2014 Colts Roster

[Superman]

Yeah.  It's not a likely scenario with us also having to re-sign Vontae.  How many teams have 2 CB's making over 7 million/year? 

 

Right. I think we're stuck with Toler for another year. I hope he plays better/stays healthy.

[Guest TeamLoloJones]

Right. I think we're stuck with Toler for another year. I hope he plays better/stays healthy.

Maybe we could get the best of both worlds, and have Grigson give Toler a pay cut.

[Superman]

Maybe we could get the best of both worlds, and have Grigson give Toler a pay cut.

 

Could restructure his deal to be incentive based. Games played, INTs, tackles, etc., to trigger more base salary. Would decrease his cap hold going into the year, but we'd retroactively lose cap space for whatever achievements he actually reaches. I think that's a fair solution.

[Dark Superman]

Here's my (ideal) 2014 Colts' roster.  (based on my CURRENT evaluations of pro and college players from around the league and country.)  I will be updating this periodically.

 

Blue are draft picks, Red are free agent acquisitions. Green are our own FA re-singings.

 

Feel free to critique, I'm open to suggestions. 

 

In the draft, we trade our late 3rd and 7th round picks for a mid 4th, 5th, and 6th round picks.

So we would have a 2nd, 4th, 5th, 5th, and 6th round picks. (Instead of 2nd, 3rd, 5th, and 7th.)

 

The money to sign everyone in this mock would be tight (maybe impossible) but keep in mind: Brown, DHB, McGlynn, and Bethea are not resigned (among others), and Satele has been cut.

 

OFFENSE

QB-  Andrew Luck, Matt Hasselbeck

HB-  Trent Richardson, Vick Ballard, Tyler Gaffney (UDFA-Stanford), Chris Rainey (ERFA)

FB-  Stanley Havili

WR- Reggie Wayne, T.Y. Hilton, Jeremy Maclin (UFA), Da' Rick Rogers, LaVon Brazill

TE-   Dwayne Allen, Coby Fleener, C.J. Fiedorowicz (5th Rd pick-Iowa), Jack Doyle

LT-   Anthony Castonzo, Joe Reitz (RFA)

LG-  Donald Thomas, Chris Watt (6th Rd pick-Notre Dame)

C-    Alex Mack (UFA), Khaled Holmes

RG- Hugh Thornton

RT-  Gosder Cherilus

 

DEFENSE

DE-  Cory Redding, Arthur Jones (UFA), Ben Gardner (UDFA-Stanford)

NT-  Josh Chapman, Terrence Cody (UFA)

DT-  Ricky Jean Francois, Montori Hughes

SLB-Eric Walden, Bjoern Werner

ILB- Jerrell Freeman, Josh McNary, Mario Harvey

ILB- Donald Butler (UFA), Chris Borland (4th Rd pick-Wisconsin), Kelvin Sheppard 

RLB-Robert Mathis, Cam Johnson (ERFA)

RCB-Vontae Davis (UFA), Darqueze Dennard (2nd Rd pick-Michigan St.)

LCB-Greg Toler, Darius Butler, Josh Gordy (RFA)

SS-  LaRon Landry,  Corey Lynch

FS-  Delano Howell, Ahmad Dixon (5th Rd-pick-Baylor), Sergio Brown (UFA)

 

SPECIAL TEAMS

K-   Adam Vinatieri (UFA)

P-   Pat McAfee (UFA)

LS- Matt Overton

 

 

Notes on drafted and signed players.

 

(Resigned Players)

Chris Rainey-RB-Exclusive Rights FA- Keep Rainey for kick and punt returns, and use him on

                                                             offense occasionally as a scat back.

 

Joe Reitz-LT-Restricted FA-                 Sign Reitz to an offer sheet with a low round tender.  He's  

                                                             a valuable backup, is able to play both tackle and guard.

 

Cam Johnson-RLB-ERFA-                    Keep Johnson for depth, and continue to develop him.

 

Vontae Davis-CB-Unrestricted FA-       Too much invested in Davis to let him walk.  Hopefully his 

                                                             inconsistent play will help keep his price down a little.  But he

                                                             is still a top flight CB and will be paid accordingly.

 

Josh Gordy-CB-Restricted FA-             Sign Gordy to an offer sheet for a low tender, but hopefully        

                                                             we find a better 5th corner in preseason. 

 

Sergio Brown-S-Unrestricted FA-         Brown deserves to be resigned.  He has become a real bright 

                                                             spot on an otherwise mediocre at best special teams unit.

 

Adam Vinatieri-K-Unrestriced FA-         Adam stil has it, and I would expect him to have it for 2 more

                                                             years.  

 

Pat McAfee-P-Unrestricted FA-            McAfee has not been as good this year as he has been, but I 

                                                             would still like to see him stay a Colt.

 

(Singed Free Agents)

Jeremy Maclin-WR-Unrestricted FA-     Maclin is the player I would like to get for our WR corps.  If        

                                                             he's healthy and as long as it doesn't break the bank, I feel

                                                             he is the best player available to groom into Reggie's long 

                                                             term replacement.  This strategy is dependent on Rogers 

                                                             being the stud we hope he is.  Otherwise the draft will be  

                                                             better suited to find a new WR.  (We need a big WR, so if 

                                                             Rogers can fill that roll, I'm more comfortable with going after 

                                                             Maclin as a supplement to Rogers, Hilton, and Wayne.)

 

Alex Mack-C-Unrestricted FA-               Pro Bowl Center in his prime.  He will probably end up being

                                                             the highest paid center in the NFL wherever he lands, and

                                                             he'd be worth every penny.

 

Arthur Jones-DE-Unrestricted FA-        Pagano ties and scheme fit.  Won't be the most expensive

                                                             free agent, so it would be good to get him into a rotational

                                                             role with Redding, as Cory plays out the final year of his

                                                             contract.  Then Jones would be the full time starter in 2015.

 

Terrence Cody-NT-Unrestricted FA-    Another former Pagano player.  Also a former teammate of 

                                                             Josh Chapman at Alabama.  We would have a good rotation 

                                                             with these two guys, keeping them fresh all game long.

 

Donald Butler-ILB-Unrestricted FA-      Young and underrated linebacker.  Comes from a 3-4 in San

                                                             Diego and would be the perfect compliment to Freeman in the 

                                                             middle of the defense.

 

(Draft Picks)

Darqueze Dennard-CB-Mich.St. 2nd-   The closest I've seen to a shutdown corner in college football

                                                             this season.  He hasn't faced a top tier wideout all year, but  

                                                             he's still easily the best player on one of the best defenses in                      

                                                             the country.

 

Chris Borland-ILB-Wisconsin-4th rd-    One of the best defensive players in the entire Big Ten.  

                                                             What he lacks in athleticism he makes up for with elite

                                                             instincts.  Another player that probably won't put up great  

                                                             combine numbers, and will be a steal in the 4th round.

 

Ahmad Dixon-S-Baylor-5th round-        Best defensive player on a surprisingly good defense at  

                                                             Baylor.  Can play center fielder and can play in the box.

                                                             Pagano likes to have safeties that can play both, and Dixon is 

                                                             a hard hitting safety with range.

                                                             

C.J. Fiedorowicz-TE-Iowa-5th round-   C.J. is an outstanding TE.  Both as a point of the attack and

                                                             downfield blocker.  He would immediately help with Pep's

                                                             power formations, because he is also a receiving threat.

                                                             He's a huge target, and would be a great to have in the red          

                                                             zone.  He's way too talented to last to the fifth round, but he

                                                             he will post a poor 40 time at the Combine and fall off the

                                                             map for most teams. (Think Dwayne Allen) Plus, there is a ton    

                                                             of TE talent in front of him.  

 

 

Chris Watt-OG-Notre Dame-6th round-Another o-line project for Grigson.  Far from a top prospect,

                                                             but enough talent to develop into a quality depth player.  His

                                                             strength is pass protection, not run blocking.  He has good 

                                                             athleticism for a guard, and is a good fit on the left side.

                                                             

Ben Gardner-DE-Stanford-UDFA-       Gardner will need to pack on the pounds to be a fit at 3-4 DE  

                                                             in the NFL.  If he does, he could be a viable depth player.

 

Tyler Gaffney-RB-Stanford-UDFA-       Familiar with Pep and the power scheme, and played with  

                                                             Luck  in 2011.  Good downhill, no nonsense runner.  Perfect      

                                                             scheme fit, but without overwhelming talent, he should be               

                                                             there to pick up after the draft.

 

 

Everyone feel free to throw your own ideas at my mock and have some fun with it!

I wish things turned out this sweet for us but there's no way we will go after all of these big names.

[Guest TeamLoloJones]

I wish things turned out this sweet for us but there's no way we will go after all of these big names.

Completely agree.  I would be more than happy if we got just one of the big name guys.  

[Superman]

Completely agree.  I would be more than happy if we got just one of the big name guys.  

 

You got your wish on Arthur Jones.