

2. Do you expect Marlin Jackson to be re-signed after this season?

3. Do you expect Tim Jennings to be re-signed after this season?

4. Do you expect Bob Sanders to play 13 or more games this season?

5. Who do you expect to be the nickelback this season?

6. Do you expect Jamie Silva to make the roster?

7. Do you expect Dante Hughes to make the roster?

8. Do you expect Melvin Bullitt to have an impact close to the one he had last year?

9. Do you expect Kelvin Hayden to be a Pro Bowler at some point in the next 3 years?

10. Do you expect a Colts defensive back to be in the Pro Bowl this season?

11. Over/under on the opponents' touchdown passes: 9.5

12. Over/under on Antoine Bethea interceptions: 3.5

13. Over/under on Bob Sanders tackles: 65.5

14. Do you expect Jerraud Powers to get significant playing time next year?

15. What will the 2010 defensive starting backfield + nickelback look like?

1. Yes, Bethea will get a nice new contract.

2. No, Marlin will be playing in Tampa in 2010.

3. No, Jennings will be gone.

4. Yes, but it is a crapshoot with Sanders. This is possibly the healthiest he's been going into a season right now.

5. Jennings will start as nickelback, but Dante Hughes will take over by Week 8.

6. No, Silva will be one of the final cuts and will possibly rejoin the team due to an injury to a safety. If not, he will play in the UFL and get a job in the NFL in December.

7. Hughes will easily make the roster. Michael Coe and TJ Rushing will be the odd men out.

8. Bullitt will be a great special teams player, but unless there is an injury he will probably not be able to get another four interceptions.

9. No. The Tampa-2 is not ideal for a cornerback to get the stats necessary to get to the Pro Bowl.

10. Yes. Bob Sanders or Antoine Bethea will make the Pro Bowl.

11. Over now that there is a run defense.

12. Over. He will have 4 interceptions.

13. Under. He will have between 55 and 65, but not over 65.

14. Yes, he will get nice playing time on special teams. On defense? Not so much.

15. Hayden and Hughes will be the starting cornerbacks with Jerraud Powers at nickelback. Sanders and Bethea will be the safeties.

First Depth Chart Released: Here's Some Analysis

Colts Homer — Tue, 11 Aug 2009 00:43:01 -0000

More photos » by Michael Conroy - AP

4 months ago: Indianapolis Colts quarterback Peyton Manning makes a throw during the NFL team's football training camp in Terre Haute, Ind., Tuesday, Aug. 4, 2009. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy)

Browse more photos »

Tip to Aerostar and his hilarious avatar for first posting this.

The first depth chart of the year is released. Yes, we all know about Charlie Johnson being the starting left tackle over Ugoh, but I found other tidbits just as astounding and surprising. I need to remember that this isn't the final roster, but it does show Caldwell's impressions. We have been looking at tweets and reports and even first-hand accounts, but Caldwell is the man who makes the final decisions, and this gives us a peek into his thought process. This is also very telling of who will be cut and who will make the roster. Note that the PUP list players are listed at the bottom, so like Aerostar said, don't grab your pitchforks and torches and head out for Caldwell when you see Sanders listed as the #3 strong safety.

My position-by-position analysis is after the jump.

Quarterbacks
Peyton Manning
Jim Sorgi
Curtis Painter
Chris Crane

No surprises there.

Running Back
Joseph Addai
Donald Brown
Mike Hart
Chad Simpson
Lance Ball

Coming into training camp, people would have said you were crazy if you had Chad Simpson, who was just plain bad last year over the promising Lance Ball, but now Simpson is above Ball. Everything I've heard out of training camp has Simpson being a phenomenal player. Ball does have practice squad eligibility left, so there is that. Last year Lance Ball dominated in preseason for the Rams much like Mike Hart did for the Colts and ended up not making the roster, so it is hard to say that if Ball has a great preseason he will make the roster.

H-Back
Gijon Robinson
Jacob Tamme

Again, we are seeing Tamme listed as an H-back while his skill sets fit more of the tight end/slot receiver role that Dallas Clark plays. That confused me.

Wide Receiver
Reggie Wayne
Pierre Garcon
Roy Hall
Austin Collie
John Matthews

Anthony Gonzalez
Brett McDermott
Taj Smith
Sam Giguere

A lot of things to note here. First, Austin Collie behind Pierre Garcon and Roy Hall? That surprised me. Collie has been practicing as the slot receiver while Garcon has been the fourth and Hall hasn't really been heard from. Second, who's this Brett McDermott? Taj Smith has supposedly been very impressive, but he is listed behind McDermott. That shocked me. Giguere is obviously listed last because he is on the PUP list.

Tight End
Dallas Clark
Gijon Robinson
Jacob Tamme
Tom Santi
Jamie Petrowski

So Santi is fourth. That disappoints me since I am such a Santi fan. Gijon Robinson holds onto the second receiver job for now. This could seriously change this preseason. Santi was out for training camp and preseason last year and has battled injuries for his career, so he could surprise the coaches who have seen very little from him so far.

Left Tackle
Charlie Johnson
Tony Ugoh
Michael Toudouze

These are some names that have been around for a while, but usually Ugoh would be above Johnson. That continues to shock me. The Colts gave up a first round pick for Ugoh in the most deep running back class I can remember. Some players that were left when the Niner picked were receivers Donny Avery and Eddie Royal, tight ends Dustin Keller and John Carlson, and running backs Matt Forte, Ray Rice and Kevin Smith. Keep that in mind when deciding whether Ugoh was a bust or not.

Left Guard
Ryan Lilja
Jamey Richard
Jaimie Thomas

It's nice to see Lilja in a depth chart again. That is the biggest addition of the offseason. They are getting back an outstanding offensive guard that will have a chip on his shoulder. I expect left guard to be the strongest position on the line other than center with Jamey Richard being the backup. Richard is going to be one of Polian's diamonds in the rough picks. It isn't looking great for Thomas to make the roster right now, but training camp could change that.

Center
Jeff Saturday
Steve Justice
Kyle DeVan

No surprise with Saturday at the top. Justice really needs to step it up because he was awful last season in both the preseason and regular season. The DeVan signing keeps looking weirder now that he isn't making any impact.

Right Guard
Mike Pollak
Dan Federkeil
Brandon Barnes

Pollak is another young offensive lineman who needs to step it up. This really is a huge question mark. Pollak was not good last year, but at least he will have a training camp to get ready for the season. Federkeil, straight outta Medicine Hat, has been a long time Colt and has played well when given the opportunity. Barnes was another weird signing who hasn't panned out.

Right Tackle
Ryan Diem
Corey Hilliard
Tom Pestock

Diem was the only healthy lineman last year, but he wasn't great. I would not be surprised to see Ugoh starting on the right side one day. Hilliard played well at the training camp I went to and he could make the roster. Pestock is in the same boat as Barnes and DeVan. All three will be in the UFL soon enough.

Left Defensive End
Robert Mathis
Keyunta Dawson
Marcus Howard

This surprised me a lot. Not only is Robert Mathis starting, but Raheem Brock isn't even listed as a left defensive end. Dawson's move to defensive end must be going well now that he is listed above Howard, someone who I think could make a huge impact. I do not want to see Mathis starting. He isn't great against the run, and he is much more effective as a pass rush specialist.

Nose Tackle
Anthony Johnson
Daniel Muir
Terrance Taylor
Adrian Grady

This shocked me to be honest. I thought Mookie was in trouble with his injury, but now he is a starter. He earned it after last season, but with the way Muir has been playing and the drafting of Taylor I thought he may have been the odd man out. Besides AJ, nothing surprises me. Muir has almost guaranteed himself a roster spot now, and things aren't looking good for Grady.

Under Tackle
Ed Johnson
Fili Moala
Eric Foster

I don't know how Ed Johnson is an under tackle. He's a huge man. This doesn't seem right. I think the defense will be a little different next year, which is a good thing. There will be better run defense and hopefully the Johnsons could even get pressure on the QB. Fili Moala isn't starting, but he isn't a wasted pick. Let's see how he does with the preseason. Foster better make the roster.

Right Defensive End
Dwight Freeney
Raheem Brock
Curtis Johnson

Things aren't looking good for Johnson. He could very easily not make the roster after minimal playing time last year. He is a good pass rusher, but there are much better lineman, and I think he is the odd man out. Nothing surprising at RDE.

SAM
Philip Wheeler
Tyjuan Hagler

No surprises here.

MIKE
Gary Brackett
Adam Seward
Freddy Keiaho
Mike Tauiliili

This shocked me. Keiaho is listed as a middle linebacker, and he's third on the depth chart? He may not even make the roster. Special teams may save him. Besides that, no surprises.

WILL
Clint Session
Jordan Senn

Senn is the backup WILL right now. He was a special teams stud, so maybe he will make the roster. The 2008 UDFAs were a very special group. Maybe he will continue to be a part of it.

CB
Kelvin Hayden
Dante Hughes
TJ Rushing
Jacob Lacey

Marlin Jackson
Tim Jennings
Jerraud Powers
Michael Coe
Nick Graham

To me, this looks like Hughes may be winning the nickelback job, something that would please me. Hughes was built for the Tampa-2, and if he can stay healthy, he can be a very good player. He was another third round pick that was starting to look like a bust, but maybe he can end up breaking the curse. Rushing and Coe may be the odd men out when it comes to making the roster. Losing Rushing would disappoint me, and Coe could have been a great special teams player, but when a team has great depth, good players end up getting cut.

SS
Melvin Bullitt
Jamie Silva
Bob Sanders

This may be the most talented group on the team. Bullitt was an absolute stud filling in for Sanders last year, and Silva is a great special teams player. Sanders is obviously an amazing player, but he has to stay healthy. I'm not sure if I can take more of his injuries.

FS
Antoine Bethea
Matt Giordano
Travis Key

Bethea is in his contract year, so I expect him to really step it up. Giordano is a great gunner who has found his place on the roster. Key is a training camp player and nothing more. No surprises here.

P
Pat McAfee

Obviously.

K
Shane Andrus
Adam Vinatieri

PUP players are listed last, so that's why Andrus is the team's kicker. Vinatieri should be healthy by the Jaguars game, so this is what I expected. Keep Vinatieri off the field and let him rehab.

Holder
Pat McAfee
Jim Sorgi

How can you hold the ball AND the clipboard at the same time? Obviously Sorgi isn't going to win this job.

PR
TJ Rushing
Pierre Garcon
Jerraud Powers

This may be the way Rushing makes the roster. He is a great punt returner. I did not know that Powers was a returner, so that surprised me. Garcon is not a good returner so hopefully Rushing makes the roster or Powers beats him out for the job.

KR
Chad Simpson
TJ Rushing
Austin Collie

Simpson being named the starter shows how bad the kick return game is. Hopefully they draft someone like Perrish Cox next year so this isn't a problem anymore.

Long Snapper
Justin Snow
Jacob Tamme

Good old Justin Snow. He's been around forever, and I couldn't be happier. He has a great job.

I do not expect all of these to stand. Obviously Ed Johnson isn't starting Week One because of suspension, but there is no way AJ is going to be a regular starter. I also expect Ugoh to start Week One as well. Overall, this was a shocking depth chart. I can't wait to see these guys play on Friday.

2009 Colts Training Camp: Notes (and Tweets) from 8/7/09 Morning Practice

BigBlueShoe — Fri, 07 Aug 2009 15:05:18 -0000

More photos » by Michael Conroy - AP

4 months ago: FILE -- This is an Aug. 4, 2009, file photo showing Indianapolis Colts receiver Anthony Gonzalez during the NFL team's football training camp in Terre Haute, Ind. Gonzalez spent the offseason watching videotapes of his friend, Marvin Harrison. Now Gonzalez must replace him. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy, File)

Browse more photos »

Once again, Eric Hartz and the rest of the free world thumb their collective noses (and middle fingers) at Bill Parcells (and the North Korean-like regime that runs the Miami Dolphins) by Tweeting live from training camp in Terre Haute. Here is a summary of Eric's chirping from Rose Hulman:

It's another walk-through-like practice, focusing on specific situations. Today, they are working on goal-line offense and defense.
Goal-line defensive line seems to be Raheem Brock, Daniel Muir, Ed Johnson, and Keyunta Dawson.
On offense, they used both Daniel Muir (312 pounds) and Eric Foster (275 pounds) as fullbacks in different packages. For a big guy, Muir moves very well. In one drill, Foster caught a Dan Klecko style TD pass.
Colts are using I-formation on goal-line. Tom Moore seems to want to do more power-running.

Eric also had his nightly chat with fans last night at around 8pm (the time when we had our podcast... sorry for the competition Eric... hehe). We have a summary of some of Eric's thoughts about the jump. We also expect some regular Stampede Blue contributors to chime in today on their thoughts from camp. More after the jump...

By the way, can you tell that Parcells' @ssholish treatment of fans has really gotten under my skin? Seriously, what a douchebag. If I were a Dolphins fan, I'd organize a group of two hundred fans to show up and, at the same time, all of us whip out our mobile devices and start Twittering live from camp. Then, as Dolhpins "security" starts getting all Iranian Army on us, we take pictures. Then, later in the day, we post the pics on our blogs and send them out to Yahoo, CBS, etc. with the tagline "Dolphins public relations at their finest."

Parcells is a great football mind, but a serious Grade-A prick. Anyway, here's a summary of Eric's chat:

Biggest surprises in camp as the first week closes-- Taj Smith, Daniel Muir, Mike Hart
The biggest question mark heading into camp was the offensive line, but the group seems healthy and both Mike Pollak and Tony Ugoh have looked impressive.
Philip Wheeler seems firmly entrecnhed as the SAM backer, and looks much better in coverage.
Biggest concern is punt coverage and FG holding. Eric doesn't seem to have a lot of faith in Pat McAfee. McAfee is holding for FGs, which he has never done before. So far, he is struggling.
Peyton Manning's knee is fine. Legs look very strong. Practicing roll-outs more.
Jamie Silva is the upback on special teams. This likely means people should include him on any mock 53-man rosters.
Austin Collie continues to get most of the reps at slot receiver. Pierre Garcon is backing up Reggie Wayne.
Despite struggling with FG holding, McAfee has a stronger leg than Tim Masthay.
Dante Hughes needed a strong camp to retain his job, and he is indeed having one. Right now, Tim Jennings and Hughes are backing up Marlin Jackson and Kelvn Hayden. The guys outside looking in are Michael Coe and T.J. Rushing.

For more, read Eric's chat. Be sure to kiss the ground he walks on if you ever get a chance to meet him. his daily Tweets and chats from camp are gold!

Training Camp, Pre-preseason Roster Prediction

Colts Homer — Wed, 05 Aug 2009 02:05:28 -0000

More photos » by Michael Conroy - AP

4 months ago: Indianapolis Colts running back Mike Hart sits outside the misting tent during a water break at the NFL team's football training camp in Terre Haute, Ind., Tuesday, Aug. 4, 2009. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy)

Browse more photos »

These have been tough to do for a while, but I don't think it has been any tougher than right now. This team is ridiculously deep. There is talent at every position and for most of them the backup has been a starter recently or could be a starter on a lot of teams. This will be great for special teams with the talented backups like Melvin Bullitt, Freddie Keiaho and Tyjuan Hagler. I think that this could be a very special team.

The predictions for the 53 man roster and practice squad are after the jump. Like always, it is in a depth chart order.

QB
18 Peyton Manning
12 Jim Sorgi

RB
29 Joseph Addai
31 Donald Brown
32 Mike Hart
27 Lance Ball

H-B
86 Tom Santi
47 Gijon Robinson

WR
87 Reggie Wayne
11 Anthony Gonzalez
85 Pierre Garcon
17 Austin Collie

TE
44 Dallas Clark
84 Jacob Tamme

LT
67 Tony Ugoh
74 Charlie Johnson

LG
65 Ryan Lilja
61 Jamey Richard

C
63 Jeff Saturday
53 Steve Justice

RG
78 Mike Pollak
76 Dan Federkeil

RT
71 Ryan Diem

LE
79 Raheem Brock
98 Robert Mathis
92 Marcus Howard

UT
95 Fili Moala
68 Eric Foster
64 Adrian Grady

NT
91 Ed Johnson
99 Antonio Johnson
62 Terrance Taylor

RE
93 Dwight Freeney
96 Keyunta Dawson

SAM
50 Philip Wheeler
56 Tyjuan Hagler

MIKE
58 Gary Brackett
52 Adam Seward

WILL
55 Clint Session
54 Freddy Keiaho

CB
26 Kelvin Hayden
28 Marlin Jackson
34 T.J. Rushing
23 Tim Jennings
49 Jerraud Powers
20 Dante Hughes

FS
41 Antoine Bethea
33 Melvin Bullitt

SS
21 Bob Sanders
43 Matt Giordano

K
4 Adam Vinatieri

P
1 Pat McAfee

LS
48 Justin Snow

Practice Squad
QB Curtis Painter
WR Sam Giguere
WR Taj Smith
OL Jaimie Thomas
OL Brandon Barnes
LB Mike Tauiliili
LB Ramon Humber
DB Travis Key

UFL-Bound
DT Daniel Muir
S Jamie Silva
WR Roy Hall
DE Curtis Johnson
RB Chad Simpson
CB Michael Coe

Thoughts: The defensive tackle position was the hardest. I was debating between Daniel Muir and Antonio Johnson with AJ barely necking it out. If Muir continues to make progress, he will have a chance. Jamie Silva was also very close to making the roster but he could very easily be a midseason signing because of injury. The same goes with Muir. Curtis Johnson could make a huge impact on this league, but Marcus Howard is the faster version of him from a bigger program (Georgia>Clark Atlanta). This was hard to make. I am excited for the regular season.

2009 Colts Training Camp: News from 8/4/09 morning practice

BigBlueShoe — Tue, 04 Aug 2009 14:52:11 -0000

More photos » by Michael Conroy - AP

4 months ago: Indianapolis Colts quarterback Peyton Manning rolls out to pass during the NFL team's football training camp in Terre Haute, Ind., Monday, Aug. 3, 2009. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy)

Browse more photos »

Once again, the ever diligent Eric Hartz is Tweeting from camp, and ColtPower is rolling up his Tweets in real time. This is the awesome, cool, OMG! power of modern media tools like blogs, Twitter, live chats, etc. Information comes immediately! I don't have to wait for someone to write a newspaper article about it hours, or even days, later.

Not long ago, the Colts wrapped up their morning practice. Once again, the defense is getting the better of the Colts offense:

The Colts are blitzing more, in particular Clint Session. They are also moving Dwight Freeney and Robert Mathis around a bit.
Fili Moala looks slow off the ball.
Melvin Bullitt picked off a pass from Peyton Manning. Manning overthrew Dallas Clark.
T.J. Rushing is back at practice, and is in pads.
Jerraud Powers and Michael Coe were given the return job in today's special teams practice
Ryan Lilja and Mike Pollak, who sat out afternoon practice yesterday, are practicing line drills today.

Again, his is just a few notes taken from Eric's many, MANY Tweets from camp. I'll update this post as we get more info from blogs, reporters, and commenters like you. If you are at camp, Tweet us at @StampedeBlue, or shoot me an email.

Updates after the jump...

PhilB at the Indy Star has more information on this morning's practice, which concluded just prior to a severe thunderstorm rolling in and soaking most of the Terre Haute area.

Speaking of that position, WR Pierre Garcon has impressed in the first couple days. Caldwell praised him first, which doesn't mean we should rush to judgment, but it was with merit. He's got great hands, seems to be under control, and his do-anything laid-back attitude makes him one of the more likable guys here.

TE Jacob Tamme made a nice sliding catch on a ball thrown behind him and through traffic. Rookie WR Austin Collie also had a decent grab. The catches all seemed to happen in a short time span, too.

Check out PhilB's site on IndyStar.com for more updates.

Also, if you have been listening to Sirius Satellite Radio's live coverage of Colts Training Camp today, you got some interesting information from Peyton Manning, who was interviewed:

Pierre Garcon and Austin Collie seem to have caught Peyton's attention so far as they battle for the 3rd WR spot
Peyton thinks the battle will last well into the 4th pre-season game.
Peyton spent a lot of the off-season working on making his legs stronger.

Other news and notes from Jim Miller, who is covering Colts camp with (ugh!) Solomon Wilcotts:

Taj Smith looks really good and has impressed coaches with his WR play.
Clint Session leveled Roy Hall in the morning practice today. It pissed off Jim Caldwell a bit.
Joseph Addai did not practice this morning.

[UPDATE]: More info from Sirius:

Colts Tampa-2 defense looks very different under Larry Coyer than it was under Tony Dungy and Ron Meeks.
The Colts are deploying linebackers to pressure the QB, especially the SAM linebacker.
Colts want Philip Wheeler to win SAM job.
Dwight Freeney like Larry Coyer. He referred to his former defensive coordinator as "Meeks." Thought that was interesting.
Sirius commentators really like Daniel Muir at DT.
Freeney loves Ed Johnson, and seems to like Fili Moala.
Dwight Freeney has known Jim Caldwell since high school. Caldwell tried to recruit Freeney to play at Wake Forest when Caldwell was the head coach there. Freeney said that, back then, Caldwell said Dwight would play both offense and defense. Now, today, Caldwell is his HC, meaning Dwight is lobbying to get in on offensive plays.

Bill Polian and Jim Cadlwell are expected on later.

[UPDATE] Bill Polian interview:

Taj Smith has made some of the biggest improvement of anyone on the roster.
Austin Collie is a lot like Brandon Stokley.
Five receivers are fighting for two receiver spots.
Donald Brown a better receiver than they anticipated.
Brown more like Thurman Thomas, a cut and go back, than a "shake-and-bake" guy.

[UPDATE]: Jim Caldwell interview:

Larry Coyer brings great intensity to the team.
Ray Rychleski lives and breathes football. He's also LOUD on the practice field.
Caldwell likes the WRs competing for the 3rd spot. Singled out Hall, Giguere, Smith, Garcon, and Collie.

Luke Links: There is no summer vacation in football

BigBlueShoe — Tue, 14 Jul 2009 12:03:25 -0000

I'm not taking a summer vacation this year because I'm getting married in September. But I'm sure many of you are (hopefully) getting away for some much needed R & R. Between the economy, the election, and all the stuff that affected the Colts from 2008 to now, it's been a long, rough year. Take some time to recharge your batteries. I personally never like going to the beach, except to look at girls (sorry honey, you look cute too!). But, swimming in the ocean, laying out on the beach, building sand castles... just not my thing. I've always been a camper. I love hiking, biking, pitching a tent, making a fire, and cooking in a metal pot over a raging flame.

What's your favorite location to vacation in? If you say "Bawston ta take in a Sawks game" I will steel toe you in the nuts. Yes, I'm kidding. Here are your morning links:

As our own BetterD FanPosted the other day, the Denver Broncos are converting former Colts DT Darrell Reid into an outside linebacker. Reid weighed 290 pounds when he played for the Colts.
Speaking of the Broncos, one of the co-writers at Mile High Report ranks Peyton Manning behind Bart Starr, Otto Graham, and John Elway.
Good series by John Oehser over at Examiner.com: Twenty questions for the Colts starters.
Nice Colts.com article on Michael Coe. This is a big year for Coe. He, along with fellow 2007 draft pick Dante Hughes, need to earn their keep.

Jamie Silva doesn't want to think too much.
ESPN's Paul Kuharsky is getting smacked around by some fans who question his opinion on Steve McNair not being a Hall of Famer. Most of the questions are silly, but Paul does a nice job fielding them and getting down to the reasons why McNair will not be a Hall of Famer.
Music City Miracles has a much better way to honor Steve McNair; retire his number. I agree. Very classy and respectful thing to do. Prior to to his death, I'd have said such an act was unnecessary. But, if I were a Titans fan, I'd be very weirded out if I saw some punter trot out on the field wearing #9.
From the same people who did not list Peyton Manning as one of the great "clutch" QBs in NFL history, here is a video list of the greatest QBs of all time. They rank Manning third, behind Joe Montana (barf!) and John Unitas (I can agree with that). Tom Brady is ranked 4th all-time. Don't ask me why they leave Manning off the clutch list, but have him as the #3 all-time QB. It's NFL Network. They rarely make sense.

We plan to do another podcast tomorrow night at 8pm. Mark your calendars.

2009 Colts Training Camp: Nickel corner

BigBlueShoe — Fri, 10 Jul 2009 17:00:13 -0000

Last week we talked about who will win the third running back position (I said Lance Ball; most think Mike Hart). Today, we talk about who will play the all important nickel back spot on defense.

The nickel corner in a Tampa 2 is, essentially, another starting corner. The Colts play a lot of nickel, especially on third down. For years, Marlin Jackson has played in the nickel spot. Even since he has started, in nickel packages Marlin has moved from his normal starting spot to the nickel spot (with Tim Jennings stepping into the spot Jackson normally starts at).

This season, with Marlin coming back from injury, the Colts may not move him down to nickel on third down. They may keep him at his normal spot (where he is very effective) and have a new player work at the nickel back position. In this article, Stampede Blue will breakdown who will likely win the job, and why.

Cornerbacks currently on roster: Kelvin Hayden, Marlin Jackson, Tim Jennings, Dante Hughes, Michael Coe, Jerraud Powers, T.J. Rushing, Nick Graham, Brandon Harrison, Jacob Lacey
Cornerbacks competing for specific roster spot: Tim Jennings, Dante Hughes, Michael Coe, Jerraud Powers, T.J. Rushing, Nick Graham, Brandon Harrison, Jacob Lacey

Traditionally, the Colts carry a lot of defensive backs (6 or 7) on the regular reason active roster. Back-up DBs are often asked to play a ton of special teams and, if possible, fill in at one of the safety positions in case of an injury. In 2006, Marlin Jackson played several games at safety because of injuries to various Colts players, including Bob Sanders. It's likely the Colts will retain six corner backs with the hope that one or two of them will be needed as special team returners.

The starting corners for 2009 are Kelvin Hayden and Marlin Jackson. Hayden just signed a new contract with the Colts this off-season, and Jackson is on the fast track to recovery after a knee injury ended his 2008 season. When healthy, Jackson and Hayden are arguably the one of the best (but least talked about) CB tandem in football. Last year, the Colts set an NFL record for pass defense allowing only 6 TDs (NFL record) and collecting 15 INTs. It is very difficult to throw effectively on the Colts, and nearly impossible to beat them with a big play in the passing game. Their corners play excellent Cover 2 and Cover 3 zone. They also tackle extremely well and play tough in order to come up and handle run support. Corners in Tampa-2 must tackle like linebackers. This is a man's defense. Deion Sanders can wait outside, thank you.

With safety Melvin Bullitt likely to see more playing time in dime situations, the nickel corner is crucial to the Colts having as many quality "coverage guys" as possible. Bullitt is a fine player and a very under-rated safety, but he cannot run with premiere WRs, or even the Wes Welker types of this league. That's where the nickel back must shine.

Necessary attributes: Strong zone coverage skills; good tackler; ball hawk; able to step up and support run defense; physical at point of attack; intelligent, able to stay disciplined in coverage; special teams skills as either a gunner or returner

Tim Jennings

Photo: Colts.com

At A Glance
Position 1: CB	Height: 5-9
Position 2: Gunner	Weight: 185
Year: 4th	Age: 25
Number: 23	Note:

Every fanbase for a team has their "whipping boy." This is the player that fan's consistently blame for EVERY team loss. When the player plays poorly, fan's cite it as yet another excuse as to why that player should be bagging groceries instead of tackling running backs. When the player plays well, fans simply write it off as luck, or say the opponent was so bad a blind walrus could cover their receivers just as well.

For Colts fans, Tim Jennings is their whipping boy.

For years, it was LBer Rob Morris. But, Rob managed to quiet all his critics when he replaced Gilbert Gardner at SAM backer prior to the 2006 playoffs. Rob's play, along with Booger McFarland's and Bob Sanders', was a major reason why the Colts won the Super Bowl. Rob's retired now, and it seems Tim Jennings has filled the "fan whipping boy" void Rob left behind.

For two seasons, Jennings has been Indy's "nickel back." Though he does not play the nickel back spot (Marlin Jackson does), he enters games when the Colts go to nickel and he plays the outside corner spot Jackson vacates when he shifts to nickel. At 5'8, 185 pounds, he does not have the size that Jackson and Hayden have (both roughly 6'0). But, as I often preach (to the point where many are annoyed with me for doing so, but whatever) size is one of the most over-rated attributes when it comes to measuring how good a football player is. The Colts won a Super Bowl with a 5'8'' CB starting. His name was Jason David, and despite the last two years languishing with the Saints, he was a damn fine corner for the Colts, in my not-so-humble opinion.

IFR recently offered readers an interview with Jennings:

I learned just the speed and the mental part of the game. What I mean by mental part is you have to go out there and concentrate. I think that was real helpful for me last year. I was able to go out there and be more healthy than I was before, which was a key factor. Now, as I start to play, I’ll start to pick up on the mental things and the concentration level that you need to be on to go out there and play the game and stay healthy and produce. . . . I wish last season had been my rookie year.

The legitimate knock against Jennings is he is not consistent. In IFR's interview with him, he even hints at this. Last year, he played well against the Baltimore Ravens only to stink it up royally against the Green Bay Packers. In that game, he was called for several bad interference and holding penalties. That was a costly game. If Indy had won that contest, the Colts could have won the AFC South and hosted a playoff game. Indeed, even in the playoff game against San Diego, Jennings could not avoid inconsistency. He was called for a VERY key penalty in overtime. And for a guy with good speed and quickness, Jennings seems to surrender a lot of "cushion" to WRs.

Right now, the nickel corner spot is Jennings' to lose. But, he must prove he can play the position consistently week in and out. If not, Larry Coyer needs to consider other alternatives.

Dante Hughes

Photo: Colts.com

At A Glance
Position 1: CB	Height: 5-10
Position 2: Gunner	Weight: 190
Year: 3rd	Age: 24
Number: 20	Note:

Dante Hughes has been a rather disappointing player for the Colts. He was drafted in the third round in 2007, the same third round that produced DT Quinn Pitcock, who quit on the Colts (and football in general) last year after just one season. Hughes has good height and weight for a Cover 2 corner. He plays well in zone, tackles well, and helps out on run support. But after playing significant snaps in 2007 as the nickel back, Hughes seemed to rarely see the field in 2008 despite injuries to starters Kelvin Hayden and Marlin Jackson as well as reserve corners T.J. Rushing and Michael Coe. Keiwan Ratliff managed to leap-frog Hughes on the depth chart last season despite the before mentioned injuries.

The reason Ratliff supplanted Hughes on the depth chart last season was because Hughes played poorly in the month of October. The October 31st Titans games is one example. Hughes dropped an INT and allowed Justin McCariens a big completion during the game. All game long, he gave up too much cushion, and was burned by Tennessee's rather pedestrian WRs. After this game, the Colts seemed to demote Hughes to dime coverage and promote Ratliff. It paid off. Ratliff made several big INTs during the 2008 season, and was also a punter returner. Ratliff signed with the Pittsburgh Steelers this off-season.

2009 is a make-or-break season for Hughes. The coaches have clearly lost confidence in him. While Hughes was never known for having great speed, he simply must stop giving WRs that much cushion. He needs to be more disciplined in his zone coverage and not surrender so many big completions. Otherwise, there is a very real chance Dante Hughes will not survive the cut down to 53. If he doesn't make the 2009 active roster, the 3rd round of the 2007 draft looks like another house of horrors, adding more credence to the notion of the CURSE OF THE THIRD ROUND PICK!

Michael Coe

At A Glance
Position 1: CB	Height: 6-0
Position 2: Punt returner	Weight: 190
Year: 3rd	Age: 25
Number: 25	Note: Returning from injury

Michael Coe, like Dante Hughes, was drafted in 2007. However, after a so-so rookie year, Coe missed all of 2008 after injuring his knee during punt returning drills in training camp. He now seems recovered from his injury, but we have no idea if Coe has lost any speed or quickness as a result of the injury. Unfortunately, because of his 2008 injury, Coe hasn't really shown the Colts that he was worth taking in the 5th round in '07. In fact, other than Anthony Gonzalez, the 2007 draft is looking more and more like a disaster for Bill Polian.

If Coe is healthy, he still has a long shot at making the active roster. His ability to return punts might make him attractive to keep, especially if fellow corner T.J. Rushing is still not 100% after injuring his knee last year. But with Jennings, Rushing, and the rookie Jerraud Powers now on the team I just don't see how Coe can survive the cut down to 53 unless his pre-season is eye out of the skull great.

Jerraud Powers

Photo: Colts.com

At A Glance
Position 1: CB	Height: 5-10
Position 2: Gunner	Weight: 192
Year: Rookie	Age: 21
Number: 42	Note:

The Colts did not draft this Auburn product just so he could sit on the sidelines and take notes. Indy expects Powers to contribute immediately, using his good speed and excellent burst in (potentially) dome situations and most certainly on special teams.

Powers is an odd player for the Colts. He was taken in the 3rd round this year, and his scouting report suggests he is not someone best suited for a Tampa-2 style defense:

Weaknesses:
Does not have the ideal height or bulk that you look for...Isn't very strong...Not a great tackler...Struggles to get off blocks...Won't offer much in run support...Takes too many chances...Durability concerns.

As stated earlier, a corner who cannot tackle and offers little help in run support is utterly useless in the Tampa-2. This is especially true for the nickel back spot. One of the reason the Colts always rotated Marlin Jackson to nickel on third down was because of his ability to tackle and offer excellent run support should the opposing offense decide to run out of a three-wide set. So, unless Powers starts developing better tackling skills, he has no chance to win this roster spot.

Powers does offer some very intriguing coverage skills. He is very fluid with his hips and can stay with receivers once they make their breaks. He has good footwork and can play physical. Powers also has a strong work ethic, and I heard good things about him in OTAs and the camps this off-season. The key for him is tackling. He must show he can be consistent supporting the run defense.

A big positive for Powers is his special teams play. At Auburn he was good as a gunner, blocking a punt against Florida in 2008. Powers will likely have to earn his keep on special teams before he can see any other kind of meaningful playing time. Still, if Powers is not playing consistent snaps in (at least) the dime package by the end of the season, one really has to question why he was drafted in the third round. Third round picks must contribute immediately to validate the reasoning for taking them so early in the draft.

T.J. Rushing

Photo: Doug Pensinger/Getty Images Sport

At A Glance
Position 1: CB	Height: 5-9
Position 2: Kick and punt returner	Weight: 186
Year: 3rd	Age: 26
Number: 34	Note: Returning from injury

With so many players returning from injury in 2009, probably the least talked about individual returning after missing all of 2008 is T.J. Rushing. His absence in 2008 severely damaged Indy's ability to return punts and kicks consistently (ranked last in the league in returns). Polian had to play musical chairs with the 53 man roster, signing and cutting players week after week in a seemingly desperate attempt to find someone to replace Rushing, who injured his knee in pre-season.

In 2007, Rushing developed into a pretty decent return man. But, equally impressive was his surprising development as a nickel back. I remember talking to a Colts team official sometime in 2007, and I asked him about how the Colts were going to incorporate T.J. Rushing int the secondary. This person laughed and said That guy wasn't drafted to cover anyone. Four months later, Rushing was the Colts nickel back, and playing very well in the role. He never seemed to back down from a challenge, and developed some strong skills with zone coverage.

More than anyone else in this group, the player that has the best chance to challenge Jennings for the nickel back spot is Rushing. If he is healthy, he has proven (in the past) to be more consistent in coverage than Jennings. If he can prove that this pre-season, he'll unseat Jennings.

Nick Graham, Brandon Harrison, Jacob Lacey

I don't mean any disrespect to these players, but I do not see any possible way any one of them will be able to truly compete for the nickel back spot. If one does (and Nick Graham offers to best potential to do so) than it is a testament to the Colts truly allowing anyone to compete for a job. Graham played significant snaps on defense in the dime package last season, and is returning after getting placed in injured reserve last November.

Free agent rookie Jacob Lacey out of Oklahoma State offers some intriguing speed at the CB position. He ran a 4.42 40 time at his college pro day, and a vertical leap of 41 inches. He shows some skills as a ball hawk. Though Lacey struggled to contain the explosive Jeremy Maclin in OK State's close loss to Mizzu, his speed could offer some interesting options on special teams.

Brandon Harrison proves that Bill Polian really likes players from Michigan. At 5'8, Harrison does not offer much in terms of height. At 205 pounds, Brandon Harrison is one big dude playing CB. I mean, seriously! 5'8 and 205 pounds! I'm 6'5, and I am exactly at my goal weight of 205 pounds! Harrison ran a 4.54 at his pro day. He might offer more on special teams than a legit corner at the NFL level.

Analysis: This job is Tim Jennings' to lose. Jennings, while inconsistent last year, did provide some flashes of what kind of corner he could be. The one player that could really push him is T.J. Rushing, but Rushing needs to prove he is healthy. Hughes and Coe are fighting to stay on the roster, and Powers might not have the tackling skills necessary to play Tampa-2... yet.

For more, check out Colt Homer's roster position rankings. His take on nickel back:

Tim Jennings seems to be the favorite for nickelback, no matter how much that disappoints me. I prefer corners like rookie Jerraud Powers and returner TJ Rushing who are big, good tacklers, but may not be the fastest. Michael Coe could make an impact on special teams. I would love to see Powers or Rushing become the nickelback at some point in the season, but sadly it looks like Jennings job.