SB Nation - Michael Toudouze

Early speculation on who will not play against the Jaguars

BigBlueShoe — Mon, 14 Dec 2009 19:56:58 -0000

More photos » by Darron Cummings - AP

11 days ago: Indianapolis Colts running back Joseph Addai (29) makes a catch during the first quarter of an NFL football game against the Denver Broncos in Indianapolis, Sunday, Dec. 13, 2009. (AP Photo/Darron Cummings)

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There are no injury updates from yesterday. So, don't even bother asking. We likely won't get any injury meaningful information until Bill Polian's radio show later this evening on HANK FM (a local Indianapolis radio station that, for some reason that defies logic, does not stream the show live on their website).

However, if I know the Colts, there are certain players who you just know will not play based on their recent history of injury, including the nixes and bumps certain players received yesterday against the Broncos.

Likely out:

Jerraud Powers (hamstring)
Jacob Lacey (hurt in Broncos game)
Charlie Johnson (foot)
Robert Mathis (quad)
Melvin Bullitt (shoulder)
Chad Simpson (hurt in Broncos game)
Dallas Clark (hurt in Broncos game)
Ryan Diem (hamstring)

With so many injuries incurred in the secondary, do not be surprised if Simpson, Tom Santi, or Jacob Tamme are cut to make room for another DB, perhaps even Keiwan Ratliff. Right now, only Antoine Bethea, Jamie Silva, Tim Jennings, Kelvin Hayden, and T.J. Rushing are healthy enough to play in the secondary. Aaron Francisco has sat out the last couple of games with an ankle injury, but he is more a special teams guy than a coverage safety.

If Santi, Simpson, Tamme, or anyone else is cut, don't fret too much. I don't think players signed now to shore up depleted areas will make the playoff roster.

The situation at offensive tackle is also a bit worrisome. Both Charlie and Ryan are hurt, and absolutely need rest to recover from these nagging issues. This means Tony Ugoh and newly re-signed Michael Toudouze might play extensive snaps against the Jaguars.

Regarding Dwight Freeney, look for him to get used on third down only. His snaps will be limited. Other than Peyton Manning, the Colts absolutely cannot afford to lose Dwight Freeney for any length of time.

And then, of course, there is the situations involving Adam Vinatieri and Anthony Gonzalez. Both have been out for extensive periods of time, and if both are in line to play in the post-season, we need to see them start working again in live games. Basicallly, we need them healthy, like, NOW!

Also, Donald Brown better be back and healthy this week. With Joseph Addai nearly decapitated on several big hits by the Broncos yesterday, I would not be surprised to see him limited against the Jaguars. Addai has cared this running game all season, and now is the time for Donald Brown to prove why he was drafted in the first round.

[UPDATE]: Jerraud Powers' Facebook page gives us an update as to his status (Tip to Z.Pain):

“Just a lil hamstring strain…nothing to be concerned about folks, but we definitely wanted to be safe than sorry. The trainers and staff here are already doing a great job getting me back to 1000%. All your support and words of encouragement certainly does help and I thank everyone of you for following me during this first rookie season.”

Also, for those of you looking to listen to the Bill Polian Show, but don't live in the Indy area, Indcolt18 offers some alternatives:

I have an iPhone and I have a couple of radio apps that I use to listen to stations in Indiana( I live in Florida). One is Wunder Radio and the other is “Pocket Tunes”. I like pocket tunes the best and I use it to listen to Hank FM. Also, PT has a record feature so that I can save the shows if I want to listen to them later.

Jim Sorgi, who has yet to take a snap all year, heads to injured reserve

BigBlueShoe — Wed, 09 Dec 2009 17:33:06 -0000

More photos » by Michael Conroy - AP

Indianapolis Colts quarterbacks Peyton Manning (left) and Jim Sorgi (right). (AP Photo/Michael Conroy)

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How a guy who never plays, never takes a single snap in a live game, could land on injured reserve sure beats the hell out of me. Alas, that is what longtime Colts back-up quarterback Jim Sorgi has done.

ESPN's Adam Shefter, via the wonderful web tool that is the bane of all instant information services, broke the news today that Sorgi has landed on IR. Replacing him on the active roster is Michael Toudouze, an offensive linemen who has been on and off the roster since he was drafted by the Colts in 2006.

Colts.com has confirmed the Sorgi to IR news.

With Sorgi gone for 2009, this means the only back-up currently on the active roster is rookie Curtis Painter out of Purdue. Unlike Sorgi, Painter has an arm, and can get the football down the field and into tight windows in coverage. But Painter is indeed a rookie, and if the Colts start to rest Manning prior to the playoffs, we will be seeing a lot of Painter, who is sure to make rookie mistakes throwing the football.

It's worth noting that last week the Colts worked out former Buffalo Bills quarterback J.P. Losman. This was likely done in anticipation of today's news. Since the Colts did not sign Losman after the workout, that should tell you what their general impressions of him were. The Colts also have rookie quarterback Drew Willy out of the University of Buffalo on the practice squad.

Tips to Bobzilla3 and Benewfa

Analysis of the 2009 Colts roster cuts: Part One

BigBlueShoe — Sun, 06 Sep 2009 14:42:14 -0000

by Michael Conroy - AP

Indianapolis Colts head coach Jim Caldwell, right, and team president Bill Polian. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy)

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We have the final roster cut-down list, written up by shake n bake.

Almost immediately, there was significant reaction. Granted, every year cuts happen and there is always those one or two cuts where people scream NOOOOOOOOOOO!!! only to get over it once the season starts. But, with players like Dante Hughes, Mike Hart, and (especially) Marcus Howard getting the boot, it should serve as a reminder that the Colts do indeed have a new coach. This new coach has new ideas; ideas that in some cases will differ from his predecessor. And as we have seen, the 2007 and 2008 drafts, which were very heavily influenced by what Tony Dungy likes in players, were not drafts that tickle the fancy of new Colts coach Jim Caldwell.
MasterRWayne discusses whether Bill Polian has lost his touch as a draft guru. Currently, only three players remain from the 2007 draft, and three significant players from the 2008 draft were recently let go.
John Oehser offers his roster analysis at Examiner.com.
18to88 chimes in.
My favorite reader comment on the roster cuts thus far comes from Cassieper:

Lance Ball: He wasn’t that good. We only considered keeping him because Hart was injured.

Guns: Always injured. Never was going to contribute.

John Gill: Who?

Mike Hart: Serious injury. The Colts can’t wait until midseason on him.

Brett McDermott: Once again, who?

Tom Pestock: Only played in garbage time, never showed anything.

Taj Smith: Talented, maybe one year away. Cut him to get him on the practice squad. Should have no trouble getting him through the waivers.

Mike T: Another guy who’s practice squad bound. Wasn’t quite good enough to deal with starting talent.

Terrance Taylor: A huge project. Cross your fingers and hope he makes it to the practice squad.

Jaimie Thomas: A huge disappointment so far. Hasn’t shown anything. Practice squad bound.

Josh Thomas: Only good against the run. Putting him at end would concede the pass. Dawson is as good as him against the run and better as a pass rusher.

Michael Toudouze: I like him, but he is nowhere near Ugoh and CJ in talent.

Key and Petrowski: Bad players and injured. Bad combination.

So there you go.

In just a 24-hour period, this site has over 1,000 comments from numerous readers about the cuts. I did my best to read as many varying opinions as possible. After reading the comments, the articles, and examining how other teams dealt with the roster cut-downs, I have finally posted my analysis after the jump.

First off, I understand that the immediate reaction to the cuts seems like a stinging indictment of Polian's job, particularly when you look at the 2007 and 2008 drafts. Now, important to note that in neither of those drafts did Polian "bust" his first round pick, like Jerry Angelo with the Chicago Bears has done pretty much since 2004 (Rex Grossman, Cedric Benson, Chris Williams, etc.) With 2007 and 2008, it is important to note that those drafts were made with Tony Dungy working with Polian. Dungy had a specific philosophy about players. He valued certain traits over others. Bill respected that philosophy and draft accordingly.

But Dungy's philosophy on players is not necessarily shared by Jim Caldwell.

Dungy valued speed over size. This is why Marcus Howard and Curtis Johnson were so valued by Tony D. Clearly, Bill Polian and Jim Caldwell do not value speed over size as much. The Colts asked Cujo to add 15 pounds of muscle this off-season (which he did), but his efforts were not enough to supplant Keyunta Dawson. Dawson made the transition back to DE (his college position) during the off-season, and performed very well in camp and pre-season. Last season, Dawson was the starting defensive tackle, weighing in at 260 pounds. Now, he is more comfortable, and better suited, as a DE.

Thus, the smaller, quicker players like Howard and Cujo are expendable.

And I know some of you are screaming "WHAT ABOUT WHAT HAPPENED IN 2007 WHEN FREENEY AND MATHIS GOT HURT!" Folks, if Dwight Freeney and Robert Mathis get hurt again as they did in 2007, it is the equivalent of losing Peyton Manning and Jeff Saturday. A player like Marcus Howard is not going to replace Dwight Freeney; not in this new defensive system. Indeed, one of the reasons Freeney and (especially) Mathis got hurt in 2007 was because the Colts relied too much on them for the pass rush. In a Tampa-2, the front four (not the front two) need to apply QB pressure. And now with Larry Coyer dialing up blitzes from Philip Wheeler (an excellent blitzer in college), Melvin Bullitt, and eventually Bob Sanders, the scheme should (in theory) create more rush without solely relying on Freeney and Mathis.

Also, I think Caldwell is just tired of seeing teams run the football at Indy's front, and having DEs weighting 245 pounds is not going to help you stop the run.

For Mike Hart, it is possible that he could be signed to the practice squad, but I think that's remote. Hart's knock coming out of college was he was "beaten up" after all the hits he took rushing for all those yards in the Big Ten. Last year, he blew out his knee and this pre-season he injured both his ankles. This is a bottom line business, folks. If you cannot stay healthy, you're not going to keep your job long.

And for all the Doom and Gloom folks who think that the cuts signal the "downfall" of the Colts, please take a moment to check out KFFL.com, or browse through the numerous SB Nation football sites. You will see all the cuts and roster moves other teams had to wrestle with. Many of these moves involved players many of us wanted the Colts to draft or sign in 2007 and 2008:

Buccaneers safety Tanard Jackson was placed on the suspended list. We thought highly of him in 2007.
The Bengals cut safety Corey Lynch. We also thought highly of him in 2008.
The Patriots cut Kevin O'Connell, another player in the 2008 NFL Draft we liked.
Packers first round bust Justin Harrell was placed on IR. For all the screaming about getting a quality DT the last three years, it seems Harrell clearly was not the answer in 2007. I thought he was. Clearly, I was wrong. Green Bay had to suffer through a horrid 6-10 season to draft B.J. Raji, and none of us know if he will be any good. He also signed late.
Packers also cut Brian Brohm, the "insurance QB" in case Aaron Rodgers turned out to suck. Brohm had a prolific career at Louisville, and if he had come out after his junior season, he might have been a first round pick.
John David Booty was cut.
Kory Sheets was cut.
Mitch King was cut.
Dominic Rhodes was cut. Hell, Marshawn Lynch is suspended for three games, and Dom still got cut. The Bills are a complete mess, folks.
DeMario Pressley, a DT from 2008 some wanted the Colts to grab, was cut by the Saints. So was former Colts WR Courtney Roby.
Adam Carriker, who I wanted the Colts trade trade for last season, is now on IR.
Broncos cut Tim Crowder, their second round pick from 2007.
The Jaguars IRed their starting DT from last season, Rob Meier.

So, no offense, but to those who seem to second guess Bill Polian for the 2007 and 2008 drafts (like Paul Kuharsky at ESPN), kindly tell me who he was supposed to take. Many of the players we all wanted Polian to pick up then are now in the same boat as Mike Hart, Marcus Howard, and Dante Hughes. If you want to bash him for trading up to get Tony Ugoh in 2007 and, thus, preventing Indy from getting a player like Matt Forte in 2008, then fine. I think that's fair. But, from where I'm sitting, it looks like the 2007 and 2008 drafts just did not foster the kind of overall NFL talent we are used to seeing from the collegiate ranks.

It's also important to note that from the now dreaded 2007 draft, Polian managed to sign then-free agent rookie Melvin Bullitt. So, it's not like lunch meat came out of 2007. Clearly, taking Anthony Gonzalez worked out better than trading up to get someone like Justin Harrell.

All of us are so used to seeing Polian draft picks work out that, when they don't, we scratch our head and wonder if we haven't been transported into some netherworld, alternate reality. But if you look around the NFL right now, lots of "name" players from the 2007 and 2008 drafts are, indeed, now looking for work.

Part two of my roster evaluation will get posted later today while teams begin putting in waiver claims for many of the recently cut players.

The cutdown to 75 complete, now on to 53

BigBlueShoe — Wed, 02 Sep 2009 02:05:42 -0000

More photos » by Paul Sancya - AP

3 months ago: Indianapolis Colts cornerback Jerraud Powers (49) intercepts a pass intended for Detroit Lions wide receiver Bryant Johnson (80) during the second quarter of an exhibition NFL football game, Saturday, Aug. 29, 2009 in Detroit. (AP Photo/Paul Sancya)

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The Colts cut Marcus Paschal today to get their roster down to 75. After Thursday's pre-season finale against the Bengals, the Colts will have until Saturday to trim their roster to 53 active players. Without considering who will likely get re-signed to the practice squad, I've compiled a list of who will likely get cut on Saturday. Please note that I will cut more than the Colts need to as it is likely they will cut extra players so they can sign some people cut from other teams.

After the jump, you can check out the list. Keep in mind, the Colts have a lot of very good talent on this current 75 man roster. Several good, quality players will get let go. Some may even be high drafts picks from years past.

John Matthews (duh)

Ramon Humbler

The big cuts are Muir, Jennings, Hughes, Foster, and Ball. Based on Muir's poor showing last week against Detroit, and the impressive praise Caldwell has given to Adrian Grady, I think the Colts will want to keep Grady, work Terrance Taylor into the nose tackle rotation, and keep someone like Raheem Brock in reserve at under tackle in case of an injury. Foster falls in the same boat as Muir. Antonio Johnson, Ed Johnson, and Terrance Taylor can all play nose tackle. This makes Muir expendable. Ed Johnson, Adrian Grady, Raheem Brock, and Fili Moala can all play under tackle. This makes Foster expendable. Thus, both Foster and Muir are (sadly) cut.

Jerraud Powers has flat outplayed Tim Jennings and Dante Hughes. Caldwell has also been very pleased by the play of Jacob Lacey. T.J. Rushing is a decent corner who is vital to the return game. Thus, Hughes and Jennings are gone.

Finally, there is Lance Ball, who has (in my humble opinion) outplayed the injury-prone Mike Hart. But, I don't think the Colts are ready to give up on Hart just yet. Since they cannot PUP him, and since the Colts will probably keep three QBs, I think Lance will get cut.

Again, I'm likely wrong with these projected cuts, and we don't know what the injury situation will be until after the Cincy game. But, for right now, this is how I think it will shake out. Thoughts?

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.