Colts sign CB Korey Lindsey, cut S Micah Pellerin

Well, the Colts did acquire a corner, just not the one everybody expected. Instead of trading for Cowboy Mike “Possum” Jenkins (an idea ColtPlay, at least, is not sold on), they claimed Korey Lindsey (5101/194/4.56pd in 2011) off waivers from the Cardinals. A FCS star and defensive captain with the Salukis, Lindsey bagged 14 picks in college. The book on him is that he’s a very gifted athlete who lacks straight-line speed, deep man coverage skills and the strength to win battles with bigger receivers. Still, he’s a whiz at zone coverage, has extraordinary timing, is not afraid to dive into the ugly stuff, can blitz and is a big rah-rah team player who played big in big games. He has some punt and kick return experience, but nothing to brag about. Drafted in the seventh round by the Bengals, they made him a final cut and he wound up on the Cardinals’ practice squad.  They recently cut him for University of Arizona wide receiver Gino Crump.

It’s hard to see how Lindsey fits on the opening-day team, unless injuries strike. I think you have to think the Colts will keep Jerraud Powers, Kevin Thomas, Chris Rucker and Cassius Vaughn. That leaves a lot of guys fighting for that fifth and perhaps final roster spot at the position. It wouldn’t be a shock if Lindsey won it outright, just a mild surprise. On a related note, something about Lindsey, the way he plays and carries himself, makes me think he could have a career as a coach after he hangs up his cleats.

Interestingly, Lindsey has been assigned  jersey number, 42, but tackle George Foster, who was signed earlier, has not.

To make room for Lindsey, the Colts cut Micah Pellerin, another FCS corner, but he was trying to make the switch to free safety.    

Late note: The Bengals, who originally drafted Lindsey, also put in a waiver claim for him.

Will the Colts trade for CB Mike Jenkins?

Everybody and his brother, including ESPN’s John Clayton, are saying that the Colts are interested in trading for disgruntled Cowboys cornerback Mike “Possum” Jenkins (5102/197/4.38c in 2008). It makes sense. The Colts have a dire need for quality corners, Jenkins is no longer the apple of Dallas’ eye and his contract is trade-friendly. Of course, things aren’t always as easy as that.

• If Jenkins is so great, why did Dallas trade its first- and second-round draft picks for the right to pick Morris Claiborne at No. 6 AND sign veteran free agent Brandon Carr to a five-year, $50.1 million deal? In fact, since Orlando Scandrick is better suited to cover slots, Jenkins would probably be team’s fourth corner. There’s a reason for that. Despite Jenkins' shocking numbers and workouts, he has not actually played that well in the NFL. Last season, he allowed opposing passers a 88.5 rating, which is pretty average for a starting corner, and not the stuff No. 1 guys are made of. For comparison, Carr allowed a 61.7 rating for Kansas City last season. Sure Jenkins is better than what the Colts have, but I have seen him give up on plays and avoid contact, and that’s not what you want a veteran acquisition to show the youngsters around him.

• The reason much of this came up was because Jenkins had just one year left on his contract — at a sweetheart $1.052 million salary cap hit — and was unlikely to re-sign in Dallas. Of course, any deal would be conditional on Jenkins signing a new deal with his new team. But why would he want to come to a rebuilding team in Indy? Well, he may just want to get out of Dallas for more playing time and a long-term contract. But what's in it for Dallas want to give him up? They could very easily keep him on the team as their No. 4 corner and potential injury replacement, and then allow him to leave as a free agent, which (depending on the contract he signs with his new team) would yield Dallas a nice compensatory draft pick, maybe even better than they would get in a trade.

• The Colts are rebuilding, and investing a lot of cap space in a 27-year-old corner who has never fulfilled his seemingly limitless potential might not be the best idea for the long run.


So, will it happen or not? At this point, I think it's unlikely. The Colts are more likely to keep their picks, and take their lumps.

  

Colts cut last fullback, sign George Foster

Regular readers of ColtPlay will remember how delighted we were when new GM Ryan Grigson announced the team was going to use the fullback position more this season. I liked it because Donald Brown has historically run far more effectively behind a fullback, and Andrew Luck, as a rookie quarterback behind a suspect line, could probably use more protection and an easy dump-off target. Besides, he always played with a fullback at Stanford and new offensive coordinator Bruce Arians used a fullback on about a quarter of all offensive snaps with Pittsburgh last season.

Well, he lied. Of the three fullbacks the Colts used last year, one left in free agency, one was traded for a cornerback/kick returner and now the last one, Ryan Mahaffy, has been cut to make room for an offensive lineman who is just about the longest of shots to make the team. They didn’t draft a fullback, nor did they sign any free agents.

Nobody likes being lied to, but the lack of fullbacks may be actually be a good thing. According to recently signed WR Donnie Avery, the Colts’ offense in OTAs frequently features four- and even five-receiver sets. I’m sure he’s counting the rookie tight end duo of Coby Fleener and Dwayne Allen (perhaps split wide or in motion) as their value is too great to keep on the bench and there’s not all that much talent at wideout to force them to sit.

So if that comes to pass in the regular season (and they’re not just practising passing plays early because they are much harder to get good at), the Colts would field a wild-and-woolly pass-happy offense that should be hard to defend and pile up yardage. But it will also be one all the major players will have to master in a short period, and it will also have the same problems those throw-first attacks always have: Exposed quarterbacks, streakiness and an inability to convert on short yardage.

Oh, and the offensive lineman they signed was George Foster (6053/338/5.23c in 2003). You may remember him as a Broncos’ first rounder about the time most of the current Colts were born. After a pretty good rookie season, injuries, conditioning problems and poor technique caught up with him. He was traded to the Lions, cut, signed and cut by the Browns and wound up playing for Omaha of the UFL. He hasn’t seen the field with an NFL team since 2007, so if he makes the Colts it would be both a huge surprise and a biting indictment of the other players vying for roster spots at the position.

   

Colts acquire CB Cassius Vaughn, sign OLB Jerry Brown

Hey, some big-ish news. The Colts traded FB Chris Gronkowski, who didn’t look to see much action anyway, to the Denver Broncos straight up for Cassius Vaughn (5010/192/4.42pd in 2010), a very interesting cornerback prospect who has already shown he can return kicks and play on special teams in the NFL.

Undrafted coming out of Mississippi in 2010, Vaughn stuck with the Broncos as a rook, standing out on special teams, as an occasional kick returner and extra defensive back. In his second season, Vaughn won the slot corner position outright and the primary kick return job. He played in nine games, starting three on defense, before his season was cut short with a broken fibula.

Any scouting report on Vaughn has to focus on his open-field running. Give this kid the ball in the open field and he’s gone. He reminds me a lot of one of my old favorites, Deltha O’Neal, in that regard. Let’s look at the numbers. As a rook, he returned one kick for 97 yards and a score and another for 28 yards. In his second season, he ran back seven kicks for 210 yards (that’s a remarkable 30.00 average). And his only interception as a pro? Well, he ran that back 55 yards for a Pick-6 against the Chargers.

The prospects are less bright at defensive back, where his positioning and especially transition leave something to be desired. He did not distinguish himself in pass coverage, but certainly looked no worse than any of the Colts’ holdover corners. And he looked very good in the run game, not the least bit afraid to throw his body into danger’s way.

Similarly, he’s a pretty good guy to have on kick and punt coverage teams.

The wild card here is how well he has recovered from his broken leg bone. If he’s all the way back, he should have no problem winning the kick return job, and would be an upgrade over what the team currently has at fifth and perhaps even fourth cornerback. Keep in mind, though, that his footloose style does not translate to punt returns.  

The Colts also cut OLB Brandon Peguese, and signed OLB Jerry Brown (6036/265/4.84pd in 2011). I honestly don’t know that much about Brown, except that he didn’t play that much at Illinois, saw some action with the Jacksonville Sharks of the AFL, and was on the practice squad with my hometown Hamilton Tiger-Cats. That makes me think that if they’re signing guys of CFL practice squads to replace him, the Colts must have seen something in Peguese they did not like.

Colts cut Matt Murphy, sign Zane Taylor

It doesn’t surprise me that much that the Colts cut guard Matt Murphy. The new regime is doing its best to distance itself from the Polians, and Murphy was one of their last signings. As a fringe player at a crowded position, his number just came up.

He was cut to make room for a player GM Ryan Grigson knew in Philadelphia, center Zane Taylor (6024/309/5.52c5.48pd in 2011). Perhaps best known for hoisting the bar 41 times at the Combine, Taylor went undrafted and spent time with the Jets, Bucs and Eagles as rookie without seeing the field in the regular season. He is not very athletic and his feet are dead slow, but he’s smart and tough and plenty strong. It’s a fairly uphill battle for him to make the team at this level, but he does suit the new power philosophy. He will have to adapt to stunts and blitzes better than he did in Utah if he wants to stick.

Colts cut Brody Eldridge; sign David Legree, Justin Anderson

After all the hints that Brody Eldridge was not a big part of the new regime’s plans, they cut him. I wouldn’t be too heartbroken, though. He added very little as a receiver and hardly overwhelmed in his role as dedicated blocking tight end. He may surface elsewhere, but I doubt he’ll be a major factor in any NFL offense.

His roster spot was filled by an interesting camp arm prospect. With Andrew Luck completing his degree and Chandler Harnish ailing, it makes perfect sense to bring another passer in. Hampton’s David Legree (6037/249/4.98pd), a Brooklyn kid, is a great athlete and has a live arm. The Syracuse transfer has great skills, but has not developed NFL-style skills against inferior competition. His senior stats (just seven starts due to injury):

2011 passing: 229-141-1,636-10-4
2011 rushing: 85-299-4

Legree has lots of intriguing tools, but is extremely unpolished and will requires years to develop. He reminds me a lot of former Patriot Kevin O’Connell, but with greater accuracy.

It’s probably too much to ask to think he may win a 2012 roster spot, but a practice squad job and/or a 2013 camp invitation could be in the offing.

The other news is that draft pick Justin Anderson signed. He’s an interesting prospect. He came to Georgia from the Hargrave Military Academy as a big, all-around athlete and played right tackle and then right guard with enough aplomb to get on the national radar. The Georgia coaching staff then moved him to nose tackle (he certainly has the size and strength, but is taller than ideal), but he missed most of the offseason drills to a turf-toe injury. He managed to get in one game and recorded one tackle before re-injuring the toe and missing the rest of the season. For his senior season, he was moved back to right tackle, started all 14 games, played well and earned a degree in housing.

He has some mobility issues (slow feet) and, as you might expect, injury problems, but he could still emerge. He has ridiculous power, long arms and great tenacity. The roster lists him at guard, and that’s where he probably belongs, but he could serve as a reserve right tackle or third tight end for jumbo formations if he can stay healthy and keep low.

One last thing. I feel a little bit lied to because the new regime promised that a fullback would be a big part of the new offense. But now that they have drafted two premium tight ends and not upgraded the fullback position, I don't think it's going to happen. It's almost like the Polians never left. 

Colts 2012 OTAs notes

There are a couple of significant injuries to report. HB Delone Carter, who many expect to vie for a starting role this season in Bruce Arians’ Steelers-style offense, has a lingering thumb problem keeping him out of practice. I normally wouldn’t worry too much, but Carter’s biggest liability has been his ability to hold onto the ball. If his thumb becomes a chronic problem, so could fumbling.

The other is rookie QB Chandler Harnish. While nobody expected much from the small-school prospect this season, missing time could be terrible for him. And — since Andrew Luck can’t participate because of school — that leaves just two quarterbacks in camp, Drew Stanton and Trevor Vittatoe. And nobody wants to see much of those guys in the future.

Other who sat out include:

WR TY Hilton (hanstring) we knew about that, not a good start, son
C Samson Satale (knee) shouldn't be a problem for the veteran
T Anthony Castonzo (knee) this bears watching, but he seems unconcerned
G Ben Ijalana (knee) this worries me, I’ll keep an eye on it
LB Kavell Conner (foot) not sure where this puts him
S David Caldwell (foot) could fall behind rooks

The team also announced the signing of later-round picks Harnish, OLB Tim Fugger, WR LaVon Brazill, HB Vick Ballard and NT Josh Chapman. I don’t see any problem with the others.

The Colts let go of Mike Holmes. Listed as a corner on the roster, he was really more of a special-teams/returner prospect, who projected as a fringe contributor on defense. It appeared that he was in a field that got too crowded.

Every summer I root for the guy they gave my old high school number, 46. This year it’s well-travelled, pass-catching tight end Dominique Jones. Go ’Nique!

Colts sign Andre Smith

After the Colts drafted Coby Fleener and Dwayne Allen in the second and third rounds, Colts GM Ryan Grigson pointed out that the Colts now had two “legitimate” tight ends. That could not have made holdover Brody Eldridge feel all that good. Of course, Grigs later backtracked and said something about Eldridge having a place and that he was a different kind of tight end. By that, we all assumed, Eldridge had a role as a blocking tight end. After all, neither Fleener nor Allen were known as blockers and Eldridge had even played guard at the major college level.

That scenario didn’t last long. Today the Colts signed Andre Smith (6043/270/4.78pd). No, not that Andre Smith. This guy’s a blocking tight end. He caught a few balls pairing up with Tyrod Taylor at Virginia Tech (39-438-7 in four seasons), but doesn’t appear to be anything but an emergency target in the NFL. Still, he is a skilled blocker. And that would put him in head-to-head competition with Eldridge.

While Eldridge has great potential and had some eye-opening moments as a rook, he was also wildly inconsistent, recording four penalties and allowing seven quarterback pressures. A few weeks ago, Eldridge was the Colts’ top tight end, and now he’s facing a stiff fight for the No. 3 spot.

Questions

It would be heartily unrealistic to hope for double-digit wins from the Colts in 2012. But there are a few keys to look for that would make the future appear brighter.

1. Someone develops at split end
Look at the Colts' offense. None of the backs who looks to get significant playing time is a serious breakaway or receiving threat. The leading returning receivers are flanker Reggie Wayne and slot guy Austin Collie. They will be augmented by rookie tight ends Coby Fleener and Dwayne Allen. While there are some great sets of hands in that group, there isn't any deep speed. In fact, Fleener (a 250-pound tight end) probably has the best game speed of them all. Certainly Wayne's days as a deep threat appear over, especially after he caught just four passes that traveled 20 yards or more in the air last season.

So somebody has to emerge at split end to prevent all 11 opposing defenders from crowding the area close to the line of scrimmage. And they would have to be speedy. The leading candidate right now is veteran Donnie Avery, who had two decent seasons in St. Louis before mangling his knee. His comeback attempt last season with Tennessee, however, saw him looking timid and without burst. He will need to be more like his pre-injury self to be of any help to the Colts. The logical option if he doesn't pan out would be third-round draft pick TY Hilton, but there are doubts there as well. Hilton was limited in rookie minicamp by a hamstring pull he suffered at his pro day, and now the Colts are public extolling his future as a slot guy.

2. Find a right cornerback
I hate to beat that well-decayed horse, but since the Colts neither signed nor drafted a cornerback this offseason (and there are no attractive free agent options remaining), they will have to find one from the current set of prospects on the roster. Either the light goes on for Kevin Thomas or Chris Rucker this year, or the Colts had better have a terrifying pass rush.

3. Protect the passer
The Colts' offensive line certainly looks decent on paper: Youngsters Anthony Castonzo and Ben Ijalana certainly have talent, and veterans Winston Justice and Samson Satele should be good enough. But two questions persist: a) Who'll start at left guard? and b) is Ijalana healthy enough to be depended upon?

Free agent cornerbacks

I look around the interwebs every once in a while, and the sense I get is that Colts fans are overwhelmingly of the opinion that the team should sign a veteran free agent cornerback. So it became incumbent on ColtPlay to look at which ones were currently available. Here that are:

Alan Ball, Will Blackmon, Phillip Buchanon, Reggie Corner, Kennard Cox, Domonique Foxworth, Andre Goodman, Cletis Gordon, Roderick Hood, Dante Hughes, Kelly Jennings, Chris Johnson, David Jones, Nathan Jones, Justin King, Elbert Mack, Trumaine McBride, Brandon McDonald, Bryant McFadden, Rico Murray, Benny Sapp, Lito Sheppard, Donald Strickland, Frank Walker, Byron Westbrook

Those who aren't ancient, terrible, weird, odd, dirt slow, stupid, evil, egregious, frightening, ridiculous, tiny or totally spastic are marked in boldface.

More Colts 2012 rookie minicamp thoughts

Despite all the raves coming from the coaches and media, I’m worried about the Colts’ embryonic passing game. School obligations will prevent Andrew Luck, Griff Whalen and LaVon Brazill from participating in any OTAs (Coby Fleener is going back to school too, but since it’s post-grad work, he’s free to participate). I know Luck is talking about working out with various receivers on his own, but I’m worried about Brazill, who is making the transition from Mid-America to the NFL.

Far more disturbing is the fact that TY Hilton was slowed and limited by a hamstring injury he suffered at his Pro Day. The concerns about him prior to the draft were him making the jump from the Sun Belt to the NFL — so reps will be important — but also that he’s not very durable and often nicked up. Still he had a similar injury last September, but toughed it out and had a spectacular season with 72 receptions.

At rookie minicamp observers have been raving about Whalen and Jabin Sambrano. Since Whalen and Luck built up a rapport at Stanford, it doesn’t surprise me that Luck would look his way early and often. But I will keep an eye on Sambrano, who may be one of the least well known of the receiving prospects. The last receiver Montana sent to the NFL was Marc Mariani, and if Sambrano is anywhere near his level, the Colts should be delighted. The other guy to watch is former Cal Bear Jeremy Ross. Luck mentioned working out with him specifically, and he has a world of talent. The knock on him was that he was never all that productive in college because of poor route running and other bad, but one would assume correctable, habits.

It’s also interesting to note that the starting corners at rookie minicamp were Antonio Fenelus and Buddy Jackson, with Cameron Chism playing the slot. That surprised me because I thought Chism was the best prospect of the lot, certainly ahead of Jackson, who’s more of a returner. Perhaps the Colts are grooming Chism for a slot spot. We’ll see.

Also, there was a linebacker wearing No. 57 and I'm not sure who it was. If anyone else does, please let me know.

Patriots sign Joseph Addai

Those few Colts fans who were hoping the team would re-sign halfback Joseph Addai will be greatly disappointed to learn that he has signed with longtime rival New England. The Patriots lost their own lead back from 2011, BenJarvus Green-Ellis, in free agency, but Addai is unlikely to take his spot. The Patriots are depending on another former LSU back, Stevan Ridley, for that. Addai will probably fit in as the third or fourth halfback, specializing in pass-blocking.

The interesting thing about the signing was that it was reported by Peyton Manning. I guess he and Addai keep in touch.

Colts 2012 rookie minicamp notes

I wouldn’t get too excited about all the praise Andrew Luck is getting for leadership and confidence right now. Remember this is a rookie minicamp. Of course he looks great to them, they were playing with guys like Wes Carroll and Tyler Tettleton just a little while ago. That’s no dis on Carroll or Tettleton, just that the No. 1 pick in the draft should look a hell of a lot better than them. Yeah, I know the coaches are getting in on it too, but it’s in their best interest to say so, and everyone’s enthusiastic at this time of the year. I’m sure Luck will be a great quarterback, but let’s keep our feet on the ground here, okay? I am, however, very impressed with his plan to work out with the Colts’ receivers away from OTAs. That’s a very Manning-like move.

Free-agent signee Micah Pellerin looks to have been moved from corner to free safety. Not only did he play there extensively in rookie minicamp, but his position is listed as “S” on Colts.com. That’s interesting because the Colts traditionally list all defensive backs — from the tiniest slot corner to the burliest strong safety — as “DB” on their official roster. The move makes some sense in that Pellerin has size but not very good straight-line speed. He’ll have to improve his angles and tackling method if he hopes to succeed at the position, though.

Similarly, although everyone and his brother (including me) wrote that rookie UFDA Jason Foster would move inside to guard after four years at left tackle for Rhode Island, he was working out at tackle at the rookie minicamp. The Colts appear to be hedging their bets by calling him a guard in the official announcement of his signing and a tackle on the roster. My guess is that he’s only working at tackle at rookie minicamp because there are lots of other guards there, but only two other tackles — Steven Baker and Justin Anderson — Foster, who’s not that tall, may still turn out to be a guard. That's him on the left, practicing at right tackle next to fellow rookie Hayworth Hicks. 

Also in camp (but without a contract) is kicker Austin Anderson. The son of NFL legend Gary Anderson, Anderson played at McGill in Montreal. He does not have a big-time leg, but he is accurate in close. He won’t compete for a kickoff spot, but could give Adam Vinatieri’s leg some time off in camp and preseason.

Colts 2012 roster

Here's a current Colts roster. I'll keep it up to date throughout the season.

1 Pat McAfee P 5114/228/dnp in 2009

3 Brian Stahovic P 5117/217/dnp in 2012

4 Adam Vinatieri K 6000/202/dnp in 1996

5 Drew Stanton QB 6032/226/4.75c in 2007

8 Chandler Harnish QB 6014/219/4.76c in 2012

9 Trevor Vittatoe QB 6017/218/4.81pd in 2011

10 Jeremy Ross WR 5117/209/4.44pd in 2011

11 Donnie Avery WR 5110/192/4.43c4.34pd in 2008

12 Andrew Luck QB 6040/234/4.67c in 2012

12 Quan Cosby WR 5085/196/4.50c in 2009

13 TY Hilton WR 5095/183/4.34pd in 2012

15 LaVon Brazill WR 5106/192/4.48c in 2012

16 Jarred Fayson WR 6000/207/4.38pd in 2011

17 Austin Collie WR 6007/200/4.56c4.53pd in 2009

20 Mike Holmes CB 5101/186/4.54pd in 2011

21 Kevin Thomas CB 6000/192/4.41c4.45pd in 2010

23 Terrence Johnson CB 5093/190/4.56pd in 2010

25 Jerraud Powers CB 5091/188/4.51c4.43pd in 2009

26 Jermale Hines S 6011/219/4.61c4.59pd in 2011

27 Matt Merletti S 5100/200/4.59pd in 2012

28 Tom Zbikowski S 5112/211/4.44c in 2008

29 Antonio Fenelus CB 5082/190/4.68c4.50pd in 2012

30 David Caldwell S 5105/212/4.58pd in 2010

31 Donald Brown HB 5102/210/4.46c in 2009

32 Darren Evans HB 6000/227/4.56c in 2011

33 Vick Ballard HB 5101/219/4.65c4.56pd in 2012

34 Delone Carter HB 5085/222/4.54c4.46pd in 2011

35 Joe Lefeged S 5115/210/4.42c in 2011

36 Chris Rucker CB 6004/195/4.54pd in 2011

37 Brandon King CB 5092/182/4.45e in 2009

38 Mike Newton S 5101/197/4.48pd in 2010

39 Deji Karim HB 5085/209/4.40pd in 2010

39 Cameron Chism CB 5103/190/4.55pd in 2012

40 Buddy Jackson CB 6001/187/4.37pd in 2012

41 Antoine Bethea S 5110/203/4.39c in 2006

42 Micah Pellerin S 6003/194/4.61c in 2012

43 Chris Galippo ILB 6014/241/4.87c4.79pd in 2012

45 Matt Overton LS 6010/254/dnp in 2007

46 Dominique Jones TE 6030/255/dnp in 2010

47 Ryan Mahaffey FB 6024/247/4.91pd in 2011

47 Latarrius Thomas S 6006/212/4.61pd in 2011

48 Justin Snow LS 6030/240/dnp in 2000

49 Chris Gronkowski FB 6020/238/4.71pd in 2010

50 Jerrell Freeman ILB 5115/218/4.62pd in 2008

51 Pat Angerer ILB 6002/235/4.71c4.64pd in 2010

52 AJ Edds ILB 6035/246/4.62c4.67pd in 2010

53 Kavell Conner ILB 6004/242/4.59c in 2010

54 Mario Harvey ILB 5107/257/4.46pd in 2011

55 Justin Hickman OLB 6013/254/4.75c4.75pd in 2007

56 Scott Lutrus ILB 6023/241/4.68c in 2011

57 Brandon Peguese OLB 6001/230/4.63pd in 2011

58 Tim Fugger OLB 6032/248/4.60pd in 2012

59 Kevin Eagan OLB 6040/276/4.82pd in 2012

60 Matt Murphy G 6037/304/5.14pd in 2011

61 Hayworth Hicks G 6024/329/5.35pd in 2012

61 Josh Chapman NT 6007/316/dnp in 2012

62 AQ Shipley C 6011/304/5.19c in 2009

64 Ollie Ogbu DE 6007/298/4.84pd in 2011

65 Jake Kirkpatrick C 6017/300/5.31pd in 2011

66 Samson Satele C 6025/300/5.24c in 2007

67 Mike Tepper T 6054/324/5.31c5.25pd in 2010

68 Jason Foster G 6032/298/5.31pd in 2012

68 James Aiono DE 6025/305/5.12pd in 2012

69 Winston Justice T 6061/319/5.16pd in 2006

72 Jeff Linkenbach T 6064/311/5.14pd in 2010

73 Seth Olsen G 6045/306/5.23c in 2009

74 Anthony Castonzo T 6070/311/521c in 2011

75 Mike McGlynn G 6042/311/5.38c in 2008

76 Joe Reitz G 6061/260/dnp in 2008

78 Steven Baker T 6074/301/4.91pd in 2012

78 Chigbo Anunoby NT 6037/324/5.44pd in 2012

79 Justin Anderson T 6042/335/5.31c in 2012

79 Ben Ijalana G 6035/317/5.20pd in 2011

80 Coby Fleener TE 6056/247/4.51pd in 2012

81 Brody Eldridge TE 6046/261/4.72pd in 2010

83 Dwayne Allen TE 6032/255/4.89c in 2012

84 Griff Whalen WR 5104/185/4.55pd in 2012

85 Jabin Sambrano WR 5112/178/4.50pd in 2012

86 Kyle Miller TE 6047/258/4.85pd in 2011

87 Reggie Wayne WR 6000/198/4.45c in 2001

90 Cory Redding DE 6040/279/4.88pd in 2003

91 Ricardo Mathews DE 6020/290/4.95pd in 2010

92 Jerry Hughes OLB 6016/255/4.65c in 2010

93 Dwight Freeney OLB 6007/266/4.48c in 2002

94 Drake Nevis DE 6005/294/5.06c4.92pd in 2011

95 Fili Moala DE 6040/305/5.07c in 2009

96 Brandon McKinney NT 6016/330/5.43pd in 2006

97 Mario Addison OLB 6025/245/4.70pd in 2011

98 Robert Mathis OLB 6020/235/4.67pd in 2003

99 Antonio Johnson NT 6030/310/5.15c5.08pd in 2007

First look: Colts 2012 special teams

Throughout the Colts’ roster remake, the only guys on the team who knew their jobs were safe were kicker Adam Vinatieri and punter Pat McAfee. But while they are elite-level players, the rest of the special teams were awful. Last year the Colts allowed 30.7 yards per kick return and 11.5 on punt returns, while managing just 18.6 and an unbelievably paltry 3.4 on their own. If anyone out there still thinks the team’s collapse was all about Peyton Manning’s injury, those numbers should indicate otherwise.

So let’s look at how special teams stack up:

Kicker: Adam Vinatieri

He’s 39, but has two years left on his contract and is still close to automatic with most of his kicks. He went 23 of 27 on field goals (including two of three from 50 yards or more) last season as the Colts had a hard time getting into any kicker’s range and was 24 of 24 on extra points as they had an even harder time scoring touchdowns. The Colts haven’t signed any other kickers for camp yet, so it would appear they have faith that Vinatieri still has lots of leg left.

Punter: Pat McAfee, Brian Stahovich

McAfee’s is one of the league’s best punters in every aspect of his game. With apologies to Reggie Wayne and Dwight Freeney, McAfee may actually be the best player at his position on the Colts’ roster. Stahovich was an outstanding college punter who will be showcasing his leg for other teams or the future at Colts’ camp. It’s very unlikely he would be able to unseat McAfee, but he could be a factor next season as McAfee will be a free agent.

Kickoff specialist: Pat McAfee, Brian Stahovich

Same deal here as punter: McAfee is one of the league’s best and Stahovich is trying to make a case to stick somewhere.

Kick returns: Joe Lefeged, Deji Karim, Quan Cosby Jeremy Ross, TY Hilton, LaVon Brazill, Jabin Sambrano, Buddy Jackson

Here’s where things get messy. Lefeged is the incumbent and will be offered a shot out of courtesy. But after going 31-578-0 (18.65) last season, it’s unlikely he’ll win the job. Brazill has some kick return experience — 2-40-0 (20.00) career, both in 2011 — but is a slight quick-stepper, more of a punt-return type. That leaves the serious competition to others. The veteran options are Karim — 77-1,900-0 (24.67) in a two-year NFL career — and Cosby 33-740-0 (22.42) in three NFL seasons. First-year and rookie options include Ross — 42-851-0 (20.26) In three season at Cal — Hilton — 105-2,855-4 (27.19) in four seasons at Florida International — Sambrano — 49-1,136-0 (23.18) in four seasons at Montana — and Jackson — 23-543-1 (23.61) in one season at Pitt. Of course, the competition will go one all spring and summer. It’s anyone’s guess who’ll win, but my money’s on Karim, especially if he improves his ball security. Hilton may be a better prospect at the position, but he has durability issues and if the Colts are expecting him to contribute at and maybe even win the split end position, they would be unlikely to expose him to the brutality of special teams. Cosby, Ross and Sambrano also return punts, so the Colts could potentially save a roster spot by going with one of them.

Punt returns: Joe Lefeged, Quan Cosby, Jeremy Ross, TY Hilton, LaVon Brazill, Jabin Sambrano, Jarred Fayson

Again, Lefeged is the incumbent, but he was atrocious last season — 9-42-0 (4.67). Cosby is the only veteran option here, and a decent one — 97-968-0 (9.98) in three NFL seasons. But the Colts may turn to a young speedster like Ross — 31-471-1 (15.19) in two seasons at Cal — Brazill — 38-531-4 (13.97) in three seasons at Ohio — or Sambrano — 40-411-1 (10.28) in three seasons at Montana. Fayson — 10-50-0 (5.00) in two seasons at Illinois — has an outside chance at contributing here. Unless someone else really wows the coaches, I think it’s Brazill’s job to lose.

Long snapper: Justin Snow, Matt Overton, Kyle Miller

Snow is reliable, but he’s also 35 and set to be a free agent. The Colts would love to see a younger, cheaper option beat him out. Overton is an NFL, IFL and AFL veteran who offers little but precise snaps, while Miller is a little more athletic, and is more likely to help on special teams and, if absolutely necessary, on offense.

One last thing: The Colts coverage teams were historically bad last year. But while the new regime has brought in lots of new players, few — aside from perhaps rookie UFDAs Cameron Chism, Matt Merletti and Latarrius Thomas — look like they do much on specials, and none is anywhere near a lock to make the team.

Colts sign undrafted S Latarrius Thomas

The Colts added another undrafted free agent to the safety mix in Eastern Michigan’s Latarius Thomas. Let’s take a look.

Latarius Thomas SS Eastern Michigan

Numbers: 6006/212/4.61pd

2011 stats: 42 tackles, 37 assists, 0.5-2 TFL, 4 passes broken up, 1 forced fumble

ColtPlay says: It’s hard not to root for Thomas. A really great kid who had seen some real adversity before he was adopted by a coaching family (shades of The Blind Side), he actually transferred from Louisville, gave up a year of eligibility and paid his own way to Eastern Michigan out of loyalty and faith in his coach. A high school receiver converted to safety at Louisville, Thomas is an outstanding athlete who is still learning the nuances of the position. From what I’ve seen, he’s a solid tackler, an efficient blitzer and has some real potential as an all-around safety prospect. But he’s far from NFL-ready.

First look: Colts 2012 defense

Unlike the offense, the Colts 2012 defense has a number of familiar faces, just in different spots. All evidence points to the Colts using a hybrid defense — a base 3-4 that morphs into a four- and even five-man front on passing downs. When that happens, the nose tackle comes out (probably for some oxygen or a quick nap), the base ends become tackles and the outside linebackers become traditional ends. Here’s how ColtPlay sees that all shaking out:

Defensive end: Cory Redding, Drake Nevis, Fili Moala, Ricardo Mathews, Ollie Ogbu, James Aiono

This actually looks like a position of strength, at least at the top. Free-agent signee Redding is coming off an excellent season in the same scheme with the Ravens and should anchor the right side. Nevis, who played very well as a rookie before he was injured, should have no problem holding down the left side. After those two, though, it’s iffy. Moala has done a whole lot of nothing since being drafted in the second round in 2009 (two sacks in 31 starts), but could blossom in the new system. Mathews played nose in the Colts’ recent get together, but that was out of necessity since there were so few actual noses around. At 6’3, 294, he’s really an end candidate. And not a terrible one; he’s certainly outplayed Moala over the stretch. Ogbu’s been around and could stick if there are injuries, while Aiono is strictly a development guy.

Nose tackle: Antonio Johnson, Brandon McKinney, Josh Chapman, Chigbo Anunoby

This isn’t a bad group either. Johnson is listed as the starter right now, but it’s written in pencil. Faintly. He’s only there because he was the only veteran who looked even remotely like a nose. Actually, he’d be better off at base end. Based on what I’ve seen from him, I’d put him behind Nevis and just ahead of Moala and Mathews. As for actual nose tackles, former Raven McKinney will probably start. He offers essentially no pass rush, but is an absolute bull against the run, and that should be good enough for this defense. A very similar player, Chapman should back him up as a rookie, and eventually challenge him for the starting job. He’s even bigger and stronger than McKinney. Do you want tough? Chapman tore his ACL in college and kept playing. Anunoby, already a fan favorite on the internet, is monstrously big and strong, but incredibly raw. He will probably be the most interesting guy to watch in camp.

Outside linebacker: Dwight Freeney, Robert Mathis, Jerry Hughes, Justin Hickman, Mario Addison, Brandon Peguese, Tim Fugger,  Kevin Eagan

Here again, the Colts have solid starters followed by questions. Freeney and Mathis are 4-3 ends who are trying to convert to having their hand off the ground, at least for a few snaps. Both are top-of-the-line pass rushers whose defense against the run may actually benefit from standing up and having some space between them and offensive tackles, but neither will be much help in coverage. Hughes, an epic first-round bust so far, will be given the first shot at No. 3/heir apparent. But I think that role and the one behind will actually go to draft pick Fugger and UDFA Eagan. The other guys are prospects who’ve been around a while and not done much. Of them, Addison is the one I’ve seen most. He hasn’t been special at all, but he’s been better than Hughes. Hickman was a big sack threat in the CFL, so he could be in the running too. Aside from Freeney and Mathis, anyone who wants to make the team at the position should probably also help out on specials.

Inside linebacker: Pat Angerer, Kavell Conner, A.J. Edds, Scott Lutrus, Jarrell Freeman, Mario Harvey, Chris Galippo

Though undersized, Angerer is a tough linebacker and will have no problem retaining a starting role. The identity of his partner inside, however, is less certain. Conner has been starting on the outside off and on since he arrived in 2010 with mixed results. He’s not bad against the run, but atrocious in coverage. In fact, he was outplayed by street free agent A.J. Edds, who played both inside and out last year. Don’t be surprised if Edds edges Conner to the bench. Lots of fans like Galippo because he comes from a big-time program and looks the part, but I’m wary. He has chronic back problems and even his healthy production has not been great. He was benched in 2010, and there are questions about his athleticism. None of the others look to offer much but depth and perhaps special-teams play. Freeman was a big star in the CFL, but came out of college at 218 pounds. He’s listed on Colts.com as 234 and has a linebacker’s number, but I’d rather see him give safety a try.

Cornerback: Jerraud Powers, Kevin Thomas, Chris Rucker, Terrence Johnson, Brandon King, Mike Holmes, Micah Pellerin, Antonio Fenelus, Cameron Chism, Buddy Jackson

In Powers the Colts have a pretty good cornerback who is the team’s No. 1 by default. On the right side, though, the team is praying that one of three youngsters — Thomas, Rucker and Johnson — works out. All three saw significant playing time in 2011, and all were terrible. Thomas, a third-round pick in 2010, missed his first season with injury and played like an overmatched rookie last season. He has all the requisite tools, but really looked awful in all phases last season. His development will be something to watch this season. Rucker, a 2011 sixth-rounder, outplayed Thomas, but not by much. But unlike Thomas, he didn’t have any truly brutal games, and he seemed to improve markedly as he went along. Johnson, an undrafted free agent cut by the Patriots, had a historically bad day against the Bucs in an early-season start, but improved as he went along. Short, I noticed that he work much better last season as a slot corner. Although the three are said to be even going in to training camp, I think Rucker will win the job (in part because Thomas is an injury risk), and Johnson will be a specialty slot guy. No matter who wins, right corner is likely to remain the weakest position on the team. The other one or two spots will be fought for by the others, with Chism or veteran slot cover man King probably the most likely to win.

Safety: Antoine Bethea, Tom Zbikowski, David Caldwell, Joe Lefeged, Mike Newton, Jermale Hines, Matt Merletti

Bethea is an elite player at free safety. The strong safety will be Zbikowski, and that makes the fans happy, but there are questions about his coverage skills and tackling. He was benched by the Ravens last season. Still, at his worst, he’s a huge improvement over the incumbent, the since departed Melvin Bullitt, or the guys who played when Bullitt was hurt. Both Caldwell and Lefeged saw extended playing time and both looked like what they were — young and undrafted. Both, particularly Caldwell, showed some strength against the run, but neither looked at all comfortable in coverage. I’m sure the Colts are expecting them to be better this year. Battling them will be Newton, who the Colts cut last year to keep Lefeged, late-season pickup Hines and rookie Merletti. None of them have much to recommend them over the others, so any of them could make it.

First look: Colts 2012 offense

Aside from Reggie Wayne, the Colts’ current offense represents a tear-down/rebuild from the one we watched smash records under Peyton Manning. It’s not just Manning who’s gone, but also other notables like Jeff Saturday, Dallas Clark, Joseph Addai, Pierre Garçon, Jacob Tamme, Ryan Diem and others. Replacing them will be a young, less heralded group who may take a few years to jell. ColtPlay takes a look (Note: so I don’t sound like some rabbi saying “God forbid” and “God willing” before every statement, just assume the opinions expressed are barring injury, suspension or other mitigating factor):

Quarterback: Andrew Luck, Drew Stanton, Chandler Harnish, Trevor Vittatoe

The Colts handed Luck the job when they cut Manning, and perhaps before that. He will start. Stanton’s a middling veteran journeyman who is around in case of emergency. Certainly an upgrade of Curtis Painter, but perhaps not over Dan Orlovsky. Harnish is an intriguing talent, but does not have the accuracy or experience to be an NFL backup yet. I doubt he’d survive the cut necessary to put him on the practice squad, so expect to see him make the team and perhaps even have some trick-play packages made for him. Vittatoe would appear to be a camp arm.

Fullback: Ryan Mahaffey, Chris Gronkowski

Coach Chuck Pagano told the media the Colts planned to use a fullback more extensively, but did not add one through the draft or free agency (actually they lost Jerome Felton, the guy who played most often at the spot last season), so they must be happy with the ones they have. Based on their 2012 performances, it’s hard to tell who’ll win the job, so I’ll give the edge to Mahaffey, who appears to be a slightly better blocker.

Halfback: Donald Brown, Delone Carter, Vic Ballard, Deji Karim, Darren Evans

Brown seems to have turned the corner from the bust he appeared to be earlier in his career, but still wouldn’t not considered an elite back by anyone but his mom. Complementing him, the trio of Carter, Ballard and Evans are all big, strong between-the-tackles runners, with limited speed and elusiveness. None of them are likely to push Brown out of the starting lineup, though Carter will get carries if he can improve his ball security and Ballard could be the solution to the team’s chronic short-yardage problems. Karim is the only speed back on the roster, and he’s had some ups and downs in his two years in the NFL. His ability to contribute on offense will probably be tied to his ability to win the kick return job.

Receivers: Reggie Wayne, Austin Collie, Donnie Avery, Quan Cosby, Jarred Fayson, Jeremy Ross, TY Hilton, LaVon Brazill, Jabin Sambrano, Griff Whalen

It appears that two-thirds of the positions are set. Wayne will continue to start at split end, and Collie — if he has recovered from his concussions — will play the slot, and back Wayne up. But the split end position, which requires a greater amount of speed than either Wayne or Collie can bring to the table, is up for grabs between veteran Avery and rookies Hilton and Brazill. All bring speed, but have size, strength and durability issues. Since Avery had 100 catches in his first two seasons in the NFL before a grisly ACL tear, he’ll probably start, unless one of the others totally wows coaches. Still, I think Hilton is the future at the position if he can hold up. Of those others, Cosby, Ross and Sambrano figure in the kick return competition with Karim, Hilton and Brazill, while Whalen will hope to stick as a slot backup, but Brazill could figure there too.

Tight ends: Coby Fleener, Dwayne Allen, Brody Eldridge, Kyle Miller, Dominique Jones

Although they are rookies, Fleener and Allen will be 1-2 or 2-1. They’re different players with different strengths, and both will be used accordingly and frequently. Fleener has the advantage of having been Luck’s teammate, but Allen’s soft hands and uncanny ability to find open spots in coverage will be a boon for a rookie quarterback who will find himself in trouble from time to time. Eldridge will block and run the occasional, mostly fruitless, route. While Miller is primarily in camp as a long-snapping prospect, he did catch 62-872-7 as a senior at Mount Union, so you never know. Jones is an absolute wild card after having been kicking around low-level professional football since graduating from tiny Shepherd College. Still, no matter where he’s gone, he has caught the ball consistently.

Tackles: Anthony Castonzo, Winston Justice, Jeff Linkenbach, Mike Tepper, Justin Anderson, Steven Baker

The starters will be former top draft pick Castonzo on the left and mercurial veteran Justice on the right. Former starter Linkenbach could be on the bubble after giving up nine sacks last season, but will fight for a swing backup job. Similarly, Tepper played at both guard positions as well as right tackle last season, and was better (to my eye) at tackle. You wouldn’t want to see him spend any length of time at left tackle, though. Rookies Anderson and Baker are both developmental types with high upside, who — aside from perhaps a few short-yardage snaps — would only play as rookies in a case of dire emergency.

Guards: Ben Ijalana, Mike McGlynn, Joe Reitz, Seth Olsen, Hayworth Hicks, Jason Foster

Ijalana, last year’s second-round pick who missed most of his rookie season to injury, is pencilled in as the starter at right guard. If he’s healthy, he should be solid. At left guard, the Colts have the opposite of what they have most other places — more experience than talent. Former Bengal and Eagle McGlynn was brought in to win the left guard job, and he probably will, but he does not appear to have the skills of a long-term starter. Reitz started 10 games last season, and will fight McGlynn for a starting spot. If Ijalana isn’t ready, they could both find themselves starting. Both Linkenbach and Tepper have played guard for the Colts and could help save a roster spot if either backs up both positions. Olsen has a shot to stick, but probably shouldn’t have been given one after his horrible performance last year. Hicks and Foster are long shots, with Foster more NFL-ready and Hicks having a higher upside.

Center: Samson Satele, A.Q. Shipley, Jake Kirkpatrick

I was never a Satele fan when he was with Miami, but he played very well last season for Oakland, showing strength and ability I had not seen out of him before. He should be a solid, if unspectacular, short-term starter. Both Shipley and Kirkpatrick are decent prospects, and their fight for the No. 2 spot should be vicious. Shipley is stronger, but Kirkpatrick is a better athlete. McGlynn can also play center, so their battle might be for naught if he doesn’t start at guard.

Deji Karim, Dominique Jones signed

The Colts signed two more players. The first is Deji Karim (5084/209/4.40pd in 2010) — full name Abdul-Gafar Olatokumbo Ayodeji Lamar Karim. You probably know him as reserve back and kick returner for the Jaguars. He had some good numbers as a rookie in 2010 (25-160-0 rushing, 3-10-0 receiving, 50-1,248-0 kick returns), but slowed down some in 2011 (55-125-0 rushing, 12-120-0 receiving, 27-652-0 kick returns), eventually losing the No. 2 job in Jacksonville to DuJuan Harris. I’ve always like Karim, who works very hard as a runner and blocker, has good, natural hands and seems like a good kid.   

I don’t think Karim is a threat to take too many carries away from the Colts’ top backs, but I can see him being used as a speedy change-of-pace guy if he can win the primary kick return job. It’s interesting to note that the Eagles also put a waiver claim in for Karim.

The other guy is former Shepherd tight end Dominique Jones (6030/255/?). I don’t know a lot about him at this point, except that he was a deep receiving threat there — he went 34-403-9 as a senior in 2010 — after transferring from Liberty. He then went on to lead the Reading Express of the Indoor Football League with 39-349-7 receiving after he played with the Sacramento Mountain Lions of the UFL.  I’m digging now, and promise to have more to tell you later.