Know Your Colts: Wide Receivers

This installment covers the Colts’ wide receivers. And to understand the wide receivers, it’s essential we look at the stats.

Percentage of passes caught
Garcon 100.00
Gonzalez 72.15
Wayne 63.08
Harrison 56.07
Hall 25.00

Yards per catch
Wayne 13.96
Gonzalez 11.65
Harrison 10.60
Hall 9.00
Garcon 5.75

Yards per target
Wayne 8.81
Gonzalez 8.41
Harrison 5.94
Garcon 5.75
Hall 2.25

Yards after the catch per catch:
Wayne 4.07
Gonzalez 3.25
Harrison 2.75
Hall 0.00
Garcon -0.25

Percentage of 1st downs and touchdowns per catch:
Hall 100.00
Wayne 84.15
Harrison 76.67
Gonzalez 70.18
Garcon 50.00

Drops per 100 catchable balls
Garcon 0.00
Hall 0.00
Harrison 1.64
Wayne 3.53
Gonzalez 11.11

Catches up the middle
Wayne 11-167-2
Gonzalez 8-72-0
Harrison 2-18-0
Garcon 0-0-0
Hall 0-0-0

87 Reggie Wayne
Numbers: 6002/198/4.43c in 01
2008 stats: 16 games played/16 games started (12-4), 82-1,145-6 receiving
2008 preseason stats: 4 games played/4 games started, 3-28-0 receiving
Status: Signed through 2011

I don’t have a lot to say about Wayne. He’s an all-time great at the top of his game. His numbers were down last season because of various problems that plagued the offense as a whole, but Wayne shouldn’t be blamed at all. In fact, he actually looked much better than he had in recent years — and made shocking play after shocking play.

88 Marvin Harrison
Numbers: 5116/187/4.37c in 96
2008 stats: 15 games played/15 games started (11-4), 60-636-5 receiving, 1-3-0 kick return, 1-2-0 punt return (0 fair catches), 1/1 fumbles/lost
2008 preseason stats: 3 games played/3 games started, 6-38-0 receiving
Status: Signed through 2011

Don’t tell me about history. I’ve been a Colts fan since the Bert Jones days, and I’ve seen pretty well every play Marvin Harrison has made. He’s going to Canton.

That said, if a lesser-known receiver turned in the season Harrison did in 2008, fans would be calling for his head. Look at the stats above. Despite being generally pretty healthy, Harrison’s 2008 was far below what he normally produces. And before you blame Manning’s injury or the impotent running game, look at the stats again — Harrison was clearly the Colts’ third-best wide receiver.

Maybe he bounces back now that he knows he’s not going to prison for the kerfuffle in Philadelphia. But I don’t think the Colts give him the chance. Polian is making noise about how he’d like to have him back, but I’m pretty sure that’s one of his many smokescreens. Harrison is scheduled to make $13.4 million next year. That’s a hell of a lot of money for a third wide receiver. And he’ll turn 37 before the season starts. He could retire, but more likely the Colts will cut him and we’ll sadly watch him play out the string with the Titans, Vikings, Bears or his hometown Eagles. Remember, even Jerry Rice played for five seasons (with three different teams) after the 49ers parted ways with him.

If Harrison somehow returns to the Colts, watch for him to be edged out of the No. 2 job by Gonzalez.

11 Anthony Gonzalez
Numbers: 6000/193/4.44c in 07
2008 stats: 16 games played/2 games started (2-0), 57-664-5 receiving
2008 preseason stats: 4 games played/1 game started, 7-78-0 receiving
Status: Signed through 2011

Even in the very unlikely scenario Harrison returns to the Colts, Gonzalez will probably supplant him as the No. 2 wideout. Gonzo actually reminds me a little of a young Harrison with his concentration and work ethic. But Gonzo has not been blessed with Harrison’s speed or overall athleticism. He have a harder time gaining separation than Harrison did in his prime, but he also does less when he has the ball in hands. But because he does the little things so perfectly well, Gonzalez can handily fulfill the role of No. 2 receiver behind Reggie Wayne, just as Wayne did behind Harrison. But I’m not entirely sold on the idea that Gonzalez can supplant Wayne as No. 1 when the time comes.

85 Pierre Garcon
Numbers: 5117/210/4.42c in 08
2008 stats: 14 games played/0 games started, 4-23-0 receiving, 22-475-0 kick returns, 1-5-0 punt return (0 fair catches), 12 special-teams tackles, 3 special-teams assists
2008 preseason stats: 4 games played/0 games started, 7-74-0 receiving, 5-143-0 kick returns, 9-45-0 punt returns (0 fair catches), 1/0 fumbles/lost, 1 fumble recovery
Status: Signed through 2011

Hugely productive at DIII powerhouse Mount Union, Garcon’s rookie season went fairly predictably. He was a sloppy route runner, wasn’t creative on them and did little to help out his quarterback when he was in trouble. Garcon didn’t play anywhere near his timed speed, and showed little understanding of pro defenses. On the plus side, he displayed natural hands, great athleticism and a surprising ability to block for the run.

Many of Garcon’s shortcomings should be mitigated with experience, and he looks like he belongs in the NFL. Still, at best, his future is as a possession receiver because I don’t see him playing any faster. He’ll break a few long gains when he’s got an advantageous match up, but he has little deep speed or short-area explosiveness and will mostly be depended on to move the chains in the pros.

Does that make him the slot man should Harrison get cut and Gonzalez grab the No. 2 role? I’m not sure. He looks more like an outside receiver to me, but is an intelligent runner who could succeed inside if he has the toughness. Besides, his blocking would be a boon inside. He’s certainly better than Devin Aromashodu — the guy everybody was talking up at this time last year — but he’ll have to show me something more than 4-23-0 in 14 games before I think he’ll ever be more a No. 4 wideout.

Since Garcon offers great value as a special teamer — both as a returner and coverage guy, I also don’t see him being cut anytime soon.

83 Roy Hall
Numbers: 6020/229/4.41pd in 07
2008 stats: 4 game played/0 game started, 1-9-0 receiving, 3 special-teams tackles
2008 preseason stats: 2 games played/0 games started, 6-51-0 receiving
Status: Signed through 2010

When Hall was drafted, the Colts’ faithful hailed him as nine feet tall, 500 pounds and able to cover forty yards in a single step. I wondered where I remembered his name from — was it the same Roy Hall who was Ohio State’s fifth-best wide receiver? Was he that guy whose college career highlight was injuring teammate Ted Ginn Jr. while celebrating a Ginn touchdown? Yes it was.

In two injury-plagued years as a Colt, Hall has played in seven games and caught one pass for nine yards. And that was in one of those meaningless Games 16s against the Titans that pitted scrub against scrub. When he did play (both in preseason and the regular season), Hall didn’t exactly impress. He inexpertly ran short routes and did not seem like a natural pass-catcher or runner with the ball.

That said, he did look very good on kick coverage teams when he played on them. But if he can’t play wide receiver without getting injured, how will he survive the terror that is NFL special teams?

14 Sam Giguere
Numbers: 5110/220/4.41pd in 08
2008 stats: None
2008 preseason stats: 4 games played/0 games started, 2-22-0 receiving
Status: Signed through 2011

Unlike many Colts observers, I was lucky enough to see Giguere play in college. And he was something special. But if Garcon came from DIII, Giguere came from DIV or even DV. Not only is the level of competition a lot lower, even the rules are different. But Giguere is a superior athlete, as evidenced by his ridiculous workout numbers — 4.41 forty, 40-inch vertical, 4.14 short shuttle and 10’1 long jump.

Giguere didn’t play in the regular season and did little impressive in the preseason, but hardly a day went by in camp when someone didn’t rave about some incredible thing Giguere did.

It’s probably too early to think Giguere will do anything significant with the Colts this year, but since he cost virtually nothing and could be something special down the road, it’ll be interesting to see what he does this summer.

6 Taj Smith
Numbers: 6003/188/4.48pd in 08
2008 stats: None
2008 preseason stats: 4 games played/0 games started, 2-13-0 receiving with Green Bay
Status: Signed through 2010

Smith isn’t very fast and his hands are only acceptable by NFL standards. So why is he in camp? Well, he does everything else right. Despite his skinny frame, Smith is very strong. He easily beats jams and can’t be knocked off his routes by most defensive backs. Smith is a far better route-runner than he gets credit for, and has improved in this area throughout his career. His agility, athleticism and body control are unworldly. He gets a lot of criticism because of drops, but if you look at the video, most of them are the result of him making an extra effort to catch a ball that he had no chance of catching. Smith is absolutely unafraid of going over the middle. He’s an elusive runner who makes tough yards after the catch and can even make an unwary safety pay for his tackle attempt. This guy even blocks well.

Smith had 44 catches for an excellent 822 yards and five scores on a tragic Syracuse team in 2007. He left Syracuse as a 24-year-old junior and declared for the draft. He wasn’t chosen, but signed with the Packers. An observer I know there — who watched their camp and preseason closely — was surprised he was cut.

Many people consider Smith something of a character risk because of allegations he was kicked off both his high school and JuCo teams, but I’m not so sure. Smith not only earned his degree at Syracuse, but also has a job waiting for him as a child counselor at Beth Israel Medical Center in his hometown of Newark, N.J. He scored very well in his Wonderlic and other tests, and comes across as mature and intelligent in interviews.

I’m not saying Smith is the second coming of Anquan Boldin, but — like many undrafted free agents signed by the Colts — he’s a lot more interesting than you’d think just by looking at his stat line.

What this means for the draft and free agency

If we assume the Coits will let Harrison go, then he will need to be replaced. Of course, Gonzalez is the heir apparent. Okay, so who replaces Gonzalez? Some observers may think replacing a third receiver is not that big a deal; but if they do, they’re not paying attention.

Every since Tom Moore took over as offensive coordinator in 1998, the Colts have led the league in the use of three wideouts every single season. In fact, the Colts generally play three wide more than 70 percent of the time on offense. To put that in perspective, Pro Bowl defensive end Robert Mathis plays about 50 percent of defensive snaps. In essence, when you’re talking about the Colts third wide receiver, you’re talking about a starter.

So, is there a starter among Garcon, Hall, Giguere and Smith? Maybe, but I wouldn’t bet on it. I like all of them (in varying degrees), but none is the explosive, score-from-anywhere threat the Colts need in the slot. Remember those brief moments when Brandon Stokley was both healthy and under contract? Man, that was great; the Colts’ offense was simply unstoppable. And it could happen again.

Or maybe it’s just me. Last season — when Harrison’s contribution was more of a given — I wanted the Colts to draft Houston’s Donnie Avery. It would have worked out okay. Despite starting just 12 games in the Rams’ pathetic popgun offense, Avery caught 53-674-3 (and ran for 10-69-1), which compares pretty favorably with Harrison’s 60-636-5 in the 15 starts in the Colts’ rather plush attack. But then, Avery was gone by the time the Colts picked, and — if he wasn’t and they took him — the Colts wouldn’t have Mike Pollak.

If the Colts do go with an explosive slot guy/return man (as I would recommend), they have two great prospects at the top of the draft Miami’s Percy Harvin and Penn State’s Derrick Williams. Both are the kind of electric weapon that would cause headaches for defensive coordinators, especially if they wound up in an offense like Indy’s. Just as likely, though, is that the Colts give the role to Garcon. And, if he falters, you could see Dallas Clark or even Jacob Tamme take over in the slot.

Wide receivers drafted by the Colts since Polian took over

2008 Sixth Pierre Garcon
2007 First Anthony Gonzalez
2007 Fifth Roy Hall
2001 First Reggie Wayne
1998 Second Jerome Pathon
1998 Third E.G. Green