Who's winning the Position Battles?

[Caleb3502]

Just wanted to hear your opinions on who's winning the position battles.  If I missed any position battles or messed any of them up, let me know.  

 

Runningback: Bradshaw or Richardson 

Bradshaw hasn't played in preseason yet so it's kind of hard to analyze both of their performances.  Richardson hasn't gained many yards but hasn't had any opportunities to run the ball without being swarmed at the line of scrimmage.  Even with the lack of yardage, I think Trent has a slight edge to be the starter, because of his potential and we traded a first round pick for him.  

 

Safety: Adams or Howell 

Mike Adams is the more seasoned veteran and has more NFL experience.  Howell is faster and can make big hits on receivers as we saw last season against the 49ers.  I think Howell will get the starting job, and use Adams as an extra DB once and awhile. 

 

5th WR: Whalen or Rogers 

Rogers is faster and is bigger in size.  Whalen has decent speed and is a strong but not big WR.  Griff has very good hands and catches nearly everything thrown to him.  I think Whalen has the edge over Rogers as of right now.  

 

Kick Returner: Herron/Moncrief/Karim 

Herron has gotten a couple of returns but hasn't done anything spectacular.  Moncrief has big play capability and has good speed and size. Karim had a 101-yard KO return for us back in Week 17 2012.  He also has good speed and has the ability to return kickoffs and bring us into very good field position.   

 

Punt Returner: Whalen or Purifoy 

Purifoy had some fair returns of 20+ yards, but had one of the fewest 40 times in the NFL Combine.  He has experience returning kicks and can still be explosive, even with the poor 40 time.  Whalen does a great job fielding punts but most likely won't break free for 70 yard punt returns.  I think Purifoy will be the PR if he makes the 53-man roster.

 

5th CB: Purifoy/Jackson/Price/Burley 

Purifoy has decent hands and has a lot of experience has a gunner on special teams and returning.  Jackson is a small CB that makes tackles but was often beat to the ball and had to make the tackle after the WR caught the ball.  Sheldon Price has been around with the Colts for awhile and could possible make the 53 man roster.  Marcus Burley has been a decent coverage CB for the Colts this preseason and has upside and could be a good CB when the Colts need extra DBs on the field.  As of now I think Purifoy earns the 5th spot and Burley would earn the 6th spot if they keep 6 CBs on the active roster.   

 

[Derakynn]

Howell is getting opinions on his neck and whether it is safe for him to play again. So I would probably pencil in Mike Adams at safety right now.

[NewEra]

As far as who start between Bradshaw and Richardson I don't think it will matter. They will sit carries and ride the hot hand.

Howell may be gone for the year.

We have our chain movers in Wayne, nicks and hilton. So I'd take the big play guy and go with Rogers.

Only judging from past I'd take Karim as our KR

Would take Purifoy as our PR

Purifoy & price as the db's

[Bravo]

RB: Richardson

Safety: Adams (due to Howell injury)

5th WR: Whalen (both WILL make team and play so doesn't make a bug difference)

KR: Karim (he's done it before with success)

PR: Whalen (dependable, Purifoy only had a couple chances)

5th CB: Purifoy and Burley look good so far.

[akcolt]

Richardson has been named the starter I believe and Bradshaw has a neck injury

Adams Howell has a neck injury

we will probably keep both if not I would keep Whalen and try to trade Rogers

KR anyone but Moncrief he doesn't look comfortable recipe for disaster he has no history of returning kicks. Don't think Karim makes the team. The KR is dying almost every kicker can boot it out of the endzone

PR depends on who makes the team would like to see Purifoy back there a few more times that could be his ticket to the final 53 he is always around the ball on coverage. I am not sure he is the 6th best CB right now though

I think we keep 6 CB's don't think Jackson makes it Purifoy depends on if he can nail down the PR spot.

[ProblChld32]

Howell may not get the Knod bro, he is seeking multiple opinions on his neck injury. my guess is he is done for sure it might be a injury doctors deem he should hang the cleats up with. Now im hoping that is not the case but thats where everything is pointing to.

 

Richardson gets the start initially (i have a feeling bradshaw takes over midseason)

 

Rogers over Whalen ( rodgers has a higher ceiling imo)

 

Karim on return he has eplosiveness plenty of speed  and doesnt dance around he puts the pedal to the metal and guns it. 

 

and if i had to go with a rookie CB battling for a spot id go with Purifoy, Although i believe that Price gets the knod on that 5th CB spot i think Purifoy is making a strong case with his Special teams play.

[Gabriel Alexander Morillo]

Howells career might be Ogre.

[Warhorse]

Andrew Luck has the inside track on the QB position.

 

 

Also....not sure they want to expose Whalen to many more pops on ST. He has taken some doozies.

[ColtsFanMikeC]

RB: Richardson

Safety: Adams (due to Howell injury)

5th WR: Whalen (both WILL make team and play so doesn't make a bug difference)

KR: Karim (he's done it before with success)

PR: Whalen (dependable, Purifoy only had a couple chances)

5th CB: Purifoy and Burley look good so far.

 

I think you're correct -- Richardson will be the starter but we'll ride the hot hand and the amount of carries per back may vary greatly from one week to the next.

I think we keep both Whalen and Rogers.

I doubt Karim makes the roster -- it sure seems we are looking for a boost in our special teams, but if we can get a KR who can do something else (other ST's, be a solid backup, etc..) I think we go that route. Plus, with the shorter kicking distance there are much fewer returns per game than in the past, unless the wind is blowing very hard against the kicker most kickers are putting the ball out of the endzone or to the back of the endzone for touchbacks.

I think we'll see Whalen and Purifoy split duties as PR -- if we have a close lead in bad weather late in a game, I'd imagine Whalen would be used because of his sure hands and reliability. If we need a spark, its not a close game, or if it is very early in a game, I think Purifoy has the edge to be back there as he is more of a playmaker.

I expect us to keep 6 CBs -- Davis, Toler, Butler, Gordy, Purifoy and Burley.  I like Purifoy a lot because I think he can play safety as well as CB and I think that gives him a great shot to make this roster with Howell's injury. Plus, I think Purifoy has shown he can be a beast as a gunner and other areas on STs.

 

Andrew Luck has the inside track on the QB position.

 

 

Also....not sure they want to expose Whalen to many more pops on ST. He has taken some doozies.

 

I tend to agree about Whalen, but then again, I think that is how he will make this roster -- he has shown selflessness (holding kicks, returning kicks, WR, etc.) and reliability.  If we could only keep 5 WRs and it came down to receiving ability, I think we'd go with Rogers over Whalen for sure, as it is unlikely that our 5th WR will see the field much and we already have Mr. Reliable in Reggie Wayne (if it comes down to making key catches and moving chains, he is a rich man's Whalen) -- Rogers gives us an additional big play weapon that Whalen doesn't.  However, I think we'll keep 6 WRs (a big part may be because both Wayne and Nicks are coming off injuries so we might want additional depth there to start the season).  I don't think we are going to be too concerned about Whalen getting hit on STs -- I think the reason why they'd put him in there over TY is because a doozie to TY is way more detrimental to our team that a doozie to Whalen or pretty much anyone else that we'd think about putting back there.

[B~Town]

RB: Richardson

Safety: Adams (due to Howell injury)

5th WR: Whalen (both WILL make team and play so doesn't make a bug difference)

KR: Karim (he's done it before with success)

PR: Whalen (dependable, Purifoy only had a couple chances)

5th CB: Purifoy and Burley look good so far.

This I would say from what we have saw and who has started ect you nailed it .

[HtownColt]

RB)Richardson

S)Adams

Wr)Rogers

KR)Purifoy

PR)Purifoy

CB)Purifoy

[twfish]

We will keep 6 wide receivers. The talent there is too much too give up incase of injury/next year (I dont see nicks sticking around IMO) if either Rodgers or Whalen were still eligible for PS we would probably keep 5 but there not

[Jason_]

Howells career might be Ogre.

Aaaaaaaaaand autocorrect for the win

[Jason_]

I think price will win the 5th cb spot. I do think we'll have 6 on the roster though and with his pr ability I think that'll be purifoy and burley will go to the PS

[Gavin]

I actually think Purifoy is going to be our 5th Corner do to his versatility to play a Joker role as well as Special Teams, I'd also like to see (during preseason as an experiment) if Landry can play a Joker role

[HtownColt]

I think price will win the 5th cb spot. I do think we'll have 6 on the roster though and with his pr ability I think that'll be purifoy and burley will go to the PS

Price got jumped by Burley and Purifoy already.

2nd team CBs vs Giants were Gordy and Burley(for one play), and then when they got in nickel packages Burley slid to cover the slot and Purifoy played on the outside. And Burley played strictly in the slot the rest of the way.

They came in at the 10:24 mark in the 2nd quarter and they were still playing with the 1st team defense(Redding, Chapman, Jackson, Jones, Walden etc were still in)

Price didn't come in until the 13:30 mark of the 3rd quarter and it was him and Purifoy was still in on the outside and #23 was playing the slot(whoever that is I'm guessing Kareem Jackson)

[Gavin]

Price got jumped by Burley and Purifoy already.

2nd team CBs vs Giants were Gordy and Burley(for one play), and then when they got in nickel packages Burley slid to cover the slot and Purifoy played on the outside. And Burley played strictly in the slot the rest of the way.

They came in at the 10:24 mark in the 2nd quarter and they were still playing with the 1st team defense(Redding, Chapman, Jackson, Jones, Walden etc were still in)

Price didn't come in until the 13:30 mark of the 3rd quarter and it was him and Purifoy was still in on the outside and #23 was playing the slot(whoever that is I'm guessing Kareem Jackson)

Kameron

[ColtsFanMikeC]

I actually think Purifoy is going to be our 5th Corner do to his versatility to play a Joker role as well as Special Teams, I'd also like to see (during preseason as an experiment) if Landry can play a Joker role

What exactly is a 'joker role'?

[HtownColt]

Kameron

Yea my bad, the Texans news popped on my tv and they were talking about Kareem Jackson lol

[Gavin]

What exactly is a 'joker role'?

Not role but the ability to play both Safety and Corner, He can be moved around a bit I think, Im actually a bit interested to see if Laron Landry can do that as well as Dewey Mcdonald, Preseason would be the time to find out, Just lining Landry up back at 1 of the Safety spots can leave him exposed since he is not a very good cover Safety, I'd try some things with them

[Jason_]

Price got jumped by Burley and Purifoy already.

2nd team CBs vs Giants were Gordy and Burley(for one play), and then when they got in nickel packages Burley slid to cover the slot and Purifoy played on the outside. And Burley played strictly in the slot the rest of the way.

They came in at the 10:24 mark in the 2nd quarter and they were still playing with the 1st team defense(Redding, Chapman, Jackson, Jones, Walden etc were still in)

Price didn't come in until the 13:30 mark of the 3rd quarter and it was him and Purifoy was still in on the outside and #23 was playing the slot(whoever that is I'm guessing Kareem Jackson)

 

I wouldn't count that as gospel or any kind of clear indication that Price has dropped below those 2.

[HtownColt]

I wouldn't count that as gospel or any kind of clear indication that Price has dropped below those 2.

I would