Early look at needs

Let’s not kid ourselves. The Colts will not be players in veteran free agency. Only very rarely have they ever been, and it doesn’t look like they will be this year either. So if they are adding players, it will be through the draft and undrafted free agents. So let’s take a look at the Colts’ personnel at every position to see who they might draft. Of course, I’m not predicting that these are the guys they’ll draft, just what kind of guys you can expect.

Quarterbacks
Get serious. Peyton Manning is one of the best quarterback in NFL history and not slowing down. Do you think you replace him with the 31st pick? Nope, the Colts will replace him after he falls apart or retires and they go 1-15 to earn pick No. 1 and grab ... who knows, does Peyton have a son? And I don’t think they’re looking for a backup either. Jim Sorgi’s a free agent, but he’s pretty much assured to come back. Oh, and there’s Curtis Painter, last year’s draft pick, and a guy named Drew Willy. Need: I’m pretty certain they won’t draft anyone, but they are likely to invite a big-armed small-schooler to camp.

Runningbacks
In truth, the Colts don’t really have a go-to back, but they do have two recent first rounders still under contract, so don’t expect to see a pick used here. Need: I’d love to see them draft a big bruiser who’d be more of a sure-thing on short yardage, but they won’t do it. The only way I can see them going after a back would be if there was a potentially great return man available near the end of the second day.

Wide Receivers
The Colts play three wide more often than any team in the league, but four wide less than any team in the league, yet they have four starting quality receivers already on the roster in Reggie Wayne, Anthony Gonzalez, Pierre Garcon and Austin Collie. And they have a bunch of really interesting prospects beyond that. Need: As with runningback, they are likely only to grab a wide receiver if a return specialist who can also help on coverage units pops up.

Tight Ends
While it is true that the Colts have a premier tight end in Dallas Clark, keep in mind that the Colts play with two tight ends on about 35 percent of all offensive plays, and Clark goes into the slot or splits wide with stunning regularity. Incumbent No. 2, Gijon Robinson, works hard but would probably be a better No. 3. And recent draft picks Jacob Tamme and Tom Santi have offered little. Need: The Colts could well spend a mid-round pick on an all-purpose tight end to push the guys they have.

Tackles
Left tackle might be the Colts’ weakest position. Charlie Johnson tries really hard, but he’s a natural guard playing way out of position. The guy he took over for – Tony Ugoh – has all the tools, but lacks the all-important instincts and aggressiveness necessary for the position. It looks like his ship has sailed. And while I don’t agree with all the criticism headed right tackle Ryan Diem’s way, he’ll be a well-worn 31 years old by the time the season rolls around. The other guys on the roster – Michael Toudouze, Dan Federkeil and Gerald Cadogan – don’t appear to be serious contenders to start. Need: I would be very surprised if the Colts did not pick a left tackle prospect on the first day of the draft. Look for quick, athletic types to draw their interest but for the Colts also to try to get bigger and more aggressive at the position.

Guards
The plan lasts season was to start veteran Ryan Lilja with 2008 second-round pick Mike Pollak. But Pollak was not great as a pass blocker and just awful as a run blocker, so he lost his job to unheralded former Arena2 player Kyle DeVan. He did better, but looks more like a very solid No. 3 than a guy you want starting. Lilja played well, but has been bothered by injuries. Jaimie Thomas, a seventh-round pick from 2009 is a long shot. Need: It would not shock me if the Colts selected a massive guard with a mean streak in the middle rounds.

Centers
Starter Jeff Saturday is still amazing, but will be 35 when the season begins. His backup, Jamey Richard, would have to add strength to become an effective starter. Need: The Colts like college centers at guard – Lilja and Pollak were primarily centers in college, and former Colts starting guard Jake Scott also played there – so they could draft one or two. One could play guard, while the other could challenge Richard to be Saturday’s heir apparent. How about a guy like: Hawaii’s John Estes in the sixth (compensatory)?

Defensive Ends
Casual observers would say the Colts are set at DE with Dwight Freeney and Robert Mathis. But Freeney will be 30 when the season starts and has been losing time to nagging injuries in recent years, while Mathis has a lot of wear and tear on his undersized 29-year-old frame. Raheem Brock was a disaster this year, and is likely to be cut. His $5.89 million projected salary certainly doesn’t help his cause. Keyunta Dawson was a starting DT in 2008, and was supposed to help at DE, but he added nothing as a pass-rusher (four pressures in 159 rushes) and little against the run. He’s not the answer. The prospects aren’t that much to get excited about, although Chick could become a situational pass rusher. Need: It’s not urgently pressing, but a potential starter would be nice. It’d be even better if Chick was that guy.

Defensive Tackles
A year after spending to high draft picks at defensive tackle, the Colts are hardly any better. And if they are, it’s not because of the draft picks. The best player at the position is Eric Foster, but at 265 pounds on game day, the Colts would be better off spotting him and keeping him out of obvious run situations. The other spot was usually occupied by Daniel Muir or Antonio “Mookie” Johnson. Both are much bigger men than Foster, but not as effective. Muir is more solid against the run, but offers little pass rush, while Johnson’s a better pass-rusher who is not very good at defending the run. Both have injury concerns, and Johnson also has a problem with penalties. Behind them is 2009 second-rounder Fili Moala (the fourth-rounder, Terrance Taylor, was cut in camp and is now hoping to catch on with his hometown Lions), who played sparingly as a rookie and looked pretty bad. A non-factor against the run, he showed a faint spark as a pass rusher, but in general looked like he was overmatched and lacking in fundamental strength. I know it takes a while for many DTs to develop, but right now he looks like he’ll never make a difference in the NFL. Need: I hate to say it, but I still wouldn’t mind at least one new starter, which would allow Foster to play more sparingly.

Outside Linebackers
Colts fans love starting weakside backer Clint Session; but in reality, he’s a hot and cold player with major problems when it comes to play recognition and is not great in coverage. The Colts wanted to pair him with former second-round pick Philip Wheeler out of camp, but Wheeler wasn’t up to it. Instead, slow but steady veteran Tyjuan Hagler stood in. He played well in both coverage and run stopping, but went down after the seventh game. In fact, Hagler’s played in only 37 of a possible 80 regular-season games as a Colt, so it’s unlikely they put much faith in him in 2010. Wheeler then took the spot, and was decent in coverage, but was thrown around against the run and was a sloppy tackler. The top reserve was undrafted rookie Ramon Humber, who didn’t embarrass himself, but didn’t make any believers either. Need: The Colts have never shown this position much respect draft wise, and it’s too early to call Wheeler a bust. But you’ll see someone added here, unless they see more in Humber than I do.

Inside Linebackers
Gary Brackett is in the top half of starting NFL inside linebackers. And his production is augmented by his locker room presence. His primary backup in 2009 was former weakside starter Freddy Keiaho, who’s an okay player but no threat to start inside or out. Humber also played here and looked better than he did outside. Brackett is an unrestricted free agent and the Colts have decided not to put the franchise tag on him, so he’ll be free to negotiate in the first week of March. More likely, the Colts will re-sign him before he hits the open market. Need: In the unlikely event Brackett signs elsewhere, this position becomes the team’s primary need. Should he re-sign, however, they’ll be looking at a prospect to develop.

Cornerbacks
A number of injuries tested the Colts’ depth at this position, and the replacements stood up surprisingly well. Incumbent starters Kelvin Hayden and Marlin Jackson both missed time, which opened up spots for rookies Jerraud Powers (third round) and Jacob Lacey (undrafted), who played much better than expected. Tiny veteran Tim Jennings also played extensively. He was inconsistent, but generally graded out okay. Need: Jackson and Jennings are both free agents, but the Colts have shown they can win without either. They could draft a corner if they lose one or both, but I don’t see it.

Safeties
Heading into the 2009 season, the Colts had two great safeties in Bob Sanders and Antoine Bethea and a proven backup in Melvin Bullitt. But as had happened so many times before, Sanders went on injured reserve. Bethea played great, but Bullitt was exposed – especially in coverage – as not quite up to starter quality. Behind them are slow but strangely effective Jamie Silva and free agent mistake Aaron Francisco. Need: Sanders can’t be relied upon, and Bullitt is probably not the long-term answer. I wouldn’t mind seeing another developmental type here.