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?
Sunday, June 15, 2008
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.
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