SB Nation - Adam Seward

Heavy Drafting at Other Positions Leaves Panthers Thin at Linebacker

Ryan Basen — Fri, 27 Nov 2009 19:51:53 -0000

By drafting so many defensive backs such as safety Sherrod Martin (23) in the first four rounds of the John Fox era, the Panthers have left themselves thin at linebacker -- where Jon Beason, here recovering a fumble in New Orleans Nov. 8, is the only starter still healthy. (AP Photo/Dave Martin)

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With Nail Diggs injured and questionable to play, it's possible the Panthers could start a trio of Job Beason, James Anderson and Dan Connor at linebacker Sunday against the Jets. That would be one regular starter -- Beason in the middle -- and two players who have made a combined two starts on the outside when the Panthers face the NFL's No. 2 rushing offense.

Carolina is in this predicament in large part because of injuries to Thomas Davis and Landon Johnson, who are both out for the season. But the Panthers could also blame a history of not building depth at linebacker.

The club's strategy in eight years under general manager Marty Hurney and coach John Fox has been to build through the draft, re-sign its own players and patch holes through free agency. But while the Panthers have used numerous high- and mid-round picks on defensive backs, and have used two first-round picks on linebackers, they have neglected to build good linebacker depth.

First-year defensive coordinator Ron Meeks employs a scheme that asks linebackers to be playmakers. It's no surprise then that Carolina has been run over since Davis suffered a season-ending injury in the fourth quarter of a loss to the Saints Nov. 8. Carolina has given up 330 yards on 60 carries (5.5 yards per carry) in two full games without Davis. Johnson stepped in but was then injured for the season himself in a loss to Miami Nov. 19.

Two injuries to the same position is unlucky, but it happens all the time in the NFL. As the adage goes, injuries are not an excuse -- they are part of the NFL game. The best teams are prepared with genuine depth. Connor and Anderson could prove me wrong, but it appears the Panthers were not well-prepared for this rash of linebacker injuries. Here's how:

In the eight drafts under Hurney and Fox dating to 2002, the Panthers have selected 65 players -- 30 on defense. Carolina drafted 12 defensive backs, 10 defensive linemen and eight linebackers. That dispersal actually makes sense because Carolina runs a 4-3 defense, meaning the Panthers on most plays use four linemen, four defensive backs and only three linebackers.

Hurney and Fox deserve credit for rebuilding a defense on the fly. The Panthers have only one defensive starter remaining from the 2003 Super Bowl team (defensive end Julius Peppers) and just two from the 2005 team that reached the NFC Championship game (Peppers and corner Chris Gamble). Six of the 11 projected starters on the first day of training camp this season were Panthers draftees who had six or less years of experience.

The problem is that Carolina has missed on many of its linebacker picks, scrambled to replace a good player who left in free agency and watched a standout retire unexpectedly at age 28. In addition, since 2002 the Panthers have used only five picks in the first four rounds on linebackers -- compared to eight on defensive backs.

Starting in 2002, the Panthers have drafted the following linebackers: Will Witherspoon (Third round, 2002), Sean Tufts (Sixth, 2004), Davis (First, 2005), Adam Seward (Fifth, 2005), Anderson (Third, 2006), Beason (First, 2007), Tim Shaw (Fifth, 2007) and Connor (Third, 2008).

That's two first-round picks, three third-rounders, two fifth-rounders and one sixth-rounder. Only four of those players are still on the team: Beason, Davis, Anderson and Connor.

Tufts has been out of the NFL since 2006, Seward played in 40 games -- starting two -- for the Panthers between 2005-2008. He played briefly for Jacksonville this season but the Jaguars cut him Tuesday. Shaw played in 14 games for Carolina in 2007, spent last season with the Jaguars and has played in nine games as a backup for the Bears this year.

Witherspoon started 47 of 48 regular season games between 2003-2005 for Carolina, but signed a big free-agent deal with the Rams in 2006. He was recently traded to Philadelphia and now starts for the Eagles. He has missed only two games to injury in his eight-year career.

Dan Morgan, a 2001 first-round pick, retired in 2007 after sustaining multiple concussions. He was 28.

The Panthers hit on Davis and Beason, but have not drafted enough linebackers in rounds two-four to complement them. You can't expect every mid- and late-round pick to work out, so it's hard to blame them for Shaw, Seward and Tufts. But you can blame management for relying too much on free agency and not enough on the draft to acquire good linebacker depth.

Look at the other linebackers on the roster now: Connor, Anderson, Diggs, Johnson, Kelvin Smith and Jordan Senn. We know how they acquired Connor and Anderson.

Diggs is a 10-year veteran whom the Packers decided they no longer wanted after the 2005 season. He is a 31-year-old former fourth-round draft pick. Johnson is only 28 and a former third-round pick of Cincinnati, but he has been a backup since signing a three-year, $10 million deal with Carolina last year. Senn was picked up by the Colts after not being drafted last year. He played in two games this season before the Colts cut him in October; the Panthers signed him Tuesday. Smith played in four games after Miami drafted him in the seventh round in 2007. He was cut after last season, before the Panthers signed him in August.

This is what the Panthers are left with at a key position. Even if Davis returns next season, they will not have much quality depth (based on what we have seen so far). They have plenty of depth, meanwhile, at defensive back. That is one reason why Carolina is No. 4 in the NFL in pass defense but only No. 26 against the run.

This column is not meant as an indictment of Carolina's front office. The Panthers have largely stuck to their strategy of building through the draft and have had above average success since 2002. But one mistake, failing to draft enough skilled linebackers, could haunt the team Sunday and perhaps the rest of the season.

Reveiwing the pre-season thus far and 2009's first cutdown day

BigBlueShoe — Mon, 31 Aug 2009 13:42:31 -0000

All NFL teams have to cut down to 75 players by September 1st (tomorrow). Already, we've seen a few surprising cuts, such as Kevin O'Connell of the Patriots. He was a 3rd round pick just one year ago. Talk about a wasted draft slot.

Like everyone else, the Colts will have to cut down to 75. I think it is fair to suggest that John Matthews is getting the boot. His inability to do what wide receivers are paid good money to do (catch the ball) was the reason the Colts lost their third pre-season game.

Speaking of the Lions game, you could tell during the press conference afterward that coach Jim Caldwell was not pleased. He stated "It was kind of a tale of two halves for us." Indeed, the Colts came out slow on defense, missing tackles left and right, allowing the Lions to stay on the field. In the second half, the defense stiffened and started playing like, you know, professional athletes.

One side note: Freddy Keiaho has really regressed. He was awful playing as the back-up MIKE Saturday. Why did Polian let Adam Seward go? He never played as bad as Keiaho played Saturday. Michael Tauiliili outplayed Freddy in the second half, and if a decision had to be made today, Freddy would get the boot in my mind.

The next day, after watching the tape of the game, Caldwell was a little more upbeat:

"It's amazing when you look at the film you see something a little different than you would have imagined," Caldwell said Sunday afternoon, a day after the Colts lost the third game of the 2009 preseason, 18-17, to the Detroit Lions at Ford Field in Detroit, Mich.

"We weren't perfect up front, but the defensive interior – some of the big guys – were able to do pretty well. We just had a few mishaps in there and a few missed tackles at the next level.

"That's where they got a lot of their big gains."

The main cause for why Detroit was able to play so effectively in the first half? Poor tackling. Pure and simple. Players were in position a number of times to either stop the opponent behind the line, or limit positive yardage. Several times in the first half, defensive players just flat out whiffed.

Like many of you, I often marvel as to how pathetic it looks when the most basic, most seemingly fundamental trait of any NFL player is often the one most players simply are not good at: Tackling. Tackling is the backbone of football; that, and the ball itself. The old adage when describing the game to someone who doesn't know or understand it? Above all else, tackle the guy with the ball. If you can't do that, you really cannot play football.

"It was more a fundamental tackling issue than it was anything from schematic standpoint," Caldwell said, adding that he would have thought differently the previous day.

Wow, that makes me feel sooooooooooooooo much better. Here, I have a better idea, Coach. Most of the people I saw miss tackles yesterday were veteran players, not necessarily rookies. Needless to say, if veteran players do not know how to tackle the opponent by now, it's safe to say that they suck and likely should be cut. Working on tackling in practice when we are less than two weeks from the opener against the Jacksonville Jaguars is not the kind of thing I expect from a professional football team.

In short, keep the guys who can tackle. Cut the guys who can't.

Sorry folks, but nothing pisses me off in football more than missed tackles and dropped passes (like Anthony Gonzalez dropping a sure 40-plus yard TD). I understand it is pre-season, and this is the time to get all that out of your system. But tackling and catching are fundamental. You can either do them or you can't. If I see this kind of crap from the Colts as the season progresses (missed tackles, dropped passes, bad technique, etc.) I'm going to lose my mind. We saw plenty of that back in 2008.

I still have a lot of hope for this 2009 team, but the group I saw Saturday was a sloppy, slow, seemingly unmotivated team that did not come out fired up and ready to showcase something. If this was a "dress rehearsal" for the regular season, then we are in BIG trouble. The excuses for missed tackles, assignments, and other unforgivable errors have been used up.

At this point, guys can either do the job, or they can't.

Colts v. Lions: Players to Look For

Colts Homer — Sat, 29 Aug 2009 04:53:12 -0000

More photos » by Darron Cummings - AP

This better not happen today, Thursday, Aug. 20, 2009. The Eagles recovered the fumble. (AP Photo/Darron Cummings)

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It's the starters' preseason game. 5 starters are out (Brock, Lilja, Sanders, Vinatieri and Hayden), but we will see Peyton, Wayne, Gonzalez, Charlie Johnson, Robert Mathis, Dwight Freeney and all of those guys playing in the second quarter. After seeing what happened to Tom Brady against the Redskins, I am much more nervous for this game than I should be. All it takes is a right defensive end getting to Peyton, hitting him on his blindside and hurting his shoulder like what they did to Brady. Good thing the Colts are starting their most talented left tackle...Oh wait.

Charlie Johnson

This is Johnson's game. He has to keep Peyton standing up or else we will see Ugoh at left tackle in Week One. Ugoh has outplayed Johnson in the preseason so far, and if it happens again, Mudd and Caldwell can't justify starting Johnson. The most important thing about the offense is to keep Peyton Manning on his feet so he can throw a few touchdowns a game. If that doesn't happen, someone needs to go. In this case, it is Johnson. If a right end nails Manning I will be very upset with Caldwell and Mudd for not starting the better left tackle.

The rest are after the jump.

Jim Sorgi

Sorgi is back! Get happy, everyone. Sorgi will be able to play so the "Out with the old, in with the new" fallacy will go away now. We will see that Sorgi is better than Painter and people can be quiet about that. He won't throw off his back foot in the redzone directly to a defender. He won't scramble out at any kind of pressure and throw on the run instead of stepping up in the pocket. I think once people see Sorgi on the field again they will realize how much of a better player he is than Curtis Painter.

Pierre Garcon

Garcon really needs to play well if he is going to see the field this year. He's dropping too many passes. I'm not Peyton Manning and I don't know how he thinks, but dropping a Peyton Manning pass would probably be the equivalent of dropping someone's baby. That's not going to fly in the regular season. Austin Collie is really good as we have seen. Caldwell and Co. aren't going to send out players just because. Garcon has to earn his spot on the field. So far he hasn't done that. If he drops some passes today it will be hard to justify him actually playing.

Fili Moala

I want to see him do something. I want to see him get to Matt Stafford and punish him for coming out early. Moala has been rather quiet this preseason. I was expecting him to make some more noise. Today is his chance. The defensive tackle position is very crowded. He needs to live up to expectations pretty quickly if he wants to see the field early and often. With the Johnsons appearing to be the starters for Week Two, Moala needs to make a case that he is starter material for Week One.

Ramon Humber

Humber has to keep on playing like he has. Adam Seward is gone, so he now has a great chance on making the roster. He is in a big competition with Freddie Keiaho and Jordan Senn for a roster spot, and he is definitely the least experienced being a UDFA. The fact that Keiaho has a job in this league shows how much experience matters to the Colts. Humber has been really good, and he has a great chance of actually making the final cut, but he will have to prove to be better than Keiaho and Senn.

Freddy Keiaho

Like I was saying above, Keiaho is definitely not guaranteed to make the roster. Hell, the only reason he is with the team is that they weren't comfortable with the backup linebackers. I'm sure if they front office and Caldwell knew how good Senn and Humber would turn out to be they wouldn't have signed him. Keiaho has to earn a spot like every other backup linebacker. Seward getting cut shows that no backups are locks to be on the final roster. Keiaho is not one of the top 6 Colts linebackers right now, and he has to step it up if he wants to make the 53 man squad.

Tim Jennings

He is just not that good. Jennings is not as good as Jerraud Powers, and it has shown this preseason. Jacob Lacey has even played much better. It's not just keeping the nickel back spot. It's keeping a roster spot. Jennings has not had the career a second round pick should have. Jennings has to justify that he is better than Jerraud Powers who has been a nice surprise.

This is the best preseason game for looking at the starters. For the most part people put way too much stock into the preseason. I feel bad for the people who use the preseason to draft for fantasy. It's obvious that teams don't really care how good players do in the preseason. That's why Lance Ball is a Colt and not a Ram. Ball was phenomenal in his rookie year's preseason with the Rams, but he didn't make the final roster. This third game is different. It is now just two long weeks until the season starts. For this game we will see a lot of the starters. If Mike Pollak struggles it will be something of concern unlike the first two preseason games. The same goes with all of the question mark starters. If you really want to put stock into a preseason game, today is your day.

Colts cut Adam Seward, Chris Crane, re-sign Mendenhall (the other one)

BigBlueShoe — Sat, 22 Aug 2009 19:41:55 -0000

More photos » by Darron Cummings - AP

Indianapolis Colts running back Lance Ball now has a golden opportunity to supplant Mike Hart as the #3 running back for the Colts. (AP Photo/Darron Cummings)

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And here you thought your Saturday was going to be uneventful. It seems that the lone "big name" free agent the Colts snagged this off-season simply didn't work out. The Colts have cut veteran MLBer Adam Seward, according to John Oehser at IFR. Cutting Seward opened up a roster spot for the Colts to re-sign RB Walter Mendenhall, who they cut last week after Corey Hilliard was jettisoned. Walter is the older brother to Rashard Mendenhall of the Steelers.

With Seward gone, it looks like Freddie Keiaho has locked up the back-up MLBer spot.

But wait! We're not done!

Captain Pre-Season is now back! Jim Sorgi has returned to practice after sitting out several weeks with a hamstring injury. This meant bye-bye to Chris Crane, who was cut. With Crane's release, the open roster spot went to safety Marcus Paschal. Paschal has played for both the Eagles and Falcons.

So, why all this flurry of activity?

Well, it seems Mike Hart's ankle injury will, essentially, end his pre-season. He's out for two weeks. As Cassieper so accurately puts it:

The stage is now set for Lance Ball to take the 3rd running back spot. It will be interesting to see if he can get it.

Indeed, if Ball wants a spot on the starting roster, now is the time. Mike Hart is developing as rep as an injury-prone back. I like Hart and think he is a good back, but if you cannot stay healthy in this league, you're garbage. Harsh, but that's the man's league.

So, to quickly recap:

Gone: Adam Seward (MLB), Chris Crane (QB)

Re-signed: Walter Mendenhall (RB)

Signed: Marcus Paschal (S)

Out with injury: Mike Hart

Colts v. Vikings Game Review: Offensive Struggles, Defensive Standouts

Colts Homer — Sat, 15 Aug 2009 04:42:58 -0000

More photos » by Darron Cummings - AP

This man dominated the Vikings defense, getting 58 yards on just 5 carries, Friday, Aug. 14, 2009. (AP Photo/Darron Cummings)

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This was the regular Colts preseason game. In the stat sheet and scoreline, it looked very one-sided and like a game that would be hard to take positives from, but I noticed at the game a lot of positives, but of course a few negatives.

~Curtis Painter played horrible. It was a shame to see him come out and throw 17 passes, almost all of which were bad.

~The stretch play looked great with both Addai and Brown running it, and the running game was good overall.

~Brett McDermott made some nice grabs, and I think Austin Collie should move into the 3rd receiver position after a good game and an embarrassing Garcon drop.

~The "bend but don't break" defense was still in effect even with Coyer, and it worked pretty well after the first drive.

~The fact that no one turned the ball over was good for the offense but not good for the defense.

~It was very funny when the big screen showed the Rosenchoppa highlight. The Vikings QB situation sucks. All 3 of their QBs are pathetic.

~Philip Wheeler and a safety were the two positions that blitzed the most.

~Charlie Johnson did not play, so Ugoh played left tackle at the beginning and some right tackle and guard throughout the rest of the game.

~I'm not positive, but I'm pretty sure that the video board misspelled "Peyton". Embarrassing for whomever was running it.

~Daniel Muir played defensive end. That was pretty weird.

~The Colts have the most dreadlocked players in the league. Marcus Howard, Philip Wheeler, and Rudolph Hardie are sporting some long dreads while players like Addai have the short dreads. I'm looking forward to seeing Peyton Manning, Austin Collie and Justin Snow get their dreads.

~Pat McAfee punted full time for the first time in his career (he punted and kicked in college), and he averaged 50 yards net while punting on seven kicks. That's both outstanding kicking and outstanding coverage. --BBS

After the jump will be my top 5 Colts and an updated roster prediction.

5. Tony Ugoh, OT/OG: I know that we made a big deal about his demotion, and I think he took it personal because he played great. The first drive was pretty bad for everyone on the line, but the rest of the game Ugoh was near perfect. As a guard he opened up huge holes and created the running game. The pass protection from him was beautiful compared to Corey Hilliard's. This only reaffirms me that Ugoh will be a starter by Week One.

4. Adrian Grady, DT: It seemed like for a stretch in the third quarter, Grady was getting every tackle. He smashed running backs who dared to run up the middle. The defensive tackles were really unimpressive in this game, but Grady was the exception. He was a sure tackler which is what the defense needs right now, and he dominated the right guard for the Vikings.

3. Marcus Howard, DE: If you didn't watch the game and just looked at the stats sheet, Howard would seem like a weird pick for the third best Colt, but he was the best pass rusher in the game on both sides. Howard got consistent pressure on Jackson and tortured him. If the Colts were playing the Jaguars with slow David Garrard instead of the mobile Tarvaris Jackson, Howard would have had three sacks at least. I expect Howard to get a lot of playing time this season.

2. Matt Giordano, S: I now have no doubt that the Colts have the best defensive backs in the league. Even without the corners they are the best. A Melvin Bullitt and Matt Giordano starting safety duo would be top 10 in the league. Matt Giordano is the most sure tackler I've seen play for the Colts. While players like Philip Wheeler and Ed Johnson missed some tackles, Giordano shut down anyone who got near him. There are too many good safeties on the team. Silva played well too. I'm hoping all five make the roster.

1. Donald Brown, RB: Wow. That's all I can say. Brown was unbelievable. His long run was a thing of beauty, and he was consistent in his small amount of playing time. If he can be that explosive in the regular season, I have no doubt that he will be a ROY candidate and carry the rushing game to top 16 in the league. Compared to Addai, Brown took off like a rocket when he got the ball. Polian and Co. made a great pick taking Brown. This guy is going to be very special.

So here is my roster prediction. Can they give the Colts a 63 player roster because there are too many good players to cut.

QB
Peyton Manning
Jim Sorgi

RB
Joseph Addai
Donald Brown
Mike Hart

H-B
Gijon Robinson
Tom Santi

WR
Reggie Wayne
Anthony Gonzalez
Austin Collie
Pierre Garcon

TE
Dallas Clark
Jacob Tamme

LT
Tony Ugoh

LG
Ryan Lilja
Jamey Richard

C
Jeff Saturday
Steve Justice

RG
Mike Pollak
Dan Federkeil

RT
Ryan Diem
Charlie Johnson

LE
Robert Mathis
Marcus Howard
Keyunta Dawson

UT
Ed Johnson
Fili Moala
Eric Foster
Adrian Grady

NT
Antonio Johnson
Daniel Muir
Terrance Taylor

RE
Dwight Freeney
Raheem Brock

SAM
Philip Wheeler
Tyjuan Hagler

MIKE
Gary Brackett
Adam Seward

WILL
Clint Session
Freddy Keiaho

CB
Kelvin Hayden
Marlin Jackson
Dante Hughes
Tim Jennings
Jerraud Powers

FS
Antoine Bethea
Matt Giordano
Jamie Silva

SS
Bob Sanders
Melvin Bullitt

K
Adam Vinatieri

P
Pat McAfee

LS
Justin Snow

Practice Squad
QB Curtis Painter
RB Lance Ball
WR John Matthews
WR Taj Smith
OL Jaimie Thomas
DL Rudolph Hardie
LB Ramon Humber
DB Jacob Lacey

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)

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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.

What to Expect: Linebackers

Colts Homer — Sat, 08 Aug 2009 02:34:56 -0000

More photos » by Darron Cummings - AP

This man will change the way we see Coach Dungy's precious Tampa-2 defense. Look for a man with extremely long dreads to be punishing QBs this season. Terre Haute, Ind., Wednesday, Aug. 5, 2009. (AP Photo/Darron Cummings)

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The linebackers are very interesting to say the least. Some think that the unit is a major weakness, others like me think that there are 3 capable starters that will make a big impact on defense. Two former starters are now backups, which shows how much more talent there is on this team. Philip Wheeler and Clint Session will be major impact guys on blitzing. I am excited to see these linebackers blitz. Session is a big man now, and Wheeler has always been big. Some QBs are going to wish they stayed home. Needless to say, I am very excited about the defense. They are going to be the best Colts defense we have seen in a while.

1. Which linebacker do you expect to have the most tackles?

2. Do you expect Gary Brackett to be re-signed after this season?

3. Which player do you expect to have a bigger impact next season: Clint Session or Philip Wheeler?

4. Which player do you expect to have a bigger impact over his Colts career: Session or Wheeler?

5. Which backup linebacker do you expect to have the biggest impact on defense: Freddy Keiaho, Tyjuan Hagler or Adam Seward?

6. Do you expect Mike Tauliili, Jordan Senn and/or Ramon Humber to make the roster?

7. Do you expect Tyjuan Hagler and/or Freddie Keiaho to ever be regular starters for the Colts again? (barring injuries to Session, Brackett or Wheeler)

8. Do you expect Philip Wheeler to break the third round curse?

9. Which linebacker do you expect to have the most sacks?

10. Which linebacker do you expect to have the most interceptions?

My answers are after the jump as always.

1. Brackett will have the most tackles by a good margin.

2. No. Sadly, Brackett will not be re-signed and he will play for a different team in 2010.

3. Wheeler will have a huge impact both in run defense and in pass defense. Session will still be a good run stopper but Wheeler will establish himself as a far better player.

4. Wheeler will have a good career with the Colts and could even get the second contract so many previous Colts linebackers didn't receive.

5. Seward will have the biggest impact on defense because he will fit in better in the new Bears version of the Tampa-2.

6. None of them will even come close.

7. No. Their time is done barring injury. They will be very good special teamers though.

8. Yes he will break it and vanquish it once and for all.

9. Wheeler will have between 3 and 5 sacks this year.

10. Brackett will have the most interceptions and could very easily lead the team.

In unrelated news, I went to the morning practice today and got to see the Colts goal line offense and defense in work. Here are some notes.

~Muir and Foster both could be very good goal line fullbacks. Foster has the mobility and Muir can actually block. I have a feeling that both of them are going to be on the final roster and Antonio Johnson will be left off sadly.

~The goal line pass defense is insane. No QB could find anyone to throw to all day no matter which corners and safeties were in. We are in for a special treat watching this pass defense.

~The stretch play out of the I-formation worked pretty well. Muir had some nice moves and blocked well. Without Muir those plays would have been stuffed though, which is a cause for concern.

~I have good news and bad news. The good news is that when the team blitzes, they are in the backfield in a second and are ready to kill a quarterback. The bad news is that the offensive line does not look like it can block the blitz coming from the inside.

Overall, this is a special team and I can't wait. One week until Colts football finally starts. We will get to see the rookies play a real game and everything. I know I am ready.

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)

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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.

Good reader quote regarding the mindless analysis at NFL Network

BigBlueShoe — Sat, 18 Jul 2009 14:58:57 -0000

Image: www.corneredcat.com

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From npb1985 in this thread about NFL Network's segment on the 2009 Indianapolis Colts:

[NFL Network] strikes again with their terrible analysis. That’s what you get though, when you get a group of no brain meatheads with a collective IQ of around 80 to give their "expert" opinions. We don’t invest in defensive "bodies"? I understand, I guess, since we didn’t trade up to take Fili Moala, draft Terrence Taylor and Jerraud Powers, re-sign Ed Johnson, sign Adam Seward, and didn’t draft young guys recently like Clint Session, Phillip Wheeler, or Marcus Howard either. Yep, I guess Bill Polian just doesn’t care about defense, and Ron Meeks was the best DC ever, esp. better than some guy we just got to replace him that’s not even worthy of mention. Right, NFLN?

When I talk to other established bloggers (i.e., people with blogs that give them national recognition, or some junk), one topic that always comes up is the surprising amount of stupidity that comes from former players who try and analyze the game of football. Many of us marvel at just how dumb these half-brain dead morons sound when they discuss basic football topics on TV or in print. There is an old saying that players play, coaches coach, and few know how to do both. When you watch NFL Network's breakdown of the 2009 Colts, I think it is pretty safe to say Jamie Dukes does not have a future in coaching. In fact, if he keeps sounding as ignorant as he did in the Colts piece, his future in broadcasting might be in jeopardy.

Dukes makes the suggestion that the Colts do not invest enough "bodies" on defense. I got the distinct impression "bodies" was Dukes' definition for "first round draft picks." Apparently, in Dukes' world, the only players (or, bodies) worth a damn are players drafted in rounds one through... well, one. Rounds two through seven aren't worth his time, and if you are an undrafted rookie, the team should just give you the Spartan weak baby treatment.

What is funny in all this analysis is that Dukes himself was an undrafted player who managed to eek out a decent career in the NFL: Ten years with three different teams, most years with the Atlanta Falcons. He was an offensive lineman, which (of course) makes him totally qualified to talk about how a future Hall of Fame GM like Bill Polian should build a great defense.

If NFL Network wants to carve a niche in the TV world, why is it trying to be like ESPN? Fans like us stopped watching Chris Berman and his mindless pre-game show because it was short on analysis and long on Keyshawn Johnson (a guy no one likes, and no one respects). We stopped watching Terry Bradshaw and Howie Long do their fake comedy routine because they had about as much insight into the actual games as my 80-year-old landlady. The only reason I watch CBS' show is because James Brown (best sports program host in the biz) does a good job keeping Bill Cowher (a very knowledgeable coach) and Dan Marino on topic. I totally tune out Shannon Sharpe because even at age 40 the man still cannot speak the English language.

If NFL Network wanted to separate themselves from this pack of mindless drivel, why not tailor their content to the knowledgeable fan? Why not bring in people who might not look "flashy" on TV, but do a great job talking about the game. Don't they understand that, to us, the game is everything. Personalities come second to the game.

Why didn't they try to rope in Tony Dungy when he retired? Why not bring Mike Holmgren on set to talk about teams running the West Coast offense? ESPN's Trent Dilfer is one of the best analysts on TV when it comes to breaking down what teams like to do on offense and defense. Why not get him?

Instead, we're stuck with Jamie Dukes, Solomon Wilcotts, and Rod Woodson. Meh.

Maybe I just don't know TV, but I do know this: When just about every NFL fan I know complains that there isn't any good, intelligent pre-game coverage, that suggests to me that an up-and-coming network could have a shot at roping in a very loyal, very attention-starved demographic: The real NFL fan. Because, in all honesty, the only person watching any of these pre-game and post-game shows is an NFL fan. It would be nice if the network that is, you know, owned by the NFL would tailor its content to the NFL fan.

Ranking the Colts Positional Units

Colts Homer — Sat, 04 Jul 2009 04:28:19 -0000

4th of July weekend could be the dead period in the NFL. It has been forever since minicamp, and it will feel like an eternity until training camp starts (about a month!). That's why almost every blog is making little gimmicks just to put something out. I will say that I am liking what 18to88 is doing. I am a Reds fan and it is hard to find baseball blogs I enjoy, and 18to88 is the right level of fandom for me. I could care less about what the Reds' single-A team is doing or what was the ERA of the Reds 38th round pick. I just needed to say that. Now I will get onto the real story.

I was reading John Oesher's "Breaking Down the...", and I decided to rank the units of the team right now. Last year, defensive tackle would have obviously been the last one, but I don't think I can put them there now with Ed Johnson back and the drafting of Fili Moala and Terrance Taylor. This will be difficult for me to do because I am having trouble thinking of a number one and a worst unit. It seems that all of the positions are pretty even for the most part.

14. Offensive Tackle

Projected Starters: Tony Ugoh, Ryan Diem

When healthy, I think Ugoh is a fantastic left tackle, and Ryan Diem holds his own, but the lack of depth is downright disturbing right here. Seriously, would they put Charlie Johnson at right tackle if Ryan Diem was out even after his 2007 performance there? Dan Federkeil is a good tackle, but I will be scared if we see him getting significant playing time. The depth here is just awful. It is the worst unit on the team, and I hope that Polian takes an offensive tackle in round one in the 2010 draft.

13. Special Teams

Projected Starters: Adam Vinatieri (K), Pat McAfee (P), TJ Rushing (PR), Pierre Garcon (KR)

Coach R will hopefully change up this formerly awful unit, but looking at it, they still aren't great. The coverage should improve, but Vinatieri is aging and injury prone. The punter is a rookie. The punt returner is coming off of a major knee injury, and kick returning will just suck. I put Garcon in there, but it could be anyone. Not anyone good, mind you.

12. Offensive Guard

Projected Starters: Ryan Lilja, Mike Pollak

Injuries, injuries, injuries. That is the story of the offensive guards. Lilja is coming off of a bad knee injury, but I expect him to start against Jacksonville in Week 1. Pollak battled a whole mess of injuries last year and played poorly. I am a big Charlie Johnson fan now (bandwagoning it), but injuries keeps this unit at 12. If Lilja and Pollak aren't healthy, the offensive line is in big trouble.

11. Defensive Tackle

Projected Starters: Fili Moala, Ed Johnson (suspended for Week 1, Antonio Johnson starts in his place)

The depth at defensive tackle is just great now, but there is no experience. I believe Fili Moala will be a starter from Day One, but I am a huge Eric Foster fan and can see him starting. This is where I disagree with John Oesher. He has Antonio Johnson and Ed Johnson starting, but I cannot see the team starting two nose tackles. Fili Moala may be inexperienced, but he is a special talent. He is right around 300 pounds and he is already a better pass rusher than any other defensive tackle on the team. I believe that Keyunta Dawson will be the odd man out here. He is a major tweener and does not have the pure talent that Eric Foster has. Even if he did start some games last year, I don't feel like he is part of the plan for the future on the team.

10. Outside Linebacker

Projected Starters: Clint Session, Philip Wheeler

It's the inexperience of this unit that makes it so lowly ranked. Some would say that the outside linebackers are stacked. I disagree strongly. They have the potential to be great, but even with former starters Keiaho and Hagler now backups, they weren't great starters like I believe Wheeler and Session will be. Right now, Session looks like he will be the best outside linebacker since Cato June and maybe even Mike Peterson. He had his struggles last year, but he just flew into the backfield. If he didn't get the tackle, he disrupted the run enough to keep it from being a big play. The inexperience of this unit plus the lack of star starters makes this so lowly rated.

9. Middle Linebacker

Projected Starter: Gary Brackett

Could this be the last year of Brackett? It is his contract year, and I have an inkling that the team is looking for more size on defense. I still consider them to run a Tampa-2, but with the drafting of Terrance Taylor and Fili Moala along with the signing of Adam Seward, I think that size will matter to the team now. Brackett is the epitome of talented small linebackers. With Antoine Bethea being a free agent, I wouldn't be too upset if Brackett left in favor of Bethea. Even though I think Brackett may walk, he has been a major part of this team for a few years now. He should have made the Pro Bowl a couple of times now, and none of us will forget his great fumble return for a touchdown in the miracle comeback against Houston. I like Adam Seward. His size and speed is what I think the team is looking for. As I have said before, I think he will contribute this season and could be a starter down the road.

8. Running Back

Projected Starter: Joseph Addai

Don't read this wrong. This is not an indictment of this unit. It just shows how good this team is. A former Pro Bowler is the starter and a first round pick is the backup, but it is only the 8th best unit on the team. This is partially because Brown, Hart and Ball are so inexperienced and Addai had a down year, but this is a great team. I know we say it every year, but this is the most talented Colts team since 1984. I am amazed by this team all the time. I feel bad ranking them so low, but this team is too damn talented to put some of the units you will see later below running backs.

7. Tight End

Projected Starters: Dallas Clark, Gijon Robinson

Dallas Clark is a top 3 tight end in this league. Jason Witten and Tony Gonzalez are the only two better than him. The backups are a bit of a tossup, and their youth makes this only the seventh ranked unit. Tom Santi, Jacob Tamme and Gijon Robinson all only have one year of experience, and Tamme and Santi barely played last year. I am a huge Tom Santi fan, and as many of you know I believe he should be the starting H-back next year, but Robinson will most likely win the spot. Before tight end moves up on this list, I will want to see more of Robinson, Santi and Tamme.

6. Wide Receivers

Projected Starters: Reggie Wayne, Anthony Gonzalez

This may be high, but I am not only a fan of the starters, but I like the depth here. There may be a lot of inexperience, but no one can deny the talent here. Wayne is one of the top 7 receivers in the league. Very few players have been able to do what he can do. If he can add more touchdowns, he will be considered one of the best in the game. Anthony Gonzalez is a player that I think will break out big time. Pierre Garcon seems to be impressing everyone. Compared to the top 3 receivers the past two years, Garcon being a sixth round pick from a D-III school makes him stick out. I am looking forward to seeing Garcon play in preseason so I will know if he is all that they say he is. Austin Collie looks like he could be the next Brandon Stokely. It will be interesting to see how he gets on the field with Wayne, Gonzalez and Garcon. The wide receiver competition will be the most interesting to watch in the preseason without a doubt, even if Garcon appears to be the favorite. Roy Hall could suit up as a Colt for the last time this preseason if he is injured again.

5. Cornerbacks

Projected Starters: Marlin Jackson, Kelvin Hayden

If I could trust in the health of the corners, they could easily be number one. Marlin Jackson and Kelvin Hayden are my ideal Cover-2 cornerbacks. They are big, solid tacklers and are athletic. Both of them played multiple positions in college (Jackson at safety, Hayden at wide receiver), and they know what they are doing. However, Jackson is coming off of a bad knee injury, and the backups have been hurt too. 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.

4. Center

Projected Starter: Jeff Saturday

Saturday is an all-time great center. When comparing him to other recent Hall of Fame centers, he should get in once his career is over, but I have a feeling he won't get in. Saturday is the anchor of the offensive line. Just look at how pathetic they were without him last year. Jamey Richard has a bright future in the league and will be considered a major steal, but the offensive line was dazed and confused without Saturday there. Not signing Saturday would have been the worst possible thing for the team not involving Peyton and his knees. Thankfully the team brought back both Hayden and Saturday. Steve Justice is considered the backup center, but there is not one good reason for why he should play over Jamey Richard, who has Pro Bowls in his future.

3. Quarterback

Projected Starter: Who do you think?

Honestly, I could be the backup QB and this would be a top 4 unit on the team. That's how good Peyton is. He is the best QB in the league and by the time he retires he should unanimously be considered the best quarterback in league history much like everyone says Jerry Rice is the best wide receiver ever. By 2014 (my guess on when Peyton retires), he will have broken every big record for a quarterback and hopefully will have more rings. But as long as Tom Brady doesn't murder a family, some people will consider him the greatest QB ever even if he has only had one great year and cheated his way to 3 Super Bowls. Also, Jim Sorgi is a somewhat competent backup, but I don't trust him. Curtis Painter sucks and always will sucks. I don't care if the Colts took him. I haven't seen him throw a good pass longer than 20 yards.

2. Safety

Projected Starters: Antoine Bethea, Bob Sanders

I cannot stress how close #2 and #1 are. Both of the starters have been Pro Bowlers. When healthy, Bob Sanders is in the top tier of safeties along with Ed Reed and Troy Polomalu. The 2007 Defensive Player of the Year has battled injury because he throws his small 5-8 body all over the field. Hopefully with a better run defense he won't be needed to stop the run and can actually stay healthy. Antoine Bethea is one of my favorite players when he is not trying to tackle. His tackling technique is pretty embarrassing and is a good symbol for the Colts run defense over the past few years, but in pass defense he is marvelous. The depth at safety makes it possible for Sanders to miss games because of injury while the team keeps on winning. Melvin Bullitt burst onto the scene last year and dominated when Sanders was out. The team just resigned Matt Giordano, a great special teamer and solid backup safety. Jamie Silva was a 2008 UDFA who is a strong special teamer.

1. Defensive End

Projected Starters: Dwight Freeney, Raheem Brock (Robert Mathis in passing situations)

This was tough, but it is hard to rank a unit with two Pro Bowlers anywhere else but number one. Robert Mathis and Dwight Freeney terrorize QBs like no other. It has been great to see Robert Mathis constantly get better until he reached this point. With two defensive ends that can get to the QB before he has time to think about throwing is a great asset. Raheem Brock is a good run stopper who can play DT as well. Marcus Howard has the potential to be the next Robert Mathis with his blazing speed. Curtis Johnson was a UDFA and will be entering his second year. With only five defensive ends, Johnson could see the field more often along with Howard.

So defensive end is the top position for the team. Discuss, criticize, flame, praise, do whatever you want.

Poll

What is the Colts' best positional unit?

Quarterback

242 votes

Running Back

11 votes

Wide Receiver

10 votes

Tight End

5 votes

Offensive Tackle

1 votes

Offensive Guard

1 votes

Center

9 votes

Defensive End

119 votes

Defensive Tackle

10 votes

Outside Linebacker

0 votes

Middle Linebacker

1 votes

Cornerback

11 votes

Safety

82 votes

Special Teams

0 votes

502 votes | Poll has closed