A little late, but here are Coltplay’s observations on the Hall of Fame Game.
In a nutshell: The Redskins’ second stringers are better than the Colts’ fourth stringers.
Quarterbacks
18 Peyton Manning QB
0 games/0 start,
12 Jim Sorgi QB
1 game/1 start, 10-7-66-0-0 passing, 1/6 sacked
5 Quinn Gray QB
1 game/0 start, 2-11-0 rushing, 19-10-160-1-0 pass
13 Jared Lorenzen QB
1 game/0 start, 1-9-0 rushing, 21-12-93-0-1 passing, 2/16 sacked
• Gray clearly outplayed Sorgi — who still holds onto the ball too long and seems afraid to throw past the line of scrimmage. But Gray looked no better than what he is — a quality NFL backup. Lorenzen looked awful with a painfully slow release.
Runningbacks
29 Joseph Addai HB
1 game/1 start, 1-(-4)-0 rushing, 1-9-0 receiving (1 target)
38 Dominic Rhodes HB
1 game/0 start, 3-17-0 rushing
36 Kenton Keith HB
1 game/0 start, 3-10-0 rushing, (2 targets)
32 Mike Hart HB
1 game/0 start, 4-53-0 rushing, 3-28-0 receiving (3 targets)
30 Clifton Dawson HB
1 game/0 start, 4-7-0 rushing,
35 Chad Simpson HB
1 game/0 start, 2-10-0 rushing, 1-11-0 receiving, (plus 1-15-0 receiving, nullified)
• Addai leaving after two plays raises fears that his college durability problems may return. Rhodes showed more burst than he usually does, but was clearly outplayed by Hart. The rookie looked like Emmitt Smith out there; he was hard to locate and harder to bring down. One more performance like that and I’m a believer. Keith didn’t impress as a runner or blocker and can’t catch the ball at all. Dawson still seems to lack the quicks necessary for the NFL. Simpson ran and caught well and could pass Keith and Dawson if he keeps it up. Surprised and disappointed not to see him on return teams.
Wide receivers
87 Reggie Wayne WR
1 game/1 start, (1 target)
88 Marvin Harrison WR
0 games/0 start
11 Anthony Gonzalez WR
1 game/1 start, 2-7-0 receiving (2 targets)
80 Devin Aromashadu WR
1 game/0 start, 2-28-0 receiving (7 targets)
83 Roy Hall WR
1 game/0 start, 4-31-0 receiving (5 targets)
85 Pierre Garcon WR
1 game/0 start, 4-33-0 receiving (7 targets), 1-1-0 punt return, 1-51-0 kick return
10 Courtney Roby WR
1 game/0 start, 1-47-0 receiving (4 targets), 2-48-0 kick returns
16 Onrea Jones WR
1 game/0 start, 2-37-1 receiving (3 targets)
14 Sam Giguere WR
1 game/0 start
• Lackluster play by Sorgi and Lorenzen hobbled some of the receivers, while having Gray in there helped others. Taken on their own terms, though, I was impressed by Gonzo’s toughness and Garcon’s speed and smoothness. He’s ready to contribute now. Neither Aromoshadu nor Hall looked natural out there, laboring on their routes and working to catch the ball. Jones and Roby remind us why they are in the hunt for spots, but also why they’re not at the top of the list. Giguere was MIA — I still seem him as a practice squadder, though.
Tight ends
44 Dallas Clark TE
1 game/1 start, 3-25-0 receiving (5 targets)
47 Gijon Robinson TE
1 game/1 start, 4-49-0 receiving (4 targets)
84 Jacob Tamme TE
1 game/0 start, 1-7-0 receiving (3 targets)
46 Zac Herold TE
1 game/0 start, 1-7-0 receiving (1 target)
86 Tom Santi TE
0 games/0 start
• As usual, Clark looked way more comfortable in the slot than in tight. He clearly doesn’t have the kind of rapport with Sorgi that he does with Manning. I’m not angry at the sack allowed by Robinson, but he could have at least chipped the guy. Still, he looked very polished and dangerous as a receiver. I’ll bet we see lots more of him. Herold looked a little more confident than Tamme, but that may not last long.
Tackles
67 Tony Ugoh T
1 game/1 start
71 Ryan Diem T
1 game/1 start
75 Michael Toudouze T
1 game/0 start
72 Corey Hilliard T
1 game/0 start
60 Darren Marquez T
1 games/0 start
Guards
65 Ryan Lilja G
0 games/0 start
74 Charlie Johnson G
1 game/1 start
76 Dan Federkeil G
1 game/1 start
78 Mike Pollak G
1 game/0 start
53 Steve Justice G
1 game/0 start
Centers
63 Jeff Saturday C
1 game/1 start
61 Jamey Richard C 1 game/0 start, 1/1 fumble/lost (bad snap for safety), 1-10 penalty (offensive holding)
73 Doug Datish C
1 game/0 start
• The starting line — even with Federkeil out of place at left guard filling in for an injured Lilja — looked competent; better in pass situations than the run. You can tell the coaches love Federkeil. Richard’s debut went from astounding bad to pretty impressive. He can really open holes in the running game. Pollak and Justice also looked nervous at first, but played better as they went along. None of the other backups stood at as particularly good or bad.
Defensive ends
93 Dwight Freeney DE
0 games/0 start
79 Raheem Brock DE
1 game/1 start, 1 assisted tackle, 0.5-3.5 sack, 1 hurry
98 Robert Mathis DE
1 game/0 start
91 Josh Thomas DE
1 game/1 start, 1 assisted tackle, 0.5-3.5 sack, 1 hurry
90 Jeff Charleston DE
1 game/0 start, 3 tackles, 1 assisted tackle, 0.5-4 sack, 1-3 stuff, 1 forced fumble
92 Marcus Howard DE
1 game/0 start, 2 tackles, 1 assisted tackle, 1-5-5 sack, 1 hurry 1 pass deflection
60 Curtis Johnson DE
1 game/0 start, 4 tackles, 1-1 sack, 1-1 stuff
64 Ben Ishola DE
0 games/0 start
• Both Marcus Howard and Curtis Johnson played hard and well and made strong bids for the 53. Howard, in particular, showed a nonstop motor and appeared unblockable at times. But you know who else impressed me? Charleston. He had a stuff, a half-sack with a forced fumble and his other two tackles were both one yard beyond the line of scrimmage. Thomas also played well, looking stout and spending significant time in the Redskins’ backfield despite facing up against all-everything tackle Chris Samuels. And I loved seeing Brock back outside, where he was quicker than I remembered and looks capable of sealing off those annoying outside runs that have plagued the Colts in recent years. When Freeney returns, the Colts could have an embarrassment of wealth at this position.
Defensive tackles
99 Ed Johnson DT
1 game/1 start, 1 tackle
96 Keyunta Dawson DT
1 game/1 start
95 Darrell Reid DT
1 game/0 start, 3 tackles, 1 special-teams tackles 1-5 penalty (offsides)
68 Eric Foster DT
1 game/0 start, 1 tackle
61 Colin Ferrell DT
1 game/0 start, 1-5 penalty (defensive holding)
69 Joe Bradley DT
1 game/0 start
• As imressed as I was with the ends, I was disappointed in the tackles. Johnson looked solid, but Dawson seemed a bit overwhelmed and should probably be spotted to be effective. Reid looked fairly awful to me, lacking penetration and getting pulled for extra yardage when he wasn’t blocked out of the way. None of the much-hyped trio of Foster, Ferrell and Bradley showed me anything I didn’t already know. It would be great if Quinn Pitcock returned so that Brock won’t have to come back inside.
Outside linebackers
54 Freddy Keiaho WLB
1 game/1 start, 1 assisted tackle
56 Tyjuan Hagler OLB
0 games/0 start,
55 Clint Session OLB
0 games/0 start,
50 Phillip Wheeler OLB
0 games/0 start,
51 Victor Worsley MLB
1 game/0 start, 1 assisted tackle
52 Ramon Guzman OLB
1 game/0 start, 1 tackle, 1 assisted tackle
49 Jordan Senn OLB
1 game/0 start, 11 tackles
57 Brandon Archer OLB
1 game/0 start, 1 tackle, 1 assisted tackle
Middle linebackers
58 Gary Brackett MLB
0 games/0 start,
59 Kyle Shotwell MLB
1 game/1 start, 4 tackles, 2 special-teams tackles
• With so many injuries to starters and front-line backups, we had an opportunity to see what the backups had. At best, the results were mixed. People have been talking about Senn’s 11 tackles, but they were 9, 11, 7, 11, 7, 6, 6, 34, 2, 19 and 4 yards downfield. I’m not down on Senn — he was mostly cleaning up other people’s messes and looked pretty good in zone coverage — but have you ever heard a safety described as being “an extra linebacker?” Well, Senn at linebacker is like having an extra safety. Similarly, Shotwell had to deal with a jailbreak inside and stood up better than expected. I like him on specials. Guzman is still lost in zone coverage, Archer takes some funny angles on running plays and Worsley didn’t show me much new.
Cornerbacks
28 Marlin Jackson CB
1 game/1 start, 1 tackle
26 Kelvin Hayden CB
1 game/1 start, 1 tackle, 1-10 penalty (offensive holding)
23 Tim Jennings CB
1 game/1 start, 2 tackles
20 Dante Hughes CB
1 game/0 start, 1 tackle
34 TJ Rushing CB
1 game/0 start, 1-29-0 punt return, 1-23-0 kick return, (plus 1-63-1 punt return nullified), 1 special-teams tackle
31 Keiwan Ratliff CB
1 game/0 start, 4 tackles
25 Michael Coe CB
0 games/0 start
37 Antonio Smith CB
1 game/0 start, 1 tackle
39 Brandon Foster CB
1 game/0 start
• The starters looked okay. Jennings was burned early but came back to play a solid game. Hughes didn’t look bad — he really can hit. Ratliff played with veteran savvy, but I still see his lack of tackling ability too big a deficit for him to make the team. Rushing better hope he wins the return job, because his defensive back play won’t. Smith is as good as cut if he doesn’t improve and Foster was invisible.
Safeties
21 Bob Sanders S
0 games/0 start
41 Antoine Bethea S
1 game/1 start
43 Matt Giordano S
1 game/1 start, 1 special-teams tackle
33 Melvin Bullitt S
0 games/0 start
42 Brannon Condren S
1 game/0 start, 4 tackles
40 Jamie Silva S
1 game/0 start, 3 tackles, 1 special-teams tackle
• I now understand why the Colts drafted Condren. He was a total beast, all over the field. He looked adept in coverage and can hit. I’d say he’d be a future starter if this wasn’t the Colts. Giordano played his usual game, but he could be in trouble if Condren continues to develop and Bullitt returns in time. Silva didn’t look bad, but needs to step it up.
Special teams
4 Adam Vinatieri K
1 game/0 start, 2-2 field goal attempts (24, 26), 1-1 extra-point attempts, 3-157-1 kickoffs (21 return yards), 1/0 onside kicks
6 Adam Crossett K/P
1 game/0 start, 1-1 field goal attempts (28), 1-63-0 kickoffs (19 return yards) 1-53-0 punting (1 in opponent’s 20, 0 return yards)
17 Hunter Smith P
1 game/0 start, 1-56-0 punting (1 in opponent’s 20, 6 return yards), 1-73-0 kickoffs (21 return yards)
48 Justin Snow LS
1 game/0 start
• No complaints. Crossett can kick, but it probably won’t be for Indy. Snow was automatic, and the coverage teams looked very solid for August. It’ll be fun to see how the return job competition works out. I give Garcon the edge because he’s a better receiver than Rushing is a defensive back.
• Three Colts — Charleston, Hall and Garcon — suffered injuries in the game, but none are considered serious.
Tuesday, August 5, 2008
Monday, July 28, 2008
Catching up
Sorry not to update for so long, but at least there’s plenty to talk about.
Injuries
• Peyton Manning: Yep, the ol’ bursa sac’s actin’ up. You know what that is? It’s a little bag of goo that cushions the shock of action at a particular joint. And this particular joint is in Manning’s knee. If his knee hurts, he can’t play well. His knee wasn’t responding to treatment so he had surgery and is said to be out 4-6 weeks. That would put him in line to be just about iffy for the season opener.
But I think he’ll be back earlier. The guy is a conditioning maniac and is as tough as nails. It’s been widely reported that Manning has taken 9,778 of 10,098 possible snaps (96.83 percent) since he became a Colt. But that’s missing the point. In fact, all but one of those missed snaps was missed intentionally — so that backup Jim Sorgi could get some live action.
In fact, Manning has missed a total of one snap since turning pro — and that was for a broken jaw. So, he’s actually played 9,778 of 9,779 snaps (99.98977 percent) snaps he was supposed to.
Yeah he’s getting older and his joints aren’t what they used to be, but through pure force of will, he’ll be ready when the games get real in September.
• Marvin Harrison: His knee is checking out, but I think his decline has started and will be sharp. He’s still a top receiver, but will definitely enter the season playing second fiddle to Reggie Wayne and may potential be playing third with the emergence of Anthony Gonzalez and maybe even fourth if Dallas Clark keeps playing like he has been. All reports out of training camp say he’s the same ol’ Marvin, but I would expect that unless he was on crutches. At any rate, the team is bringing him along slowly in the hopes of squeezing another big season or two out of his skinny, battered and headed-to-Canton body.
• Tyjuan Hagler: I feel bad for Tyjuan. This is his walk year and I don’t even think his mother believes the Colts have any interest in re-signing him. While his absence helps the team in that they will be able to pick his successor from Clint Session, Phillip Wheeler or Victor Worsley, it’s bad for him. His next contract depends on how well he plays this year. It would definitely be in his best interest to get in quickly and reclaim his starting spot before he’s usurped. You don’t want to go looking for a contract after a year on the bench. This competition may be even more interesting than first thought. On the first day of camp, Session was absent for “personal reasons” and Wheeler injured his knee. Ramon Guzman played a few snaps there early in camp, but I think that was by default — his future is as a pure pass-rusher.
• Everyone else: I’m not sure Dwight Freeney will ever be what he was before, but he’ll always be awesome. Bob Sanders is always in and out of the shop because, well, humans aren’t actually supposed to be built the way he is. Ryan Lilja will be fine. The others don’t bother me.
Roster moves
• The cuts: With Manning unavailable for preseason, the Colts had to get serious about the third-string quarterback position. That meant that Josh Betts and Adam Trafalis had to go. I’m not saying they don’t have talent, just that they weren’t ready for prime time.
Instead, the Colts signed a couple of guys who not only have a bit of NFL experience, but also far better college resumés. The interesting thing, though, is that they’re both — how do I put this delicately? — tubby.
Perhaps the more impressive of them is Jared Lorenzen (6032, 288, 5.28 in 2004/2007 stats: 8-4-28-0-1 passing, 1-2-0 rushing) — better known as Quarter(got)back, the Hefty Lefty, the Pillsbury Throwboy, The Abominable Throwman, J.Load, Round Mound of Touchdown, BBQ (Big Beautiful Quarterback), Battleship Lorenzen, Butterball, Lord Of The Ring-Dings and He Ate Me.
Despite the flab, this kid is awesomely talented. If you watch video of him at Kentucky, you can see exactly how gifted he is. He can make every throw, read defenses well and stands up against the rush.
But he is fat. If the lure of NFL stardom isn’t enough to make him drop the pounds, what would be? What kind of dedication is that? While he has some athletic ability, the fact is that his big ol’ belly makes him a sitting duck in the pocket, limits his mobility and prevents him from being a rushing threat.
Many Colts fans are familiar with Quinn Gray (6020, 232, 4.77 in 2002/2007 stats: 144-80-986-10-5 passing, 19-57-0 rushing) because he played with the Jacksonville Jaguars and then signed with the Houston Texans. And, unlike Lorenzen, Gray has had an impact on the NFL, recording a 2-2 record as a starter.
He’s similar to Lorenzen — a fat, sitting duck with a live arm. He may have been 232 with a 4.77 coming out of college in 2002, but he’s more like 255-260 now and his forty time is likely to have ballooned as much as his belly.
But, unlike Lorenzen, he has a reputation as being not all that smart. The scuttlebutt is that the Texans cut him because he couldn’t master their playbook. I’m sorry, the Texans’ playbook? If André Johnson is covered, throw it to the tight end — that’s their playbook. If he can’t understand that, he’ll have no chance in Indy.
Still, that is just a rumor. (1) He certainly had no problem picking up the Jaguars’ offense despite having come from Florida A&M. And he may have been cut by the Texans simply because they already have two fine signal-callers and didn’t want to pay Gray $645,000 just to walk around with a uniform and baseball cap on. (2)
The training camp competition between these two should be fascinating. The Colts’ offense is so complex it’s unlikely either would leapfrog Sorgi for the No. 2 position in such a short time. But in the unlikely-but-possible event that Sorgi enters the regular season as No. 1, the Colts will definitely need a competent No. 2. The other player is likely to be cut.
So here we have two very similar, recently cut quarterbacks fighting for their livelihoods. I see Gray having a slight edge at this point, though Lorenzen has a slightly better upside. Every snap these guys take will be under a collection of microscopes and, unless one falls on his face, the decision will be excruciating.
As for the other cuts, well, Rudy Burgess was brought in to fight for the return specialist job. I guess he didn’t wow them enough to continue. And while guard Mike Elgin survived the influx of interior linemen talent provided by the draft, he was made superfluous by the signing of ex-Falcon Doug Datish, who provides the same skills in a bigger, more experienced package.
Other:
• I’m as on edge as anyone when it comes to the Quinn Pitcock situation. I find it hard to believe (3) that a lineman noted for his toughness, leadership and non-stop motor would lose interest in football. It makes even less sense when you factor in that he’s penciled in to be a major contributor on a great team and he’s being paid $515,500 to do it. (4) Although my predictions have been way off as late, I’m going to go out on a limb once again and opine that Pitcock will be back in camp soon.
• Raheem Brock is playing a lot at end in camp. That’s good. It’ll give Robert Mathis and Freeney downs off (5) to stay fresh. And Brock is a better run-stopper than either. In fact, he always reminded me of a 3-4 end — a guy who, in the 4-3 would be better inside on passing downs and outside on running downs. Don’t discount the emergence of Ed Johnson for the switch. It also reinforces my belief they expect something from Pitcock. (6)
• Apparently, Dan Federkeil is getting some snaps at guard. I think that’s more of a case of him getting live snaps against good players than it is about him competing for a spot inside. They like his potential as a tackle, but 6’7 guards are a rarity for a reason.
• While most fans have been predicting huge things from Roy Hall and big things from Devin Aromashodu, I think either may be looking up the depth chart at Pierre Garcon before too long. He’s a natural.
Notes:
1. This accusation seems to come up around many black quarterbacks, but thankfully less often than in the past
2. They have Shane Boyd and Erik Brink fighting for that job — and they are way cheaper; I think the Texans signed Gray because they were contemplating trading Sage Rosenfels away, then thought better of it
3. I am, as always, an optimist
4. Not to dis the man, but where else is he gonna make anywhere near that?
5. This is essential at this point in their careers
6. I know, I know, from every report the undrafted rookies are looking like all-pros in camp; but I’ll believe it when I see it for real — they said the same things about Brandon Hicks and a million other guys
Injuries
• Peyton Manning: Yep, the ol’ bursa sac’s actin’ up. You know what that is? It’s a little bag of goo that cushions the shock of action at a particular joint. And this particular joint is in Manning’s knee. If his knee hurts, he can’t play well. His knee wasn’t responding to treatment so he had surgery and is said to be out 4-6 weeks. That would put him in line to be just about iffy for the season opener.
But I think he’ll be back earlier. The guy is a conditioning maniac and is as tough as nails. It’s been widely reported that Manning has taken 9,778 of 10,098 possible snaps (96.83 percent) since he became a Colt. But that’s missing the point. In fact, all but one of those missed snaps was missed intentionally — so that backup Jim Sorgi could get some live action.
In fact, Manning has missed a total of one snap since turning pro — and that was for a broken jaw. So, he’s actually played 9,778 of 9,779 snaps (99.98977 percent) snaps he was supposed to.
Yeah he’s getting older and his joints aren’t what they used to be, but through pure force of will, he’ll be ready when the games get real in September.
• Marvin Harrison: His knee is checking out, but I think his decline has started and will be sharp. He’s still a top receiver, but will definitely enter the season playing second fiddle to Reggie Wayne and may potential be playing third with the emergence of Anthony Gonzalez and maybe even fourth if Dallas Clark keeps playing like he has been. All reports out of training camp say he’s the same ol’ Marvin, but I would expect that unless he was on crutches. At any rate, the team is bringing him along slowly in the hopes of squeezing another big season or two out of his skinny, battered and headed-to-Canton body.
• Tyjuan Hagler: I feel bad for Tyjuan. This is his walk year and I don’t even think his mother believes the Colts have any interest in re-signing him. While his absence helps the team in that they will be able to pick his successor from Clint Session, Phillip Wheeler or Victor Worsley, it’s bad for him. His next contract depends on how well he plays this year. It would definitely be in his best interest to get in quickly and reclaim his starting spot before he’s usurped. You don’t want to go looking for a contract after a year on the bench. This competition may be even more interesting than first thought. On the first day of camp, Session was absent for “personal reasons” and Wheeler injured his knee. Ramon Guzman played a few snaps there early in camp, but I think that was by default — his future is as a pure pass-rusher.
• Everyone else: I’m not sure Dwight Freeney will ever be what he was before, but he’ll always be awesome. Bob Sanders is always in and out of the shop because, well, humans aren’t actually supposed to be built the way he is. Ryan Lilja will be fine. The others don’t bother me.
Roster moves
• The cuts: With Manning unavailable for preseason, the Colts had to get serious about the third-string quarterback position. That meant that Josh Betts and Adam Trafalis had to go. I’m not saying they don’t have talent, just that they weren’t ready for prime time.
Instead, the Colts signed a couple of guys who not only have a bit of NFL experience, but also far better college resumés. The interesting thing, though, is that they’re both — how do I put this delicately? — tubby.
Perhaps the more impressive of them is Jared Lorenzen (6032, 288, 5.28 in 2004/2007 stats: 8-4-28-0-1 passing, 1-2-0 rushing) — better known as Quarter(got)back, the Hefty Lefty, the Pillsbury Throwboy, The Abominable Throwman, J.Load, Round Mound of Touchdown, BBQ (Big Beautiful Quarterback), Battleship Lorenzen, Butterball, Lord Of The Ring-Dings and He Ate Me.
Despite the flab, this kid is awesomely talented. If you watch video of him at Kentucky, you can see exactly how gifted he is. He can make every throw, read defenses well and stands up against the rush.
But he is fat. If the lure of NFL stardom isn’t enough to make him drop the pounds, what would be? What kind of dedication is that? While he has some athletic ability, the fact is that his big ol’ belly makes him a sitting duck in the pocket, limits his mobility and prevents him from being a rushing threat.
Many Colts fans are familiar with Quinn Gray (6020, 232, 4.77 in 2002/2007 stats: 144-80-986-10-5 passing, 19-57-0 rushing) because he played with the Jacksonville Jaguars and then signed with the Houston Texans. And, unlike Lorenzen, Gray has had an impact on the NFL, recording a 2-2 record as a starter.
He’s similar to Lorenzen — a fat, sitting duck with a live arm. He may have been 232 with a 4.77 coming out of college in 2002, but he’s more like 255-260 now and his forty time is likely to have ballooned as much as his belly.
But, unlike Lorenzen, he has a reputation as being not all that smart. The scuttlebutt is that the Texans cut him because he couldn’t master their playbook. I’m sorry, the Texans’ playbook? If André Johnson is covered, throw it to the tight end — that’s their playbook. If he can’t understand that, he’ll have no chance in Indy.
Still, that is just a rumor. (1) He certainly had no problem picking up the Jaguars’ offense despite having come from Florida A&M. And he may have been cut by the Texans simply because they already have two fine signal-callers and didn’t want to pay Gray $645,000 just to walk around with a uniform and baseball cap on. (2)
The training camp competition between these two should be fascinating. The Colts’ offense is so complex it’s unlikely either would leapfrog Sorgi for the No. 2 position in such a short time. But in the unlikely-but-possible event that Sorgi enters the regular season as No. 1, the Colts will definitely need a competent No. 2. The other player is likely to be cut.
So here we have two very similar, recently cut quarterbacks fighting for their livelihoods. I see Gray having a slight edge at this point, though Lorenzen has a slightly better upside. Every snap these guys take will be under a collection of microscopes and, unless one falls on his face, the decision will be excruciating.
As for the other cuts, well, Rudy Burgess was brought in to fight for the return specialist job. I guess he didn’t wow them enough to continue. And while guard Mike Elgin survived the influx of interior linemen talent provided by the draft, he was made superfluous by the signing of ex-Falcon Doug Datish, who provides the same skills in a bigger, more experienced package.
Other:
• I’m as on edge as anyone when it comes to the Quinn Pitcock situation. I find it hard to believe (3) that a lineman noted for his toughness, leadership and non-stop motor would lose interest in football. It makes even less sense when you factor in that he’s penciled in to be a major contributor on a great team and he’s being paid $515,500 to do it. (4) Although my predictions have been way off as late, I’m going to go out on a limb once again and opine that Pitcock will be back in camp soon.
• Raheem Brock is playing a lot at end in camp. That’s good. It’ll give Robert Mathis and Freeney downs off (5) to stay fresh. And Brock is a better run-stopper than either. In fact, he always reminded me of a 3-4 end — a guy who, in the 4-3 would be better inside on passing downs and outside on running downs. Don’t discount the emergence of Ed Johnson for the switch. It also reinforces my belief they expect something from Pitcock. (6)
• Apparently, Dan Federkeil is getting some snaps at guard. I think that’s more of a case of him getting live snaps against good players than it is about him competing for a spot inside. They like his potential as a tackle, but 6’7 guards are a rarity for a reason.
• While most fans have been predicting huge things from Roy Hall and big things from Devin Aromashodu, I think either may be looking up the depth chart at Pierre Garcon before too long. He’s a natural.
Notes:
1. This accusation seems to come up around many black quarterbacks, but thankfully less often than in the past
2. They have Shane Boyd and Erik Brink fighting for that job — and they are way cheaper; I think the Texans signed Gray because they were contemplating trading Sage Rosenfels away, then thought better of it
3. I am, as always, an optimist
4. Not to dis the man, but where else is he gonna make anywhere near that?
5. This is essential at this point in their careers
6. I know, I know, from every report the undrafted rookies are looking like all-pros in camp; but I’ll believe it when I see it for real — they said the same things about Brandon Hicks and a million other guys
Friday, July 4, 2008
An addendum
If you’re not bored of Colts cornerbacks yet, you will be if you read this.
You can’t really compare corners without including penalties. Generally, the Colts’ top three were a fairly disciplined group with few penalties among them. Here’s how it broke down:
Marlin Jackson (3-40): He had one 25-yarder for pass interference against the Titans’ Biren Ealy (1), one 15-yarder for unnecessary roughness and one for defensive offside, which was declined.
Kelvin Hayden (2-17): Really, he only had one for seven on pass interference because his other penalty — for 10 yards — was for offensive holding when he was blocking on a punt return. This comparison is for cornerback play after all.
Tim Jennings (2-10): Two five-yarders, one for pass interference and the other for holding.
Interesting, the worst penalty on a corner was a 37-yarder pass interference call on Michael Coe. It wasn’t only the worst in terms of length, but in needlessness (2). No way Derrick Mason was ever gonna catch that ball. (3) Part of the learning process, I guess.
Conclusion/eyeball test: Penalties don’t appear to be much of a problem for any of the Colts’ top three corners.
Notes:
1. Who he? A tall undrafted free agent who impressed as the season went along and became a fairly large part of the Titans’ plans. Still, no Randy Moss he.
2. Is that a word? You know what I mean.
3. Boller to Mason … 37 yards … one pass … all in the air … does not compute.
You can’t really compare corners without including penalties. Generally, the Colts’ top three were a fairly disciplined group with few penalties among them. Here’s how it broke down:
Marlin Jackson (3-40): He had one 25-yarder for pass interference against the Titans’ Biren Ealy (1), one 15-yarder for unnecessary roughness and one for defensive offside, which was declined.
Kelvin Hayden (2-17): Really, he only had one for seven on pass interference because his other penalty — for 10 yards — was for offensive holding when he was blocking on a punt return. This comparison is for cornerback play after all.
Tim Jennings (2-10): Two five-yarders, one for pass interference and the other for holding.
Interesting, the worst penalty on a corner was a 37-yarder pass interference call on Michael Coe. It wasn’t only the worst in terms of length, but in needlessness (2). No way Derrick Mason was ever gonna catch that ball. (3) Part of the learning process, I guess.
Conclusion/eyeball test: Penalties don’t appear to be much of a problem for any of the Colts’ top three corners.
Notes:
1. Who he? A tall undrafted free agent who impressed as the season went along and became a fairly large part of the Titans’ plans. Still, no Randy Moss he.
2. Is that a word? You know what I mean.
3. Boller to Mason … 37 yards … one pass … all in the air … does not compute.
Thursday, July 3, 2008
A quick look at the corners
Cornerbacks are strange creatures. You usually only hear about them when they make an interception or they get burned. Since the Colts’ corners rarely pick off any passes (the top three guys combined for four picks last year), the usually only get mentioned when things go bad.
Each of the Colts’ top three corners has his detractors, but — the dearth of interceptions notwithstanding — they generally get the job done. Here’s Coltplay’s look at how the three stack up against one another.
1) Pass coverage: Using stats provided by ESPN, we can compare how well each corner did when thrown at in 2007. The numbers are: times thrown at-completions allowed-yards allowed (completion percentage allowed/yards allowed per time thrown at).
Overall
Marlin Jackson 38-25-271 (65.79/7.13)
Kelvin Hayden 67-44-477 (65.67/7.12)
Tim Jennings 33-19-207 (57.58/6.27)
Short (ie. the target was 10 yards or less past the line of scrimmage)
Marlin Jackson 24-19-163 (79.17/6.79)
Kelvin Hayden 46-33-246 (71.74/5.35)
Tim Jennings 19-13-83 (68.42/4.37)
Medium (11-20 yards)
Marlin Jackson 12-5-83 (41.67/6.92)
Kelvin Hayden 14-8-107 (57.14/7.64)
Tim Jennings 11-5-91 (45.45/8.27)
Long (21-30 yards)
Marlin Jackson 2-1-25 (50.00/12.50)
Kelvin Hayden 4-1-35 (25.00/8.75)
Tim Jennings 1-0-0 (00.00/00.00)
Bomb (more than 30 yards)
Marlin Jackson 0-0-0 (00.00/00.00)
Kelvin Hayden 3-2-89 (66.67/29.67)
Tim Jennings 2-1-33 (50.00/16.50)
Interesting numbers when you consider the positions. Jackson normally covers the flanker, Hayden the split end and Jennings the slot guy. While flankers are virtually always better players than split ends, split ends aren’t always better than slot guys — would you rather cover Wes Welker or Donté Stallworth? Andre Davis or Kevin Walter? (1) — so I would consider Jackson’s job in coverage the most difficult by some margin, with Hayden’s only slightly harder than Jennings if it’s even any harder at all.
That said, Jackson and Hayden had remarkably similar overall coverage averages — completion percentages only 0.22 percent apart, yards per attempt just 0.013 yards (less than half an inch) different.
Interestingly, Hayden put up far better numbers short, while Jackson, though slower, was better long.
I attribute that discrepancy to the fact that Jackson (covering the Randy Mosses of the world) left a bigger cushion than Hayden. Hayden, conversely, played closer, which left him a bit more vulnerable to deep patterns.
Jennings showed better overall numbers than either outside guy, especially short. That’s actually a huge surprise to me because slot corners usually play against the quickest, hardest-to-cover-in-a-short-zone guys who make their bread and butter on short routes hoping to break free. Jennings’ numbers then are a testament to exactly how fast (4.32 forty as compared to Hayden’s 4.48 and Jackson’s 4.52) and quick (1.48 ten as compared to Hayden and Jackson who both ran 1.56) he really is.
Of course, part of that is also the fact that he leaves the smallest cushion of them all. Consequently, Jennings’ numbers fall somewhere in between Jackson’s and Hayden’s when it comes to longer routes.
Perhaps even more tellingly than the averages, is the number of times each player was targeted by opposing passers. Despite facing the opposing team’s best receiver most often, Jackson only saw 38 passes thrown his way all season. Compare that to Hayden, who was targeted 67 times. That’s 76.32 percent more often — no accident. In fact, opposing quarterbacks only threw at Jackson five times more often than they did Jennings (33), who was on the field much less often. When it came to passes 21 or more yards downfield, Jackson saw two, Jennings saw three and Hayden saw seven. When you bring it up to more than 30 yards, Hayden was tested three times, Jennings twice and Jackson not at all.
NFL quarterbacks were so unwilling to test Jackson that they would throw to their second- or third-best receivers (2) almost twice as often. Although their overall stats are similar, NFL quarterbacks were almost twice as likely to take their chances against Hayden than they were against Jackson. And when you factor in how often the Colts saw three-wide sets, they’d still much rather test Hayden than Jennings. I’m no expert, but NFL quarterbacks and offensive co-ordinators actually are.
Eyeball test: From what I’ve seen, Jackson hasn’t been tested much, while teams throw willy-nilly at Hayden. Hayden holds up, but you gotta respect how much fear Jackson instills. Jennings does a great job shutting down slots, but doesn’t really scare any quarterbacks into throwing away from him. Except when he is totally outmuscled, I'd say Jennings is the best of the trio in man coverage, but his understanding of zones isn't quite up to where the other guys' are.
2) Hands: Hayden is a former wide receiver. Usually when someone is an ex-wide receiver, it’s because he didn’t have the hands for the position. That’s true of Hayden — I’d hate to see him play on offense — but he still has better hands than the other guys. Although the sample is small, it’s significant that Hayden got his hands on 15 passes (one out of every 4.47 he faced), Jennings on seven (4.71) and Jackson on five (7.60). And, he came down with three picks (one out of every 5.00 passes he got his hands on), Jackson had one (6.00) and Jennings was shut out.
It would appear that Hayden has so-so hands, but he looks like Welker compared to the other two.
Eyeball test: Hayden can catch — and will. Jackson has Roberto Duran’s hands of stone and Jennings hasn’t really seen enough exposure. I wouldn’t be surprised if he gets the odd pick or two in the future. (3)
3) Run support/blitzing: All three of the Colts’ top corners have a reputation for supporting the run. But this one isn’t even close. Jackson had 76 tackles (2.00 for every pass he faced), while Hayden had 85 (1.27) and Jennings 21 (0.63). If you include assists, the numbers are even more profound (2.84 for Jackson, 1.75 for Hayden and 0.75 for Jennings).
Since opponents didn’t run right against the Colts significantly more often than they did left, it indicates that Jackson really stepped up in that department. Jennings’ far lower numbers are a combination of two things — he’s not on the field when most runs took place and he’s very tiny (185 pounds to 197 for Hayden and 198 for Jackson).
All are hard hitters — nobody doubts that. Back it up? Jackson and Jennings each forced a fumble, Hayden forced two. Corners don’t usually do that very often.
When it comes to blitzing, there is no comparison. Jackson had half a sack, three quarterback pressures and three stuffs, while Hayden and Jennings had just a stuff apiece.
Eyeball test: Okay, Jackson’s not exactly Bob Sanders, but he’s as close as you’ll see in a corner — dude is simply vicious, a total enforcer against the run. Jennings is more willing in run support and a better tackler technically than Hayden, but Hayden’s size and strength bring him up to even.
4) Conclusion: Nobody will even confuse him with Deion Sanders, but Jackson is a bona fide NFL No. 1 corner. He faces some of the best athletes in the world and consistently shuts them down, particularly on long routes. He has a big cushion, the safety help the Cover-2 defense is designed to provide and a vicious pass rush (4) helping him, but he’s definitely worth the price of admission when it comes to pass coverage.
His real value — again, something that is especially prized in Indy — is his skills as a tackler and blitzer. Compared to most NFL corners, Jackson looks like vintage John Lynch. He backs down from nothing, does the little things right and packs a tremendous wallop.
The backside of that is that he is as likely to get a pick as one of the cheerleaders.
Hayden gets similar numbers in coverage mainly because he’s covering lesser opponents. Still, he gets picked on and picked on and still comes up with impressive production. He is as solid a No. 2 as Jackson is a No. 1. And when it comes to the other stuff, he’s basically the opposite of Jackson. He’s not another linebacker on running plays, but at least his hands aren’t made of stone (perhaps wood, but at least not stone).
And Jennings? Well, he’s significantly better than either of the other two in coverage statistically — but only because he’s covering slot guys. Dude has all the skills in the world, but he’s about my wife’s height and weighs too little to play the big boys’ games outside. If everyone were the same size, Jennings would be among the best half-dozen corners in the league (certainly well ahead of Jackson and Hayden). But they ain’t. Jennings is awesome in the slot, but would be miscast outside. Look at it this way: Tom Hanks is a great actor, but he would be terrible as the lead in Conan the Barbarian. Covering Terrell Owens is playing Conan, not Forrest Gump.
The Colts actually have a very enviable trey of corners. Jackson is a legit No. 1 in the Cover-2. (5) His coverage skills are fine and his abilities as a run supporter, tackler and blitzer easily offset his liabilities as a ballhawk. Similarly, Hayden is a fine No. 2 and Jennings is excellent in the slot. There is a certain Zen quality to how well they mesh.
The monkey wrench in the plan is that Hayden becomes an unrestricted free agent after the season. With the Colts’ chronic cap woes and their history-proven lack of desire to re-sign all but their most important defensive free agents, they could be looking for a new No. 2. And don’t look at Jennings. Dude is awesome inside, but he’d be overpowered outside. He is staying put.
So, if Hayden is not re-signed, what are the options? The Colts drafted two corners in 2007, Daymieon (now Dante) Hughes and Michael Coe. Both are outside types, nothing like Jennings. Hughes (5101, 190, 4.65) is considered a guy who does everything perfectly, but lacks deep speed. In fact, he’s a lot like Jackson, though slower and with better hands (6) and less wow! against the run. He reminds me of Al Harris, the longtime star corner who everybody called too slow when he came out in 1998.
Coe (6005, 190, 4.53) — a coach’s son — is considered a cerebral player who transcends his physical skills. He’s a lot like former Colt Nick Harper; he seems to lack elite overall skills (7), but gets the job done.
There are other candidates, but they are unlikely to leapfrog Hughes and Coe. TJ Rushing has played a little at defensive back, but is the Colts’ primary return man and may not be able to hold onto that job. Keiwan Ratliff was a second-round pick by the Bengals way back in 2004; but has been cut by them and the Bucs since. While he has good ball skills and NFL starting experience, he’s the slowest of all the team’s corners and has strong moral convictions against not hurting (or even slowing down) anyone with his tackle attempts. That will not endear him to coaches any more than it will fans. Then there’s rookie Brandon Foster. He has some cover skills, good ball skills and the heart of a lion. (8) But at 5075, 182 (9), he makes Jennings look like the Incredible Hulk. While Foster will probably never see a snap outside, he could learn the slotsman’s arts from Jennings and perhaps eventually replace him. He would have to improve by a massive margin to do that.
The way I look at it is that Jackson is great at what he does, Hayden is very good at what he does and Jennings is awesome at what he does. If Hayden were to leave after 2008, Hughes or Coe could probably step in without too much of a beat missed. Either could also step in for Jackson (10), but you would notice a difference, especially in run support. But if either were to step in for Jennings, things could get ugly.
Notes:
1. This depends on what kind of corner you are. Slot guys are generally more explosive that split ends. I’d rather cover a guy who’ll get their catches, but rarely break out, rather than the guy who can leave you on the ground before he’s 40 yards away.
2. Often across the field, since most, if not all, are right-handed
3. Then look out, this kid can motor — he brought back his 10 career picks at Georgia for 194 yards and two scores.
4. Usually; when the Colts pass rush fell off like a well-thrown knuckleball last season, the corners appeared to step it up a little
5. He’s made for the Cover-2 and would find life much harder outside of it.
6. Actually, he has outstanding ball skills. In 51 games at cal, he had 15-344-4 in interceptions and 30 pass deflections.
7. As with Harper, Coe’s lack of elite closing burst scares me a little.
8. A real one, not the Detroit variety.
9. And he looked a lot smaller than that when he way playing.
10. Both Jackson and Jennings are signed through 2009.
Each of the Colts’ top three corners has his detractors, but — the dearth of interceptions notwithstanding — they generally get the job done. Here’s Coltplay’s look at how the three stack up against one another.
1) Pass coverage: Using stats provided by ESPN, we can compare how well each corner did when thrown at in 2007. The numbers are: times thrown at-completions allowed-yards allowed (completion percentage allowed/yards allowed per time thrown at).
Overall
Marlin Jackson 38-25-271 (65.79/7.13)
Kelvin Hayden 67-44-477 (65.67/7.12)
Tim Jennings 33-19-207 (57.58/6.27)
Short (ie. the target was 10 yards or less past the line of scrimmage)
Marlin Jackson 24-19-163 (79.17/6.79)
Kelvin Hayden 46-33-246 (71.74/5.35)
Tim Jennings 19-13-83 (68.42/4.37)
Medium (11-20 yards)
Marlin Jackson 12-5-83 (41.67/6.92)
Kelvin Hayden 14-8-107 (57.14/7.64)
Tim Jennings 11-5-91 (45.45/8.27)
Long (21-30 yards)
Marlin Jackson 2-1-25 (50.00/12.50)
Kelvin Hayden 4-1-35 (25.00/8.75)
Tim Jennings 1-0-0 (00.00/00.00)
Bomb (more than 30 yards)
Marlin Jackson 0-0-0 (00.00/00.00)
Kelvin Hayden 3-2-89 (66.67/29.67)
Tim Jennings 2-1-33 (50.00/16.50)
Interesting numbers when you consider the positions. Jackson normally covers the flanker, Hayden the split end and Jennings the slot guy. While flankers are virtually always better players than split ends, split ends aren’t always better than slot guys — would you rather cover Wes Welker or Donté Stallworth? Andre Davis or Kevin Walter? (1) — so I would consider Jackson’s job in coverage the most difficult by some margin, with Hayden’s only slightly harder than Jennings if it’s even any harder at all.
That said, Jackson and Hayden had remarkably similar overall coverage averages — completion percentages only 0.22 percent apart, yards per attempt just 0.013 yards (less than half an inch) different.
Interestingly, Hayden put up far better numbers short, while Jackson, though slower, was better long.
I attribute that discrepancy to the fact that Jackson (covering the Randy Mosses of the world) left a bigger cushion than Hayden. Hayden, conversely, played closer, which left him a bit more vulnerable to deep patterns.
Jennings showed better overall numbers than either outside guy, especially short. That’s actually a huge surprise to me because slot corners usually play against the quickest, hardest-to-cover-in-a-short-zone guys who make their bread and butter on short routes hoping to break free. Jennings’ numbers then are a testament to exactly how fast (4.32 forty as compared to Hayden’s 4.48 and Jackson’s 4.52) and quick (1.48 ten as compared to Hayden and Jackson who both ran 1.56) he really is.
Of course, part of that is also the fact that he leaves the smallest cushion of them all. Consequently, Jennings’ numbers fall somewhere in between Jackson’s and Hayden’s when it comes to longer routes.
Perhaps even more tellingly than the averages, is the number of times each player was targeted by opposing passers. Despite facing the opposing team’s best receiver most often, Jackson only saw 38 passes thrown his way all season. Compare that to Hayden, who was targeted 67 times. That’s 76.32 percent more often — no accident. In fact, opposing quarterbacks only threw at Jackson five times more often than they did Jennings (33), who was on the field much less often. When it came to passes 21 or more yards downfield, Jackson saw two, Jennings saw three and Hayden saw seven. When you bring it up to more than 30 yards, Hayden was tested three times, Jennings twice and Jackson not at all.
NFL quarterbacks were so unwilling to test Jackson that they would throw to their second- or third-best receivers (2) almost twice as often. Although their overall stats are similar, NFL quarterbacks were almost twice as likely to take their chances against Hayden than they were against Jackson. And when you factor in how often the Colts saw three-wide sets, they’d still much rather test Hayden than Jennings. I’m no expert, but NFL quarterbacks and offensive co-ordinators actually are.
Eyeball test: From what I’ve seen, Jackson hasn’t been tested much, while teams throw willy-nilly at Hayden. Hayden holds up, but you gotta respect how much fear Jackson instills. Jennings does a great job shutting down slots, but doesn’t really scare any quarterbacks into throwing away from him. Except when he is totally outmuscled, I'd say Jennings is the best of the trio in man coverage, but his understanding of zones isn't quite up to where the other guys' are.
2) Hands: Hayden is a former wide receiver. Usually when someone is an ex-wide receiver, it’s because he didn’t have the hands for the position. That’s true of Hayden — I’d hate to see him play on offense — but he still has better hands than the other guys. Although the sample is small, it’s significant that Hayden got his hands on 15 passes (one out of every 4.47 he faced), Jennings on seven (4.71) and Jackson on five (7.60). And, he came down with three picks (one out of every 5.00 passes he got his hands on), Jackson had one (6.00) and Jennings was shut out.
It would appear that Hayden has so-so hands, but he looks like Welker compared to the other two.
Eyeball test: Hayden can catch — and will. Jackson has Roberto Duran’s hands of stone and Jennings hasn’t really seen enough exposure. I wouldn’t be surprised if he gets the odd pick or two in the future. (3)
3) Run support/blitzing: All three of the Colts’ top corners have a reputation for supporting the run. But this one isn’t even close. Jackson had 76 tackles (2.00 for every pass he faced), while Hayden had 85 (1.27) and Jennings 21 (0.63). If you include assists, the numbers are even more profound (2.84 for Jackson, 1.75 for Hayden and 0.75 for Jennings).
Since opponents didn’t run right against the Colts significantly more often than they did left, it indicates that Jackson really stepped up in that department. Jennings’ far lower numbers are a combination of two things — he’s not on the field when most runs took place and he’s very tiny (185 pounds to 197 for Hayden and 198 for Jackson).
All are hard hitters — nobody doubts that. Back it up? Jackson and Jennings each forced a fumble, Hayden forced two. Corners don’t usually do that very often.
When it comes to blitzing, there is no comparison. Jackson had half a sack, three quarterback pressures and three stuffs, while Hayden and Jennings had just a stuff apiece.
Eyeball test: Okay, Jackson’s not exactly Bob Sanders, but he’s as close as you’ll see in a corner — dude is simply vicious, a total enforcer against the run. Jennings is more willing in run support and a better tackler technically than Hayden, but Hayden’s size and strength bring him up to even.
4) Conclusion: Nobody will even confuse him with Deion Sanders, but Jackson is a bona fide NFL No. 1 corner. He faces some of the best athletes in the world and consistently shuts them down, particularly on long routes. He has a big cushion, the safety help the Cover-2 defense is designed to provide and a vicious pass rush (4) helping him, but he’s definitely worth the price of admission when it comes to pass coverage.
His real value — again, something that is especially prized in Indy — is his skills as a tackler and blitzer. Compared to most NFL corners, Jackson looks like vintage John Lynch. He backs down from nothing, does the little things right and packs a tremendous wallop.
The backside of that is that he is as likely to get a pick as one of the cheerleaders.
Hayden gets similar numbers in coverage mainly because he’s covering lesser opponents. Still, he gets picked on and picked on and still comes up with impressive production. He is as solid a No. 2 as Jackson is a No. 1. And when it comes to the other stuff, he’s basically the opposite of Jackson. He’s not another linebacker on running plays, but at least his hands aren’t made of stone (perhaps wood, but at least not stone).
And Jennings? Well, he’s significantly better than either of the other two in coverage statistically — but only because he’s covering slot guys. Dude has all the skills in the world, but he’s about my wife’s height and weighs too little to play the big boys’ games outside. If everyone were the same size, Jennings would be among the best half-dozen corners in the league (certainly well ahead of Jackson and Hayden). But they ain’t. Jennings is awesome in the slot, but would be miscast outside. Look at it this way: Tom Hanks is a great actor, but he would be terrible as the lead in Conan the Barbarian. Covering Terrell Owens is playing Conan, not Forrest Gump.
The Colts actually have a very enviable trey of corners. Jackson is a legit No. 1 in the Cover-2. (5) His coverage skills are fine and his abilities as a run supporter, tackler and blitzer easily offset his liabilities as a ballhawk. Similarly, Hayden is a fine No. 2 and Jennings is excellent in the slot. There is a certain Zen quality to how well they mesh.
The monkey wrench in the plan is that Hayden becomes an unrestricted free agent after the season. With the Colts’ chronic cap woes and their history-proven lack of desire to re-sign all but their most important defensive free agents, they could be looking for a new No. 2. And don’t look at Jennings. Dude is awesome inside, but he’d be overpowered outside. He is staying put.
So, if Hayden is not re-signed, what are the options? The Colts drafted two corners in 2007, Daymieon (now Dante) Hughes and Michael Coe. Both are outside types, nothing like Jennings. Hughes (5101, 190, 4.65) is considered a guy who does everything perfectly, but lacks deep speed. In fact, he’s a lot like Jackson, though slower and with better hands (6) and less wow! against the run. He reminds me of Al Harris, the longtime star corner who everybody called too slow when he came out in 1998.
Coe (6005, 190, 4.53) — a coach’s son — is considered a cerebral player who transcends his physical skills. He’s a lot like former Colt Nick Harper; he seems to lack elite overall skills (7), but gets the job done.
There are other candidates, but they are unlikely to leapfrog Hughes and Coe. TJ Rushing has played a little at defensive back, but is the Colts’ primary return man and may not be able to hold onto that job. Keiwan Ratliff was a second-round pick by the Bengals way back in 2004; but has been cut by them and the Bucs since. While he has good ball skills and NFL starting experience, he’s the slowest of all the team’s corners and has strong moral convictions against not hurting (or even slowing down) anyone with his tackle attempts. That will not endear him to coaches any more than it will fans. Then there’s rookie Brandon Foster. He has some cover skills, good ball skills and the heart of a lion. (8) But at 5075, 182 (9), he makes Jennings look like the Incredible Hulk. While Foster will probably never see a snap outside, he could learn the slotsman’s arts from Jennings and perhaps eventually replace him. He would have to improve by a massive margin to do that.
The way I look at it is that Jackson is great at what he does, Hayden is very good at what he does and Jennings is awesome at what he does. If Hayden were to leave after 2008, Hughes or Coe could probably step in without too much of a beat missed. Either could also step in for Jackson (10), but you would notice a difference, especially in run support. But if either were to step in for Jennings, things could get ugly.
Notes:
1. This depends on what kind of corner you are. Slot guys are generally more explosive that split ends. I’d rather cover a guy who’ll get their catches, but rarely break out, rather than the guy who can leave you on the ground before he’s 40 yards away.
2. Often across the field, since most, if not all, are right-handed
3. Then look out, this kid can motor — he brought back his 10 career picks at Georgia for 194 yards and two scores.
4. Usually; when the Colts pass rush fell off like a well-thrown knuckleball last season, the corners appeared to step it up a little
5. He’s made for the Cover-2 and would find life much harder outside of it.
6. Actually, he has outstanding ball skills. In 51 games at cal, he had 15-344-4 in interceptions and 30 pass deflections.
7. As with Harper, Coe’s lack of elite closing burst scares me a little.
8. A real one, not the Detroit variety.
9. And he looked a lot smaller than that when he way playing.
10. Both Jackson and Jennings are signed through 2009.
Tuesday, July 1, 2008
Hagler's out ... what, already?
Tyjuan Hagler’s torn pectoral muscle will keep him out of action for at least two months and puts him in danger of missing the regular-season opener. While I would never wish ill on anyone — especially a fine young man like Hagler — it does give the team an opportunity to see what life after Tyjuan will be like.
Not convinced Hagler is going? Here’s the evidence:
• The Colts consider outside linebackers disposable. In the Polian era, the Colts have allowed outside linebackers Cato June, David Thornton, Mike Peterson and Marcus Washington to walk when they became free agents. Hagler will be an unrestricted free agent at the end of the 2008 season and, although a competent starter, he’s not as good as any of those guys.
• Drafted in 2005, Hagler has played in just 21 of 48 possible regular-season games, missing the others due to injury. And he’s injured again.
• And, as they always do, the Colts have assembled a crew of potential replacements.
It’s those replacements we’ll see in the next two months. And they aren’t just fighting for the right to start the opener (if Hagler misses it), but also to be first in line for his spot when it empties for good in 2009.
The candidates are (in order):
• Clint Session (Numbers: 5111, 236, 4.57pd; 2007 stats: 16 tackles, 7 assists, 3 tackles for loss, 2-3-0 interceptions, 3 passes defensed, 1 forced fumble, 8 special-teams tackles, 2 special-teams assists with the Colts): A very gifted, surprisingly strong athlete who can lay a lick and keep up with all but the very fastest backs. Colts fans love this former fourth-round pick because of his two picks in his only start last year, but there are some issues that prevent him from being a shoo-in starter. Most of his strength is in his upper body and he can be ridden down too easily by blockers, and taken completely out of the play. Although he has speed and agility, Session is not polished in coverage and blows too many assignments. Worst of all, he has subpar play recognition. Not only does he get fooled by play-action and draws; but he also loses valuable steps making up his mind. Those are all things that he could improve upon — and Session is a pretty good player even considering his drawbacks — but I think Colts fans should think twice before anointing him starter.
• Phillip Wheeler (Numbers: 6017, 248, 4.76c/4.66pd; 46 tackles, 42 assists, 8.5 tackles for loss, 5.5 sacks, 5 passes defensed, 2-4-0 fumble returns, 1 forced fumble, with Georgia Tech): A former defensive end who played both inside and outside linebacker in college, Wheeler looked much more comfortable in the middle. Still, he was very productive outside as well, showing great pursuit ability, a knack for creating turnovers and superb blitzing skills. Stronger and harder to block than Session, he’s not as fast but is just as quick and agile and is a more reliable tackler. He has much better instincts, but may take a while to adapt to the pro game because he’s not known as hard worker. Wheeler’s biggest liability is his relative stiffness in zone coverage. Despite that, I think Wheeler is a much better overall prospect than Session. But he’d be better off in the middle than on the strong side and his lack of polish and experience may keep him off the field, at least for now.
• Victor Worsley (Numbers: 6007, 234, 4.59pd; 2007 stats: 1 special-teams tackles, 2 special-teams assists with the Colts): Worsley, undrafted and twice cut, is the long shot, but shouldn’t be counted out. Another player who might be better off inside than out, Worsley has precious little strong side experience. But he probably has the best zone coverage skills of the trio and could emerge as a surprise starter (at least for the short term) if the other two guys fail.
Perhaps as interesting as the three names on the shortlist is one that isn’t on it. I think Jordan Senn and Kyle Shotwell are excused because they went to Portland State and Cal Poly-SLO and are thus probably too raw to be thrown into the fray. Senn’s safety-like size also works against him trying out for the strongside spot.
Conspicuous by his absence is Ramon Guzman. He’s a really good athlete who actually contributed a bit as a rookie (4 tackles, 1 assist, 1 fumble recovery, 8 special-teams tackles, 3 special-teams assists). You’d think he’d get a shot, but late last season, Guzman switched from outside linebacker to defensive end when injuries struck the line. It made sense. He’s got an awesome first step, has good pass-rush moves and is relentless in pursuit. He’s not that good in coverage and lacks real play recognition skills — he could well be better off as a third-down rusher than an outside linebacker. Polian even referred to him as an end in the offseason. But isn’t Guzman too small? He is small for an end by NFL standards (6021, 232, 4.60) but so is Robert Mathis and he makes an honest living. Sure, the Colt list Mathis as 6’2, 245, but I seem to remember him being 6’0, 227 (or some such) at his pro day. If he’s 235 on game days, I’d be truly surprised.
So does that mean Guzman is an end? Maybe. More likely, he’s a special-teamer (he’s good at that) who can fill in at either end or outside linebacker as necessary.
And this brings up another kettle of fish. Tony Dungy said that the Colts were going to bring pressure in ways they hadn’t before. Of course, the media jumped on it and assumed that meant Bob Sanders and his 4.35 forty would be blitzing more.
But maybe the Colts are thinking differently. Wasn’t Wheeler the best blitzing linebacker in the draft? Isn’t Guzman really nothing more than a bullet aimed at the quarterback’s chest?
Hmmm, makes ya think.
Not convinced Hagler is going? Here’s the evidence:
• The Colts consider outside linebackers disposable. In the Polian era, the Colts have allowed outside linebackers Cato June, David Thornton, Mike Peterson and Marcus Washington to walk when they became free agents. Hagler will be an unrestricted free agent at the end of the 2008 season and, although a competent starter, he’s not as good as any of those guys.
• Drafted in 2005, Hagler has played in just 21 of 48 possible regular-season games, missing the others due to injury. And he’s injured again.
• And, as they always do, the Colts have assembled a crew of potential replacements.
It’s those replacements we’ll see in the next two months. And they aren’t just fighting for the right to start the opener (if Hagler misses it), but also to be first in line for his spot when it empties for good in 2009.
The candidates are (in order):
• Clint Session (Numbers: 5111, 236, 4.57pd; 2007 stats: 16 tackles, 7 assists, 3 tackles for loss, 2-3-0 interceptions, 3 passes defensed, 1 forced fumble, 8 special-teams tackles, 2 special-teams assists with the Colts): A very gifted, surprisingly strong athlete who can lay a lick and keep up with all but the very fastest backs. Colts fans love this former fourth-round pick because of his two picks in his only start last year, but there are some issues that prevent him from being a shoo-in starter. Most of his strength is in his upper body and he can be ridden down too easily by blockers, and taken completely out of the play. Although he has speed and agility, Session is not polished in coverage and blows too many assignments. Worst of all, he has subpar play recognition. Not only does he get fooled by play-action and draws; but he also loses valuable steps making up his mind. Those are all things that he could improve upon — and Session is a pretty good player even considering his drawbacks — but I think Colts fans should think twice before anointing him starter.
• Phillip Wheeler (Numbers: 6017, 248, 4.76c/4.66pd; 46 tackles, 42 assists, 8.5 tackles for loss, 5.5 sacks, 5 passes defensed, 2-4-0 fumble returns, 1 forced fumble, with Georgia Tech): A former defensive end who played both inside and outside linebacker in college, Wheeler looked much more comfortable in the middle. Still, he was very productive outside as well, showing great pursuit ability, a knack for creating turnovers and superb blitzing skills. Stronger and harder to block than Session, he’s not as fast but is just as quick and agile and is a more reliable tackler. He has much better instincts, but may take a while to adapt to the pro game because he’s not known as hard worker. Wheeler’s biggest liability is his relative stiffness in zone coverage. Despite that, I think Wheeler is a much better overall prospect than Session. But he’d be better off in the middle than on the strong side and his lack of polish and experience may keep him off the field, at least for now.
• Victor Worsley (Numbers: 6007, 234, 4.59pd; 2007 stats: 1 special-teams tackles, 2 special-teams assists with the Colts): Worsley, undrafted and twice cut, is the long shot, but shouldn’t be counted out. Another player who might be better off inside than out, Worsley has precious little strong side experience. But he probably has the best zone coverage skills of the trio and could emerge as a surprise starter (at least for the short term) if the other two guys fail.
Perhaps as interesting as the three names on the shortlist is one that isn’t on it. I think Jordan Senn and Kyle Shotwell are excused because they went to Portland State and Cal Poly-SLO and are thus probably too raw to be thrown into the fray. Senn’s safety-like size also works against him trying out for the strongside spot.
Conspicuous by his absence is Ramon Guzman. He’s a really good athlete who actually contributed a bit as a rookie (4 tackles, 1 assist, 1 fumble recovery, 8 special-teams tackles, 3 special-teams assists). You’d think he’d get a shot, but late last season, Guzman switched from outside linebacker to defensive end when injuries struck the line. It made sense. He’s got an awesome first step, has good pass-rush moves and is relentless in pursuit. He’s not that good in coverage and lacks real play recognition skills — he could well be better off as a third-down rusher than an outside linebacker. Polian even referred to him as an end in the offseason. But isn’t Guzman too small? He is small for an end by NFL standards (6021, 232, 4.60) but so is Robert Mathis and he makes an honest living. Sure, the Colt list Mathis as 6’2, 245, but I seem to remember him being 6’0, 227 (or some such) at his pro day. If he’s 235 on game days, I’d be truly surprised.
So does that mean Guzman is an end? Maybe. More likely, he’s a special-teamer (he’s good at that) who can fill in at either end or outside linebacker as necessary.
And this brings up another kettle of fish. Tony Dungy said that the Colts were going to bring pressure in ways they hadn’t before. Of course, the media jumped on it and assumed that meant Bob Sanders and his 4.35 forty would be blitzing more.
But maybe the Colts are thinking differently. Wasn’t Wheeler the best blitzing linebacker in the draft? Isn’t Guzman really nothing more than a bullet aimed at the quarterback’s chest?
Hmmm, makes ya think.
Cornering the center market
If you knew the Colts signed a new player off waivers, what position do you think he’d play? Those of you who said anything but center are wrong, but honest. Those of you who said center were peeking.
Yeah, the newest Colt is a center despite the fact the team has the best center in the business and drafted no fewer than three centers just a few weeks ago. And the funny thing is that the new guy actually has a decent shot at making the team.
Doug Datish (6041, 302, 5.13c in 2007) is best known as the guy who took over from the great Nick Mangold in the middle of Ohio State’s vaunted offensive line. But he actually played all over the line for the Buckeyes — 14 starts at center, 12 at left tackle and nine at left guard.
Datish’s defining characteristic is intelligence — and his quick wit. He earned a degree in history and began graduate school while playing at the highest level in the toughest competition of college football. And he also brings that intelligence (mixed with top instincts) to the field. He understands defenses, picks up stunts and blitzes adroitly and always seemed to keep his linemates in their proper positions.
He’s not considered a great athlete, but has good strength and leverage — factors that are increased by his excellent form, knee bend and hand use. He had very good stats at OSU at far as sacks allowed, pancakes, downfield blocks and touchdown blocks were concerned and definitely passed the eyeball test as a player.
But his so-so numbers at the combine (1) (not to mention a well-publicized belly flab at the Senior Bowl weigh-in) and his lack of natural size led to him being drafted late. He was chosen in the sixth round by the Falcons.
The Falcons had high hopes for him, but it didn’t really work out. At the beginning of training camp, he dislocated a finger on his left hand. It required surgery, but he continued to play with a cast. A week later, he broke a bone in his right wrist. “I couldn't play with two casts, so they threw me on IR,” Datish said. “I hadn't missed a game my whole life, so to miss a whole year was pretty bad.” It wiped out his whole rookie year. (2)
And then, after mini-camp, Atlanta released him. The team didn’t give a reason — unlike when they cut former second-round cornerback Jimmy Williams who they claimed had ballooned to 236 pounds (3) — but many attributed it to the team’s desire to get bigger on the offensive line.
Although the Falcons’ line is much maligned, it’s actually pretty strong — at least on the inside. (4) The starters — from left to right, Justin Blalock, Todd McClure and Kynan Forney — are all very solid. And the top reserve prospects (Alex Stepanovich, D’Anthony Batiste, Quinn Ojinnaka and Ben Wilkerson) started a combined 15 NFL games last year — and all of them are bigger and stronger than Datish.
On the Colts, however, Datish is greeted with a more welcoming coaching staff and philosophy, and less competition. Center Jeff Saturday is an awesome starter (though probably in his final year with the team) and Ryan Lilja is very solid at left guard, but the rest of the interior line is up in the air. Veteran reserve tackle Charlie Johnson is competing with draft pick Mike Pollak for the starting slot at right guard, but neither is a sure thing. (5) The rest of the competition will come from two second-day draft picks and a few street free agents.
Right now, Datish appears to be little more than a name on the depth chart. But he does have a most of the qualities the Colts prize most highly — intelligence, technique, a non-stop motor and versatility. And he has history on his side. Keep in mind that both Saturday and Lilja were undrafted free agents who were cut by other teams. (6) And the Colts have cut many offensive linemen they actually have drafted. (7)
Notes:
1. The 31 reps were nice, but the 26-inch vertical and 8’6 long jump impressed nobody
2. Unable to do much with his hands, he spent the season working on his leg strength
3. The new regime in Atlanta seems to be particularly hard on players acquired from the Bobby Petrino regime — but Williams is no surprise, nobody likes a fat DB
4. Things aren’t so cheery on the outside — journeyman Todd Weiner is the guy to beat on the right side and second first-round pick Sam Baker is the favorite on the left side. If he doesn’t work out, heavy-footed Chris Redman or rookie Matt Ryan will have their backside protected by guys with names like Renardo Foster, Terrance Pennington or Harvey “Barbie” Dahl.
5. My gut says Johnson loses and gets cut
6. Saturday by Baltimore and Lilja by KC
7. Remember Michael Toudouze (5th round, 2006), Dylan Gandy (3rd!, 2005), Robert Hunt (6th, 2005), Steve Sciullo (4th, 2003), Makoa Frietas (6th, 2003), Matt Johnson (5th, 2000) and Aaron Taylor (6th, 1998)? All of them were drafted in the Polian era and all were cut. Although Toudouze was brought back, he doesn’t look like a lock to make the team at this point. That’s seven draft picks cut, while only seven (Tony Ugoh, Charlie Johnson, Jake Scott, Ryan Diem, Rich DeMulling, Brandon Burlsworth and Steve McKinney) made it through a run without being cut. Before you say anything, I know DeMulling was cut, but that was in his second tour with the Colts after a highly paid hiatus in Detroit and a steller first run; and that Burlsworth died before he could play a down, but I have no doubt he would have been a very effective starter. So, getting back to the argument at hand, it can be said that if you are an offensive lineman drafted by the Colts, you have about a fifty-fifty chance of being a real contributor (the ratio is even harsher on second-day picks). Consequently, no team presents a better chance to undrafted free agents and other teams’ rejects.
Yeah, the newest Colt is a center despite the fact the team has the best center in the business and drafted no fewer than three centers just a few weeks ago. And the funny thing is that the new guy actually has a decent shot at making the team.
Doug Datish (6041, 302, 5.13c in 2007) is best known as the guy who took over from the great Nick Mangold in the middle of Ohio State’s vaunted offensive line. But he actually played all over the line for the Buckeyes — 14 starts at center, 12 at left tackle and nine at left guard.
Datish’s defining characteristic is intelligence — and his quick wit. He earned a degree in history and began graduate school while playing at the highest level in the toughest competition of college football. And he also brings that intelligence (mixed with top instincts) to the field. He understands defenses, picks up stunts and blitzes adroitly and always seemed to keep his linemates in their proper positions.
He’s not considered a great athlete, but has good strength and leverage — factors that are increased by his excellent form, knee bend and hand use. He had very good stats at OSU at far as sacks allowed, pancakes, downfield blocks and touchdown blocks were concerned and definitely passed the eyeball test as a player.
But his so-so numbers at the combine (1) (not to mention a well-publicized belly flab at the Senior Bowl weigh-in) and his lack of natural size led to him being drafted late. He was chosen in the sixth round by the Falcons.
The Falcons had high hopes for him, but it didn’t really work out. At the beginning of training camp, he dislocated a finger on his left hand. It required surgery, but he continued to play with a cast. A week later, he broke a bone in his right wrist. “I couldn't play with two casts, so they threw me on IR,” Datish said. “I hadn't missed a game my whole life, so to miss a whole year was pretty bad.” It wiped out his whole rookie year. (2)
And then, after mini-camp, Atlanta released him. The team didn’t give a reason — unlike when they cut former second-round cornerback Jimmy Williams who they claimed had ballooned to 236 pounds (3) — but many attributed it to the team’s desire to get bigger on the offensive line.
Although the Falcons’ line is much maligned, it’s actually pretty strong — at least on the inside. (4) The starters — from left to right, Justin Blalock, Todd McClure and Kynan Forney — are all very solid. And the top reserve prospects (Alex Stepanovich, D’Anthony Batiste, Quinn Ojinnaka and Ben Wilkerson) started a combined 15 NFL games last year — and all of them are bigger and stronger than Datish.
On the Colts, however, Datish is greeted with a more welcoming coaching staff and philosophy, and less competition. Center Jeff Saturday is an awesome starter (though probably in his final year with the team) and Ryan Lilja is very solid at left guard, but the rest of the interior line is up in the air. Veteran reserve tackle Charlie Johnson is competing with draft pick Mike Pollak for the starting slot at right guard, but neither is a sure thing. (5) The rest of the competition will come from two second-day draft picks and a few street free agents.
Right now, Datish appears to be little more than a name on the depth chart. But he does have a most of the qualities the Colts prize most highly — intelligence, technique, a non-stop motor and versatility. And he has history on his side. Keep in mind that both Saturday and Lilja were undrafted free agents who were cut by other teams. (6) And the Colts have cut many offensive linemen they actually have drafted. (7)
Notes:
1. The 31 reps were nice, but the 26-inch vertical and 8’6 long jump impressed nobody
2. Unable to do much with his hands, he spent the season working on his leg strength
3. The new regime in Atlanta seems to be particularly hard on players acquired from the Bobby Petrino regime — but Williams is no surprise, nobody likes a fat DB
4. Things aren’t so cheery on the outside — journeyman Todd Weiner is the guy to beat on the right side and second first-round pick Sam Baker is the favorite on the left side. If he doesn’t work out, heavy-footed Chris Redman or rookie Matt Ryan will have their backside protected by guys with names like Renardo Foster, Terrance Pennington or Harvey “Barbie” Dahl.
5. My gut says Johnson loses and gets cut
6. Saturday by Baltimore and Lilja by KC
7. Remember Michael Toudouze (5th round, 2006), Dylan Gandy (3rd!, 2005), Robert Hunt (6th, 2005), Steve Sciullo (4th, 2003), Makoa Frietas (6th, 2003), Matt Johnson (5th, 2000) and Aaron Taylor (6th, 1998)? All of them were drafted in the Polian era and all were cut. Although Toudouze was brought back, he doesn’t look like a lock to make the team at this point. That’s seven draft picks cut, while only seven (Tony Ugoh, Charlie Johnson, Jake Scott, Ryan Diem, Rich DeMulling, Brandon Burlsworth and Steve McKinney) made it through a run without being cut. Before you say anything, I know DeMulling was cut, but that was in his second tour with the Colts after a highly paid hiatus in Detroit and a steller first run; and that Burlsworth died before he could play a down, but I have no doubt he would have been a very effective starter. So, getting back to the argument at hand, it can be said that if you are an offensive lineman drafted by the Colts, you have about a fifty-fifty chance of being a real contributor (the ratio is even harsher on second-day picks). Consequently, no team presents a better chance to undrafted free agents and other teams’ rejects.
Sunday, June 15, 2008
The Cutting Board
Okay, the post mini-camp cuts are in and a couple of them were players I really liked:
Chad Stanley P: Stanley is an NFL-quality punter. Not a star (has there been a punting star since Ray Guy?), but a pretty good leg. The Colts appear to have signed him as insurance after Hunter Smith's subpar year in 2007. Since they cut him this early, it would appear that the Colts are confident Smith will bounce back.
Shane Andrus K: They sign him, they cut him. They repeat as necessary.
Patrick Ross C: I really liked this scrappy, typical Boston College lineman. He did everything well, but lacked functional strength even at the college level. With the influx of interior line talent in the draft, there was little room for him.
Dan Davis DT: This guy is not without talent, but was the least Colts-style of the many young defensive tackles in camp.
Justise Hairston HB: Here's another guy I thought had a good chance. A big strong halfback who can run inside and break tackles, Hairston's not much of a receiver or blocker. Guess the Colts didn't need a guy just for 3rd-and-1.
In other news:
• Local product and fan fave Rosevelt Colvin signed with division rival Houston. The Patriots don't like to give up on old linebackers — look at artefacts like Junior Seau, Mike Vrabel and Tedy Bruschi — so it will be interesting to see how much he has left. Even if he does bounce back, I don't think it's a great loss. The Colts blitz their linebackers on what seems like an annual basis, and that's Colvin's only real talent.
• One the subject of veteran free agents, I hear rumblings about Charles Rogers. Remember him? Drafted No. 2 in 2003 — just one pick ahead of the great André Johnson — by the Lions, his injury-plagued career was short and unspectacular. From what I've heard, he runs the forty in the 4.80 range (it was 4.28 at the 2003 combine) and has failed look-sees with a number of NFL and CFL teams. Best to let him move on with his life.
• The Jaguars waived ex-Colt Craphonso Thorpe after just a few days. The CFL perhaps?
Chad Stanley P: Stanley is an NFL-quality punter. Not a star (has there been a punting star since Ray Guy?), but a pretty good leg. The Colts appear to have signed him as insurance after Hunter Smith's subpar year in 2007. Since they cut him this early, it would appear that the Colts are confident Smith will bounce back.
Shane Andrus K: They sign him, they cut him. They repeat as necessary.
Patrick Ross C: I really liked this scrappy, typical Boston College lineman. He did everything well, but lacked functional strength even at the college level. With the influx of interior line talent in the draft, there was little room for him.
Dan Davis DT: This guy is not without talent, but was the least Colts-style of the many young defensive tackles in camp.
Justise Hairston HB: Here's another guy I thought had a good chance. A big strong halfback who can run inside and break tackles, Hairston's not much of a receiver or blocker. Guess the Colts didn't need a guy just for 3rd-and-1.
In other news:
• Local product and fan fave Rosevelt Colvin signed with division rival Houston. The Patriots don't like to give up on old linebackers — look at artefacts like Junior Seau, Mike Vrabel and Tedy Bruschi — so it will be interesting to see how much he has left. Even if he does bounce back, I don't think it's a great loss. The Colts blitz their linebackers on what seems like an annual basis, and that's Colvin's only real talent.
• One the subject of veteran free agents, I hear rumblings about Charles Rogers. Remember him? Drafted No. 2 in 2003 — just one pick ahead of the great André Johnson — by the Lions, his injury-plagued career was short and unspectacular. From what I've heard, he runs the forty in the 4.80 range (it was 4.28 at the 2003 combine) and has failed look-sees with a number of NFL and CFL teams. Best to let him move on with his life.
• The Jaguars waived ex-Colt Craphonso Thorpe after just a few days. The CFL perhaps?
Friday, June 6, 2008
So long, Luke
Well it appears Luke Lawton had some value after all — the Colts traded him to Philadelphia for a conditional draft pick.
The deal makes lots of sense for both teams. The Colts' offense almost never uses a pure fullback — and Lawton is a dictionary definition of one. They prefer instead to motion in a tight end, H-back or slot back into the fullback spot, or go without entirely. In his Colts career, he rushed 5-13-0 and caught 4-29-1; and the touchdown was on a trick play. He also had — according to the Colts’ own rather generous to my eye scoring — 8 special-teams tackles and 3 assists. I’m not getting down on the fan favorite, I think he’s a good guy; but keep in mind that since college he’s been with the Bills, Giants, Bills again, Falcons, Falcons again, Giants again, Jets, Jets again, Colts three frickin’ times and now the Eagles.
To put it simply, draft pick Tom Santi fits the team’s plans at fullback better than Lawton; and holdover Gijon Robinson is not without skills at the position either. Lawton probably wouldn’t have made the team anyway.
But he could well make the Eagles. Their modified West Coast offense has a place for a traditional fullback, and any offense with Brian Westbrook as a featured runner could definitely use one. Interestingly, Lawton's primary competition will come from former Colts (and former defensive tackle) Dan Klecko — himself a fan favorite when he was in Indy. You’ll see Kris Wilson listed as the starter at fullback on most Eagles’ depth charts, but that dude is a tight end.
So it’s a win-win trade. The Colts get the chance at a draft pick for a guy who wasn’t going to make the roster, and the Eagles get a bona fide fullback for next to nothing.
The deal makes lots of sense for both teams. The Colts' offense almost never uses a pure fullback — and Lawton is a dictionary definition of one. They prefer instead to motion in a tight end, H-back or slot back into the fullback spot, or go without entirely. In his Colts career, he rushed 5-13-0 and caught 4-29-1; and the touchdown was on a trick play. He also had — according to the Colts’ own rather generous to my eye scoring — 8 special-teams tackles and 3 assists. I’m not getting down on the fan favorite, I think he’s a good guy; but keep in mind that since college he’s been with the Bills, Giants, Bills again, Falcons, Falcons again, Giants again, Jets, Jets again, Colts three frickin’ times and now the Eagles.
To put it simply, draft pick Tom Santi fits the team’s plans at fullback better than Lawton; and holdover Gijon Robinson is not without skills at the position either. Lawton probably wouldn’t have made the team anyway.
But he could well make the Eagles. Their modified West Coast offense has a place for a traditional fullback, and any offense with Brian Westbrook as a featured runner could definitely use one. Interestingly, Lawton's primary competition will come from former Colts (and former defensive tackle) Dan Klecko — himself a fan favorite when he was in Indy. You’ll see Kris Wilson listed as the starter at fullback on most Eagles’ depth charts, but that dude is a tight end.
So it’s a win-win trade. The Colts get the chance at a draft pick for a guy who wasn’t going to make the roster, and the Eagles get a bona fide fullback for next to nothing.
Wednesday, May 21, 2008
The new kid
The Colts signed a third punter — Adam Crossett P Missouri (6021, 220). He came to the Tigers as a kicker/punter, but didn’t do so well from placements (15/24 of field goals and 41/43 on extra points) and was replaced by the more accurate Jeff Wolfert. He did somewhat better as a punter — averaging 40.34 gross with 53 of 173 in the opponents’ 20 — despite having to put up with a lot of poor snaps and so-so blocking. While it’s possible he could develop into an NFL punter, I think his real value, at least for now, is as a kickoff specialist. As a senior at Mizzou, he averaged almost exactly five yards better than Wolfert.
It’ll be interesting to watch him in camp, but considering the Colts’ luck with kickoff specialists in past — look at Daves Kimball and Rayner — I wouldn’t hold my breath.
• Troubled JJ Milan is back in the fold to fight for a pass-rush specialist. I was pretty sure he was cooked when they gave Ben Ishola his number, but he’s back. And he’s No. 73.
• Speaking of numbers, it’s a tradition for me to root for whoever the Colts give my old high school number, 46. It’s usually some scrub — who’s the last 46 you remember being any good? I have to go back to sometime starting CB James Burroughs (1982-84). This year, it’s tight end Zac Herold. He has his work cut out for him to make the team with Dallas Clark, Jacob Tamme, Tom Santi and Gijon Robinson (do NOT count out Gijon) ahead of him, but he’s my guy this year. Go, Zac!
It’ll be interesting to watch him in camp, but considering the Colts’ luck with kickoff specialists in past — look at Daves Kimball and Rayner — I wouldn’t hold my breath.
• Troubled JJ Milan is back in the fold to fight for a pass-rush specialist. I was pretty sure he was cooked when they gave Ben Ishola his number, but he’s back. And he’s No. 73.
• Speaking of numbers, it’s a tradition for me to root for whoever the Colts give my old high school number, 46. It’s usually some scrub — who’s the last 46 you remember being any good? I have to go back to sometime starting CB James Burroughs (1982-84). This year, it’s tight end Zac Herold. He has his work cut out for him to make the team with Dallas Clark, Jacob Tamme, Tom Santi and Gijon Robinson (do NOT count out Gijon) ahead of him, but he’s my guy this year. Go, Zac!
Tuesday, May 20, 2008
Mini-camp opens
Things are shaping up a little on the interior line in mini-camp, but that doesn’t mean things will stay that way when the snaps are for real in September.
Right now, the starters from left to right are: Ryan Lilja, Jeff Saturday and Charlie Johnson. Behind them, respectively, are: Steve Justice, Jamey Richard and Mike Pollak.
There are some complications, though. Starting with right guard, I don’t think the team thinks Johnson is a better bet at the position than Pollak, just that they are unlikely to hand a starting job to a rookie (an unsigned one at that!) in mini-camp. Remember Thomas Houchin? Didn’t think so. But he was the starter at left outside linebacker at the 2005 mini-camp, largely because they didn’t want the team’s unsigned youngsters getting any ideas above their station. Look for Pollak to usurp Johnson before too long, which will force the veteran back into the fight for a reserve tackle gig. It's win or be cut out there.
Justice, who is fairly NFL-ready but doesn’t have the upside of Pollak, is at left guard because starter Lilja will probably miss at least some of mini-camp with a knee injury. With Lilja out, Justice will get lots of reps, and the offense won’t suffer too greatly.
Of the three draft picks, Richard is by far the most raw, so he will sit and watch behind Jeff Saturday, perhaps the best technician at the position in the game. He needs to learn, and he will if he pays attention.
• Speaking of Saturday, he told the media that he’s a little concerned that the Colts drafted three players at his position in his walk year. Well duh. His agent says he’s negotiating with the Colts for a contract extension. Good luck with that.
• Peyton Manning says he’s glad to have Dominic Rhodes back. Take that, Kenton Keith. You’re as good as cut.
Right now, the starters from left to right are: Ryan Lilja, Jeff Saturday and Charlie Johnson. Behind them, respectively, are: Steve Justice, Jamey Richard and Mike Pollak.
There are some complications, though. Starting with right guard, I don’t think the team thinks Johnson is a better bet at the position than Pollak, just that they are unlikely to hand a starting job to a rookie (an unsigned one at that!) in mini-camp. Remember Thomas Houchin? Didn’t think so. But he was the starter at left outside linebacker at the 2005 mini-camp, largely because they didn’t want the team’s unsigned youngsters getting any ideas above their station. Look for Pollak to usurp Johnson before too long, which will force the veteran back into the fight for a reserve tackle gig. It's win or be cut out there.
Justice, who is fairly NFL-ready but doesn’t have the upside of Pollak, is at left guard because starter Lilja will probably miss at least some of mini-camp with a knee injury. With Lilja out, Justice will get lots of reps, and the offense won’t suffer too greatly.
Of the three draft picks, Richard is by far the most raw, so he will sit and watch behind Jeff Saturday, perhaps the best technician at the position in the game. He needs to learn, and he will if he pays attention.
• Speaking of Saturday, he told the media that he’s a little concerned that the Colts drafted three players at his position in his walk year. Well duh. His agent says he’s negotiating with the Colts for a contract extension. Good luck with that.
• Peyton Manning says he’s glad to have Dominic Rhodes back. Take that, Kenton Keith. You’re as good as cut.
Wednesday, May 7, 2008
Well, that's me told then
Hours after I said I'd be shocked if the Colts re-signed Dom Rhodes, they did!
Oh, well, I hope he fares better than the last prodigal Colt, Rick DeMulling.
Here's a depth chart to make us all feel better:
QB 18 Manning, 12 Sorgi, 9 Betts, 15 Trafakis
RB 29 Addai, 36 Keith, 32 Hart, 33 Rhodes, 45 Lawton, 30 Dawson, 35 Simpson, 27 Hairston
WR 88 Harrison, 87 Wayne, 11 Gonzalez, 80 Aromashodu, 83 Hall, 85 Garcon, 10 Roby, 16 Jones, 2 Dillon, 3 Burgess, 14 Giguere
TE 44 Clark, 84 Tamme, 86 Santi, 47 Robinson
T 67 Ugoh, 71 Diem, 74 Johnson, 76 Federkeil, 75 Toudouze, 72 Hilliard, 60 Marquez
G 65 Lilja, 78 Pollak, 61 Richard, 62 Elgin, 86 Esera
C 63 Saturday, 53 Justice, 68 Ross
DE 93 Freeney, 98 Mathis, 91 Thomas, 90 Charleston, 92 Howard, 60 Johnson, 64 Ishola
DT 79 Brock, 99 Johnson, 97 Pitcock, 96 Dawson, 95 Reid, 61 Ferrell, 68 Foster, 66 Davis, 69 Bradley
OLB 54 Keiaho, 56 Hagler, 55 Session, 52 Guzman, 51 Worsley, 49 Senn
ILB 58 Brackett, 50 Wheeler, 59 Shotwell, Adams
CB 28 Jackson, 26 Hayden, 23 Jennings, 20 Hughes, 34 Rushing, 25 Coe, 35 Ratliff, 38 Foster
S 21 Sanders, 41 Bethea, 43 Giordano, 33 Bullitt, 42 Condren, 37 Smith, 40 Silva
K 4 Vinatieri, 8 Andrus
P 17 Smith, 7 Stanley
LS 48 Snow
Oh, well, I hope he fares better than the last prodigal Colt, Rick DeMulling.
Here's a depth chart to make us all feel better:
QB 18 Manning, 12 Sorgi, 9 Betts, 15 Trafakis
RB 29 Addai, 36 Keith, 32 Hart, 33 Rhodes, 45 Lawton, 30 Dawson, 35 Simpson, 27 Hairston
WR 88 Harrison, 87 Wayne, 11 Gonzalez, 80 Aromashodu, 83 Hall, 85 Garcon, 10 Roby, 16 Jones, 2 Dillon, 3 Burgess, 14 Giguere
TE 44 Clark, 84 Tamme, 86 Santi, 47 Robinson
T 67 Ugoh, 71 Diem, 74 Johnson, 76 Federkeil, 75 Toudouze, 72 Hilliard, 60 Marquez
G 65 Lilja, 78 Pollak, 61 Richard, 62 Elgin, 86 Esera
C 63 Saturday, 53 Justice, 68 Ross
DE 93 Freeney, 98 Mathis, 91 Thomas, 90 Charleston, 92 Howard, 60 Johnson, 64 Ishola
DT 79 Brock, 99 Johnson, 97 Pitcock, 96 Dawson, 95 Reid, 61 Ferrell, 68 Foster, 66 Davis, 69 Bradley
OLB 54 Keiaho, 56 Hagler, 55 Session, 52 Guzman, 51 Worsley, 49 Senn
ILB 58 Brackett, 50 Wheeler, 59 Shotwell, Adams
CB 28 Jackson, 26 Hayden, 23 Jennings, 20 Hughes, 34 Rushing, 25 Coe, 35 Ratliff, 38 Foster
S 21 Sanders, 41 Bethea, 43 Giordano, 33 Bullitt, 42 Condren, 37 Smith, 40 Silva
K 4 Vinatieri, 8 Andrus
P 17 Smith, 7 Stanley
LS 48 Snow
Media: Go Get Dom! Colts: Not So Fast!
I’m hearing a lot of blather on the TV and Internet that the Colts are going to bring Dominic Rhodes back into the fold. To them, it makes perfect sense.
To me, it doesn't and I’d be surprised if it happened. Some things to consider:
• The Colts just drafted Mike Hart to take over the No. 2 halfback spot
• Bill Polian has shown he believes halfbacks have short shelf-lives, as evidenced by how early he got rid of people like Marshall Faulk and Edgerrin James while they still had lots of useful football in them.
• Rhodes may just be cooked. Discounting how he fell on his face with the Raiders, (1) he averaged 3.43 yards a carry in his final year with the Colts. (2) That contrasts unfavorably with the 4.40 Kenton Keith averaged last year behind basically the same line (3) and same game plan.
Oh, and SI is reporting that Marvin Harrison may face misdemeanor charges of the now-notorious bar shooting. While that may not seem terrible, the NFL has a strict policy regarding gun-related crime and Harrison may miss some playing time because of it.
1. He had 75-302-1 rushing, 11-70-0 receiving and lost his job to Huggy Bear’s boy.
2. And 2.95 the year before that.
3. The only change was Tony Ugoh in at left tackle for Tarik Glenn. As far as run blocking goes, I’d say that’s a step down. Also keep in mind that Ugoh missed some games and Charlie Johnson (no All-Pro he) had to fill in.
To me, it doesn't and I’d be surprised if it happened. Some things to consider:
• The Colts just drafted Mike Hart to take over the No. 2 halfback spot
• Bill Polian has shown he believes halfbacks have short shelf-lives, as evidenced by how early he got rid of people like Marshall Faulk and Edgerrin James while they still had lots of useful football in them.
• Rhodes may just be cooked. Discounting how he fell on his face with the Raiders, (1) he averaged 3.43 yards a carry in his final year with the Colts. (2) That contrasts unfavorably with the 4.40 Kenton Keith averaged last year behind basically the same line (3) and same game plan.
Oh, and SI is reporting that Marvin Harrison may face misdemeanor charges of the now-notorious bar shooting. While that may not seem terrible, the NFL has a strict policy regarding gun-related crime and Harrison may miss some playing time because of it.
1. He had 75-302-1 rushing, 11-70-0 receiving and lost his job to Huggy Bear’s boy.
2. And 2.95 the year before that.
3. The only change was Tony Ugoh in at left tackle for Tarik Glenn. As far as run blocking goes, I’d say that’s a step down. Also keep in mind that Ugoh missed some games and Charlie Johnson (no All-Pro he) had to fill in.
Monday, May 5, 2008
Why I will always be a football fan, American football that is
This headline appeared on Fark:
Brazilian soccer star Ronaldo is very ashamed for hiring three transvestites in Rio, he claims he “cried a lot afterwards.”
Brazilian soccer star Ronaldo is very ashamed for hiring three transvestites in Rio, he claims he “cried a lot afterwards.”
Sunday, May 4, 2008
When Dylan Gandy and Bryan Fletcher were re-signed, I was sure it was to provide depth for a year or so to let new players ease their way into the rotation. I even thought Gandy would be given a shot at the starting right guard job.
Boy, was I wrong. They were both cut, and it makes me think that they were actually signed to put other teams off the scent of the Colts’ draft plans.
I know what you’re thinking. The Colts don’t work that way. This is the team that cut Jimmy Harbaugh before drafting Peyton Manning, the team that traded Marshall Faulk away before choosing Edgerrin James. But it should be kept in mind that with Manning, the Colts had the top pick and it didn’t matter what the other teams thought. With James? Well, everyone knew the team would draft a halfback, but I have yet to meet the person who predicted it would have been James. And, unless you have irrefutable evidence to the contrary, I would call you a liar if you claimed you did.
But that is all idle speculation. The fact is that Gandy and Fletcher are unemployed. And it occurred at the worst possible time. With every team all excited about their draft picks, it’ll will be hard to raise interest in a couple of castoff veterans. It also doesn’t help that most teams are wary of ex-Colts. Good luck, fellas.
And it is also true that the spots they were supposed to have held — starting right guard and No. 2 tight end — are now open.
• So now the consensus is that Marvin Harrison didn’t do anything wrong other than associate with some unsavory types. These things happen. If I were to own a bar and a car wash in my hometown, I would be extremely foolish if I were to guarantee nothing criminal would ever happen in them.
• Speaking of character, remember Bernard Morris, the Marshall quarterback the Colts had some interest in? A short but strong-armed and athletic fellow, most expected him to be drafted in the sixth or seventh round. But not only was he not drafted, he wasn’t signed as an undrafted free agent.
Although most of the guides listed him as a high-character guy, it came out after the draft that he was accused of hitting a pregnant woman with a beer bottle. Yikes! There are some things you can attribute to youthful hi-jinks, that’s not one of them.
Let this be a lesson to you kids in blogland.
• The Colts official roster lists positions and uniform numbers for the noobs. No real surprises, but I did see some bristle at young Mike Hart being assigned No. 32. Why? I mean James was a very good halfback and a neat guy, but hardly the legendary type worth retiring a number (even for a little while) for. Let the Cardin … oh, never mind.
And every year I always root for the guy — usually a fringe type — assigned my old high school number. Sadly this year, there is no 46.
Boy, was I wrong. They were both cut, and it makes me think that they were actually signed to put other teams off the scent of the Colts’ draft plans.
I know what you’re thinking. The Colts don’t work that way. This is the team that cut Jimmy Harbaugh before drafting Peyton Manning, the team that traded Marshall Faulk away before choosing Edgerrin James. But it should be kept in mind that with Manning, the Colts had the top pick and it didn’t matter what the other teams thought. With James? Well, everyone knew the team would draft a halfback, but I have yet to meet the person who predicted it would have been James. And, unless you have irrefutable evidence to the contrary, I would call you a liar if you claimed you did.
But that is all idle speculation. The fact is that Gandy and Fletcher are unemployed. And it occurred at the worst possible time. With every team all excited about their draft picks, it’ll will be hard to raise interest in a couple of castoff veterans. It also doesn’t help that most teams are wary of ex-Colts. Good luck, fellas.
And it is also true that the spots they were supposed to have held — starting right guard and No. 2 tight end — are now open.
• So now the consensus is that Marvin Harrison didn’t do anything wrong other than associate with some unsavory types. These things happen. If I were to own a bar and a car wash in my hometown, I would be extremely foolish if I were to guarantee nothing criminal would ever happen in them.
• Speaking of character, remember Bernard Morris, the Marshall quarterback the Colts had some interest in? A short but strong-armed and athletic fellow, most expected him to be drafted in the sixth or seventh round. But not only was he not drafted, he wasn’t signed as an undrafted free agent.
Although most of the guides listed him as a high-character guy, it came out after the draft that he was accused of hitting a pregnant woman with a beer bottle. Yikes! There are some things you can attribute to youthful hi-jinks, that’s not one of them.
Let this be a lesson to you kids in blogland.
• The Colts official roster lists positions and uniform numbers for the noobs. No real surprises, but I did see some bristle at young Mike Hart being assigned No. 32. Why? I mean James was a very good halfback and a neat guy, but hardly the legendary type worth retiring a number (even for a little while) for. Let the Cardin … oh, never mind.
And every year I always root for the guy — usually a fringe type — assigned my old high school number. Sadly this year, there is no 46.
Thursday, May 1, 2008
My hometown Hamilton Tiger-Cats selected Colts WR Samuel Giguere in the CFL draft. By not being available, he is missing out on sure CFL stardom and literally hundreds of dollars of salary and endorsements. If, as I suspect, Giguere is cut by the Colts but invited onto the practice squad, it will present him with an interesting dilemma — money and a chance at a roster spot in the NFL, or a chance to play regularly and the likelihood of being a top performer in the CFL.
Remember Larry "Too Nice" Tripplett? After a well-paid, low-production
stint in Buffalo, he's a Seahawk.
Remember Larry "Too Nice" Tripplett? After a well-paid, low-production
stint in Buffalo, he's a Seahawk.
Wednesday, April 30, 2008
Annotated depth chart
QB Manning, Sorgi, Betts, Trafalis
The competition here is for the No. 3; Betts has familiarity with the system on his side, while Trafalis has a bigger arm and more upside. It may all be for naught, though, as the Colts generally keep just two pivots and Sorgi is signed through 2010.
RB Addai, Keith, Hart, Lawton, Dawson, Simpson, Hairston
Keith and Hart will fight for the No. 2 spot, Keith’s faster and a better runner, Hart’s more complete and a better guy. Don’t be surprised if Keith is cut if Hart beats him for the spot outright. Lawton is fighting Santi for his spot, and will have his hands full. The fight for No. 3 back will go to the rest of the guys, each of whom is limited in his own way. Simpson, whose real value is as a return man, has a distinct edge.
WR Harrison, Wayne, Gonzalez, Aromashodu, Hall, Garcon, Roby, Shelton, Jones, Dillon, Burgess, Giguere
The top three are awesome, but confidence in Harrison’s ability to stay in one piece is eroding. Hall is actually competing more with guys like Tamme for reps in the slot than he is with the other WRs; his special-teams value alone could earn him a spot. Garcon’s likely to get a year to learn the ways of the NFL unless he falls flat on his face. Of the rest, Roby’s the most talented receiver, Aromashodu has the best tools and the other guys had better show something — returning kicks would be nice — in camp.
TE Clark, Fletcher, Tamme, Santi, Robinson, Herold
Fletcher, on a one-year deal, could be cut if the youngsters pan out. Tamme is a receiving talent who can’t really block — but neither can Clark or Fletcher, so it’s built into the system — and will be competing with Fletcher, Hall and other for playing time. You can throw Santi into that group too, but since he can actually block, he’s actually fighting Lawton for most of his reps. I wonder how Robinson and Herold felt watching the draft. I hope it pumped them up.
T Ugoh, Diem, Johnson, Federkeil, Toudouze, Hilliard, Marquez
With the new additions inside, I think Johnson goes back to swing tackle backup. He’ll fight off Federkeil, who the team seems to like a lot, and Toudouze and Hilliard, who they seem less excited about. Marquez appears headed for the practice squad and the weight room
G Lilja, Gandy, Pollak, Richard, Elgin, Esera
It’s a free-for-all at right guard, with Pollak the likely winner. If Gandy doesn’t win the job outright, there’s a strong chance he’ll be cut.
C Saturday, Justice, Ross
Saturday probably gets one last go ‘round before he tests the free agency waters. Justice is the favorite to slide into his old spot, but is by no means a lock. It could be Richard, Ross, Elgin or even Gandy or Pollak.
DE Freeney, Mathis, Thomas, Charleston, Howard, Johnson, Ishola, Milan
Other than Freeney and Mathis, none of these guys are safe, although Howard would likely get a year free even if he looked awful in camp. Keep an eye on the competition for jobs here, it will be intense.
DT Brock, Johnson, Pitcock, Dawson, Reid, Ferrell, Foster, Davis, Bradley
The top three are set, though the order could change. Dawson will have a fight on his hands to keep the others from taking his spot. Reid had better convince coaches he’s their best bet on special teams.
OLB Keiaho, Hagler, Session, Guzman, Nande, Senn
Neither starter is durable and Hagler’s a free agent after the season, but Session is probably ready for a starting spot anyway. Guzman’s specialty is pass-rushing and may be moved to DE. The battle between Nande, a better athlete, and Senn, a more productive player, will be fierce. Although his future is inside, Wheeler could figure here too if Guzman moves to DE and injuries mount.
ILB Brackett, Wheeler, Worsley, Adams, Shotwell
Brackett is a productive starter and team leader, but his salary is huge and he’s signed just through 2009. Wheeler was drafted to take over for him, but it almost certainly won’t be this year. The others are playing for reserve spots and should try to excel on specials. Who’s Adams? See below.
CB Jackson, Hayden, Jennings, Hughes, Rushing, Coe, Ratliff, Foster
While there are no All-Pros, there is an embarrassment of wealth when it comes to young, competent players. Hayden and Ratliff are free agents after the season. Hayden is likely to re-sign and Ratliff does not represent the future at the position. Hughes and Coe do. Rushing’s primary value is as a return man, but has proven to be a better DB than anticipated. There are lots of potential returners in camp and his spot is in no way safe. Foster is microscopic by NFL standards, but may be the fastest man in camp and has genuine DB skills.
S Sanders, Bethea, Giordano, Bullitt, Condren, Smith, Silva
Giordano’s on the Colts’ one-year-to-earn-a-contract plan too. He has the talent, but his payday may come elsewhere as the parsimonious Colts play caponomics. Bullitt stepped up last year, but has obvious deficiencies as an all-around player, while Condren is a tremendous athlete who should be better prepared for the NFL after what amounted to a redshirt season in 2007. Smith is smart and slow, while Silva is smarter and even slower.
K Vinatieri, Andrus
Same old story: Andrus has the huge leg, but isn’t consistent on placements. Vinatieri is starting to show his age, but is signed through 2010 and is still a premier kicker.
P Smith, Stanley
Smith is aging and Stanley has the stuff, but Smith is a team leader and an exceptional holder.
LS Snow
He’s not outstanding, but he does the job, is signed through 2012 to a reasonable contract and faces no real competition.
One more to add:
Anthony X. Adams LB Grand Valley State (6016, 234, e4.80): This small-school tackling machine lacks true athleticism, but it’s hard to argue with his production (like 20.5 tackles for a loss as a senior). He hasn’t been tested too much in pass coverage and would probably find it difficult to adjust to the pro game. But it’s hard not to like any linebacker who played a few downs at fullback — including catching a touchdown pass — in the Cactus Bowl.
The competition here is for the No. 3; Betts has familiarity with the system on his side, while Trafalis has a bigger arm and more upside. It may all be for naught, though, as the Colts generally keep just two pivots and Sorgi is signed through 2010.
RB Addai, Keith, Hart, Lawton, Dawson, Simpson, Hairston
Keith and Hart will fight for the No. 2 spot, Keith’s faster and a better runner, Hart’s more complete and a better guy. Don’t be surprised if Keith is cut if Hart beats him for the spot outright. Lawton is fighting Santi for his spot, and will have his hands full. The fight for No. 3 back will go to the rest of the guys, each of whom is limited in his own way. Simpson, whose real value is as a return man, has a distinct edge.
WR Harrison, Wayne, Gonzalez, Aromashodu, Hall, Garcon, Roby, Shelton, Jones, Dillon, Burgess, Giguere
The top three are awesome, but confidence in Harrison’s ability to stay in one piece is eroding. Hall is actually competing more with guys like Tamme for reps in the slot than he is with the other WRs; his special-teams value alone could earn him a spot. Garcon’s likely to get a year to learn the ways of the NFL unless he falls flat on his face. Of the rest, Roby’s the most talented receiver, Aromashodu has the best tools and the other guys had better show something — returning kicks would be nice — in camp.
TE Clark, Fletcher, Tamme, Santi, Robinson, Herold
Fletcher, on a one-year deal, could be cut if the youngsters pan out. Tamme is a receiving talent who can’t really block — but neither can Clark or Fletcher, so it’s built into the system — and will be competing with Fletcher, Hall and other for playing time. You can throw Santi into that group too, but since he can actually block, he’s actually fighting Lawton for most of his reps. I wonder how Robinson and Herold felt watching the draft. I hope it pumped them up.
T Ugoh, Diem, Johnson, Federkeil, Toudouze, Hilliard, Marquez
With the new additions inside, I think Johnson goes back to swing tackle backup. He’ll fight off Federkeil, who the team seems to like a lot, and Toudouze and Hilliard, who they seem less excited about. Marquez appears headed for the practice squad and the weight room
G Lilja, Gandy, Pollak, Richard, Elgin, Esera
It’s a free-for-all at right guard, with Pollak the likely winner. If Gandy doesn’t win the job outright, there’s a strong chance he’ll be cut.
C Saturday, Justice, Ross
Saturday probably gets one last go ‘round before he tests the free agency waters. Justice is the favorite to slide into his old spot, but is by no means a lock. It could be Richard, Ross, Elgin or even Gandy or Pollak.
DE Freeney, Mathis, Thomas, Charleston, Howard, Johnson, Ishola, Milan
Other than Freeney and Mathis, none of these guys are safe, although Howard would likely get a year free even if he looked awful in camp. Keep an eye on the competition for jobs here, it will be intense.
DT Brock, Johnson, Pitcock, Dawson, Reid, Ferrell, Foster, Davis, Bradley
The top three are set, though the order could change. Dawson will have a fight on his hands to keep the others from taking his spot. Reid had better convince coaches he’s their best bet on special teams.
OLB Keiaho, Hagler, Session, Guzman, Nande, Senn
Neither starter is durable and Hagler’s a free agent after the season, but Session is probably ready for a starting spot anyway. Guzman’s specialty is pass-rushing and may be moved to DE. The battle between Nande, a better athlete, and Senn, a more productive player, will be fierce. Although his future is inside, Wheeler could figure here too if Guzman moves to DE and injuries mount.
ILB Brackett, Wheeler, Worsley, Adams, Shotwell
Brackett is a productive starter and team leader, but his salary is huge and he’s signed just through 2009. Wheeler was drafted to take over for him, but it almost certainly won’t be this year. The others are playing for reserve spots and should try to excel on specials. Who’s Adams? See below.
CB Jackson, Hayden, Jennings, Hughes, Rushing, Coe, Ratliff, Foster
While there are no All-Pros, there is an embarrassment of wealth when it comes to young, competent players. Hayden and Ratliff are free agents after the season. Hayden is likely to re-sign and Ratliff does not represent the future at the position. Hughes and Coe do. Rushing’s primary value is as a return man, but has proven to be a better DB than anticipated. There are lots of potential returners in camp and his spot is in no way safe. Foster is microscopic by NFL standards, but may be the fastest man in camp and has genuine DB skills.
S Sanders, Bethea, Giordano, Bullitt, Condren, Smith, Silva
Giordano’s on the Colts’ one-year-to-earn-a-contract plan too. He has the talent, but his payday may come elsewhere as the parsimonious Colts play caponomics. Bullitt stepped up last year, but has obvious deficiencies as an all-around player, while Condren is a tremendous athlete who should be better prepared for the NFL after what amounted to a redshirt season in 2007. Smith is smart and slow, while Silva is smarter and even slower.
K Vinatieri, Andrus
Same old story: Andrus has the huge leg, but isn’t consistent on placements. Vinatieri is starting to show his age, but is signed through 2010 and is still a premier kicker.
P Smith, Stanley
Smith is aging and Stanley has the stuff, but Smith is a team leader and an exceptional holder.
LS Snow
He’s not outstanding, but he does the job, is signed through 2012 to a reasonable contract and faces no real competition.
One more to add:
Anthony X. Adams LB Grand Valley State (6016, 234, e4.80): This small-school tackling machine lacks true athleticism, but it’s hard to argue with his production (like 20.5 tackles for a loss as a senior). He hasn’t been tested too much in pass coverage and would probably find it difficult to adjust to the pro game. But it’s hard not to like any linebacker who played a few downs at fullback — including catching a touchdown pass — in the Cactus Bowl.
Tuesday, April 29, 2008
Noobs
Adam Tafralis QB San Jose State (6015, 230, 4.78c): Finally, here’s that athletic quarterback I’ve been begging for! In fact, Trafalis — who rushed for 247-563-7 as a senior — actually played at tight end before he became the team’s starting quarterback. He also had a 32-inch vertical. Trafalis has awesome arm strength, but needs to improve in all aspects of quarterback play, especially reading defenses, checking down under the blitz and avoiding safeties in deep coverage — but at least he’s in the right spot. He’ll battle Josh Betts for the No. 3 spot, if it exists.
Chad Simpson HB Morgan State (5081, 216, 4.42c): Speed, power, wiggle, a nose for the end zone and a lightning-quick first step — what more could you want? Well, vision, route running, blocking skills and soft hands — all of which Simpson lacks. On offense, Simpson could be a moderately successful spot player, especially on draws and stretch plays; but not someone you’d want to expose for very long. More likely, he’ll be given a chance to win the team’s return specialist job, though he may be too much of a long-strider to be effective bringing back punts. On kicks, though, he could be very, very special. He has the ability to be the No. 3 halfback, and could win the return specialist job outright.
Rudy Burgess WR Arizona State (5110, 186, 4.49pd): Look at him as a receiver, and you wouldn’t see a pro prospect. I mean, he does some good things, but really isn’t special enough. But he does have a great deal of ability as a return man. He’s fast and naturally elusive, but will have to prove he can hang onto the ball to take it to the next level. To make the team, he must look much better than the other return prospects.
Charles Dillon WR Washington State (6006, 186, 4.49pd): Dillon never seemed to get into the groove after moving to Washington State after JuCo. But he does have legitimate speed and running ability, and could figure in the return game. I’ve heard that the problem with Dillon at WSU was that he was still concentrating too much on basketball, and not enough on football. If he can straighten that out, he has an outside shot at the roster.
Sam Giguere WR Sherbrooke (5110, 220, 4.35c): Although in an interview with the Canadian Press he didn’t give himself much of a chance to make the team, I wouldn’t be as hard on him. Sure, he played in the equivalent of D4, but Giguere is fast, has good hands and is much stronger than most men his size. He’s gained some bad habits and isn’t the most elusive guy after the catch, but he has NFL ability. A year on the practice squad could help it emerge.
Darren Marquez OT Southern Illinois (6046, 308, 5.02): The story on Marquez is simple: He does everything right, but lacks functional strength. He looks destined for the practice squad. As competitive as he is, he'd hate that, but it's probably the best thing for him.
Dan Davis DT Connecticut (6014, 287, 4.96): Although he never had huge stats, David was a rock for the Huskies, often dominating the line of scrimmage. A hard-hitting mauler, he backs down from no inside wrestling match. Still, he lacks the size and strength to play the way he did in college, Davis will have a shot to flash his speed and athletic ability in Indy. He doesn’t have any real pass-rush moves as yet, but is a strong penetrator against the run. He could make a play for a backup spot.
Colin Ferrell DT Kent State (6005, 293, 4.86pd): Okay, I realize Kent isn’t exactly Michigan, but how many defensive tackles of any size recorded 45.5 tackles for losses, 10.5 sacks and five forced fumbles in just two seasons as a starter? Oh, and did I mention he played nose tackle? Despite facing hordes of blockers, Ferrell was a wrecking crew in opposing backfields, using his quick first step and straight-line speed along with veteran hand use to get by blockers. He could fit very well into the Colts’ interior rotation.
Eric Foster DT Rutgers (6015, 271, e4.85): Quick and strong but undersized edge rusher reminds me a lot of Keyunta Dawson and may well be after his job. He may only weigh 271, but Foster has a low center of gravity, stays low and is bull strong. As long as he doesn’t spend too much time out there, he could be a solid contributor as a pro. He’s a solid citizen and has a non-stop motor. I really think the Davis/Ferrell/Foster/Dawson/Darrell Reid fight for the No. 4 defensive tackle spot will be fascinating.
Curtis Johnson DE Clark College (6025, 242, 4.69c): I know Colts fans will look past his size, marvel at his incredible production and proclaim him a star before training camp opens. But they should consider his so-so tackling, his poor hand usage, his tendency to get fooled on fakes and misdirection and his overpursuit problems. On the plus side of the ledger, he is blisteringly fast for an end and has some natural pass-rush moves. He’s in the right city, but his success is not guaranteed. He’ll have to look great to force his way onto the roster.
Jordan Senn OLB Portland State (5111, 224, 4.53pd): Look at those numbers and you’ll see a strong safety. Look at him on film and you’ll see a Will. Seriously, I think Senn (despite his size) has the ability to play outside linebacker at the NFL level, maybe not as a starter, but definitely as a contributor. Although he didn’t see the greatest competition at Portland State, Senn showed every quality you’d want to see in a linebacker prospect, except size. He’ll have lots of competition, but could make it. With strong special-teams play, he could stick.
Brandon Foster CB Texas (5075, 185, 4.28 pd): Foster was a solid defensive back for the Longhorns, making a name for himself as a big hitter despite his size. He’s pretty good in man and zone coverage, but can be pushed a round by even the meekest receivers. If he does see the field on defense in the NFL, it will most likely be in a special situations. But he does have a real future as a return specialist, even though he did not return kicks or punts in Austin. He does have 4.28 speed and, one the rare times he has touched the ball — 4-115-2 interceptions and 1-20-1 fumble returns, he has been almost impossible to catch. He’s tough, smart (has a degree and is a well-spoken young man) and an all-around solid guy. I’m rooting for him, but with lots of solid cornerbacks ton the team and a lot of competition for the return job, he has his work cut out for him.
Jamie Silva SS Boston College (5103, 202, 4.85c): I’ve seen this guy play and, if you asked me what his 40 was, I would have said 4.60, so I was shocked to see him run a 4.85 at the combine. Polian himself said much the same thing and compared Silva to former Colt Chad Cota, who was a successful player, despite a similar lack of timed speed. Others have compared him to Pat Tillman — and football people are very careful before they drop that name. The kid can flat-out play. He stops the run, he blitzes, he covers, he lays the wood and he makes turnovers. While he may not have the speed to play very often on defense, he could become a special-teams stalwart.
In other news:
• With all the new interior o-line guys on hand, it looks like Charlie Johnson is back at tackle
• Did you notice Colts.com is now refering to "defensive end Ramon Guzman"? Coltplay predicted that move weeks ago.
Chad Simpson HB Morgan State (5081, 216, 4.42c): Speed, power, wiggle, a nose for the end zone and a lightning-quick first step — what more could you want? Well, vision, route running, blocking skills and soft hands — all of which Simpson lacks. On offense, Simpson could be a moderately successful spot player, especially on draws and stretch plays; but not someone you’d want to expose for very long. More likely, he’ll be given a chance to win the team’s return specialist job, though he may be too much of a long-strider to be effective bringing back punts. On kicks, though, he could be very, very special. He has the ability to be the No. 3 halfback, and could win the return specialist job outright.
Rudy Burgess WR Arizona State (5110, 186, 4.49pd): Look at him as a receiver, and you wouldn’t see a pro prospect. I mean, he does some good things, but really isn’t special enough. But he does have a great deal of ability as a return man. He’s fast and naturally elusive, but will have to prove he can hang onto the ball to take it to the next level. To make the team, he must look much better than the other return prospects.
Charles Dillon WR Washington State (6006, 186, 4.49pd): Dillon never seemed to get into the groove after moving to Washington State after JuCo. But he does have legitimate speed and running ability, and could figure in the return game. I’ve heard that the problem with Dillon at WSU was that he was still concentrating too much on basketball, and not enough on football. If he can straighten that out, he has an outside shot at the roster.
Sam Giguere WR Sherbrooke (5110, 220, 4.35c): Although in an interview with the Canadian Press he didn’t give himself much of a chance to make the team, I wouldn’t be as hard on him. Sure, he played in the equivalent of D4, but Giguere is fast, has good hands and is much stronger than most men his size. He’s gained some bad habits and isn’t the most elusive guy after the catch, but he has NFL ability. A year on the practice squad could help it emerge.
Darren Marquez OT Southern Illinois (6046, 308, 5.02): The story on Marquez is simple: He does everything right, but lacks functional strength. He looks destined for the practice squad. As competitive as he is, he'd hate that, but it's probably the best thing for him.
Dan Davis DT Connecticut (6014, 287, 4.96): Although he never had huge stats, David was a rock for the Huskies, often dominating the line of scrimmage. A hard-hitting mauler, he backs down from no inside wrestling match. Still, he lacks the size and strength to play the way he did in college, Davis will have a shot to flash his speed and athletic ability in Indy. He doesn’t have any real pass-rush moves as yet, but is a strong penetrator against the run. He could make a play for a backup spot.
Colin Ferrell DT Kent State (6005, 293, 4.86pd): Okay, I realize Kent isn’t exactly Michigan, but how many defensive tackles of any size recorded 45.5 tackles for losses, 10.5 sacks and five forced fumbles in just two seasons as a starter? Oh, and did I mention he played nose tackle? Despite facing hordes of blockers, Ferrell was a wrecking crew in opposing backfields, using his quick first step and straight-line speed along with veteran hand use to get by blockers. He could fit very well into the Colts’ interior rotation.
Eric Foster DT Rutgers (6015, 271, e4.85): Quick and strong but undersized edge rusher reminds me a lot of Keyunta Dawson and may well be after his job. He may only weigh 271, but Foster has a low center of gravity, stays low and is bull strong. As long as he doesn’t spend too much time out there, he could be a solid contributor as a pro. He’s a solid citizen and has a non-stop motor. I really think the Davis/Ferrell/Foster/Dawson/Darrell Reid fight for the No. 4 defensive tackle spot will be fascinating.
Curtis Johnson DE Clark College (6025, 242, 4.69c): I know Colts fans will look past his size, marvel at his incredible production and proclaim him a star before training camp opens. But they should consider his so-so tackling, his poor hand usage, his tendency to get fooled on fakes and misdirection and his overpursuit problems. On the plus side of the ledger, he is blisteringly fast for an end and has some natural pass-rush moves. He’s in the right city, but his success is not guaranteed. He’ll have to look great to force his way onto the roster.
Jordan Senn OLB Portland State (5111, 224, 4.53pd): Look at those numbers and you’ll see a strong safety. Look at him on film and you’ll see a Will. Seriously, I think Senn (despite his size) has the ability to play outside linebacker at the NFL level, maybe not as a starter, but definitely as a contributor. Although he didn’t see the greatest competition at Portland State, Senn showed every quality you’d want to see in a linebacker prospect, except size. He’ll have lots of competition, but could make it. With strong special-teams play, he could stick.
Brandon Foster CB Texas (5075, 185, 4.28 pd): Foster was a solid defensive back for the Longhorns, making a name for himself as a big hitter despite his size. He’s pretty good in man and zone coverage, but can be pushed a round by even the meekest receivers. If he does see the field on defense in the NFL, it will most likely be in a special situations. But he does have a real future as a return specialist, even though he did not return kicks or punts in Austin. He does have 4.28 speed and, one the rare times he has touched the ball — 4-115-2 interceptions and 1-20-1 fumble returns, he has been almost impossible to catch. He’s tough, smart (has a degree and is a well-spoken young man) and an all-around solid guy. I’m rooting for him, but with lots of solid cornerbacks ton the team and a lot of competition for the return job, he has his work cut out for him.
Jamie Silva SS Boston College (5103, 202, 4.85c): I’ve seen this guy play and, if you asked me what his 40 was, I would have said 4.60, so I was shocked to see him run a 4.85 at the combine. Polian himself said much the same thing and compared Silva to former Colt Chad Cota, who was a successful player, despite a similar lack of timed speed. Others have compared him to Pat Tillman — and football people are very careful before they drop that name. The kid can flat-out play. He stops the run, he blitzes, he covers, he lays the wood and he makes turnovers. While he may not have the speed to play very often on defense, he could become a special-teams stalwart.
In other news:
• With all the new interior o-line guys on hand, it looks like Charlie Johnson is back at tackle
• Did you notice Colts.com is now refering to "defensive end Ramon Guzman"? Coltplay predicted that move weeks ago.
Sunday, April 27, 2008
The rest of them
Okay, mock if you will my utter lack of correct predictions, but if you anticipated the Colts drafting three centers and two tight ends, then my hat, good sir or madam, is off to you.
To recap the second day:
3/93 Philip Wheeler LB Georgia Tech (6017, 248, 4.76c/4.66pd): Let’s hope this stops the belief the Colts are only interested in 220-pound linebackers. Actually, it might not for a while. See, Wheeler started his career with the Jackets as a defensive end, and is maybe the best blitzer available in this draft. Combine that with the dogmas that the Colts love undersized defensive ends and never blitz their linebackers (1) and you’ll have the pundits espousing conspiracy theories about how Wheeler will have his hand down. Don’t believe it. He’s a swing backup this year and the eventual replacement for Gary Brackett in the middle. He’ll need to work on his zone coverage skills before that happens, but it will.
4/127 Jacob Tamme TE Kentucky (6034, 236, 4.58c): There’s not a lot to say about this guy you haven’t already read in draft books. Ex-wide receiver bulked up to play tight end, but didn’t lose any of his skills — but didn’t gain any either. Tamme has great hands, nice routes and good speed for the position, but blocks like a turnstile. Think of him as very much in the Dallas Clark/Bryan Fletcher mode — not quite as good as Clark, but better than Fletcher — and expect him to be used much the same way, as a slot man, H-back, in motion, occasional fullback and traditional tight end. That’s a lot for a rookie, even a smart one like Tamme (2), to handle. Expect him to blossom in 2009.
5/161 Marcus Howard DE Georgia (6004, 237, 4.45c): Ugh, here’s a guy I had in every mock until the last. If you’re not a regular Coltplay reader, you’ll find Howard’s description in the OLB section, but in Indy, you’ll see him on the field at DE. A natural-born pass rusher (3), Howard just happens to be much smaller than what most people think a defensive end should be. The Colts hope to prove conventional wisdom wrong — again. Howard often draws comparisons to Colts star Robert Mathis and they are similar players. While Josh Thomas would still do the heavy lifting if Mathis or Dwight Freeney were to go down again, Howard would then become a the designated third-down pass rusher. He could eventually take a starter’s job, but it’s not likely. Howard does have some zone coverage ability, but it won’t lead the Colts to shift him to linebacker. More likely, it will allow them to integrate the zone blitz into their defense more often (4).
6/196 Tom Santi TE Virginia (6024, 250, 4.80c): Although he was a productive receiver for the Cavs, Santi doesn’t have the speed, agility or explosiveness to see the ball all that often in the NFL. Instead, he will mostly do the jobs — blocking mainly, but some dump-offs — that Clark, Fletcher and Tamme won’t. You’ll see Santi all over the field, but usually at the end of the line or at fullback. His selection does not bode at all well for Luke Lawton.
6/201 Steve Justice C Wake Forest (6033, 293, 5.24c/5.25pd): While Pollak has been accused of not playing up to his ability, Justice seems to play well beyond his. He’s often compared to Tom Nalen, but I see him more as a Mark Setterstrom type. An accomplished pass blocker who should work on his angles in run blocking, Justice is more likely to stay at center and inherit Jeff Saturday’s spot than Pollak because he’s much better at shotgun snaps. Unlikely many of this year’s draft picks, I see an eventual starter here.
6/202 Mike Hart HB Michigan (5087, 206, 4.69c): If you value production over triangle numbers, here’s your guy. Michigan’s all-time leading rusher, Hart used brilliant technique, razor-sharp execution and the heart of a lion to overcome his size/speed issues in college. Whether or not that will work in the pros remains to be seen. Hart will get a legitimate shot at the No. 2 halfback job, pitting him against talented but limited and not-all-that-disciplined Kenton Keith. I was beginning to get excited about this clean Marine until Polian compared him to former Colt James Mungro — then my heart sank. But from my film study, I see a Kevin Faulk-type — he can do it all and has a strong nose for the end zone, but lacks the breakaway ability to be a big-time back.
6/205 Pierre Garcon WR Mount Union (5117, 210, 4.42c): If you’ll forgive my glibness and oversimplification, Garcon is the polar opposite of Hart. A ridiculously gifted athlete, Garcon plowed his way through D3 without actually learning how to run a route or beat a jam. He won’t be able to do that in the NFL. Still, he has the overall talent to develop into something better, and any wide receiver who blocks is okay in my book. He could figure in the competition for a return role, but is a bit of a long-strider to be a real impact guy there. If I were him, I’d try to impress as a coverage gunner, then try to earn a job elsewhere.
7/236 Jamey Richard C Buffalo (6046, 296, 5.22c/5.03pd): And here I was thinking they were in Buffalo to look at Trevor Scott! Actually, because I’m here in Toronto, I’ve seen real live tape of this guy. And the first thing I’ve seen is that he’s a very, very smart player who understands what defenses are trying to do to disrupt offenses. And — to continue on the intelligence theme — he uses his hands like a guy who’s been playing in the NFL for years. He’s not a naturally explosive athlete and will need extensive coaching to get rid of all that lean and grab, but I see a nice future for this kid.
It’s a good haul.
Notes:
1. Actually, they almost never do, but Wheeler could change that. Like all good coaching staffs, they adjust to who they have.
2. Dude earned a four-year degree in three years and was still a full-time football player — where do they find the time?
3. And Polian rather famously has said we can never have enough of them
4. This I would like to see. Disagree? I have three words — Bullet Bob Sanders
To recap the second day:
3/93 Philip Wheeler LB Georgia Tech (6017, 248, 4.76c/4.66pd): Let’s hope this stops the belief the Colts are only interested in 220-pound linebackers. Actually, it might not for a while. See, Wheeler started his career with the Jackets as a defensive end, and is maybe the best blitzer available in this draft. Combine that with the dogmas that the Colts love undersized defensive ends and never blitz their linebackers (1) and you’ll have the pundits espousing conspiracy theories about how Wheeler will have his hand down. Don’t believe it. He’s a swing backup this year and the eventual replacement for Gary Brackett in the middle. He’ll need to work on his zone coverage skills before that happens, but it will.
4/127 Jacob Tamme TE Kentucky (6034, 236, 4.58c): There’s not a lot to say about this guy you haven’t already read in draft books. Ex-wide receiver bulked up to play tight end, but didn’t lose any of his skills — but didn’t gain any either. Tamme has great hands, nice routes and good speed for the position, but blocks like a turnstile. Think of him as very much in the Dallas Clark/Bryan Fletcher mode — not quite as good as Clark, but better than Fletcher — and expect him to be used much the same way, as a slot man, H-back, in motion, occasional fullback and traditional tight end. That’s a lot for a rookie, even a smart one like Tamme (2), to handle. Expect him to blossom in 2009.
5/161 Marcus Howard DE Georgia (6004, 237, 4.45c): Ugh, here’s a guy I had in every mock until the last. If you’re not a regular Coltplay reader, you’ll find Howard’s description in the OLB section, but in Indy, you’ll see him on the field at DE. A natural-born pass rusher (3), Howard just happens to be much smaller than what most people think a defensive end should be. The Colts hope to prove conventional wisdom wrong — again. Howard often draws comparisons to Colts star Robert Mathis and they are similar players. While Josh Thomas would still do the heavy lifting if Mathis or Dwight Freeney were to go down again, Howard would then become a the designated third-down pass rusher. He could eventually take a starter’s job, but it’s not likely. Howard does have some zone coverage ability, but it won’t lead the Colts to shift him to linebacker. More likely, it will allow them to integrate the zone blitz into their defense more often (4).
6/196 Tom Santi TE Virginia (6024, 250, 4.80c): Although he was a productive receiver for the Cavs, Santi doesn’t have the speed, agility or explosiveness to see the ball all that often in the NFL. Instead, he will mostly do the jobs — blocking mainly, but some dump-offs — that Clark, Fletcher and Tamme won’t. You’ll see Santi all over the field, but usually at the end of the line or at fullback. His selection does not bode at all well for Luke Lawton.
6/201 Steve Justice C Wake Forest (6033, 293, 5.24c/5.25pd): While Pollak has been accused of not playing up to his ability, Justice seems to play well beyond his. He’s often compared to Tom Nalen, but I see him more as a Mark Setterstrom type. An accomplished pass blocker who should work on his angles in run blocking, Justice is more likely to stay at center and inherit Jeff Saturday’s spot than Pollak because he’s much better at shotgun snaps. Unlikely many of this year’s draft picks, I see an eventual starter here.
6/202 Mike Hart HB Michigan (5087, 206, 4.69c): If you value production over triangle numbers, here’s your guy. Michigan’s all-time leading rusher, Hart used brilliant technique, razor-sharp execution and the heart of a lion to overcome his size/speed issues in college. Whether or not that will work in the pros remains to be seen. Hart will get a legitimate shot at the No. 2 halfback job, pitting him against talented but limited and not-all-that-disciplined Kenton Keith. I was beginning to get excited about this clean Marine until Polian compared him to former Colt James Mungro — then my heart sank. But from my film study, I see a Kevin Faulk-type — he can do it all and has a strong nose for the end zone, but lacks the breakaway ability to be a big-time back.
6/205 Pierre Garcon WR Mount Union (5117, 210, 4.42c): If you’ll forgive my glibness and oversimplification, Garcon is the polar opposite of Hart. A ridiculously gifted athlete, Garcon plowed his way through D3 without actually learning how to run a route or beat a jam. He won’t be able to do that in the NFL. Still, he has the overall talent to develop into something better, and any wide receiver who blocks is okay in my book. He could figure in the competition for a return role, but is a bit of a long-strider to be a real impact guy there. If I were him, I’d try to impress as a coverage gunner, then try to earn a job elsewhere.
7/236 Jamey Richard C Buffalo (6046, 296, 5.22c/5.03pd): And here I was thinking they were in Buffalo to look at Trevor Scott! Actually, because I’m here in Toronto, I’ve seen real live tape of this guy. And the first thing I’ve seen is that he’s a very, very smart player who understands what defenses are trying to do to disrupt offenses. And — to continue on the intelligence theme — he uses his hands like a guy who’s been playing in the NFL for years. He’s not a naturally explosive athlete and will need extensive coaching to get rid of all that lean and grab, but I see a nice future for this kid.
It’s a good haul.
Notes:
1. Actually, they almost never do, but Wheeler could change that. Like all good coaching staffs, they adjust to who they have.
2. Dude earned a four-year degree in three years and was still a full-time football player — where do they find the time?
3. And Polian rather famously has said we can never have enough of them
4. This I would like to see. Disagree? I have three words — Bullet Bob Sanders
Saturday, April 26, 2008
Pollak
It's hard not to like the Colts top pick. Mike Pollak C Arizona State (6034, 299, 4.99c) is a smart, athletic center who's a great pass blocker. And unlike so many at his position, he can read defenses and pick up blitzes with aplomb. He could use better conditioning and more strength, but is a player to be reckoned with and will be a solid NFL starter for many years.
I think they'll throw him right into the Dylan Gandy/Charlie Johnson competition at right guard, then have him take over for Jeff Saturday at center in 2009. Not the most exciting pick, but a damn good one.
I think they'll throw him right into the Dylan Gandy/Charlie Johnson competition at right guard, then have him take over for Jeff Saturday at center in 2009. Not the most exciting pick, but a damn good one.
Pre-draft roster run-down
Quarterback: Peyton Manning is the starter as long as he is ambulatory. Considering his conditioning and will, that could be another seven or even more seasons. Backup Jim Sorgi is signed through 2010, but the Colts would probably like to get some competition or an eventual replacement for him.
Runningback: Joseph Addai firmly is entrenched as the starter, but had major durability problems at LSU. Kenton Keith is an excellent runner, but so-so as a receiver and blocker, and he also has a history of behavioral problems and fumbles. Fullback Luke Lawton is a fan favorite, but far from irreplaceable.
Wide receiver: Reggie Wayne and Anthony Gonzalez are grade-A starters, as is Marvin Harrison, but Harrison was drafted when Bob Dole still thought he could be president. (1) Harrison missed a big part of last season and his frail frame may not be able to hold up much longer. Behind them are Devin Aromoshodu (career 7 catches) and Roy Hall (career 0 catches). Both of them look like NFL wide receivers, but have yet to play like them. (2)
Tight end: Dallas Clark is an awesome tight end if you like king-sized wideouts at the position. Bryan Fletcher is Clark-lite, and an unrestricted free agent next season.
Tackle: Tony Ugoh has Pro Bowl potential, but may have durability issues. Ryan Diem is not Pro Bowl material and definitely has durability issues. The top guys behind the starters are the oft-cut Daniel Federkeil and the even-more-oft-cut Michael Toudouze. (3) Keep in mind Diem makes a truckload of money.
Guard/center: Ryan Lilja and Jeff Saturday are very good, and whoever wins the epic Dylan Gandy/Charlie Johnson battle will probably be okay at the other guard spot. Saturday will be an old, highly paid unrestricted free agent after the season. There are other people there too.
Defensive end: Dwight Freeney and Robert Mathis are huge pass-rushing stars who are signed for a long time. Josh Thomas is an okay No. 3 if he’s not out there for too long.
Defensive tackle: Undersized, under-rated and efficient. The trio of Raheem Brock, Ed Johnson and Quinn Pitcock get the job done, and are occasionally spelled by even smaller Keyunta Dawson.
Outside linebacker: I really like all four of the top guys — Freddie Keiaho, Tyjuan Hagler, Clint Session and Ramon Guzman — but there are caveats. Both Keiaho and Hagler have had durability issues in the past and Guzman (who’s no whiz in coverage) could find himself playing more defensive end than linebacker. There’s a distinct possibility Rob Morris, who’s better than most think, could be back, but he's really more of a special-teams player.
Inside linebacker: Gary Brackett gets the job done and is an inspirational leader, but he’s the type of guy teams are always trying to replace — especially since he makes about $3 million a year and is an unrestricted free agent after the 2009 season. The depth here is such that Keiaho would probably replace him. And if he went down, Hagler would replace him.
Cornerback: Polian said yesterday you can always use another corner, but I see no fewer than seven players at the position who can play in the NFL. Starter Kelvin Hayden will be an unrestricted free agent next season, but I think the Colts will lock him up this year or plug Tim Jennings, Dante Hughes or even Michael Coe into his spot.
Safety: The starters (Bob Sanders and Antoine Bethea) are awesome and the third guy (Matt Giordano) isn’t far behind. Sophs Brannon Condren and Melvin Bullitt provide enviable depth.
Special teams: Both Adam Vinatieri and Hunter Smith are fine, but elderly; and Polian will never give up on his quest for a kickoff specialist. Justin Snow is still a good long-snapper, but he’s getting up in years too. Polian gave TJ Rushing something of a half-assed vote of confidence yesterday — that should scare him a little.
Notes:
1. His next stop is Canton
2. Even if he never catches a pass, Hall has great special-teams value
3. I didn't mention Charlie Johnson because Polian said he'd be competeing for a job at guard. It's a move that lessens the talent at both positions.
In other news:
• Pay no attention to media tales of Colts interest in guys like Shaun Alexander, Jason Taylor and Rosevelt Colvin. It's hogwash. The Colts have signed two "name" free agents in the past few years — Corey Simon and Booger McFarland — and how'd that work out? Did you know that the Colts are the only team in the NFL with all 22 starters who have never played for another team? They really, really would prefer to build through the draft.
• Pat Sims DT Auburn (6021, 310, 5.06c) said on Siurius Radio that the Colts are interested in him. I'll bet $100 they don't draft him.
Runningback: Joseph Addai firmly is entrenched as the starter, but had major durability problems at LSU. Kenton Keith is an excellent runner, but so-so as a receiver and blocker, and he also has a history of behavioral problems and fumbles. Fullback Luke Lawton is a fan favorite, but far from irreplaceable.
Wide receiver: Reggie Wayne and Anthony Gonzalez are grade-A starters, as is Marvin Harrison, but Harrison was drafted when Bob Dole still thought he could be president. (1) Harrison missed a big part of last season and his frail frame may not be able to hold up much longer. Behind them are Devin Aromoshodu (career 7 catches) and Roy Hall (career 0 catches). Both of them look like NFL wide receivers, but have yet to play like them. (2)
Tight end: Dallas Clark is an awesome tight end if you like king-sized wideouts at the position. Bryan Fletcher is Clark-lite, and an unrestricted free agent next season.
Tackle: Tony Ugoh has Pro Bowl potential, but may have durability issues. Ryan Diem is not Pro Bowl material and definitely has durability issues. The top guys behind the starters are the oft-cut Daniel Federkeil and the even-more-oft-cut Michael Toudouze. (3) Keep in mind Diem makes a truckload of money.
Guard/center: Ryan Lilja and Jeff Saturday are very good, and whoever wins the epic Dylan Gandy/Charlie Johnson battle will probably be okay at the other guard spot. Saturday will be an old, highly paid unrestricted free agent after the season. There are other people there too.
Defensive end: Dwight Freeney and Robert Mathis are huge pass-rushing stars who are signed for a long time. Josh Thomas is an okay No. 3 if he’s not out there for too long.
Defensive tackle: Undersized, under-rated and efficient. The trio of Raheem Brock, Ed Johnson and Quinn Pitcock get the job done, and are occasionally spelled by even smaller Keyunta Dawson.
Outside linebacker: I really like all four of the top guys — Freddie Keiaho, Tyjuan Hagler, Clint Session and Ramon Guzman — but there are caveats. Both Keiaho and Hagler have had durability issues in the past and Guzman (who’s no whiz in coverage) could find himself playing more defensive end than linebacker. There’s a distinct possibility Rob Morris, who’s better than most think, could be back, but he's really more of a special-teams player.
Inside linebacker: Gary Brackett gets the job done and is an inspirational leader, but he’s the type of guy teams are always trying to replace — especially since he makes about $3 million a year and is an unrestricted free agent after the 2009 season. The depth here is such that Keiaho would probably replace him. And if he went down, Hagler would replace him.
Cornerback: Polian said yesterday you can always use another corner, but I see no fewer than seven players at the position who can play in the NFL. Starter Kelvin Hayden will be an unrestricted free agent next season, but I think the Colts will lock him up this year or plug Tim Jennings, Dante Hughes or even Michael Coe into his spot.
Safety: The starters (Bob Sanders and Antoine Bethea) are awesome and the third guy (Matt Giordano) isn’t far behind. Sophs Brannon Condren and Melvin Bullitt provide enviable depth.
Special teams: Both Adam Vinatieri and Hunter Smith are fine, but elderly; and Polian will never give up on his quest for a kickoff specialist. Justin Snow is still a good long-snapper, but he’s getting up in years too. Polian gave TJ Rushing something of a half-assed vote of confidence yesterday — that should scare him a little.
Notes:
1. His next stop is Canton
2. Even if he never catches a pass, Hall has great special-teams value
3. I didn't mention Charlie Johnson because Polian said he'd be competeing for a job at guard. It's a move that lessens the talent at both positions.
In other news:
• Pay no attention to media tales of Colts interest in guys like Shaun Alexander, Jason Taylor and Rosevelt Colvin. It's hogwash. The Colts have signed two "name" free agents in the past few years — Corey Simon and Booger McFarland — and how'd that work out? Did you know that the Colts are the only team in the NFL with all 22 starters who have never played for another team? They really, really would prefer to build through the draft.
• Pat Sims DT Auburn (6021, 310, 5.06c) said on Siurius Radio that the Colts are interested in him. I'll bet $100 they don't draft him.
Wednesday, April 23, 2008
Updated mock*
2/59 Donnie Avery WR Houston (5110, 192, 4.43c/4.33pd) Marvin Harrison's heir and an explosive return specialist all in one player — a star in the making
3/93 Jo-Lonn Dunbar ILB Boston College (6004, 231, 4.79c/4.85pd) Something makes me think this under-rated tackling machine will be a great pro
4/127 Kerry Brown T Appalachian State (6053, 308, 5.38) Kid is already a polished pass-blocker, they'll teach him the rest
5/161 Thomas Brown HB Georgia (5083, 204, 4.51c/4.42pd) The team needs a No.2 halfback and this kid does everything well, except stay in one piece
6/196 Mackenzy Bernardeau G Bentley (6041, 306, 5.25pd) Small-school star could be an All-Pro with coaching; incredible potential if he works at it
6/201 Michael Peterson TE Northwest Missouri State (6021, 247, 4.59) I'd like a blocker, but after the Ben Hartsock debacle, I think they'll go with this small-school pass-catcher and try to teach him to block
6/202 Andy Studebaker DE Wheaton College (6030, 251, 4.61) This kid's quickness off the snap is something to behold; he's a lottery ticket — big win or small loss
6/205 Curtis Johnson DE Clark-Atlanta (6025, 242, 4.69c/4.60pd) Johnson's insurance in case Studebaker bombs, could also be given a shot at Sam (where he's played in the past), he has the wheels
7/236 Bernard Morris QB Marshall (6030, 223, 4.68c/4.61pd) The athletic quarterback I've been crying for since the Ricky Turner days; this probably won't happen, I just want it to
Also, keep an eye on:
QB Blake Mitchell
HB Jalen Parmele
HB Justin Beaver
WR Luke Swan
WR Pierre Garcon
TE Paul Cleaver
T Anthony Collins
T John Greco
C Mike Martinez
LB Joe Mays
LB Danny Lansanah
LB Weston Dacus
S Joe Fields
S Curtis Cutts
K Dan Ziedman (kickoff specialist)
*with some anonymous insider info
• I wouldn't put too much stock in ESPN's speculation that the Colts are interested in Shaun Alexander. Houston is a more likely spot.
• So Marcus Pollard's a Pat. They do have knack for getting the most out of players who are beyond their sell-by date, but I don't he'll be haunting the Colts or the Seahawks in the next few seasons.
3/93 Jo-Lonn Dunbar ILB Boston College (6004, 231, 4.79c/4.85pd) Something makes me think this under-rated tackling machine will be a great pro
4/127 Kerry Brown T Appalachian State (6053, 308, 5.38) Kid is already a polished pass-blocker, they'll teach him the rest
5/161 Thomas Brown HB Georgia (5083, 204, 4.51c/4.42pd) The team needs a No.2 halfback and this kid does everything well, except stay in one piece
6/196 Mackenzy Bernardeau G Bentley (6041, 306, 5.25pd) Small-school star could be an All-Pro with coaching; incredible potential if he works at it
6/201 Michael Peterson TE Northwest Missouri State (6021, 247, 4.59) I'd like a blocker, but after the Ben Hartsock debacle, I think they'll go with this small-school pass-catcher and try to teach him to block
6/202 Andy Studebaker DE Wheaton College (6030, 251, 4.61) This kid's quickness off the snap is something to behold; he's a lottery ticket — big win or small loss
6/205 Curtis Johnson DE Clark-Atlanta (6025, 242, 4.69c/4.60pd) Johnson's insurance in case Studebaker bombs, could also be given a shot at Sam (where he's played in the past), he has the wheels
7/236 Bernard Morris QB Marshall (6030, 223, 4.68c/4.61pd) The athletic quarterback I've been crying for since the Ricky Turner days; this probably won't happen, I just want it to
Also, keep an eye on:
QB Blake Mitchell
HB Jalen Parmele
HB Justin Beaver
WR Luke Swan
WR Pierre Garcon
TE Paul Cleaver
T Anthony Collins
T John Greco
C Mike Martinez
LB Joe Mays
LB Danny Lansanah
LB Weston Dacus
S Joe Fields
S Curtis Cutts
K Dan Ziedman (kickoff specialist)
*with some anonymous insider info
• I wouldn't put too much stock in ESPN's speculation that the Colts are interested in Shaun Alexander. Houston is a more likely spot.
• So Marcus Pollard's a Pat. They do have knack for getting the most out of players who are beyond their sell-by date, but I don't he'll be haunting the Colts or the Seahawks in the next few seasons.
Tuesday, April 22, 2008
More confusion, as usual
With tough draft-day decisions looming, the Colts re-signed all of their remaining restricted free agents. With guard Dylan Gandy, tight end Bryan Fletcher and defensive tackle Darrell Reid back in the fold, it changes the landscape — but not actually all that much.
Gandy’s the important one, because the Colts are expecting him to step in and take over Jake Scott’s old spot at right guard. (1) He’s not a great (or even passable) run blocker, but he’s a decent stop-gap starter for a team that is well known for developing mid-range draft choices into top-of-the-line starters. A better fit as a swing backup at guard and center, Gandy's probably just keeping the seat warm for a rookie.
Fletcher’s the No. 2 tight end for now, but wasn’t he No. 3 last year? I don’t want to dis Fletcher, but I really don’t think he’s what the team needs at the position right now. Kid can catch the ball — we all know that — but he’s not really the blocker required to complement Dallas Clark. He’ll fight a draft pick for playing time, trust me. Look for the Colts to grab a guy like Maryland's Joey Haynos who can help the running game and allow Clark (and/or Fletcher) go in motion or split wide.
Reid? I’ve never been as much of a fan as most followers of the Colts. Neither a run stopper nor a pass rusher (more of a spare part) as a defensive lineman, he’s made his name as a special teamer. But while his big hits on coverage teams often show up on ESPN, his whiffs don’t. I don’t resent Reid being on the team, but I don’t rejoice, either.
So how does this affect the draft? Gandy’s (expected) return makes the hole at guard less deep. I still think the need for a long-term starter is there, but they can get by with Gandy. Recent moves have led me to believe that the Colts will actually draft a slot receiver/return specialist first rather than an offensive lineman, so it looks like Gandy’s safe — for now. The same is true with Fletcher. He’s not really who you want there, but you can get by with him. As far as Reid is concerned, I think his re-signing has very little affect on the draft as he doesn’t really figure much in the team’s plans on defense. The Colts’ defensive tackles are Raheem Brock, Ed Johnson and Quinn Pitcock. The fourth guy — somehow — is Keyunta Dawson. A rookie may change that, but Reid won’t.
• So Kenton Keith was arrested at a nightclub. From what I’ve learned it seems like a few youthful hi-jinks and some ego got in the way of law enforcement. At least that’s what I’d think if I wasn’t already aware of the shenanigans he’d gotten up to in Nebraska and Saskatchewan. Keith showed some flash as a rusher last season, but did nothing as a blocker and receiver. If he wanted to keep his hold on the No. 2 halfback position, co-operating with the cops probably would have been a good place to start. I was pretty sure the Colts were going to spend a mid-range pick on a halfback — now I have no doubt.
• Gino, one of the most informed of all Colts fans I have ever spoken with, asked me what I thought of the idea of the Colts trading up (perhaps using one of their four sixth rounders). Well, I gotta say that in his history of running drafts in Buffalo, Carolina and Indy, Bill Polian has very rarely traded up with his top pick and very frequently traded down. (2)
But take heart, Gino and others, since Polian and the Colts generally target players other teams are not as high on — like Bob Sanders, Dwight Freeney and Robert Mathis — trading down makes perfect sense.
• One more hat thrown into the Colts' ring. The team flew Allen Ervin HB Lambuth (5106, 226, e4.55) in for a private workout. A huge part of the Eagles' offense (104-1,033-14 rushing as a senior), Ervin uses his superior quickness and vision to break free. Although he's big, he tends to like to take everything outside, but he may not be able to in the pros. (3) Although not especially fast, he has good playing speed and is very elsuive in the open field. He hasn't been used much as a receiver and is not a factor as a blocker, especially when it comes to blitz pickup. The Colts' interest in him more likely stems from his ability as a kick returner (25-685-1 as a senior).
Notes:
1. At this point, he has to be considered the only viable in-house option.
2. Before you mention Tony Ugoh, keep in mind he was a second round pick traded for the next year’s first, so that’s technically a trade-down.
3. I'm always wary of big backs in college, especially in smaller schools. It's just a fact that college players are not as big and strong as the pros and a big back who makes his bread'n'butter mowing 'em down is often stood up and pushed back once he reaches the NFL. Case in point? Ron Dayne. Ervin relies much less on his size than many backs of similar stature do, though.
Gandy’s the important one, because the Colts are expecting him to step in and take over Jake Scott’s old spot at right guard. (1) He’s not a great (or even passable) run blocker, but he’s a decent stop-gap starter for a team that is well known for developing mid-range draft choices into top-of-the-line starters. A better fit as a swing backup at guard and center, Gandy's probably just keeping the seat warm for a rookie.
Fletcher’s the No. 2 tight end for now, but wasn’t he No. 3 last year? I don’t want to dis Fletcher, but I really don’t think he’s what the team needs at the position right now. Kid can catch the ball — we all know that — but he’s not really the blocker required to complement Dallas Clark. He’ll fight a draft pick for playing time, trust me. Look for the Colts to grab a guy like Maryland's Joey Haynos who can help the running game and allow Clark (and/or Fletcher) go in motion or split wide.
Reid? I’ve never been as much of a fan as most followers of the Colts. Neither a run stopper nor a pass rusher (more of a spare part) as a defensive lineman, he’s made his name as a special teamer. But while his big hits on coverage teams often show up on ESPN, his whiffs don’t. I don’t resent Reid being on the team, but I don’t rejoice, either.
So how does this affect the draft? Gandy’s (expected) return makes the hole at guard less deep. I still think the need for a long-term starter is there, but they can get by with Gandy. Recent moves have led me to believe that the Colts will actually draft a slot receiver/return specialist first rather than an offensive lineman, so it looks like Gandy’s safe — for now. The same is true with Fletcher. He’s not really who you want there, but you can get by with him. As far as Reid is concerned, I think his re-signing has very little affect on the draft as he doesn’t really figure much in the team’s plans on defense. The Colts’ defensive tackles are Raheem Brock, Ed Johnson and Quinn Pitcock. The fourth guy — somehow — is Keyunta Dawson. A rookie may change that, but Reid won’t.
• So Kenton Keith was arrested at a nightclub. From what I’ve learned it seems like a few youthful hi-jinks and some ego got in the way of law enforcement. At least that’s what I’d think if I wasn’t already aware of the shenanigans he’d gotten up to in Nebraska and Saskatchewan. Keith showed some flash as a rusher last season, but did nothing as a blocker and receiver. If he wanted to keep his hold on the No. 2 halfback position, co-operating with the cops probably would have been a good place to start. I was pretty sure the Colts were going to spend a mid-range pick on a halfback — now I have no doubt.
• Gino, one of the most informed of all Colts fans I have ever spoken with, asked me what I thought of the idea of the Colts trading up (perhaps using one of their four sixth rounders). Well, I gotta say that in his history of running drafts in Buffalo, Carolina and Indy, Bill Polian has very rarely traded up with his top pick and very frequently traded down. (2)
But take heart, Gino and others, since Polian and the Colts generally target players other teams are not as high on — like Bob Sanders, Dwight Freeney and Robert Mathis — trading down makes perfect sense.
• One more hat thrown into the Colts' ring. The team flew Allen Ervin HB Lambuth (5106, 226, e4.55) in for a private workout. A huge part of the Eagles' offense (104-1,033-14 rushing as a senior), Ervin uses his superior quickness and vision to break free. Although he's big, he tends to like to take everything outside, but he may not be able to in the pros. (3) Although not especially fast, he has good playing speed and is very elsuive in the open field. He hasn't been used much as a receiver and is not a factor as a blocker, especially when it comes to blitz pickup. The Colts' interest in him more likely stems from his ability as a kick returner (25-685-1 as a senior).
Notes:
1. At this point, he has to be considered the only viable in-house option.
2. Before you mention Tony Ugoh, keep in mind he was a second round pick traded for the next year’s first, so that’s technically a trade-down.
3. I'm always wary of big backs in college, especially in smaller schools. It's just a fact that college players are not as big and strong as the pros and a big back who makes his bread'n'butter mowing 'em down is often stood up and pushed back once he reaches the NFL. Case in point? Ron Dayne. Ervin relies much less on his size than many backs of similar stature do, though.
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