Roster shuffling

After just 14 snaps and one six-yard reception, Austin Collie's 2012 season is over. Although it was a torn patellar tendon and not another of the concussions that have so bedeviled his career, I wouldn't be overly surprised if he called it a career after this. Austin, you are a great receiver and a huge asset to the team, but this is your brain we're talking about here.

To replace him, the Colts have grabbed a prospect from the 49ers' practice squad. Nathan Palmer (5110/192/4.34pd in 2012) looks the part, and has great workout numbers, but was not as productive at Northern Illinois as you'd like him to have been. And, despite his timed speed, he didn't appear to play fast. Still, he did put up 47-695-7 receiving, 6-30-0 rushing as a senior last season, and appears to hvae a good rapport with Colts rookie quarterback Chandler Harnish.

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In another roster move borne of desperation, the Colts cut guard Trai Essex (himself signed during an offensive line depth crisis), and replaced him with cornerback Darius Butler (5103/183/4.41c in 2009). This caught me as a bit of a surprise, not only because (aside from a couple of penalties), I thought Essex played fairly well by the standards of those around him, but because Butler had been around for a very long time and the Colts acquired what seemed like dozens of corners before coming around to him. Situations like that make you think the team has decided against a veteran.

But that's what Butler is, having played with the Patriots and Panthers after being drafted by New England in the second round of the 2009 draft. Butler has talent, no doubt. He's speedy and deceptively strong, is strong in zone coverage and can tackle better than most corners. However, he's prone to dangerous mental lapses (and pass-interference calls), is not at all suited to man coverage and can be suckered by play-action and other fakes.

Signing Butler is something of a gamble. He may turn out to be a contributor, but there's a strong chance he could do more harm than good.

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Speaking of corners, did anyone notice Vontae Davis' performance against Jacksonville? I'll admit he was terrible in Game 1, I stand by my minority opinion that he was decent in Game 2, and I thought he was very good in Game 3. I think his career with the Colts will be an average of the three, a competent starting corner with flashes of greatness tempered by moments of terror.

Another of my favorites I think did well against Jacksonville was Winston Justice. There was a great deal of doubt about him coming into the season after his problems in Philadelphia (particularly when he was asked to play left tackle), but he has been by far and away the best of the Colts line at keeping Luck upright.

I think the Kris Adams as third receiver experiment is over now. Hilton just offers so much more. I'd actually be surprised if Adams makes it through the season. Here are how many yards each wideout has gained every time he's been thrown to:

Hilton 16.00
Brazill 10.00
Wayne 7.74
Avery 7.04
Collie 6.00
Adams 3.71

Obviously, those numbers are skewed by small sample sizes, but you get the point.