Bored

• What do Antonie Bethea, Clint Session and Pierre Garcon have in common? They were all compensatory draft picks. Too bad the Colts don’t have any this year.

• I have always hated the name “3-technique” because it’s misleading. It makes it sound as though it’s a skill set, not a position. In the Colts’ defense, both defensive tackles usually line up as “3-technique.” Rarely do you actually see anyone line up as a true nose tackle (or as modern terminology rather sadly puts it, “0-technique”). No matter what size or shape the Colts draft at defensive tackle, he will line up as a 3-technique.

• How does this guy sound? Starting left tackle at a big-time program who projects inside to guard. He runs 6054/324. Dashes? Ten in 1.82, twenty in 3.04 and forty in 5.31. He managed 28 reps, a 26.5 vertical, 7’10 long jump, 5.25 shuttle and 7.95 three-cone. Smart kid, graduated from top school in American studies. Draft him in a second, right? He’s already on the Colts roster. His name is Mike Tepper. He missed his senior season because a man trying to assault a young woman ran him over, dragged him 30 yards and broke his leg in four places. He’s all better now and could make some noise on a team with a pretty weak set of guards.

• Polian said he’s drafting as though all fourth-year free agents are unrestricted. That means he plans to go ahead without Joseph Addai, Melvin Bullitt, Antonio “Mookie” Johnson and Charlie Johnson. On paper, that’s four starters. Even with them, the Colts were looking at some big holes. Assuming the Colts can and will re-sign all of their free agents with three or fewer accrued seasons, this is what they would have (I have also included free agent Peyton Manning because without him, all bets are off and the team starts from Square One):

QB 18 Peyton Manning, 7 Curtis Painter

Analysis: Manning’s got a few years left and won’t be replaced this year unless the unthinkable happens; but Painter has been atrocious as a pro and needs replacing.

RB 31 Donald Brown, 42 Javarris James, 45 Devin Moore

Analysis: Ugh, Brown’s been a bust, James is a role player and Moore is a fragile return man who offers little from scrimmage.

FL 85 Pierre Garcon, 17 Austin Collie, 15 Blair White, 12 Chris Brooks

SE 87 Reggie Wayne, 11 Anthony Gonzalez, 10 Taj Smith, 13 Kole Heckendorf

Analysis: Some pretty good players here. Wayne probably needs a successor, but not right away.

TE 44 Dallas Clark, 84 Jacob Tamme

H-B 81 Brody Eldridge, 86 Rob Myers

Analysis: Solid, not the problem.

RT 71 Ryan Diem, 60 James Williams

LT 72 Jeff Linkenbach, 76 Joe Reitz

Analysis: Wow, the weakest part of the team – even weaker if, as many have predicted, they cut Diem.

RG 78 Mike Pollak, 73 Jaimie Thomas, 62 Mike Tepper

C 63 Jeff Saturday, 65 Jacques McClendon

LG 66 Kyle DeVan, 61 Jamey Richard, 77 Casey Bender

Analysis: Not quite as dire as the situation at tackle. Not quite.

RDE 93 Dwight Freeney, 92 Jerry Hughes

LDE 98 Robert Mathis, 68 Eric Foster, 97 John Chick

Analysis: Two top-notch starters and I think Hughes still has a big future.

RDT 90 Daniel Muir, 69 DeMario Pressley

LDT 95 Fili Moala, 91 Ricardo Mathews, 69 John Gill

Analysis: Moala surprised me by being decent, there’s not much else here, though, unless Pressley’s light finally switches on.

RLB 55 Clint Session, 53 Kavell Conner

MLB 58 Gary Brackett, 52 Cody Glenn

LLB 51 Pat Angerer, 50 Philip Wheeler, 54 Nate Triplett

Analysis: Solid with depth, move along.

RCB 25 Jerraud Powers, 27 Jacob Lacey, 39 Cornelius Brown, 36 Jordan Hemby

LCB 26 Kelvin Hayden, 20 Justin Tryon, 22 Kevin Thomas, 43 Terrence Johnson

Analysis: Surprisingly deep.

SS 23 Al Afalava, 38 Mike Newton, 30 David Caldwell

FS 41 Antoine Bethea, 49 Chip Vaughn, 37 Brandon King

Analysis: One great player and a bunch of maybes.