Know Your Colts: Defensive Ends

93 Dwight Freeney
Numbers: 6007/266/4.43pd in 02
2008 stats: 14 GP/14 GS (10-4 RDE), 23 TK, 7 AT, 10.5-78.5 SK, 33 QBH, 3-9 TFL, 4 FF, 1-5 PEN
2008 preseason stats: 1 GP/1 GS, 1 TK, 1 AT
Status: Signed through 2012

Freeney’s another of those players about whom there is little I can say that Colts fans don’t already know. He’s an awesome pass-rusher, he’s been nicked up a lot over the past couple of years, but has played through the pain and been generally effective. He’s improved against the run, no longer getting shoved away as often; so he can be considered a more complete end than he was earlier in his career. He’s a tough guy, a leader and he’s signed for a long time, so the only thing Colts fans have to worry about with Freeney would appear to be injuries.


79 Raheem Brock
Numbers: 6035/287/4.86pd in 02
2008 stats: 15 GP/15 GS (12-2 LDE, 0-1 LDT), 34 TK, 20 AT, 3.5-28 SK, 8 QBH, 2 FF, 1 FR, 3-20 PEN
2008 preseason stats: 3 GP/3 GS, 1 TK, 1 AT, 0.5-0.5 SK
Status: Signed through 2010

I consider Brock to be perhaps the most underrated of all Colts. He can start at any of the four line positions (and has). He’s the best run stopper of the linemen (and the only one who understands how to contain the old off-tackle properly). He’s not Freeney or Mathis when it comes to rushing the passer, but he’s not bad, combining speed with some pretty decent moves. The Colts often move Brock inside to defensive tackle on obvious passing downs, and he has been there most effective pass rusher inside for some years. When disaster hit the Colts’ defensive tackle corps last season, many fans wondered why Brock wasn’t moved inside on all downs. It’s simple — they needed him outside. It was no coincidence that the Colts were 12-2 with Brock at LDE, and 0-2 with Mathis.

Note: Brock started one game at LDT in the regular season

98 Robert Mathis
Numbers: 6027/235/4.67pd in 03
2008 stats: 13 GP/2 GS (0-2 LDE), 42 TK, 14 AT, 11.5-66.5 SK, 16 QBH, 2-4.5 TFL, 1 PBU, 5 FF, 3 FR, 3-15 PEN
2008 preseason stats: 3 GP/0 GS, 1 TK
Status: Signed through 2011

Mathis was born to rush the passer plain and simple. He’s got it all: an explosive first step, deadly closing speed, powerful hands and arms, a figure skater’s balance and a contortionist’s agility. Too bad it all comes in a 235-pound package. For years, people have been trying to figure out ways to keep him on the field. It became apparent early in his career he’s not a linebacker — he’s just no good going backwards. So the Colts played him as a full-time end and he suffered. He tried hard and made a few big plays, but he got run over with alarming consistency. Regaining their senses, the Colts coaches started Brock at left end, keeping Mathis free to do what he was designed to do.


91 Josh Thomas
Numbers: 6060/282/4.83pd in 04
2008 stats: 13 GP/3 GS (2-0 RDE, 1-0 RDT), 26 TK, 9 AT, 5 QBH, 1 PBU, 1-0 PEN
2008 preseason stats: 4 GP/3 GS, 2 TK, 3 AT, 1.5-13.4 SK, 2 QBH
Status: Unrestricted free agent

Colts fans misunderstand Thomas, and his value. He is bigger than your average Colts lineman, but that doesn’t mean he’s a blocker absorber. He plays the one-gap penetrator game just like the rest of them, and is pretty darn good at it. But he lacks one essential trait to make him a star — he lacks closing speed. He’ll get behind the lineman, but once he’s back there, a passer can take a step up, or the runner can make a quick cut and Thomas can be grasping air. He makes some plays, but not as many as it looks like he should.

Like Brock, Thomas plays about as well at any position on the line, and often moves inside to defensive tackle on obvious passing downs.

Note: Thomas started one game at RDT in the regular season and another at the same position in the preseason

92 Marcus Howard
Numbers: 6004/237/4.45c in 08
2008 stats: 6 GP/0 GS, 6 TK, 1 AT, 1.5-6 SK, 3 QBH, 0.5-0.5 TFL, 1 FF, 5 STT, 3 STA
2008 preseason stats: 3 GP/0 GS, 3 TK, 1 AT, 2.5-11 SK, 2 QBH, 1 PBU
Status: Signed through 2010

Before people declare Howard the second coming of Mathis, they should be forewarned that he has a lot of learning before that comparison is valid. Yes he’s small and fast and got a lot of college sacks, but Howard needs to learn to use his hands and put together combination pass-rush moves before he can make much of an impact.

He certainly looked the part in preseason and in the meaningless Game 16, when he played against the Titans’ backups. If you take away that game, Howard’s rookie stats on defense read like this: Two tackles and one quarterback hurry.

He’s a project, but the Colts have time with him. And unlike many other teams, they won’t screw him up by moving him to linebacker.

94 Curtis Johnson
Numbers: 6025/242/4.69c4.60pd in 08
2008 stats: 3 GP/0 GS, 2 TK, 3 AT, 1-9 SK, 6 STT
2008 preseason stats: 3 GP/0 GS, 2 TK, 1-1 TFL
Status: Signed through 2010

What can be said about Howard can be said about Johnson, only more so. He has similar skills, but is far rawer and more prone to mistakes like overpursuit and falling for fakes. And, like Howard, he didn’t do much as a rookie if you subtract Game 16.

While Johnson has the physical skills to become an NFL-quality pass rusher, I wouldn’t expect much from him right away. The Colts are set on the outside with Freeney and Mathis. As long as they are playing, there is little Howard or Johnson can do but learn from them.

How this affects the draft and free agency

The first question at the position has to do with Thomas. Keep him or let him go? Right now I’d say it’s 50-50. As a veteran, he’s entitled to a pretty big payday for a backup (even if no other team bids on him), and when he plays he doesn’t exactly set the league on fire. But he is versatile, consistently competent and a good locker-room guy. Besides, the backups at this point are all skinny little pass-rush guys, it’s unlikely they could step in his shoes.

So if Thomas leaves, they’d probably have to replace him. Perhaps the loser of the Keyunta Dawson/Eric Foster battles inside could slide outside and take over. Or maybe not.

The Colts could draft another end if he leaves, but knowing Bill Polian, he’d go for some 240-pound small schooler who piled up sacks even though he already has Mathis, Howard and Johnson on the roster. Actually, that could happen anyway. Polian is famous for his “you can’t have too many pass rushers” philosophy and could easily fall in love with one at any time. A couple of guys who fit his shopping list include Troy’s Kenny Mainor and Oregon State’s Slade Norris. Keep in mind that Polian will open up Colts camp as a home for wayward pass rushers, so expect any guy with potential who went undrafted or has been waived by another team to be invited to camp.

Note: Polian did not draft Thomas, but signed him as an undrafted free agent after much urging by Freeney, who was Thomas’s linemate and friend at Syracuse

Draft picks at the position since Polian took over

2008 Fifth Marcus Howard
2005 Fifth Jonathan Welsh
2003 Fifth Robert Mathis
2002 First Dwight Freeney
2002 Seventh Josh Mallard
1999 Fifth Brad Scioli
1999 Seventh Corey Terry

Two new cornerback prospects

The Colts have signed another player, defensive back Travis Key (5085, 185, 4.54pd in 08). He played strong safety at Michigan State, and was very productive at the highest level of college football. Because of his size, though, most NFL teams scouted him at cornerback. When he ran some pretty disappointing times at his Pro Day, he went undrafted in 2008 and signed with the Vikings. They cut him. He signed with the Browns. They cut him. He signed with the Lions. They cut him. He signed with the Chargers. They cut him. He signed with the Colts. They’ll bring him to camp.

The reason he keeps getting signed is because he was a great player in college. He was solid in coverage, a fumble-causing hitter, a good tackler for a man his size and a good open-field runner who was a threat to score any time he got his hands on the ball. It was like someone had put Yeremiah Bell in a dryer and he came out two sizes too small.

After the Vikings (who gave him an audition at corner) cut him, he signed with the Browns and played in a couple of preseason games. They had him play at safety — the Browns ask their corners to do much more man coverage than the Vikings or Colts do — and he made a few plays, mostly against the run, and showed some ability as a blitzer.

The reason teams keep cutting him is because of his size. He’s not just short; he’s small. But he’s in the right place. The Colts are as close to a true meritocracy as you’ll find in the NFL. Hey, they gave Brandon Foster time on the field (in the regular season yet!), and he’s even smaller than Keys.

They’ll give Key a chance to contribute at reserve cornerback, which will be a very crowded spot this summer. The odds are stacked against him, but he was a walk-on who later became a star at Michigan State, so you never know.


A while ago, when the Colts were inking their practice squad guys, they also signed cornerback Brandon Sumrall (5097, 195, 4.60c/4.62pd). I remember this guy from Southern Miss, and was truly surprised when he went undrafted even with his poor Combine forty. I just relooked up his stats as a senior — 65 tackles, 33 assists, 5-20 tackles for loss, 1-8 sack, 6-101-1 interceptions, 8 passes broken up, 3 forced fumbles and a fumble recovery. He put up similar defensive numbers as a junior, when he played a strong safety and wasn’t bad returning kicks.

After the 2008 draft, he too signed with the Vikings. I watched him a little in the preseason, and thought he played well enough to make the team. He intercepted Kyle Boller in one game I watched, and made some nice plays on both defense and special teams. The Vikings didn’t agree with me, and they cut him. Tampa Bay signed him to their practice squad a couple of days later. They let him go, and the Colts grabbed him, only to let him go when they were juggling their own practice squad and he was injured in practice.

Sumrall will be thrown into the reserve cornerback fray and could well earn a roster spot if he plays as well as I think he can this summer. His only real negatives are his lack of deep speed and his ability to handle the quickest receivers in man coverage (most teams would consider him a safety prospect). But since the Colts system can compensate for those problems, his ability to win the No. 5 cornerback spot will probably depend on his ability on special teams.

Note: Brandon Foster may be tiny, but also runs a 4.28 forty.

Know your Colts: Defensive tackles

This is No. 5 in the Know Your Colts series. This one deals with the defensive tackles.

Preface: Going into the 2008 season, defensive tackle was considered a weak spot for the Colts. They had Ed Johnson, the undrafted wünderkind from 2007, and they were planning to line up either 2007 third rounder Quinn Pitcock or seventh rounder Keyunta Dawson next to him. But it didn’t work out that way. Pitcock retired for reasons unknown in training camp, and Johnson self-immolated after being caught with weed after Game 1. Desperate, the Colts went with Dawson, the other guys they had hanging around and anyone else they could get their hands on. The results were less disastrous as the season went along.


96 Keyunta Dawson
Numbers: 6011/272/4.72pd in 07
2008 stats: 14 GP/14 GS (10-4, 6-3 RDT, 4-1 LDT), 21 TK, 21 AT, 3 QBH, 0.5 TFL, 1 FR, 2-15 PEN
2008 preseason stats: 4 GP/4 GS, 1 TK, 3 AT, 0.5-0.5 TFL
Status: Signed through 2010

Although you won’t see it in his stats, Dawson actually did a pretty credible job at defensive tackle last season. He wasn't great, but he also wasn't bad for a guy who played mostly end in college, and who most teams projected as a 3-4 linebacker when he came out. The first thing to know about Dawson is that you can throw that 272-pound Combine weight away — he plays at more like 250-255. Predictably, that accentuates his quickness and athleticism, but it also makes him easy for the big brutes he faces to throw him around. Basically, Dawson has to rely on beating the guards or centers he faces on the first step, or he’s erased from the play. Sometimes it works and he gets behind them, sometimes it doesn’t and he’s buried and run over. That seemed to happen more often last year late in games, especially if the Colts were not winning the time-of-possession war.

Of course, Dawson’s schtick would work a lot better if he had a little more help. For most of the season, he played with undrafted rookie Eric Foster beside him. Foster was such a similar player (and even easier to erase on running plays), that Dawson often got more blocking attention than he could handle.


68 Eric Foster
Numbers: 6015/277/4.89pd in 08
2008 stats: 13 GP/11 GS (9-2, 3-0 RDT, 6-2 LDT), 28 TK, 6 AT, 6 QBH, 2.5 TFL, 1 PBU, 4-15 PEN
2008 preseason stats: 5 GP/1 GS, 10 TK, 1 AT, 2-17 SK, 3 QBH, 3-7 TFL, 1 FF, 1 PBU
Status: Signed through 2010

It’s hard not to like Foster. I remember him at Rutgers. He was a killer pass-rusher, the most dangerous guy on the field and a great team leader. Of course, because of his size, most teams projected him as an end. And he didn’t quite fit the bill at that position, so he went undrafted. The Colts, of course, gave him an audition at tackle, and he made the team. Actually, if you saw him play in the preseason, you wouldn’t be surprised. He destroyed those scrubs, slithering through gaps and causing mayhem in backfields. He looked like he could be a third-down weapon.

But then the regular season came around and Foster was asked to start 11 games on a depleted Colts’ defensive line. And, it didn’t work out so well. He made a couple nice plays, especially against the pass, but was often nullified by big blockers, especially if he had to stay on the field too long. Opposing teams had a much better success rate running at him than they did at Dawson — and it’s not like he was Albert Haynesworth in there.

If there’s one thing that Foster’s rookie season taught us, it’s that he can be a contributor on an NFL defense, but he probably shouldn’t be a full-time starter. Instead, Foster should be coming in fresh on third downs, wreaking havoc on tired offensive linemen. But in order for that to happen, the Colts would kind of have to find some guy to play all the other downs.


99 Antonio Johnson
Numbers: 6030/310/5.15c5.08pd in 07
2008 stats: 4 GP/4 GS (4-0, 2-0 RDT, 2-0 LDT), 11 TK, 2 AT, 1 QBH
2008 preseason stats: 3 GP/0 GS, 5 TK, 1 AT, 1-3 TFL, 1-8 SK, 1-5 PEN with Tennessee
Status: undisclosed, but probably signed through 2010

When things got really bad for the Colts at defensive tackle last year, they signed pretty well every one who was available. They found a keeper when they plucked Johnson off the Titans' practice squad. The Colts’ faithful looked at his scouting report, noticed that his weight started with a 3 instead of a 2, and anointed him the long-lost nose tackle who had been missing since Tony Siragusa hung ‘em up. But, of course, if you watch the tape, you will see that Johnson is as much a nose tackle as he is a cornerback. Yeah, he’s a big guy, but he’s not there to absorb blockers so other players can get to the ballcarrier. He’s a big guy who plays the role of a one-gap penetrator. Think of Raheem Brock, only much, much bigger.

The Titans drafted Johnson in the fifth round in 2007, but an ACL injury destroyed his rookie season. He found himself the odd man out when the Titans’ found themselves very deep on the defensive line in 2008, and they attempted to hide him on the practice squad. When the Colts line was hit by multiple disasters in 2008, they grabbed him and eventually promoted him to full-time starter.

And he looked great last year, even though his statistics don’t reflect it. The Colts went 4-0 in games Johnson started — quite the feat considering Buster Davis started three of them at middle linebacker and he was just plain terrible. In games Johnson did not start, the Colts allowed an average of 133.84 yards rushing; in games Johnson started, they allowed 90.00. Make no mistake, the kid can play ball. Simply put, the Colts’ defense was much better when he played than they were when he didn’t. And I’m not even sure he was entirely over his ACL by the time he hit the starting lineup.

But there are issues. Johnson has all the physical attributes one looks for in a defensive tackle, but the knocks against him thus far have been discipline and intelligence. As far as discipline is concerned, he’s come to the right place. If the Colts can’t light a fire under his butt, nobody will. And intelligence? I’m not sure how fair that is. I’ve never met the young man, so I can’t really judge. But I do know that he is just nine hours short of his teaching degree. Besides, although I’ll be the first to admit the Colts’ defense is complicated, how hard is it to understand the defensive tackle position (especially when you have hands like Johnson)? Get past your man and nail the guy with the ball. I’d give him the benefit of the doubt on that.

Four starts may be too little to tell if Johnson will be an NFL success or not, but I think he’s earned the right to defend his starting spot when training camp comes around.


90 Daniel Muir
Numbers: 6017/303/4.92pd in 07
2008 stats: 3 GP/0 GS, 3 TK, 2 QBH, 1-15 PEN
2008 preseason stats: 6 GP/0 GS, 2 TK, 1 AT, 1 PBU, 1-0 PEN with Green Bay
Status: Signed through 2010

Muir is kind of like Johnson in that he’s a one-gap penetrator who just happens to weigh over 300 pounds. He’s not the nose tackle Colts fans may claim he is, just a bigger version of the guys they already have. A high school wrestler, Muir played alongside former Colts prospect Colin Ferrell on the inside of Kent’s defensive line, where both of them were very productive. In 46 games (45 starts), Muir recorded 35 tackles for loss and 14.5 sacks. He made the Packers as an undrafted free agent in 2007, but played in just three games due to injuries. They cut him after the following preseason, and the Colts picked him up. Again, injuries limited him. In the few times he appeared in games for the Colts, he showed some skill but no star power or consistency. He has a nice first step and a nice motor. He uses his hands fairly well, and when he stays low, he can do some damage.

At this point in his career, Muir has to be considered a wild card. Although he has some skills and is familiar with the team’s defensive scheme, his lack of experience and history of injuries work against him. He’s about as valuable as a middle-round draft pick at this point — he has the potential to contribute, but you can’t be sure he will.


Note: Muir’s middle name is Travanti, so he was presumably named after actor Daniel J. Travanti (left), who was the star of the very popular TV drama Hill Street Blues when Muir was born in 1983.


95 Darrell Reid
Numbers: 6016/284/4.88pd in 05
2008 stats: 15 GP/0 GS, 11 AT, 8 AT, 2 SK, 2.5 TFL, 11 STT, 7 STA, 3-15 PEN
2008 preseason stats: 5 GP/0 GS, 10 TK, 1 AT, 2-4 TFL, 1 QBH, 1 FF, 1 STT, 1-0 PEN
Status: Unrestricted free agent

Katy Perry would be familiar with Reid. Y’know, ‘cause he’s hot then he’s cold. Okay, I’m trying too hard. But the fact is that Reid is pretty inconsistent. He’s good at some things (like making highlight hits on special teams or taking advantage of holes in blocking schemes) and he’s bad at other things (shedding blocks, stopping runs aimed at him, pursuit in general).

And the Colts love this guy. Not only is he on every special team, he plays defensive tackle, defensive end, fullback and even tight end. But, if you ask me, he’s not really all that good at any of them. Still, he’s a fan and management favorite and he offers depth at a number of positions, so you can expect to see him around for a while. But if you see him playing regularly on defense, you know that all else has failed.

Note: The following players also started at defensive tackle for the Colts: Ed Johnson (one game, 0-1 RDT), Josh Thomas (one game, 1-0 RDT) and Raheem Brock (one game, 0-1 LDT). Johnson is no longer with the team, while Brock and Thomas are ends who are really only suited to play tackle on third downs. Thomas is an unrestricted free agent as of writing.

How does this affect the draft and free agency?

No position is harder to predict than defensive tackle. And every Colts’ fan has a different — and often loud — opinion there. So let’s look at it analytically.

What the Colts already have: When the dust finally settled at the end of the 2008 season, the defensive tackles were playing at a decent level. Johnson has become something of an anchor on the right, while Dawson (when he was healthy enough) and Foster added a little spark from the left. They were hammered a little in the playoff loss, but I think a lot of that had to do with: a) the Colts’ offense leaving the tired and beaten-up defense on the field too long, and b) the Colts’ coaching staff’s inability to come up with schemes to adapt to the special abilities of Chargers’ microback Darren Sproles. Could you go into battle with Johnson at one tackle, Dawson and Foster alternating at the other, Raheem Brock spelling Johnson on obvious passing downs and Muir backing them all up? I think you could. It wouldn’t be ideal, but you could.

Polian’s history of acquiring defensive tackles from other teams: The one position Polian has shown a willing to pay for other teams’ players has been at defensive tackle — probably because the Colts are usually desperate at the position. He’s done it on three noteworthy occasions: signing Corey Simon from Philadelphia in 2005, trading a second-round pick to Tampa Bay in 2006 for Booger McFarland and trading a fourth rounder to Buffalo in 2008 for John McCargo.

For those who don’t remember, Simon played one season and looked great for a few games before getting fat and crazy and was run out of town clutching bags of money in his hands. McFarland played one season (they did win the Super Bowl that year), before an injury ended his career. McCargo failed his physical and was sent back to Buffalo.

So what have we learned from this? If Polian’s back is to the wall, he will move. But I’m not sure that he thinks his back is to the wall. And, of the three guys he did acquire in the past, only McFarland wasn’t an out-and-out fiasco and even he was only a qualified success.

I think Colts fans can forget about acquiring Haynesworth as a free agent. As delightful as it would be for so many reasons, they just don’t have the cap room, and I’m not even sure they would invest that much money in the position even if they could. There’s an outside chance they could pursue a lower-level free agent like Jonathan Babineaux, but I wouldn’t hold my breath.

Notes: The Colts paid Simon $5,842,500 not to play last season. The pick traded to Tampa Bay for McFarland resulted in starting safety Sabby Piscitelli. The pick traded for McCargo was returned to the Colts.

How about the draft: When was the last time Polian drafted a defensive tackle in the first round? It’s a trick question, because the answer is never — not with the Colts, Panthers or Bills. And the Colts haven’t drafted a defensive tackle in the first round since they grabbed Ellis Johnson in 1995. He was pretty good at best.

Let’s look at the defensive tackles drafted in the first round over the last ten years, and see what the Colts have been missing:

2008: Glenn Dorsey Chiefs LSU, Sedrick Ellis Saints USC, Kentwan Ballmer 49ers North Carolina
2007: Amobi Okoye Texans Louisville, Justin Harrell Packers Tennessee
2006: Haloti Ngata Ravens Oregon, Brodrick Bunkley Eagles Florida State, John McCargo Bills North Carolina State
2005: Travis Johnson Texans Florida State, Mike Patterson Eagles USC
2004: Tommie Harris Bears Oklahoma, Vince Wilfork Patriots Miami, Marcus Tubbs Seahawks Texas
2003: Dewayne Robertson Jets Kentucky, Johnathan Sullivan Saints Georgia, Jimmy Kennedy Rams Penn State, William Joseph Giants Miami
2002: Ryan Sims Chiefs North Carolina, John Henderson Jaguars Tennessee, Wendell Bryant Cardinals Wisconsin, Albert Haynesworth Titans Tennessee
2001: Gerard Warren Browns Florida, Damione Lewis Rams Miami, Marcus Stroud Jaguars Georgia, Casey Hampton Steelers Texas
2000: Corey Simon Eagles Florida State, Chris Hovan Vikings Boston College
1999: Anthony McFarland Buccaneers Louisiana State, Reggie McGrew 49ers Florida
1998: Jason Peter Panthers Nebraska, Vonnie Holliday Packers North Carolina

Of the 31, I’d call 10 (almost a third!) absolute busts — Peter, McGrew, Warren, Bryant, Sims, Joseph. Kennedy, Sullivan, Robertson and McCargo. And just six (less than 20 percent) to be true successes — McFarland, Hampton, Stroud, Haynesworth, Henderson and Wilfork. The rest fell somewhere in between.

The sad truth is that there are just very few human beings big, fast, athletic and mean enough to play the position. The result is that teams are generally forced to pay too much — in terms of both cash and draft picks — for them. For the most part, Polian has wisely managed to stay out of the top end of the market. Instead he has spent whatever picks and cap space left over after the offense has been at them on ends, corners and middle linebackers.

Besides, I believe that Polian believes that the shortest way to get the Colts back to the Super Bowl is to fix the offense (which was 31st in the league running that ball) before fixing the defense (which was 24th in stopping the run).

So, although 90 percent of fans and a similar proportion of "draft experts" will disagree, I sincerely doubt the Colts will draft a defensive tackle in the first round.

Conclusion: So, if the Colts’ defensive tackle savior isn’t on the roster, isn’t likely to be bought in free agency and won’t be found in the first round, where will be come from? Well, it may not be a popular opinion, but I think the Colts will continue to do business as usual. They will enter camp with Johnson holding the starting spot on the right, and Dawson and/or Foster on the left. They will be joined by Brock on third downs and Muir will back them all up. And Polian will bring in one or two second-day draft picks, hoping to find someone who'll make an impact.

The Colts like hard-working athletic guys who can be creative with their pass-rushing moves. A couple of guys I’ve seen who fit the Colts’ bill are LSU’s Ricky Jean-Francois, Iowa’s Mitch King and Cincinnati’s Terrill Byrd.

Defensive tackles drafted by the Colts since Polian took over

2007 Third round Quinn Pitcock
2007 Seventh round Keyunta Dawson
2005 Third round Vincent Burns
2002 Second round Larry Tripplett
2002 Sixth round David Pugh
2002 Seventh round Josh Mallard
2000 Fourth round Josh Williams
2000 Seventh round Rob Renes

Pass rusher comparo

Remember the Rolaids relief rankings? They’d give every relief pitcher in the majors something like three points for a save and one for a win and they’d deduct two for a blown save? Hey look, they still do. Well, here’s ColtPower’s version for pass rushers. I give two points for a sack and one for a pressure.

Defensive linemen
Dwight Freeney (above) 10.5 and 33 for 54
Robert Mathis 11.5 and 16 for 39
Raheem Brock 3.5 and 8 for 15
Eric Foster 0 and 6 for 6
Marcus Howard 1.5 and 3 for 6
Josh Thomas 0 and 5 for 5
Darrell Reid 2 and 0 for 4
Keyunta Dawson 0 and 3 for 3
Curtis Johnson 1 and 0 for 2
Daniel Muir 0 and 2 for 2
Antonio Johnson 0 and 1 for 1
Ed Johnson 0 and 1 for 1
Note: Ed Johnson is no longer with the Colts

Linebackers
Gary Brackett 0 and 2 for 2
Freddy Keiaho 0 and 2 for 2

Defensive backs
Melvin Bullitt 0 and 1 for 1
Tim Jennings 0 and 1 for 1

Conclusions
• Freeney and Mathis are awesome
• Brock, who plays end most of the time and tackle on 3rd downs, gets some push; he also helps keep Mathis fresh
• The actual defensive tackles contributed just about nothing
• The young rushers haven’t developed yet (virtually all of their production came in Game 16, when scrubs played on both sides)
• While I knew the Colts blitzed less than any team in the league and I haven’t seen the 2008 metrics yet, I am shocked by how little pressure they got from non-defensive linemen — six pressures and not a single sack.

Know Your Colts: Inside Linebackers

This is No. 4 in the Know Your Colts series. This one deals with the inside linebackers.


58 Gary Brackett
Numbers: 5110/237/4.75e in 03
2008 stats: 12 GP/12 GS (8-4 MLB), 62 TK, 51 AT, 1-1 TFL, 2 QBH, 2 PBU, 1 FF, 1 FR, 1-5 PEN
2008 preseason stats: 3 GP/3 GS, 4 TK, 2 AT, 0.5-0.5 TFL
Status: Signed through 2009

There’s very little to write about Brackett that Colts fans don’t already know. He’s a tackling machine tailor-made for the Colts defense. He plays against the run with quiet efficiency, and is one of the NFL’s best at his position in zone coverage. He does everything, even the little things, right and leaves everything on the field on every play.

That said, he can get caught up in the wrestling matches inside and erased fairly easily. He’s getting older, he’s one of the most highly paid Colts, and he’s an unrestricted free agent after next season.

Although history indicates the Colts let linebackers go when they get too expensive, I think that’s only true of the outside guys. Brackett is too important to the team, both from a physical standpoint (his production would be hard to replace) and from the emotional. Brackett was named captain of the defense, and is one of the most admired of all Colts players. A loyal sort, he’d also probably sign in Indy for less than his market value. Besides, there does not appear to be an in-house candidate to replace him (but more on that later).


52 Buster Davis
Numbers: 5093/239/4.64c4.74pd in 07
2008 stats: 4 GP/3 GS (3-0 MLB), 16 TK, 10 AT, 1-5 PEN
2008 preseason stats: 4 GP/1 GS 9 TK, 2 AT, 3 STT with Detroit Lions
Status: Signed through 2009

One of the most relentlessly hyped college players in recent memory, Davis has been a washout so far in his pro career. His story is an object lesson in projecting college production into the pros.

Drafted in the third round by the Cardinals in 2007, he was cut before the season started. They didn’t attempt to sign him to the practice squad, but a few days later, the linebacker-poor Lions did. They promoted him to the active roster for the last game of their 2007 season, and he played on specials, returning an onside kick one yard.

The Lions — yes, the Lions who would later go 0-16 — cut him and the injury-riddled Colts picked him up. When an injury stuck Brackett, the Colts started Davis in his place. At the time, some said it was a slap in the face to veteran No. 4 linebacker Tyjuan Hagler, but if I recall correctly, he was fighting injuries of his own. The Colts went 3-0 with Davis in the middle, but it was more in spite of him than because of him. He was benched in two of those three games (weakside starter Freddy Keiaho slid over to the middle, with ailing Hagler taking his spot) and played sparingly in the playoff game, making no impact.

Though not a bad tackler technically and plenty quick, Davis looked lost in play recognition and was a dud in coverage. He took some pretty strange angles in the running game and spent an alarming amount of time on the ground. I have a theory as to why Davis is not a good pro linebacker, besides the mental aspect. He seems to me to be top heavy. He has a great big upper body on legs that are much thinner than you’d expect. That makes it hard for him to change direction quickly because his feet move in one direction and inertia carries his upper half in another.

It would appear that Davis has failed his audition at middle linebacker and, since he really doesn’t offer much on special teams, I’d be surprised if he’s invited back. He could well have a future in the NFL, but it doesn’t look like it will happen in Indianapolis.

Mike Okwo
Numbers: 5113, 232/4.70c4.65pd in 07
2008 stats: None
2008 preseason stats: 3 GP/0 GS, 5 TK, 1 PBU

Another short, stocky linebacker taken in the same third round as Davis, Okwo was also a surprise cut by the team that selected him, although Okwo at least got a year on injured reserve before the Bears got rid of him.

I remember his well from college where he was the best player on a bad Stanford defense. Although he was very blockable, he showed good instincts and zip, he generally knew where the ball was, kept square and was a competent, if not frightening, tackler. He was rarely asked to do anything strenuous in coverage and showed little as a blitzer. I thought he had NFL potential, but was surprised he was drafted as high as he was.

What Okwo offers as an NFL linebacker remains to be seen, and I wouldn’t hold my breath for him to develop. But in his first two seasons with the Cardinal, he was something of a special-teams demon, getting downfield quickly and specializing in blocking kicks. It’s likely that particular skill would transfer well to the NFL. Despite the fact that the Colts have been very weak on special teams in recent years, I’m not sure they would devote a roster spot for such a player. Of course, if he showed he could play a little linebacker, things could be different.

How this affects the draft and free agency

I think Davis’s chances of taking over for Brackett any time soon are close to nil, and Okwo’s are only slightly less remote.

So to understand how things will work out inside, you have to pay attention to how things work outside. Weakside starter Keiaho — who probably could start and be okay for the Colts inside — is likely to leave as a free agent after this season. And Hagler, who also has some ability to play inside, will probably be gone before the 2009 season starts.

That would lead to two realistic scenarios: either Jordan Senn takes over Keiaho’s spot, or Clint Session slides over from the strongside and Philip Wheeler takes his spot.

Of course Wheeler could also be in the mix at middle linebacker (after all, he played better inside than outside at Georgia Tech), but I wouldn’t count on it. While Wheeler has undeniable skills, I think he’s better suited to an outside position in the Colts’ complicated defense. He just doesn’t have the quick, analytical mind Brackett possesses — and the Colts have come to depend on.

So right now the cupboard is bare for middle linebacker depth, and the Colts would still like to find someone with a chance to eventually take over for Brackett. Almost certainly, that means the draft. But it should be kept in mind that such linebackers are rare. Brackett himself was an undrafted walk-on at Rutgers who wasn’t mentioned in any draft guide or site that I ever saw, so the Colts could go just about anywhere to find his replacement.

One middle linebacker who has show great football smarts and coverage abilities is Miami of Ohio’s Joey Hudson. If he’s over his shoulder injury, he could be an interesting pick.

Linebackers selected by the Colts since Polian took over

2008 Third round Philip Wheeler
2007 Fourth round Clint Session
2006 Third round Freddie Keiaho
2005 Fifth round Tyjuan Hagler
2004 Third round Gilbert Gardner
2004 Fourth round Kendyll Pope
2003 Fifth round Keyon Whiteside
2003 Sixth round Cato June
2002 Fourth round David Thorton
2000 First round Rob Morris
2000 Second round Marcus Washington
1999 Second round Mike Peterson
1998 Fifth round Antony Jordan

Note: Tony Dungy brought the Cover-2 defense to Indy in 2002, and the Colts have not drafted a linebacker in the first or second round since.

The curse of the third round

People talk about Bill Polian’s poor record in the third round, so I thought ColtPlay should take a look.

Polian’s third-round picks with the Colts:

2008 93rd pick Philip Wheeler LB Georgia Tech
• jury’s still out, but so far he looks pretty good
2007 95th pick Daymeion Hughes DB California
• bumped from No. 4 corner spot by waiver-wire pickup Keiwan Ratliff, and is in danger of losing his roster spot
2007 98th pick Quinn Pitcock DT Ohio State
• retired unexpectedly after promising rookie season
2006 94th pick Freddie Keiaho LB San Diego State
• quality starter who could play for just about team
2005 92nd pick Vincent ‘Sweet Pea’ Burns DE Kentucky
• hailed as the next John Randle, Burns was ineffective the few times he was healthy enough to play; recorded zero tackles in two NFL seasons
2004 68th pick Ben Hartsock TE Ohio State
• rarely played behind Marcus Pollard and Dallas Clark, he later signed with Tennessee and then later Atlanta; In six NFL seasons, he has caught 27-273-0, including just 6-41-0 in three seasons with the Colts
2004 69th pick Gilbert Gardner (left) LB Purdue

• played a lot for the Colts early in his career, but didn’t distinguish himself; later bounced around with Tennessee, Detroit and, finally, Chicago; in the last three seasons, he has played in 16 games, starting none
2003 90th pick Donald Strickland DB Colorado
• played okay for the Colts before he made a big stink about being healthy enough to play while on IR, which forced the Colts to waive him, he later played a bit with the Eagles and 49ers — he’s still there, and even starts from time to time
2002 74th pick Joseph Jefferson DB Western Kentucky
• big, fast small-schooler showed flashes of greatness, but couldn’t stay healthy enough to contribute; played 27 of a possible 64 games
2001 91st pick Cory Bird DB Virginia Tech
• decent special teamer was too sloppy in coverage to play much on defense; played 45 games for Colts, starting eight
2000 91st pick David Macklin DB Penn State
• spent four years with Colts as an on-again, off-again starter, bounced around with Arizona, Washington, St. Louis and Kansas City, where he’s now the No. 5 corner
1999 63rd pick Brandon Burlsworth G Arkansas
• a tragic fatal accident prevented Burlsworth from ever playing a down with the Colts
1998 71st pick E.G. Green WR Florida State
• another promising player whose career was derailed by injury — caught 54-665-2 in three seasons with the Colts

Polian’s third-round picks with Carolina

1997 87th pick Kinnon Tatum LB Notre Dame
1996 73rd pick Winslow Oliver RB New Mexico
1996 88th pick J.C. Price DT Virginia Tech

Polian’s third-round picks with Buffalo

1992 83rd pick Keith Goganious LB Penn State
1991 82nd pick Darryl Wren DB Pittsburg State
1990 69th pick Glenn Parker T Arizona
1988 65th pick Bernard Fored WR Central Florida
1987 60th pick David Brandon LB Memphis State
1987 78th pick Jamie Mueller RB Benedictine
1986 77th pick Leonard Burton C South Carolina

Conclusion

We’ll I’ll be damned. Polian really has been absolutely horrible in the third round. If you subtract Wheeler because it’s too early to tell how good he is, the master evaluator has hit on just two (Keiaho and Parker) of 23 third-round picks. There were some okay players (like Macklin, Strickland and Mueller) and there were some if-only players (Jefferson, Green) and there was one nobody-could-have-predicted (Burlsworth), but when it comes down to it, the third round has been a dead zone for Polian.

So does that mean we should just forget any player Polian drafts in the third round this year? Quite the opposite — he’s due.

Coyer the Destroyer?

If the Colts have name Larry Coyer (left) as their new defensive coordinator, then what does that mean for personnel decisions? Business as usual.