Pro-Colts Stuff: December 16, 2007-May 31, 2008

Hey, readers. This is the last blog that will be written for Pro-Colts Stuff. Good news is, I'm not done blogging about the Colts. I have moved up from a small blogger account to a new network of team-specific bloggers.

Naptown's Finest is the new location of my blog. It is a part of the Fansided blog network. You should check out Naptown's Finest and other Fansided blogs. They are all top-notch and well written by dedicated bloggers. So if you are a blogger who has a link to this site on your blog, change it to Naptown's Finest. If you have been following my blog for a while now or like what you have seen, check out Naptown's Finest. My stuff is posted under the name "Sam".

This blog has been retired. I like Pro-Colts Stuff. I liked the layout and I liked the name, but Naptown's Finest is a better opportunity for me to get readers and a little cash on the side.

Check out Naptown's Finest!

Polian The Draft Genius: 1998

Bill Polian is the best drafting GM in NFL history. No question there. He consistently gets steals from later rounds and great signings from undrafted free agency. In this 10 part series, we will look at the future Hall of Fame GM and his draft track record to show that he is, in fact, the greatest of all-time.


1998 was a huge draft for the Colts. They had the first pick, and Ryan Leaf and Peyton Manning were the two stars of this draft. Ryan Leaf was the larger-than-life personality from Washington State. Peyton Manning was the son of an NFL legend who kept to himself off the field. Polian was starting his first draft as the Colts GM. Let's look at the picks he made and how they turned out.


Rd. 1, Pick 1: Peyton Manning/QB/Tennessee


Next 3 Picks: Ryan Leaf/QB/Washington State, Andre Wadsworth/DE/Florida State, Charles Woodson/CB/Michigan


Looking Back: We were so close to being stuck in the top 5 of the draft for 11 years. There wouldn't be a Super Bowl XLI banner hanging anywhere close to Indianapolis. Hell, there may not even be an NFL team in Indianapolis if Polian would have taken Ryan Leaf, the bust of all busts. Peyton Manning is going to end his career with every notable passing record and with multiple Super Bowl victories. Ryan Leaf is the golf coach at West Texas A&M. What a relief...


Rd. 2, Pick 32: Jerome Pathon/WR/Washington


Next 3 Picks: Corey Chavous/S/Vanderbilt, Jacquez Green/WR/Florida, Tony Parrish/S/Washington


Looking Back: Could have done better. Pathon had two 50 reception seasons with the Colts even though he only played 3 years with the team. He was a mediocre kick returner, only getting one return over 40 yards in 3 seasons with the Colts. He was a decent slot receiver for the young Colts offense of the late 90s, but Chavous and Flozell Adams, two future Pro Bowlers taken within the next 10 picks, would have been much better options.


Rd. 3 Pick 71: E.G. Green/WR/Florida State


Next 3 Picks: Jeremiah Trotter/LB/Stephen F. Austin, Mitch Marrow/DT/Penn, Jammi German/WR/Miami


Looking Back: Can you tell Polian wanted to get the offense rolling? Green was not the best choice right there. It's a good thing Polian drafted Peyton, or else this draft would be left off of his track record. Green played 3 seasons in the NFL, all with the Colts. He only scored 2 touchdowns and never caught more than 25 passes. Hines Ward was the best receiver taken in the third round after the Colts.


Rd. 4 Pick 93: Steve McKinney/C/Texas A&M


Next 3 Picks: Alonzo Mayes/TE/Oklahoma State, Michael Pittman/RB/Fresno State, Az-Zahir Hakim/WR/San Diego State


Looking Back: Finally a strong pick here. McKinney was a solid guard for the Colts for 4 seasons. He helped keep Peyton Manning standing up, which was helpful in his quick development. McKinney is still playing in the NFL today, unlike Green and Pathon.


Rd. 5 Pick 135: Antony Jordan/LB/Vanderbilt


Next 3 Picks: Jerry Jenson/LB/Washington, Jason Simmons/DB/Arizona State, Oliver Ross/OT/Iowa State


Looking Back: Not much to say here. Jordan doesn't have a Wikipedia page and pro-football-reference.com doesn't have his stats. Of course, with the talent left in the draft, this isn't a horrible pick.


Rd. 7 Pick 190: Aaron Taylor/C/Nebraska


Next 3 Picks: David Terrell/DB/UTEP, Alvis Whitted/WR/North Carolina State, Phil Savoy/WR/Colorado


Looking Back: Taylor did not play a game with the Colts, but he had a minorly successful career with the Packers and Chargers that lasted for 5 years. There were no Pro Bowlers left, so the Colts didn't miss out on much.

Rd. 7 Pick 231: Corey Gaines/S/Tennessee


Next 3 Picks: Moses Moreno/QB/Colorado State, Ron James/FB/Miami, Kio Sanford/WR/Kentucky


Looking Back: Gaines doesn't have a Wikipedia page or a pro-football-reference.com page. That pretty much explains this pick.


Grade: I give the Colts a B for this draft. Sure, 5 picks were crap, but the Peyton pick at least has to give this a B, and McKinney solidifies this grade. If this draft looks mediocre to you, remember this. Ryan Leaf could have worn a Colts jersey. Think of how frightening this image is.

That is a horrifyingly real picture from deadspin.com. It was probably taken at a photoshoot so there could be pictures to market immediately after the draft. I should have warned you guys about the gruesome image above. Thank Polian for this not happening.

Looking Forward to 2008: Running Backs

The Running back position was a bit of a concern coming into this offseason. Joseph Addai struggled big time at the end of the year, and Kenton Keith got arrested. However, the Colts have completely changed that around, and now running back may be the best position on the roster. Here is the rundown on the running back position for the 2008 Indianapolis Colts

Joseph Addai

Addai is coming off of a Pro Bowl year where he started out as an elite running back and ended as a mediocre one. After his amazing game against the Patriots, he faltered due to injuries on the offensive line and wear and tear on the body. However, now he has a great supporting cast around him, and he is ready to destroy the competition.

Joseph Addai had 704 yards in his first 7 games. In the last 8, he had 368. The teams he played against in the second half were not much better than the ones the Colts played in the first half. Addai is one of the most talented backs in the league with a perfect combination of power and speed. That goes well with his pass catching ability and goal line running.

Addai took 58% of the team's carries. That is too much for a player who has never been the main back. For a good comparison of what should be expected of the Colts rushing game next year, look no further than the Minnesota Vikings.

Adrian Peterson took 48% of the team's total caries. Chester Taylor took 31%. That has to be the Colts. Give Joseph Addai 48% of the carries and give Dominic Rhodes 31%. Mike Hart can take the other 21% or split it with Luke Lawton or Kenton Keith. With this carry split, this is what I expect Joseph Addai's stats to look like.

1064 rushing yards, 6 rushing touchdowns, 426 receiving yards, 37 receptions, 1 receiving touchdown

Dominic Rhodes

Yes, he is back, and I could not be more excited. I will admit it. I was not a Dominic Rhodes fan at all when he played here. However, it was unnatural for him not to be in a Colts uniform last year. Part of the team was missing when he was gone. Now, he is entering his prime, and this will be his best year of his career.

Dominic Rhodes will make the roster this year. There is no doubt in my mind. The media and fans have been assuming that he is involved in the running back competition. He's not. Rhodes is going to play second-fiddle to Addai, like he did in the 2007 playoffs. I expect Rhodes to put up similar numbers to his playoff stats.

Rhodes, the hero of Super Bowl XLI, is getting the veteran's minimum, and he will earn every penny. Rhodes will be great as a change of pace back. Expect the Colts running game to look more like XLI than the second half of the 2007 season. Here is what I expect Rhodes' stats to look like.

585 rushing yards, 3 rushing touchdowns, 197 receiving yards, 19 receptions, 0 receiving touchdowns.

Mike Hart

The Colts don't usually do sexy picks. The Colts don't have a Heisman winner on their roster. Gonzalez was Ted Ginn's understudy. Addai was unknown compared to LenDale White, who was passed on in favor of Joseph. Bob Sanders and Marlin Jackson were role players for great defenses. However, Hart is the Heisman contending, big name from a big school stud the Colts haven't drafted in a long, long time.

Hart was a big name back who just fell down draft boards. Division 1-AA players were taken ahead of him. No names went before him. Finding hidden gems has become more important than drafting proven studs.

Hart will make the roster over Kenton Keith. Keith is a determined blocker, and he can receive out of the backfield. Keith has butter fingers and is a nonfactor blocking. Hart never fumbles the ball, so he will be valuable in close games. I expect him to get 15% of the carries next year, and I also expect his stats to look like this.

270 yards, 3 rushing touchdowns, 242 receiving yards, 14 receptions, 3 receiving touchdowns.

The Roster Cuts

Here are a list of players I do not expect to make the roster.

Kenton Keith, Luke Lawton, Chad Simpson, Clift Dawson, Justise Hairston.

Keith will end missing the cut, and I do not see him sticking around on the practice squad. He knows he can play somewhere else. Let him. I could see Detroit, Kansas City, or Arizona pursuing Keith. Keith played well this season, but his arrest and more importantly, his drop in the San Diego game, cost him his job.

Luke Lawton is a fairly popular player with the Colts. However, the Colts don't need a fullback. The H-back takes the place of a fullback. Santi and Tamme will take up the roster spot normally given to the fullback. Lawton can find a job on another team. Minnesota and San Diego are both in need of a fullback. They could come calling. If not, there is always the Arena League, where his style prospers in the backfield.

Simpson is my surprise pick for the practice squad. Not only is he an accomplished runner, but he can return kicks as well. For the Colts, that can make or break who gets a roster spot. Simpson will be on the practice squad, and if there is an injury in the backfield or special teams, he will be ready to step up.

Dawson and Hairston both have the same problem. A lack of talent. Both look like they will have to act upon their college degrees or else try the CFL. I don't see them as NFL players.

So to recap, here is the current Colts roster after 2 positional "Looking Forwards"

QB
Peyton Manning
Adam Tafralis
Practice Squad
Jim Sorgi

RB
Joseph Addai
Dominic Rhodes
Mike Hart
Practice Squad
Chad Simpson

News Flash: Journalists Are Sissies

When Indianapolis was awarded the Super Bowl, I expected to here a lot about the weather and the "hick town" image. I didn't expect it to be this bad.

Indianapolis is a northern city (that for some reason is in the AFC South?) where it is cold and snowy throughout the entire winter. A lot of people don't mind the weather up north. It is nice sometimes when there is actually snow at Christmas, or leaving parties late at night require you to wear a coat. However, the fan and media reaction outside of Indiana has shown me what the rest of America is. Sissies.

The average temperature in February in Indianapolis is below freezing. It can be really cold. It gets icy, and I have gotten a few bruises on my ass over the years. Of course, the fans and media are acting like Indiana is located in Antarctica, not the United States.

Gene Wojciechowski wrote an article about how disappointed he was in the owners' awarding of the Super Bowl to Indianapolis. Apparently, Wojisacowski forgot that he works in Connecticut, where I believe it is in fact colder than Indianapolis. He is carrying on like a five-year-old girl about how cold it will be and how he will have to wear a coat and all that crap. Seriously, Wojciblablaski, act like a man.

In other business at the league meetings, NFL owners voted to play the 2012
Super Bowl in Indianapolis, beating out Glendale, Ariz., and Houston."

Indianapolis? You mean, the Indianapolis in Indiana? The place where the
low was 26 degrees with a trace of snow on Super Bowl Sunday this year?

I don't get it. Playing in a Super Bowl is supposed to be a reward, not
a reason to visit your local North Face outlet. And attending a Super Bowl as a
fan is supposed to be the experience of a lifetime, a chance to break out
multiple bottles of SPF 30.

The only things you'll break out in Indy are
space heaters.

So I guess you are saying playing in the Super Bowl is only a reward if it is nice weather? It was a punishment for Jerome Bettis to go to Detroit and get his Super Bowl ring? It was a punishment for Tony Dungy and Lovie Smith to go to Miami during a monsoon and be the first black head coaches to coach in a Super Bowl? Wow, Wojihavenoballski. Stop acting like a prissy little girl and realize that the game is what matters. The game will be played inside if there is bad weather.

I've got nothing against Indianapolis. It's a lovely place to hold car races, a
Final Four, even an NBA All-Star Game every few decades or so. Plus, you can
never go wrong at that downtown Steak 'n Shake.

Gene: You are supposed to patronize us before you insult our city, not after. You apparently do have something against Indiana and the north. You act like you will be going to the pits of hell in 2012, not a nice city that has success with big events. I do have to agree with you about the downtown Steak 'n Shake, though. That place is awesome after games.

And according to The Indianapolis Star, the city's Super Bowl organizing
committee has received $25 million in pledges to build, among other things, an
east-side neighborhood athletic facility, which will be used by the AFC and NFC
champions during the week and then given to a city high school.

The
newspaper also reported that as part of the bid, the committee will provide each
of the 32 NFL owners with "personal concierges" during Super Bowl week. That
makes sense. The concierges will help arrange private dinner reservations,
choose the proper evening parka and forage for firewood.

I would have
voted for New Orleans. I would have voted for Glendale. For San Diego. For
Mexico City. I would have voted for anyplace where you can't buy a snowblower.

Instead, we got Indianapolis. Congratulations.

Here's hoping for
an NFL labor strike in 2011.

1) That first paragraph makes no sense there in the article. Is it a bad thing that people donated money to help rebuild a bad neighborhood and help a very poor community? I don't get it.

2) Parka? Firewood? Indianapolis is, in fact, in the 21st century where you are. Not the 18th when you were born, Wojichexmixski.

3) Mexico City? There is a 95% chance you will be kidnapped there. Gene, you would rather be kidnapped by Mexican bandits than stay a week in a cold-weather city? Go ahead. I'm sure not too many people will miss your senile ramblings on ESPN.com.

4) You are hoping for a labor strike so you don't have to go to Indianapolis. Are you freakin' kidding me? Your job is covering the NFL! You would rather be out of a job than go to Indianapolis? This collumn was so laughably bad, I'm not sure whether to be pissed that you say I live in a city where it is better to not have a job than to come here or to laugh at your inability to make a quality article.

I'm a doctor, you know. I'll send you a prescription for two testicles, and you can get that filled out at any time you want. Before February 2012 will work best.

Here's a big F U, to you, Gene Wojimadoucheski.

The Super Bowl Is Coming to Indianapolis

http://www.nfl.com/news/story;jsessionid=0DAD14838662D80B3805451E653C49DD?id=09000d5d80869c8b&template=with-video&confirm=true

The 2012 Super Bowl will be held at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, Indiana. For Indianapolis, this is the biggest thing to happen to the city since the Colts moved here. The economic factor from this is going to change the city in almost every way.

The Super Bowl Village that will be built will be one of the coolest things you can find in a metropolitan area. However, the biggest effect will happen outside of the downtown area.

With this Super Bowl, the Near East Side is going to be rebuilt. The east side is the ghetto of Indianapolis, and it is not one of the proudest areas of the city. With the money the city got from the NFL and anonymous business donors, that will be changing as neighborhoods and the local high school, Tech High, will be built into an area that can be embraced by the city.

The 2012 Super Bowl is going to be a huge event that should leave a lasting memory on the city of Indianapolis.

Marvin Reports And Other Minicamp News

Marvin Harrison reported to minicamp. Not even a shooting he was indirectly involved in can't keep him away. Of course, he did not participate. He is recovering from his knee injury and his arthroscopic surgery on his other knee.

Harrison will NEVER be charged in this case. He did not pull the trigger. He is not guilty of this crime. The conflicting reports automatically make this case ridiculous. I've lost track of them. The kid who got hurt was a boy, not a girl as previously stated, and was hit under the eye, not in the eye. There isn't this third victim who could identify Marvin as the shooter. Marvin was not under a hit because of his dad. His dad has been dead for decades. This case is closed. However, it did ruin his reputation in the eyes of idiots who want the Colts to sink to the level of other, less honorable teams.

In other news,

~Bob Sanders and Dwight Freeney did not play because of their surgeries. Sanders had his yearly surgery, this time on his shoulder. Freeney is still recovering from the Lis Franc injury.

~Marcus Howard is out. It was not disclosed as to why.

~Ryan Lilja, Michael Coe, Gary Brackett, and TJ Rushing also missed. Brackett and Coe were undisclosed. Lilja has a knee injury, and Rushing has a pectoral injury. Rushing cannot miss too much time. He has a lot of competition for the kick return job.

~Dominic Rhodes is wearing number 38. Melvin Bullitt wears his previous number 33 now. The picture of Rhodes with the 38 jersey looks really weird.

Gridiron News: May 14th

I'm pretty bored right now, so I will just talk about the teams who aren't the Colts.

~Spygate is coming to an end. Of course, Arlen Spector is trying his hardest to keep it alive. Way to go Pennsylvania. You couldn't elect a person who cared more about the government than football. I'm disappointed that there are no more punishments, and it really shows the weakness of Roger Goodell. They lose 1 million dollars and 1 first round pick for taping one game, but then when dozens more come including offensive signals and a playoff game, nothing more happens. I would definitely take 3 Super Bowl rings for just a loss of a first rounder and a million dollars. Belichick and the Patriots will end up getting the Barry Bonds treatment with the acknowledgment that their Super Bowl championships are tainted.

~Kenny Wright was cut by the Browns for his arrest last month. There was a disturbance and the police were called. When the cops came to confront Wright, he ran away. The police found an ounce of Mary Jane is his car as well. I don't think he would have been cut if he didn't run away like a wimp. Why would you do that? The police will catch you. This isn't the south in the 60s with moonshine. You can't get away. The NFL is gaining the thug league moniker the NBA has received from the fans and media.

~Terrell Suggs and the Ravens have gotten into a dispute with his franchise tag. The Ravens tagged him as a linebacker, but he wanted the defensive end tag, which earns almost 1 million dollars more. Suggs is a hybird defensive end/outside linebacker. I think it may be time to make that its own position and give it its own tag. This is going to be a frustrating ordeal for the Ravens and Suggs.

There you go. PCS's first Gridiron News.

A Look Forward to 2008: Quarterbacks

Quarterback. It's been a position of no need for the Colts since 1998. There haven't been QB races in training camp or injuries to worry about. Peyton Manning's backups are seen as often as Ryan Leaf or Jeff George. However, Peyton does not have more than 10 years left, and that is being generous. If there would be a problem with Peyton, who would step up? Well, here is a rundown of the quarterback position for the Indianapolis Colts.

Peyton Manning

Peyton Manning is entering his 11th season in the NFL and on the Indianapolis Colts. Manning has never missed a start in his NFL career, and he has only missed one play because of injury. Over his career, Peyton has put up some of the top numbers of the decade, broken multiple records, and won multiple awards. Manning has been to 8 Pro Bowls, has been All-Pro 6 times, MVP twice, and the Pro Bowl MVP and Super Bowl MVP once.

Peyton Manning is coming off of a great season when you look at whom he had. He was missing Marvin Harrison and Anthony Gonzalez for a large portion of the season, and Joseph Addai, Dallas Clark, and Ben Utecht also missed games this year. Now, Peyton will have his full arsenal and is looking to lead the Colts offense back to the top of the NFL rankings.

Last year, the Colts had 4 losses with Peyton playing 4 quarters in three of them. Those three games were against teams who have a 3-4 defense. In those games, Peyton threw 9 interceptions and had a 63% completion percentage. This season, the Colts play four teams who have some sort of a 3-4 defense: The Browns, Steelers, Patriots, and Chargers. Last year, the Browns defense was inept, and they didn't do much to change that. The Steelers with Mike Tomlin are transitioning to a 4-3 Tampa 2 defense, but they still have players who were drafted and signed for the 3-4 defense. The Patriots defense is still old, but they did draft multiple defensive players. The Chargers defense did not change at all this offseason.

The Colts play 3 games against top 5 defenses (Steelers, Patriots, Chargers), 5 more games against defenses ranked 6-10 (Titans x2, Jaguars x2, Packers), 1 defense ranked 11-15 (Vikings), 1 ranked 16-20 (Bears), 5 against defenses ranked 21-25 (Texans x2, Browns, Ravens, Bengals), and 1 game against the league's worst defense (Lions). The Colts have a tough schedule, but the passing defenses for these teams are not as good, as only the Steelers, Patriots, and Titans have top 10 pass defenses. The Lions, Bengals, Vikings, Bears, Ravens, Browns, and Texans all have pass defenses ranked 20th or lower.
My Stat Prediction for Manning: 66.4% completion percentage, 35 touchdown passes, 11 interceptions, 17 sacks, 4305 passing yards, 104.5 passer Rating

Jim SorgiJim Sorgi has been the resident bench warmer for the Colts since 2004. However, his job is in jeopardy. The Colts are not happy about his performance last year in the Tennessee game. This year will be his first year in a while when his job is truly in jeopardy. As you can see by the picture above, he has even picked up a second job as a Maytag repairman just in case he gets cut.
Sorgi last year had a 68.3 passer rating in the Tennessee game. Previous to Sorgi coming in, Manning was tearing apart that defense. Sure, Sorgi was throwing to Devin Aromashodu and Craphonso Thorpe, but could he really keep this team in the playoff hunt if Manning got hurt? I didn't think so. The Colts are going to give Josh Betts and Adam Tafralis a chance, and they could try to sign or trade for someone else. Chris Simms could be a possible trade option. The only decent free agents left are Dante Culpepper and Kelly Holcomb. I think Sorgi will have to play very well this preseason to keep his job. Adam Tafralis could get the job, and Betts has as much experience in the system as Sorgi.

Chance of Keeping Job: 50%

Stats If He Does Keep Job: 53.3% completion percentage, 0 touchdown passes, 1 interception, 2 sacks, 102 passing yards, 46.8 passer rating

Josh Betts

Betts has never played in a regular season NFL game. Not once. However, he has had that number 9 jersey since 2006, when he was first signed as an undrafted free agent and has been cut and signed to the practice squad twice. He has been a preseason player since he left Miami of Ohio, where he is second on the career list for pass completions, passing yards, and passing touchdowns. In the 2007 preseason, he had 3 touchdowns, 4 interceptions, 356 passing yards, and a 60% completion percentage against the Cowboys, Bears, and Bengals.

Chance of Making Roster: 20%
Stats If He Does Make The Roster: 46% completion percentage, 0 touchdowns, 0 interceptions, 142 passing yards, 0 sacks, 60.6 passer rating

Adam Tafralis

The Colts signed an undrafted free agent out of San Jose State, and he has a great chance of making the roster. Adam Tafralis had a great junior and senior year for the Spartans. Last year, he threw 18 touchdowns and 11 interceptions. The year before that he threw 21 touchdowns and 7 interceptions. Lack of competition is the obvious concern, but last year he played great against Kansas State, and the year before that he destroyed the Washington defense. Tafralis also has pretty good legs and ran for 405 yards in the past two years. Tafralis has a quick delivery, but his lack of height is a problem. I think he should be Peyton's backup for 2008.

Chance of Making Roster: 20%
Stats If He Does Make Roster: 60% completion percentage, 1 touchdown, 1 interception, 180 yards, 74.3 passer rating

If I was Dungy, my QB roster would look like this

53 man
#18 Peyton Manning
#15 Adam Tafralis

Practice Squad
#12 Jim Sorgi

Let's Make This Official

Dominic Rhodes has signed a contract with the Colts. 1 year, $605,000. That is cheap for someone who just a year earlier should have been the Super Bowl MVP. Things keep on looking worse and worse for Kenton Keith.

Now, Roosevelt Colvin is the next big name that could be a Colt. He's expressed interest, and he owns a house in Geist.

With the Rhodes addition, the Colts now have 5 players who have played a regular season game for another team: Adam Vinatieri, Keiwan Ratliff, Luke Lawton, and Clift Dawson are the others. With the chance that Ratliff, Lawton, and Dawson won't be with the Colts (which is very likely), the Colts will only have two, and one of them started their career in Indy. The Colts are the best home grown team in the league, and this proves that free agency is just for show.

Guess Who's Back

Al Davis did the Colts a big favor by drafting Darren McFadden. Dominic Rhodes became the odd man out in Oakland behind McFadden, Justin Fargas, Lamont Jordan, and Michael Bush. Now, Rhodes is going to be wearing blue again.

As reported by Adam Schefter, Roto World and Stampede Blue, the Indianapolis Colts are very close to a deal with Dominic Rhodes to be Joseph Addai's complement back.

Here is what Rhodes did in his 5 healthy years in Indy:

550 carries, 2,274 yards, 4.1 yards per carry, 649 receiving yards, 20 total touchdowns, 13 fumbles.

The 20 total touchdowns is great for a player who was backup up Edgerrin James for three years. Rhodes will most likely be used in goal line situations where he can power his way through the line. Addai was pretty weak in the red zone last year, so Rhodes will be a great addition. Since the Colts don't have a Randy Moss-like receiver, a goal line back is the next best thing for redzone situations.

Yes, the Colts did draft Mike Hart, but he will still get some carries, and most importantly, he will have two Super Bowl-winning running backs mentoring him along the way. Kenton Keith can pack up his stuff. He's out of here.

This is what I think the carries will look like next year for the backs.

Joseph Addai: 16 carries per game
Dominic Rhodes: 10 carries per game
Mike Hart: 4 carries per game

Sure, this will most likely change depending on Mike Hart's progression or lack there of, but this could be one of the best backfields in the league. Jacksonville, Pittsburgh, the G-men, and Minnesota better watch out. The Colts are gaining on them.

Colts Roster Update

QB
Peyton Manning
Jim Sorgi

RB
Joseph Addai
Dominic Rhodes
Mike Hart

WR
Marvin Harrison
Reggie Wayne
Anthony Gonzalez
Roy Hall
Pierre Garcon

TE
Dallas Clark
Jacob Tamme
Tom Santi

LT
Tony Ugoh
Michael Toudouze

LG
Ryan Lilja
Jamey Richard

C
Jeff Saturday
Steve Justice

RG
Mike Pollack
Charlie Johnson

RT
Ryan Diem
Dan Federkiel

DE
Dwight Freeney
Robert Mathis
Josh Thomas
Marcus Howard
Curtis Johnson

DT
Ed Johnson
Raheem Brock
Quinn Pitcock
Darrell Reid
Keyunta Dawson
Colin Ferrell

OLB
Tyjuan Hagler
Freddy Keiaho
Clint Session
Ramon Guzman

MLB
Gary Brackett
Philip Wheeler

CB
Marlin Jackson
Kelvin Hayden
Tim Jennings
Dante Hughes
Michael Coe

FS
Antoine Bethea
Matt Giordano
Brandon Condren

SS
Bob Sanders
Jamie Silva

K
Adam Vinatieri

P
Hunter Smith

LS
Justin Snow

Practice Squad
QB Josh Betts
RB Kenton Keith
WR Sam Giguere
OT Darren Marquez
DT Eric Foster
LB Brandon Foster
CB Melvin BullittC
B Brandon Foster

On Stand-by
WR Devin Aromashodu
RB Luke Lawton
DE Jeff Charleston
LB Brandon Archer
CB Keiwan Ratliff

More Roster Moves

After one day of rookie minicamp, Dungy must have seen great things out of Tom Santi, Jacob Tamme, Mike Pollack, Jamey Richard and Steve Justice. The Colts have cut two veterans to make room for these kids.

Bryan Fletcher, a talented yet underperforming tight end, and Dylan Gandy, the former Jeff Saturday protege both were cut yesterday by the Colts.

Dylan Gandy was supposed to compete for the starting right guard spot. Now, he will look to make another team's roster. Gandy was a strong backup, but I would never consider him a starter. I was surprised that we cut a lineman because of the lack of depth last year. Now, it looks like the right guard spot is Mike Pollack's to lose. Charlie Johnson is his only competition. Steve Justice will be the backup center, and Jamey Richard will be Ryan Lilja's backup at left guard. The Colts should have about 9 or 10 offensive linemen when you include Dan Federkiel and Michael Toudouze.

Bryan Fletcher's release was not that surprising. There was no possible way that the Colts would have four tight ends on the roster. Jacob Tamme is an improved version of Bryan Fletcher, and Fletcher was never meant to be a blocker. He had a dropping problem, a condition that plagued almost all of the Colts receivers last year. I had never thought that Fletcher would make the 53 man roster. This comes as no surprise.

This is not the end of their careers. There are many teams that would like the services of these two. I could see a team like Houston or Oakland going after Gandy. He could really help out a young, underperforming offensive line.

Bryan Fletcher could make multiple rosters. Tennessee could be a suitor, but that's a given. Buffalo is another team that could use Fletcher. Miami could use a tight end like Fletcher.

Both of these guys should be a contributor on an NFL team.

Updated Roster

QB
Peyton Manning
Jim Sorgi

RB
Joseph Addai
Mike Hart
Kenton Keith

WR
Marvin Harrison
Reggie Wayne
Anthony Gonzalez
Roy Hall
Pierre Garcon

TE
Dallas Clark
Jacob Tamme
Tom Santi

LT
Tony Ugoh
Michael Toudouze

LG
Ryan Lilja
Jamey Richard

C
Jeff Saturday
Steve Justice

RG
Mike Pollack
Charlie Johnson

RT
Ryan Diem
Dan Federkiel

DE
Dwight Freeney
Robert Mathis
Josh Thomas
Marcus Howard
Curtis Johnson

DT
Ed Johnson
Raheem Brock
Quinn Pitcock
Darrell Reid
Keyunta Dawson
Colin Ferrell

OLB
Tyjuan Hagler
Freddy Keiaho
Clint Session
Ramon Guzman

MLB
Gary Brackett
Philip Wheeler

CB
Marlin Jackson
Kelvin Hayden
Tim Jennings
Dante Hughes
Michael Coe

FS
Antoine Bethea
Matt Giordano
Brandon Condren

SS
Bob Sanders
Jamie Silva

K
Adam Vinatieri

P
Hunter Smith

LS
Justin Snow

Practice Squad
QB Josh Betts
RB Luke Lawton
WR Sam Giguere
OT Darren Marquez
DT Eric Foster
LB Brandon Foster
CB Melvin Bullitt
CB Brandon Foster

On Stand-by
WR Devin Aromashodu
RB Chad Simpson
TE Gijon Robinson
DE Jeff Charleston
CB Keiwan Ratliff

Remember, This Is ALLEGED

However, it still scares me.

Marvin Harrison has been connected to a shooting outside of "Playmakers", his bar, in Philadelphia. A man came to the club at 5 PM and caused a disturbance. On his way out, the future Hall of Fame receiver followed him, and gunfire broke out. The man had his hand grazed by a bullet, and a bystander was hit by shattered glass.

The police determined that it was Harrison's gun which fired the bullets found at the scene of the crime. It was found at his car wash.

No one has been charged with a crime, and the one witness did not identify a shooter. However, there is another witness that is stepping forward to comment. Marvin has been interviewed by the Philadelphia police, and there are no current subjects.

Of course, the fan reception is over the top. On ESPN's boards, which are notorious for being the gathering grounds of the world's biggest idiots, the grammar-deprived posters have compared him to Michael Vick, a dog-killer, and said he murdered someone. If you ever feel like a moron, just go on those boards to read some of the posts.

Now, this is way over the top. Marvin will be charged with a misdemeanor for sure because of gun laws in Philly. As the shooting goes, I would not convict him yet. If it was Marvin, I would think that multiple witnesses would have stepped up. This was in a public place. Marvin isn't Pacman Jones, and he isn't Tank Johnson. Let's calm down on the accusations. There is still a lot of information that is still out there.

What I expect is the more information that comes out, the less likely Marvin was a shooter in this incident.

Looking Forward to 2008: Special Teams

In 2007, special teams was one of the biggest problems for the Colts. It cost the Colts the first Chargers games, and it wasn't helpful in the 2007 Playoffs Super Bowl run. The Colts haven't had a great returner since Brad Pyatt, who had his career ended by injury. The kickoff coverage is mediocre outside of Darrell Reid. The punt coverage is better than the kickoff coverage because of the team speed, but it still is not where it should be. Well, this is a whole new year, and the Colts have drafted and signed players who could completely revamp the coverage and return games. The Colts may have been anemic in the return game and incompetent in coverage last year, but next year will be different.





Kickoff Coverage





The Colts had a bunch of stupid mistakes last year covering kickoffs. There were multiple offsides penalties and missed tackles. However, the Colts have made some moves with personnel that will make this team one of the premier coverage squads in the NFL.





This offseason, the Colts kept their current special teams stars and then drafted and signed some players with potential to be stars. Darrell Reid, the man who almost killed Chris Henry, and Matt Giordano resigned with the Colts. With those two, the Colts have a great cornerstone for a strong special teams. However, the other 7 coverage men all were subpar. Here is the lineup I would use.





Michael Coe and Matt Giordano are the gunners. These are two of the fastest players on the team, and they should be able to keep the returner from making it to the outside.





Darrell Reid is the wedge breaker. He is big and normally one of the first defenders down the field. He is a Pro Bowl-caliber special teamer.





The other two players on the outside are Jamie Silva and Roy Hall. I would like to keep Hall away from special teams after his shoulder injury, but he is too fast and too big to be on the sidelines on kickoffs.





The five other defenders that I would send out would be Philip Wheeler, Colin Farrell, Brandon Archer, Curtis Johnson, and Ramon Guzman.



With this setup, this is how the kickoff formation would look like:



MC JS PW BA CF AV DR CJ RG RH MG



With this lineup, the Colts will have two of the fastest players in the league in Coe and Giordano being able to shut down the outside. Darrell Reid could very easily be another Colts Pro Bowler this upcoming year. The big defenders are also giants, and the linebackers are solid tacklers.



Kickoff Returns



Since Brad Pyatt's neck injury, there hasn't been a dynamic Colts returner in ages. In the sixth round, a Division III player became the next Colts returner.



Pierre Garcon is the ideal returner for this team. First, he will not play a big role on Sundays when Peyton is on the field. At most he will be a fourth receiver if Marvin is suspended or still injured. Secondly, he is one of the most explosive returners I have seen highlights of. Most would think Joshua Cribbs got put in a Mount Union jersey and starting returning kicks on Pop Warner teams. That's how good he has looked. I don't think there is a question who will be returning punts this year.



However, we have seen returners come and go. Brad Pyatt hurt his neck. Terrence Wilkins became too old. TJ Rushing is now expendable. To be safe in case of a freak injury, the Colts have backup returners. Sam Giguere is a probable practice squad player who could be a quality returner some day. Rudy Burgess and Charles Dillon both were returners in college, and they could be signed to the 53 man roster if Garcon and Giguere would be injured. Speed is never a concern for the Colts.



Here is a Pierre Garcon kick return highlight for those who don't believe how good this kid can be.



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vvzTkNIVEj0


Convinced? I think most Colts fans are, and more importantly, Bill Polian is.


Punt Coverage


The punt coverage and kickoff coverage teams should look similar. Matt Giordano and Michael Coe will be gunners. Coe is not as solid of a tackler as one may want for gunner, but he is as fast as any player on this team. Giordano combines speed and tackling to make an unstoppable gunner. I would like to see the players I listed on my kickoff coverage being on there as well. Philip Wheeler, Curtis Johnson, and Brandon Archer are all solid tacklers who would not let big plays happen.

Punt Return

I think we all know that Garcon will be the returner, but who will be on the line? Last year, Michael Coe made a great block in the Baltimore game. I think he and Giordano should be on the outside to go for the blocks. On the inside, I would like to see big bodies like Quinn Pitcock, Ed Johnson, and Josh Thomas in the middle. Also, an offensive lineman like Jamey Richard wouldn't hurt either for blocking. To drop back and block, linebackers like Tyjuan Hagler and Philip Wheeler would help. With this, they could get some good returns. However, I think we do not have the best blockers for returns, which is why we have had minimal success returning punts.

This is my preseason overview of the special teams. It's mostly guesses, because we don't even know the roster yet. But this is what I think it will look like.

Meet Your Undrafted Free Agents

The Colts this week signed 13 undrafted free agents, and surprisingly Rudolph Hardie and Bernard Morris were missing from the list. However, the Colts did bring in some of the most highly touted UDFAs left. Here are the players that could be the next Dominic Rhodes or Gary Brackett.

Rudy Burgess/WR/Arizona State-Burgess is a small wide receiver who was recruited by Arizona State to play cornerback. He runs a 4.49 40, and he is listed as a specialist by Colts.com. Burgess caught 34 passes for 467 yards and led the Sun Devils with a 23.1 average on kickoff returns. Chance of Making 53 man roster: I'd give him a 20% chance, mostly because of his returning ability. However, Pierre Garcon was already drafted for that position. I wouldn't count on seeing number 3 in blue in September.

Dan Davis/DT/Connecticut-Davis was a defensive end/defensive tackle hybrid at Connecticut, and it looks like he will play tackle in training camp for the Colts. His stats aren't amazing (36 tackles, 1 sack). Chance of Making 53 man roster: I say 0%. Keyunta Dawson and UDFA Eric Foster are better equipped for the pass rushing UT than Davis.

Charles Dillon/WR/Washington State-Like Burgess, Dillon is a returner as well as a wide receiver. Dillon ran a faster 40 time than Burgess (4.96), but Dillon averaged almost 3 yards less returning than Burgess. Dillon had similar stats to Burgess, getting 37 passes for 407 yards. Chance of Making 53 man roster: I say a 19.5% chance. I prefer the versatility of Burgess over Dillon.

Colin Ferrell/DT/Kent State-Ferrell is my dark horse candidate for defensive tackle. He ran a 4.8 40 at his Pro Day. He's 293 pounds! He isn't just a Combine player either. He had 15 tackles for loss and 5 sacks last year. His downside is he is very overrated as an actor. Chance of Making 53 man roster: I give him a 60% chance of making the roster. With no defensive tackle drafted, he has a good chance of replacing Dan Klecko.

Brandon Foster/CB/Texas-Foster is a very small corner (5-7) similar to Jason David and Tim Jennings. Foster is extremely fast (4.28), and he set the Texas record for defensive touchdowns last year with 3. Chance of Making 53 man roster: 25%. He could be a great nickel back in the Cover 2.

Eric Foster/DT/Rutgers-Eric Foster is very small for a defensive tackle (265 pounds), so he may need to bulk up about ten pounds. However, he had 7 sacks last year playing in the offensive-oriented Big East. He will contend for the under tackle position. Chance of Making 53 man roster: 40% chance. If he could get up to 275 pounds and not lose his speed, he would be a 95% chance.

Samuel Giguere/WR/Sherbrooke (Canada)-Giguere is an unknown prospect because of his Canadian roots, but he has everything you want in a receiver. Giguere ran a 4.35 40, and he has a 40 inch vertical. He was second in Canada's NCAA called CIS in receiving. Competition is obviously the biggest issue with him, but a 4.35 40 and a 40 inch vertical is great for a giant wide receiver like him. Chance of Making 53 man roster: 15% chance. His competition level will hurt his chances, but if he can perform well on special teams, he could easily make the team.

Curtis Johnson/DE/Clark Atlanta-Johnson is an undersized (239 pound) defensive end-outside linebacker hybrid who terrorized quarterbacks in the Southern conference. In 21 games for Clark, he got 18.5 tackles and 182 tackles. He was one of the best undrafted players, and he was one of the Colts first signings. Chance of Making 53 man roster: 60% chance. This guy is a freak of nature. He is extremely fast and has been compared to Joey Porter. He will be a steal.

Darren Marquez/OT/Southern Illinois-Marquez is a big offensive tackle who helped the Salukis become one of the best teams in Division 1-AA. He is known as a pass protector and would likely play left tackle. Chance of Making 53 man roster: 30%. I like him, but with three offensive linemen drafted, he may end up being the oddman out.

Jordan Senn/LB/Portland State-Senn is a small but quick linebacker who was 10th in tackles in Division 1-AA. He was a star track runner in high school, so he definitely has a good burst of speed. He played safety during his sophomore year. Chance of Making 53 man roster: 25% chance. It's too bad linebacker isn't a need. Senn could help a team out. Other Cover 2 teams should try to sign him if injuries occur.

Jamie Silva/S/Boston College-As Mike Hart was the sexy pick during the draft, Silva was the sexy signing. Silva was the leader of the Boston College defense, and he was highly touted going into the draft. He had 8 interceptions last year, and he had some success returning punts. Out of all of the undrafted free agents, he is the most likely to make the team. Chance of Making 53 man roster: 75%. Bob Sanders needs a backup.

Chad Simpson/RB/Morgan State-Simpson is the 4th leading runner in Morgan State history, but he only played 2 years there. His freshman and sophomore years were spent as a kick returner at South Florida. He ended up being a letterman in track at Morgan State as well. Chance of Making 53 man roster: 22.5%. He could be the returner the Colts are looking for.

Adam Tafralis/QB/San Jose State-Tafralis is a somewhat fast quarterback with a 40 time under 4.7, but he threw a lot of interceptions (11) last year playing against weaker competition. Chance of Making 53 man roster: .5%. I highly doubt he will beat out Jim Sorgi.

With the adding of the UDFAs, here is my projected roster for the Colts.

53 man roster
QB
Peyton Manning
Jim Sorgi

RB
Joseph Addai
Mike Hart
Kenton Keith

WR
Marvin Harrison
Reggie Wayne
Anthony Gonzalez
Roy Hall
Pierre Garcon

TE
Dallas Clark
Tom Santi
Jacob Tamme

LT
Tony Ugoh
Michael Toudouze

LG
Ryan Lilja
Jamey Richards

C
Jeff Saturday
Steve Justice

RG
Mike Pollack
Dylan Gandy

RT
Ryan Diem
Charlie Johnson

DE
Dwight Freeney
Robert Mathis
Josh Thomas
Marcus Howard
Curtis Johnson

DT
Ed Johnson
Raheem Brock
Quinn Pitcock
Darrell Reid
Keyunta Dawson
Colin Ferrell

OLB
Tyjuan Hagler
Freddy Keiaho
Clint Session
Ramon Guzman

MLB
Gary Brackett
Phillip Wheeler

FS
Antoine Bethea
Matt Giordano
Brandon Condren

SS
Bob Sanders
Jamie Silva

CB
Marlin Jackson
Kelvin Hayden
Tim Jennings
Michael Coe
Dante Hughes

K
Adam Vinatieri

P
Hunter Smith

LS
Justin Snow

Practice Squad
QB Josh Betts
WR Sam Giguere
OT Dan Federkiel
OT Darren Marquez
DT Eric Foster
LB Brandon Archer
CB Brandon Foster
TE Bryan Fletcher

Not Under Contract, But Will Be Signed If Injuries Occur
RB Luke Lawton
CB Melvin Bullitt
WR Devin Aromashodu
RB Clift Dawson
WR Sam Burgess