I believe the Colts should take Stephen Hill, if the Rams don't take him. While he knows a limited route tree (6-7 routes out of 10-12), the Colts should not pass up the opportunity to get a future #1 receiver. With Calvin Johnson's and DT's success, the outlook is good. Even year one, he could complement Reggie and Collie and fits into Arians' vertical system.

With Cordy Glenn, Colts would have a top8 OL for years to come with a strong running game, so that's not a bad decision either. But I doubt we want to see low scoring and 30-35 runs a game.

Fleener is not the best player available, but could raise Luck's early success considerably.

There are a few other possibilities in the poll.

No-brainer choice, good that after years of mocking I get one pick finally right.

With so many 1st round DLmen, I believe, one might find himself out of it. Still is 42nd on Mayock's Top100 and the Colts are looking for DLmen, especially 5 technique. Still could play every position in every front. Even NT, unless maybe it's goal line or short yardage situation.

Just putting in a WR, who is a good route runner, has above average speed and hands. Colts might get a better one, if the run on WRs doesn't start in R2 yet.

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Writers are on vacation.

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What is the only chance to become competitive again and keep Manning.

Last week’s calculations on the 2012 Colts cap number proved to be a bit off. Instead of $96 million, the Colts are at $101 million. But let’s subtract $1.6 million, because Painter and Diles will be cut. That leaves the team with 99.4 million.

Now the Colts have picks in all 7 rounds, plus likely a 5th and a 6th as compensation. But to field a competitive team, they need another high pick. The trade of which player could take a huge amount off the potential cap number and give the Colts a high draft pick?

The answer unfortunately is Freeney or Mathis. I doubt a 32 to be Freeney, with a $14 million base salary would attract too much interest, and I also think, if Mathis were to face the LT and double teams, he would have much less success, than Freeney. Let’s remain with Freeney. With a new contract, the cap number could decrease not by $7, but even by $9 million without an actual pay cut (which #93 wouldn’t agree to). That leaves us with Mathis. He is 31, and shows no signs of slowing down. In that age, James Harrison got a huge contract. Freeney’s new contract decreases the DE franchise tag from $11 to $10.2 million. The Colts franchise Mathis and trade him for 2nd round pick.

Then the Colts re-sign Wayne, Garcon and a few cheap guys and also have 4 picks in the top 65. (It would be great if Wayne or Garcon could be traded, but they don’t deserve anything close to franchise money and Wayne is old. trading Clark would save maybe $2 million.)

Let’s do something similar in the draft and hopefully Grigson won't reach, like last year:

1 QB Andrew Luck 6'4 - 230 Stanford
2 CB Stephon Gilmore 6'1 - 193 South Carolina
2T DT Michael Brockers 6'6 - 306 LSU
3 DE Cam Johnson 6'3 - 270 Virginia
4 WR Joe Adams 5'11 - 190 Arkansas
5 OG/C
5C OLB Demario Davis 6'2 - 235 Arkansas State
6 SS Matt Daniels 6'1 - 210 Duke
6C CB Terrence Frederick 5'10 - 190 Texas A&M
7 TE

After the signing of draft picks, Wayne, Garcon and a couple cheap guys, the cap number is around $113 million and you can still massage it with Bullitt cut, rescheduling, etc.

(On a different note, some good players with Grigson connection could become FAs. Evan Mathis, G; Brodrick Bunkley, DT)


Please rec, for it to stay on for more, than 19 hours (like last week)!

With so many free agents, a new GM, Luck and rebuilding on the horizon it's worth taking a look at the 2012 cap number of the Colts. The Colts have around 57 guys (including Manning) under contract for 2012. I could be wrong on some no-name, PS, minimum salary guys, but their salary doesn't matter anyway. These 57 guys count around $96 (95-97) million against the cap. (My only sources being spotrac, rotoworld and indystar pages.)

The franchise tag for Mathis will likely be just under $11 million. For that amount, the Colts will most likely use the tag unless they can sign him in time. Mathis being #10 and #18 in sacks the past two seasons and being over 30, a 3-4 year contract with $9 million in 2012 sounds more, than reasonable.

The franchise tag for a WR will be around $9.5 million. Garcon should get a back-loaded contract with a cap number of $5 million in 2012, Wayne, lets say $7 million in a front loaded contract. I doubt any team would give more, his knee can give up any game and he would be back at his 2010 self.

Then you have Tamme, Saturday, Pollak, Richard (all 3 current centers), Gonzalez, Lacey (RFA), Wheeler, Diem, Anderson, Brayton, Foster, Sims and a few roster fodder guys being the remaining free agents. Lets not even calculate with them.

The rookie draft class will cost around $7.5 million.

If Colts re-sign Mathis, Wayne, Garcon for 9+7+5=21 and sign the draft class, the cap number gets to $124.5 million, which is around the cap.

So who do we cut or trade. Cutting Bullitt saves maybe 0.7 million. Cutting or trading Brackett saves around 0.2 million, which is nothing. Trading Clark saves around 1.7 million. Cutting Hughes creates a bigger cap hit, than keeping him means. Cutting Painter saves 0.58 million. There are two places to cut big money. Freeney and Manning. Signing Freeney to a reasonable 3-year contract could save $7 million. He could earn just as much in the next 12 months, as he would under his current contract, so he should be on board. And with Manning, you can save $17 million by not picking up his option.

Without Bullitt and Painter and a reworked Freeney contract, the cap number is $116.2 million and it's questionable if 6 (7 - Luck) draft picks can fill like 10 holes, and there is no depth.

Without Manning, the cap number would be at $99.2 million, Manning could go to a contender and the Colts could sign 2-4 veteran starters and some depth.

With a separation, the chances of both Manning and the Colts being contenders in the next 3-4 seasons probably would increase dramatically. Maybe the Colts should set Manning free, because this marriage won't make any of them happy.

I just read Jeff Saturday's comments in Phil B's blog. There is all this uncertainty going forward. I don't know if anybody suggested it already, but why not cut every quarter by one minute.

Lets compare the current (4+16)*60 format to the (3+18)*56 format. Playoffs format could be different or the same, so I don't count with it now.

4 preseason games: 4*60=240 minutes.

16 regular season games: 16*60=960 minutes.

Overall: 1200 minutes.

3, 56-minute preseason games: 3*56=168 minutes.

18, 56-minute regular season games: 18*56=1008 minutes.

Overall: 1176 minutes.

So every party gets what they want. More games, just slightly more meaningful playing time, less overall playing time, the same number of injuries and more money for players, owners. One additional plus is, games might have a slightly faster pace. And WhoTF cares if the number 14 is not as beautiful as 15 is.

With the college season almost over – Bowl games plus one regular season week left maybe and the Colts issues exposed, I put together this mock draft. Enjoy!

No DTs in this one, because apart from 4-6 early rounders they suck, or are undersized/oversized and suck. Also expect Ricardo Mathews to be a contributor next year.

33-40* WR Denarius Moore 6'1 - 195 Tennessee

With Reggie declining, Garcon being inconsistent, Gonzo “injury prone”, all three being under contract for only one more year and 18-game seasons coming up, there is a big need for another outside option. He has the potential to be a #1 receiver, but at least can be #2. Has good size, with very long arms and is faster, than Garcon. Such a deep threat. Didn't have a QB since his freshman year until middle of this season, when Bray took over. Since then, he has two 200 yard games on only 6 and 7 catches and 5 TDs. He is averaging 21.2 yards a catch this year (on 43 catches). Haven't seen or heard him dropping passes, so must have very good hands and makes big catches regularly. He has great body control, character and is great after the catch. The biggest thing he needs to learn is running better routes. He is above average, but not as good as Peyton demands. Even so, he is able to create separation with ease (at least on SEC level). They might already have their timing down, as Peyton throws to them every off-season.

NFP's Wes Bunting's scouting.

Vols site for game highlights.

2. OT Lee Ziemba 6'7 - 320 Auburn or

DeMarcus Love 6'5 - 315 Arkansas or

Matt Reynolds 6'6 - 322 BYU

All these guys have their weaknesses and technical issues, but we have to settle for less, than Jake Long. They are big, not short-armed like CJ and would be an upgrade over both CJ or Diem in the short and long term. They are also much better in run blocking, than CJ. Ziemba had his problems with false starts, but cut them down from 6 to 5 to 5 to 3 this year. He also needed to protect better, because Cam Newton holds the ball for 5-6 seconds sometimes. He has started 50 consecutive games, so won't be called injury prone on draft day. Was selected to 2010 FBS Coaches' All-America 1st Team.

3. CB Chimdi Chekwa 5'11 - 188 Ohio State

If Hayden is gone, we need a CB with man coverage skills and good speed. Chekwa is called slow many times, because he is playing in the Big Ten, but he is on the OSU track team. The good thing is, this is a deep group of CBs, so we could insert half a dozen other names. If Hayden isn't cut or traded, this pick could still happen, if not, should be DT.

97-110* OG/OT Clint Boling 6'5 - 305 Georgia

A versatile OLman, who does a good job in every position he plays.

4. TE Charlie Gantt 6'5 - 260 Michigan State

A very good blocker, who has more experience and success as a receiver, than Eldridge. Would mean the end of Gijon, who is useless.

5. SS DeJon Gomes 5'11 - 200 Nebraska

A playmaker S, who plays in a similar cover-2 system on a top defense. Has 7 INTs, 11 PBUs and 5 FFs the last two seasons.

6. OG Caleb Schlauderaff 6'4 - 303 Utah

Was 2010 midseason SI All-American. Utah is one of the bests in the nation in sacks allowed and yards/rushes and he might be the best on that line. Leads them on knock-downs so isn't soft.

7. Probably traded for Tryon

*Trade back picks (1st –> early 2nd and early 4th). If the premier OT/DT/CB/WR (Sherrod | Fairley, Dareus | Peterson, Amukamara, Harris | Green, Jones) are gone. And I guess, they will be gone, so it's trade back in this mock. Also needed an extra pick to address more needs. :)