State of the Colts: Offense

Sorry about the delay. So busy with work and touring to promote my new book. But now that the smoke has settled, let's look at how free agency has affected the Colts and their plans.

Quarterbacks 
In: Matt Hasselbeck
Out: Drew Stanton
That means: An upgrade. Not only is Hasselbeck a superior quarterback to Stanton is just plain playing terms, he has a great deal of experience and career wins (80 to Stanton's two). He is one of the few quarterbacks around the league who actually could have something valuable to teach Andrew Luck, and his presence should be invaluable to young Chandler Harnish. And unlike Stanton, who is off chasing his quixotic dreams in the desert, Hasselbeck realizes his starter's days are behind him.
Will they draft one?: Probably not. Luck's established as the starter, and Hasselbeck should be able to help Harnish become a legitimate No. 2 before he retires.

Halfbacks
In: Nobody
Out: Deji Karim, Mewelde Moore
That means: Not a lot. Although Karim was a successful return man, he saw no time on offense. Moore did, and he was terrible.
Will they draft one?: Almost certainly. Like all Colts fans, I love Vick Ballard's effort and style, but I'm not sure the team considers him an elite back. And Goddamnit Donald Brown adds little and is unlikely to break out. There are more than a few backs that fit the Colts' system in this draft, and I know they like Texas A&M's troubled-but-talented Christine Michael. A safer pick would be Vanderbilt's Zac Stacy, but he has a lower upside.

Receivers 
In: Nobody
Out: Donnie Avery, Austin Collie 
That means: Things are going according to plan. After yet another season-ending injury to Collie, it was pretty clear the team expected to move on. And, although the current regime signed Avery and installed him as a started, they also watched as he was eclipsed by younger talents.
Will they draft one?: Almost certainly. Colts owner Jim Irsay led many to believe by his tweets that the team was pursuing a big-name veteran wide receiver, but no deal has emerged. They have a pretty decent little group with Reggie Wayne, TY Hilton, LaVon Brazill, Nate Palmer and Griff Whalen, but they lack size and there is no heir apparent to Wayne, who'll turn 35 this season. A first-round pick is a possibility if they fall in love with a guy like Tennessee's Justin Hunter or Clemson's DeAndre Hopkins.

Tight ends and fullbacks
In: Nobody
Out: Nobody
That means: The Colts are understandably quite please with their tight end corps.
Will they draft one?: It's not impossible. While Dwayne Allen and Coby Fleener are well-entrenched as one and two, the team could add some competition to push blocker Weslye Saunders and do-everything guy Dominique Jones. A project like Rutgers' DC Jefferson, a smart former quarterback, could be worth a look.

Tackle 
In: Gosder Cherilus
Out: Tony Hills, Winston Justice
That means: An upgrade. Cherilus has developed into a top right tackle, and offers much more durability than Justice.
Will they draft one?: They might. Depth is an issue as the current projected backups are much-maligned Jeff Linkenbach and youngsters Bradley Sowell and Lee Ziemba. Both starters are fairly young, so tehre could be time to develop someone like Azusa Pacific's Luke Marquardt.

Guards and centers
In: Donald Thomas
Out: Seth Olsen
That means: The team addressed one of its most serious issues.
Will they draft one?: I'd expect so. Although the team likes both Mike McGlynn and Joe Reitz, neither played well last season. Thomas should be able to hold down one spot, but the other could be in open competition. Kent State's Brian Winters could be a great addition.