Bjorn Werner first round pick (merge)

[HarassedOffTheSite]

Something just occurred to me: is this Mathis' replacement? And not Walden's as we're assuming?

[Esquire59]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ydHxSVDR-fQ

Highlights

Thanks so much for the link. LOVE this pick. Top 8 talent that feel because of elite oline level draftees. Side note, nice to see a highlight tape without gangsta rap.

[coltsfanatic24]

Something just occurred to me: is this Mathis' replacement? And not Walden's as we're assuming?

He is Mathis replacement and he'll probably beat Walden out for the starting OLB in training camp.

[rockywoj]

Mike Mayock (Whose opinion / talent evaluation I rather respect) at NFL.com had the following to say about Bjoern Werner ...

 

 

"He was a hand in the dirt defensive end at Florida State, but he has the athletic ability to stand up."

 

"I was at his pro day and they put him through the linebacker drop drills and it was WAY better than I expected."

 

"He will thrive in a Chuck Pagano system."

 

 

And to re-post it, Bucky Brooks at NFL.com called this pick by the Colts ... http://www.nfl.com/draft/story/0ap1000000162320/article/2013-nfl-draft-the-perfect-strategy-for-each-team-to-follow

 

Also of note, according to NFL.com ratings on first round picks, Bjoern Werner was the 15th best player that was taken in the first round, with an 88.2 rating.  The only player taken after Werner with a higher rating was Cordarrelle Patterson with a 90.6 rating.

[masterlock]

I like having Walden much better as depth but I would like it even better if the Colts weren't paying him like a starter.

 

True that! That's the main problem I have with this situation.

[JoKeR]

What about Walden and his contract? Can he be cut without penalty? Do we keep him with his pay and cut Hughes or Sidbury? Or do we keep all of our OLBs?

[Blueblazes]

I've seen that argument a lot though, especially since Grigson and Pagano took over.

"Grigson likes him so he must be good".

That's just not true. I trust Grigson and Pagan as much as the next Colts fan but not blindly. They can still make a bad decision, despite being GM and HC.

I don't think they've made a bad decision drafting Werner but I think maybe they could have have gotten better value elsewhere.

Exactly. If we always thought GMs and coaches always must be making the right decision, we would be sadly mistaken. I hope they made the right one here and I'm feeling better about it more and more, but sadly, GMs and coaches (people who ''get paid to make these decsions") also made the many draft pick busts over the years.

[JoKeR]

On another note, just to post the ridiculous, Willie Mcginest was hating on our pick. He said he won't be able to set the edge and wasn't athletic enough for coverage, which his opinion.

Then he says something that makes it plain as day he has no idea what he's talking about, he says that the Colts haven't been very active this offseason in signing new talent. Comon NFLnet , during draft coverage they showed all the offseason moves that a team made while making their picks and your own analyst can't pay attention??? Sometimes I wonder if this network is a big frat house and the ex- NFL talent do whatever they want. They're constantly alienating small market teams with their ignorance.

Rant off

[jvan1973]

Exactly. If we always thought GMs and coaches always must be making the right decision, we would be sadly mistaken. I hope they made the right one here and I'm feeling better about it more and more, but sadly, GMs and coaches (people who ''get paid to make these decsions") also made the many draft pick busts over the years.

the point is those guys know a lot more about evaluating talent than anyone here. they have probably watched every snap this kid has ever played. also his religion, political stance and favorite color. they do tons of research... sure they get picks wrong, but they have way more info than we do

[Jason_]

What about Walden and his contract? Can he be cut without penalty? Do we keep him with his pay and cut Hughes or Sidbury? Or do we keep all of our OLBs?

 

We keep all of our OLB's this year and evaluate next year, but I wouldn't be surprised if this is the last year we have Mathis on the roster...or maybe one more year.  I don't think he plays out the entirety of his 5 year contract.  

[SteelCityColt]

We keep all of our OLB's this year and evaluate next year, but I wouldn't be surprised if this is the last year we have Mathis on the roster...or maybe one more year.  I don't think he plays out the entirety of his 5 year contract.  

 

That's a possibility certainly, but it would be a real shame if both Matthis and Freeney didn't finish their careers here. Still no room in sport for sentiment I guess. 

[Marcio James]

http://blogs.colts.com/2013/04/26/national-pundits-speak-highly-of-bjoern-werner/?icampaign=blog_ind_blogfeed_entry

[BOTT]

Something just occurred to me: is this Mathis' replacement? And not Walden's as we're assuming?

I had assumed he was Mathis' eventual replacement. Colts aren't going to say that out loud of course.

[Valpo2004]

What about Walden and his contract? Can he be cut without penalty? Do we keep him with his pay and cut Hughes or Sidbury? Or do we keep all of our OLBs?

 

We have to keep Walden for at least the rest of this year because the penalty for cutting him would be extremely high.

 

But after this season, we can cut him before the 5th day of the NFL year next year and the penalty would only be $750,000 and would free up a bunch of cap space.

 

If we don't cut him before then, then he's guaranteed his entire 2nd year salary. 

[Valpo2004]

I had assumed he was Mathis' eventual replacement. Colts aren't going to say that out loud of course.

 

We might call him Freeney's replacement and we'll draft Mathis's replacement later.  

 

We still have to hold onto Mathis for like 2 more years before we can cut him and actually free up some cap space.  

[PMan Escape Plan]

cutting Mathis after a year or two???

 

thats ridiculous.. he is our best def player

 

Bjoern's biggest "weakness" is his pass rush (he doesnt really have any weaknesses; 13 sacks in '12)

 

He excels against the run, meaning he is NOT mathis' replacement... he is his complement 

[BOTT]

cutting Mathis after a year or two???

 

thats ridiculous.. he is our best def player

 

Bjoern's biggest "weakness" is his pass rush (he doesnt really have any weaknesses; 13 sacks in '12)

 

He excels against the run, meaning he is NOT mathis' replacement... he is his complement

Eventual replacement....Mathis can't play forever

[Jason_]

cutting Mathis after a year or two???

 

thats ridiculous.. he is our best def player

 

Bjoern's biggest "weakness" is his pass rush (he doesnt really have any weaknesses; 13 sacks in '12)

 

He excels against the run, meaning he is NOT mathis' replacement... he is his complement 

 

Mathis was one of our best defensive players in our former defense.  I would definitely not say he's our best defensive player right now in the new scheme.  He is still our best proven pass rusher but he's also getting up there in age.  This will be year 2 of his new contract and while it is possible that he could be cut after this coming year I don't really think he will be.  I could definitely see it after the following year though, or he could decide to retire.  Basically, I think Mathis plays either 3 or 4 years of his current contract and we're going into year 2.  This is what I should have said in my previous post.

[Valpo2004]

I don't think Mathis has adjusted well to the 3-4 scheme.  He's getting old, I'm ok with releasing him next year or the following year.  

[luckyblue]

lol

laugh it up buddy, but at the end of the season you'll know why Grigson picked this guy, I think he knows a little bit more about football than you lol

[sreylas937]

On another note, just to post the ridiculous, Willie Mcginest was hating on our pick. He said he won't be able to set the edge and wasn't athletic enough for coverage, which his opinion.

Then he says something that makes it plain as day he has no idea what he's talking about, he says that the Colts haven't been very active this offseason in signing new talent. Comon NFLnet , during draft coverage they showed all the offseason moves that a team made while making their picks and your own analyst can't pay attention??? Sometimes I wonder if this network is a big frat house and the ex- NFL talent do whatever they want. They're constantly alienating small market teams with their ignorance.

Rant off

He was Hoping that werner would drop to the Pats... He has and will always be a Homer

[Black-Vell]

Funny - I didnt feel this much doubt in management before the pick. Cool - I hope this cuts the numbers on our band wagon.

[Warhorse]

I may disagree with those who are vocally dissapointed or angry with this pick but everyone has a right to an opinion here, as long as they follow rules and guidelines.

 

What amazes me most, is the extremely firm positions taken here, sounding as if they are solid talent evaluators, berating the pick as if they have a basis to their opinion that constitutes validity. This new draft pick could fail, just as any pick can fail. But the reasons for that failure...should it happen, can be various and not conclude what is being pointed out here.

 

My liking the pick does not make it a sound pick. But our front office liking the pick...and I mean extremely liking the pick as a well documented early predicted selection falls all the way to 24....makes it a very sound pick.

 

I see him as another Jason Taylor. Large...quick...disciplined....with a nose for the QB. I could not be happier when he continued to fall from the top 10 where mock draft people had used combine numbers to rate talent over on the field production. Last time I checked, games are never played at a combine.

 

To quote Darth Vader, "I find your lack of faith...disturbing". No offense, but I am hoping like heck that our front office continues to look smart, and....well...

[Warhorse]

Willie Mcginest is a tool.

[Mameluc]

On another note, just to post the ridiculous, Willie Mcginest was hating on our pick. He said he won't be able to set the edge and wasn't athletic enough for coverage, which his opinion.

Then he says something that makes it plain as day he has no idea what he's talking about, he says that the Colts haven't been very active this offseason in signing new talent. Comon NFLnet , during draft coverage they showed all the offseason moves that a team made while making their picks and your own analyst can't pay attention??? Sometimes I wonder if this network is a big frat house and the ex- NFL talent do whatever they want. They're constantly alienating small market teams with their ignorance.

Rant off

i saw that too and i was like... :

[NewColtsFan]

Am I wrong in thinking that datone jones would have been better than Werner? Since I know nothing about Werner, this is not criticism. Can anyone give me the contrast between the two?

 

The main contrast is this.....

 

Jones is a defensive end, and not a linebacker.

 

Werner will be a linebacker for the Colts, and not a DE.

 

I think the Colts felt Werner would be a better fit scheme wise than Jones.....

[NewEra]

Arm chair gm's in full force! Lets see, top ten talent drops to us. We pick him, even after running him through drills and interviews. Same size and speed as Kruger and even aldon smith. But it's a bad pick. I'm going to go with our stud of a coach and our gm who has yet to let us down.

[NewColtsFan]

Coaches and managers can make bad decisions though.

Everyone's laughing at Dallas taking a centre...

 

No one's laughing because they took a center.....    they're laughing because they took the center way too high.

 

At least a round too soon....  maybe more.

 

That's why they're laughing.    Not because of the position.

[Insert Colts Pun Here]

No one's laughing because they took a center.....    they're laughing because they took the center way too high.

 

At least a round too soon....  maybe more.

 

That's why they're laughing.    Not because of the position.

That's what I was suggesting.

My point was simply that people are suggesting that the Cowboys FO can make a bad pick but our pick must be good, why would our FO have made it otherwise?

[NewColtsFan]

All these armchair QB's crack me up.

 

1) Before last night, most on here thought the sun rises and sets everyday because Grigson wills it.  Now, he is clueless?

 

2) I keep coming back to something Chappell, Kuharsky and others have said - the only position that the Colts were not appreciably better at following the free agency period was pass rusher.  Now that has been addressed.

 

3) Lastly, there are those proclaiming Werner to be a terrible pick, bust candidate and not a scheme fit before he even puts on a horseshoe helmet.  Can we at least let him play a freaking preseason game before making such a declaration?  Call me crazy but that seems the rational thing to do.

 

I will readily admit to not having my dress blown up last night but I think a little faith in those making the decisions is warranted.

 

 

Apparently,  I've run out of my allotment of 'Likes'....

 

So,  I wanted to let you know that I'm a Big +1 on your post.

 

And Thank You!       

[NewColtsFan]

That's what I was suggesting.

My point was simply that people are suggesting that the Cowboys FO can make a bad pick but our pick must be good, why would our FO have made it otherwise?

 

Well....   people are laughing at the Cowboys because they have a long history of screwing up the draft,  because their owner has too much influence on who they take.    Imagine Irsay running the Colts draft....

[NewColtsFan]

I may disagree with those who are vocally dissapointed or angry with this pick but everyone has a right to an opinion here, as long as they follow rules and guidelines.

 

What amazes me most, is the extremely firm positions taken here, sounding as if they are solid talent evaluators, berating the pick as if they have a basis to their opinion that constitutes validity. This new draft pick could fail, just as any pick can fail. But the reasons for that failure...should it happen, can be various and not conclude what is being pointed out here.

 

My liking the pick does not make it a sound pick. But our front office liking the pick...and I mean extremely liking the pick as a well documented early predicted selection falls all the way to 24....makes it a very sound pick.

 

I see him as another Jason Taylor. Large...quick...disciplined....with a nose for the QB. I could not be happier when he continued to fall from the top 10 where mock draft people had used combine numbers to rate talent over on the field production. Last time I checked, games are never played at a combine.

 

To quote Darth Vader, "I find your lack of faith...disturbing". No offense, but I am hoping like heck that our front office continues to look smart, and....well...

 

I'm out of 'Likes'....   but as I did with another poster.....   

 

A Big +1

 

And Thank You!     

[LockeDown]

On another note, just to post the ridiculous, Willie Mcginest was hating on our pick. He said he won't be able to set the edge and wasn't athletic enough for coverage, which his opinion.

Then he says something that makes it plain as day he has no idea what he's talking about, he says that the Colts haven't been very active this offseason in signing new talent. Comon NFLnet , during draft coverage they showed all the offseason moves that a team made while making their picks and your own analyst can't pay attention??? Sometimes I wonder if this network is a big frat house and the ex- NFL talent do whatever they want. They're constantly alienating small market teams with their ignorance.

Rant off

 

I saw that, too, with McGinnest.  I thought I misheard him and rewinded (DVR) it to make sure I heard correctly.  I thought that Kurt Warner was gonna come out and correct him but nobody said a word.  Not busy in the offseason?  Colts hater.

[The Sleeze]

LIVE Google hangout with Björn Werner at 3:00pm on colts.com

 

Björn Werner Press Conference LIVE at 3:45 on colts.com

 

I am cringing just thinking about some of the questions he is going to get in the Google Hangout.

[jshipp23]

He is going to be a great player and Pro-Bowler for the Colts...Unlike Freeney he is solid against the run..He is almost 6-4 and a great Athlete...Already has the skill of tipping passes which sets J.J. Watt apart...He is Magus Hunt at 22 instead of 26..Honestly never thought he'd be there at pick 24. Thankful we didn't go Xavier Rhodes who is stiff as hell and had Marlin Jackson written all over him...Praying we trade into the 2nd and get Bernard and grab a good guard in the 3rd...

[Jason_]

I may disagree with those who are vocally dissapointed or angry with this pick but everyone has a right to an opinion here, as long as they follow rules and guidelines.

 

What amazes me most, is the extremely firm positions taken here, sounding as if they are solid talent evaluators, berating the pick as if they have a basis to their opinion that constitutes validity. This new draft pick could fail, just as any pick can fail. But the reasons for that failure...should it happen, can be various and not conclude what is being pointed out here.

 

My liking the pick does not make it a sound pick. But our front office liking the pick...and I mean extremely liking the pick as a well documented early predicted selection falls all the way to 24....makes it a very sound pick.

 

I see him as another Jason Taylor. Large...quick...disciplined....with a nose for the QB. I could not be happier when he continued to fall from the top 10 where mock draft people had used combine numbers to rate talent over on the field production. Last time I checked, games are never played at a combine.

 

To quote Darth Vader, "I find your lack of faith...disturbing". No offense, but I am hoping like heck that our front office continues to look smart, and....well...

 

Very well said and agree with everything, in particularly the bolded portion.  I couldn't be happier with Werner being our pick.  Really started to like him in 2011 when I started watching FSU games to check out Rhodes.  There was just no way to watch an FSU game without Werner jumping out at you.  He's a playmaker and was rated as a top 5 pick up until a poor showing at the combine.  Like others have said, games aren't won or lost by a combine performance.  I'm very glad to have a GM that looks at more than combine numbers...that watches game tape to see how a player actually performs on the field where it counts and Werner excels on the field.

[Jason_]

He is going to be a great player and Pro-Bowler for the Colts...Unlike Freeney he is solid against the run..He is almost 6-4 and a great Athlete...Already has the skill of tipping passes which sets J.J. Watt apart...He is Magus Hunt at 22 instead of 26..Honestly never thought he'd be there at pick 24. Thankful we didn't go Xavier Rhodes who is stiff as heck and had Marlin Jackson written all over him...Praying we trade into the 2nd and get Bernard and grab a good guard in the 3rd...

 

Just curious, but how do you see us trading into the 2nd round and still having a 3rd round pick?

[HickeyS2000]

I just don't get it.  Before the draft, everyone was so happy we had the ability to go BPA.  I read MULTIPLE threads about it.  Now that we did go BPA, a lot of people say we needed a cornerback and did not have luxury of BPA.  I'm very, very, very happy with the pick.  You all will eat your words soon enough.

[jvan1973]

Well.... people are laughing at the Cowboys because they have a long history of screwing up the draft, because their owner has too much influence on who they take. Imagine Irsay running the Colts draft....

no thanks, we already lived through those days... i love Jimmy, but he was a terrible GM

[jvan1973]

Just curious, but how do you see us trading into the 2nd round and still having a 3rd round pick?

Details... maybe some team is feeling generous