Moise Fokou
Who is he?: A 4-3 outside linebacker known for special-teams prowess who plays inside in the 3-4.
How was his 2012?: Not bad. A fairly solid contributor inside, but no real threat to start over the other guys the Colts have at the position. His special-teams efforts were tempered by a few unnecessary penalties.
Will he be back?: Probably, but as a depth/special-teams guy.
Fili Moala
Who is he?: A former second-round pick, Moala opened the season as a starter at defensive tackle/defensive end.
How was his 2012?: Not good. Battling knee injuries all season, he was eventually lost to an ACL tear in November. When he did play, he showed some pass-rush flair, but could be pushed around.
Will he be back?:Maybe. He'll be hard-pressed to be anywhere near full-strength when camp opens, and the Colts might move on.
Seth Olsen RFAWho is he?: An All-American guard at Iowa who was drafted in the fourth round in 2009, Olsen has struggled to get playing time in stops in Denver, Minnesota and Indianapolis.
How was his 2012?: Terrible. He had a starting position early, but struggled mightily before being put on injured reserve. Recalled from injured reserve, he was dominated again and saw very little playing time after that. The Colts guards were terrible in 2012, and Olsen graded the worst of them by my eye.
Will he be back?: I don't think so. The Colts are likely to overhaul the guard position via free agency and the draft, and Olsen would appear to be one of the pieces they could do without.
Martin Tevaseu ERFAWho is he?: Undrafted in 2010, Tevaseu bounced from the Browns to the Jets to the Colts as a backup nose tackle.
How was his 2012?: Decent. Tevaseu was called upon frequently to spell Mookie Johnson, and acquitted himself well. He offered precious little pass rush, but did fill space, occupy blockers and stand his ground in the run game.
Will he be back?: Probably. As an exclusive-rights free agent, Tevaseu may not sign with another team if the Colts tender him. This is another position in transition, but Tevaseu definitely deserves an invitation to camp at least.
Josh Gordy ERFAWho is he?: Another undrafted prospect from 2010, Gordy kicked around mainly on practice squads in Jacksonville and Green Bay before signing with St. Louis. A bizarre slate of injuries to the Rams' cornerbacks in 2011 gave Gordy a lot of playing time and even a few starts. When the Colts were desperate for warm bodies at cornerback early in 2012, they traded for him.
How was his 2012?: Okay. Generally the Colts' fourth or fifth corner, he was not that impressive in coverage, nor as a run stopper. He was slightly better inside than out, and was much better as an extra defensive back then the one occasion he was asked to start (against New England). Interestingly, though, he managed a sack in just five blitz attempts. He generally fared better on special teams than he did on defense.
Will he be back?: Probably. Another exclusive-rights free agent, Gordy will be invited to camp to compete for a roster spot.
Melwelde MooreWho is he?: After an extraordinary career at Tulane, Moore was drafted in the fourth round in 2004 by the Vikings. Though never a bell-cow back, he developed into a very effective third-down back, making a living receiving, blocking and stretching draw runs. He took his act as a free agent to Pittsburgh (where he was even more effective) in 2008, and then in 2012, to Indianapolis.
How was his 2012?: Terrible. He was 16-31-0 rushing (with a fumble), and 6-77-1 receiving (with two drops). Even his bread-and-butter, pass blocking, looked subpar as he allowed a sack and two hurries in just 36 pass-block attempts.
Will he be back?: Probably not. After a superb career, Moore appeared to have either lost a step or not studied his playbook in 2012. If he's playing anywhere in 2013, it probably won't be in Indy.
Jamaal WestermanWho is he?: A kid who went from Brooklyn to a Toronto suburb to Rutgers, Westerman was an effective defensive end in college (26 sacks), who has been tried as a 3-4 outside linebacker by the Jets, Dolphins, Cardinals and now the Colts.
How was his 2012?: Promising. Something of an emergency signing after injuries hit, Westerman was pressed into action and looked pretty good. It's hard to judge a player on just 25 downs, but Westerman managed to get a sack and a hurry in just seven rushes. He also contributed adroitly on special teams.
Will he be back?: Probably. Westerman's well-traveled, but has shown promise. He deserves a shot at a roster spot.
Tony HillsWho is he: A high school tight end turned Texas left tackle, Hills was drafted by Pittsburgh in the fourth round of the 2008 draft. He was a swing backup there until he was waived in 2011. Picked up by Denver, he played little and ended up with the Colts in 2012 after injuries and ineffectiveness struck.
How was his 2012?: So-so. He saw a few offensive plays as an extra blocker in jumbo packages, and when other players needed a breather. playing both right tackle and right guard, he neither distinguished himself nor embarrassed himself. But it is important to note that in the Wild Card game when injuries hit, the team picked Bradley Sowell and Seth Olsen over Hills.
Will he be back?: I don't think so. An emergency pickup and spare part in 2012, he'll probably be replaced by a younger, more promising prospect for 2013.
Austin CollieWho is he: A well-known Colts star, he needs no introduction to ColtPlay readers.
How was his 2012?: Tragic. After courageously coming back for some unsettling injuries, Collie's 2012 ended with a ruptured patella just 14 offensive plays into the season.
Will he be back?: Not right away, if at all. Ruptured patellas take even longer to recover from than torn ACLs, and it's unlikely Collie will be ready for the 2013 season, let alone camp. If he does return to the NFL, it would be with Indy.
AJ Edds RFAWho is he: A star linebacker at Iowa (alongside Colt Pat Angerer), this 2010 fourth-round pick by the Dolphins has been mainly a special teamer for them and later the Patriots before signing with the Colts in 2012.
How was his 2012?: Painful, He tore his left ACL in camp (he tore his right one in 2010), and missed the season.
Will he be back?: Maybe. He's not without talent, and he could be useful if healthy.
Deji Karim ERFAWho is he: A very speedy little halfback from Southern Illinois, Karim was drafted in teh sixth round of the 2010 draft by the Jaguars. As a rookie, he excelled as a change-of-pace back and returner. But in his second season, he was forced by injuries to try to be the top back and did not do well at all. When the Jaguars cut him after the 2011 season, the Colts grabbed him.
How was his 2012?: Limited. The Colts offense calls for big backs who can catch and block. Since none of that applies to Karim, he didn't play a down. The Colts actually cut him, bringing him back in Week 15 in hopes of sparking their lackluster return game. They were right to do so, as Karim went 9-328-1 on kick returns in three games.
Will he be back?: I'd be surprised if he wasn't. Although he has almost no value on offense, Karim is an explosive kick returner who deserves another shot to win the job. The team would prefer a player with more of a role on offense or defense (like TY Hilton or LaVon Brazill) take over the kick return duties rather than spend a roster spot on Karim, there's no guarantee one will.
Drew Stanton
Who is he: A former Michigan State standout passer who was drafted in the second round of the 2007 draft by Detroit, he was a third stringer for the Lions until 2012 when he signed with the Jets. When the Jets signed Tim Tebow a few days later, Stanton demanded a trade and was sent to Indy.
How was his 2012?: Boring. After just 27 preseason passes, Stanton didn't see a single snap in the regular season as Andrew Luck's primary backup.
Will he be back?: Almost certainly. I can't see anyone getting in a bidding war with the Colts for his services, and they seem happy enough with him and in no hurry to find a replacement.
1 comment:
Not a list with any "Must Haves."
The ones on this list will be signed, if at all, for depth.
I sincerely hope Austin Collie retires for the sake of his health and family. Concussions are cumulative and there is nothing to suggest that he can last a season without one.
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