Chad Forbes: NFL pro personnel exec expects Anthony Hitchens to end up with the Colts

[stitches]

I don't know how reliable this guy is but here it goes: 

 

 

Ties to Eberflus of course. We'll see how that one goes. 

[Dark Superman]

Hope he's right!

[UKColt13]

Would be a great signing for the right money.

 

PFF graded him pretty well last year if I remember right.

[Defjamz26]

He’d probably play the SAM in a 4-3, which would be perfect because we need a bunch of ILBs, especially with a scheme change.

[Colt Overseas]

43 minutes ago, Defjamz26 said:

He’d probably play the SAM in a 4-3, which would be perfect because we need a bunch of ILBs, especially with a scheme change.

 

Seemed like he played more middle linebacker for the Cowboys. I think we will go Simon at SAM, Hitchens at MIKE and take an athletic WILL from the draft, as there are some great options that could fall to the second round.

 

If we could sign Ansah, resign Melvin and draft Chubb, our defense should see a significant improvement.

[stitches]

1 hour ago, UKColt13 said:

Would be a great signing for the right money.

 

PFF graded him pretty well last year if I remember right.

Overall grade 80.8. Good for no. 21 among all inside linebackers. 

 

For comparison:

Antonio Morrison: 35.8(83d)

Jon Bostic: 74.7 (38th) 

 

[UKColt13]

1 hour ago, stitches said:

Overall grade 80.8. Good for no. 21 among all inside linebackers. 

 

For comparison:

Antonio Morrison: 35.8(83d)

Jon Bostic: 74.7 (38th) 

 

 

I thought he was higher than that actually.

 

I’ll take it though.

[Jackie Daytona]

Hitch  is very solid vs the run, he struggles a bit with......... you guessed it Coverage!  who was our last MLB who could cover a TE or RB even halfway decent, half the snaps, Brackett?

[Boiler_Colt]

Hitch would be an upgrade here, he's solid. Could play MIKE with Walker backing him up. I'm liking Darius Leonard as that athletic WILL we should target in the draft.

[NorthernBlue]

Sorta looks like the type of connection everyone was making with Ballard and Toub, but we'll see.

 

Solid player. Let's see where this goes. 

[reidaj1812]

7 hours ago, Colt Overseas said:

 

Seemed like he played more middle linebacker for the Cowboys. I think we will go Simon at SAM, Hitchens at MIKE and take an athletic WILL from the draft, as there are some great options that could fall to the second round.

 

If we could sign Ansah, resign Melvin and draft Chubb, our defense should see a significant improvement.

what would happen to Sheard in this case? would he move to DE? It would sound like we're moving to a 4/3

[stitches]

 

 

[The Peytonator]

I want him but I don’t want them to overpay for a guy just because the new DC knows him. I’d also like to see us go after Avery Williamson. I believe John Simon could be our Sam if we play more of a Cover 3 but if he is asked to get deep into his drop in a Cover 2 I wouldn’t feel comfortable. 

[Steamboat_Shaun]

14 minutes ago, stitches said:

 

 

 

With how strapped the Cowboys are for cash going into this offseason, the number probably won't even need to be that high for them to not be able to match it. This is one I'd really like to see pan out.

[Steamboat_Shaun]

1 minute ago, The Peytonator said:

I want him but I don’t want them to overpay for a guy just because the new DC knows him. I’d also like to see us go after Avery Williamson. I believe John Simon could be our Sam if we play more of a Cover 3 but if he is asked to get deep into his drop in a Cover 2 I wouldn’t feel comfortable. 

 

They have  just over $19mil in cap space, and need to re-sign Demarcus Lawrence. Taking Hitchens off of their hands won't cost the Colts that much.

[Defjamz26]

8 hours ago, Colt Overseas said:

 

Seemed like he played more middle linebacker for the Cowboys. I think we will go Simon at SAM, Hitchens at MIKE and take an athletic WILL from the draft, as there are some great options that could fall to the second round.

 

If we could sign Ansah, resign Melvin and draft Chubb, our defense should see a significant improvement.

He’s not a coverage guy though which is what I’d prefer. I know the WILL has a lot if not most of the coverage responsibilities, but it’s good to have guys at the MLB position who can cover too, like Bobby Wagner in Seattle. I think he’s better at SAM. He should start there with Bostic backing him up. Id draft guys to play MLB and WILL LB.

[DougDew]

9 hours ago, Colt Overseas said:

 

Seemed like he played more middle linebacker for the Cowboys. I think we will go Simon at SAM, Hitchens at MIKE and take an athletic WILL from the draft, as there are some great options that could fall to the second round.

 

If we could sign Ansah, resign Melvin and draft Chubb, our defense should see a significant improvement.

Spot on.  If these happen, the major pieces of the D are there.  Some say that Anthony Walker's natural position is WILL, but he'd probably be in the backup role.

[BProland85]

55 minutes ago, The Peytonator said:

I want him but I don’t want them to overpay for a guy just because the new DC knows him. I’d also like to see us go after Avery Williamson. I believe John Simon could be our Sam if we play more of a Cover 3 but if he is asked to get deep into his drop in a Cover 2 I wouldn’t feel comfortable. 

 

Agreed I would hope Ballard is smart enough not to way overpay for Hitchens but I do believe he'll get more money here than what Dallas could offer. 

 

With Simon, he def needs to play SAM where he mostly plays near the line of scrimmage and occasionally rushes the passer. I could see Ballard adding an athletic LB or two in the draft to help with coverage. Someone like Rashaan Evans early round 2 or Jerome Baker round 3 would be nice!

[The Peytonator]

23 minutes ago, BProland85 said:

 

Agreed I would hope Ballard is smart enough not to way overpay for Hitchens but I do believe he'll get more money here than what Dallas could offer. 

 

With Simon, he def needs to play SAM where he mostly plays near the line of scrimmage and occasionally rushes the passer. I could see Ballard adding an athletic LB or two in the draft to help with coverage. Someone like Rashaan Evans early round 2 or Jerome Baker round 3 would be nice!

 

Yeah we’re definitely gonna need some more athleticism from our backers. I was digging Edwin Jackson’s game last year and hoping he’d make a second year jump but then he went to IR. Pagano sure seemed to like two down linebackers and I’m hoping to see us trend away from those now. 

[BOTT]

NFL gossip

[The Peytonator]

2 hours ago, Steamboat_Shaun said:

 

They have  just over $19mil in cap space, and need to re-sign Demarcus Lawrence. Taking Hitchens off of their hands won't cost the Colts that much.

 

They can always let us take both. 

[Andrew Luck fan club]

After Norwell(OL), this is the most important signing imo. Our ILB are seriously bad.  

[Superman]

He's in my mock, and I believe he'll be decent in coverage.

[Fisticuffs111]

This would be nice. I thought I've seen some Cowboys fans say he's not as bad in coverage as his rating would indicate, but I wouldn't really know.

[Colts_Fan12]

Every day that goes by the more I want to trade back and take Edmunds 

[Str8himalaya]

35 minutes ago, Colts_Fan12 said:

Every day that goes by the more I want to trade back and take Edmunds 

 

I'll be honest, I've been leaning a lot towards that as well. If he blows the doors off the combine someone will take his upside around pick 10 I bet.

[shasta519]

Makes perfect sense. Colts need a leader on defense that has familiarity with the scheme.

 

After moving Simon to SAM, I wouldn't be surprised to see another LB signed to play WILL. I would love it if PHI releases Kendricks.

 

Then in the draft, the Colts can grab a LB or two to develop...preferably in the middle rounds where there should be good depth available due to 4-3 OLBs

being undervalued. Unless of course the Colts trade far back in round 1 and Smith/Edmunds is the BPA.

[stitches]

Here's a small film breakdown of Hitchens:

 

[Steamboat_Shaun]

11 hours ago, The Peytonator said:

 

They can always let us take both. 

 

I’m game.

[Steamboat_Shaun]

11 hours ago, Andrew Luck fan club said:

After Norwell(OL), this is the most important signing imo. Our ILB are seriously bad.  

 

The market for veteran OL is going to be competitive, honestly I think Hitchens is way more likely to be a Colt than Norwell. I’d love to be wrong about that and see both guys in blue & white, I’m not holding my breath.

[Barry Sears]

Watched the highlight reel and liked what I saw.  He makes plays our LBs rarely make.

[Andrew Luck fan club]

5 hours ago, Steamboat_Shaun said:

 

The market for veteran OL is going to be competitive, honestly I think Hitchens is way more likely to be a Colt than Norwell. I’d love to be wrong about that and see both guys in blue & white, I’m not holding my breath.

There’s no reason why we couldn’t get him. Unless he just doesn’t want to come to Indy. We have 80 million, that is a lot. 

[Steamboat_Shaun]

7 minutes ago, Andrew Luck fan club said:

There’s no reason why we couldn’t get him. Unless he just doesn’t want to come to Indy. We have 80 million, that is a lot. 

 

It seems pretty similar to the Zeitler situation last year. We weren't willing to make him the highest paid guard in the league, so it's hard to imagine we'd be willing to do that this year just because we have a few more dollars to spend. I do hope that it happens, because it'd be a huge signing for us, but he's going to have a lot of options, and there's also the possibility that Carolina doesn't even let him hit free agency.

[NewColtsFan]

27 minutes ago, Andrew Luck fan club said:

There’s no reason why we couldn’t get him. Unless he just doesn’t want to come to Indy. We have 80 million, that is a lot. 

 

Theres no reason?

 

Respectfully, I don't think you understand how this works...   There's EVERY reason why this would NEVER happen...

 

If Luck is healthy and we just want to sign him to trade him, why would he even take the phone call?    Cousins wants to pick where he's going to play, he doesn't want the Colts to decide his future.

 

Offering him a lot of money will mean NOTHING.   Everyone will offer him a ton of money.   The issue is control.   Cousins wants to control his future.   Signing with us and he loses that control.

 

Meanwhile...   while we're focusing on Cousins we're not paying enough attention on the rest of free agency...

 

And...  if we did sign Cousins just to trade him, we will have paid him his signing bonus...   roughly 50-60 million just trade him?    You think Irsay signs off on that?!?

 

There is ZERO chance of this even being considered, much less actually done.

 

[Colts_Fan12]

58 minutes ago, NewColtsFan said:

 

Theres no reason?

 

Respectfully, I don't think you understand how this works...   There's EVERY reason why this would NEVER happen...

 

If Luck is healthy and we just want to sign him to trade him, why would he even take the phone call?    Cousins wants to pick where he's going to play, he doesn't want the Colts to decide his future.

 

Offering him a lot of money will mean NOTHING.   Everyone will offer him a ton of money.   The issue is control.   Cousins wants to control his future.   Signing with us and he loses that control.

 

Meanwhile...   while we're focusing on Cousins we're not paying enough attention on the rest of free agency...

 

And...  if we did sign Cousins just to trade him, we will have paid him his signing bonus...   roughly 50-60 million just trade him?    You think Irsay signs off on that?!?

 

There is ZERO chance of this even being considered, much less actually done.

 

Umm NCF why are you talking about cousins? Lol your post has me scratching my head.

[DaColts85]

2 minutes ago, Colts_Fan12 said:

Umm NCF why are you talking about cousins? Lol your post has me scratching my head.

I think he might of clicked the wrong thread. 

[throwing BBZ]

1 hour ago, NewColtsFan said:

 

Theres no reason?

 

Respectfully, I don't think you understand how this works...   There's EVERY reason why this would NEVER happen...

 

If Luck is healthy and we just want to sign him to trade him, why would he even take the phone call?    Cousins wants to pick where he's going to play, he doesn't want the Colts to decide his future.

 

Offering him a lot of money will mean NOTHING.   Everyone will offer him a ton of money.   The issue is control.   Cousins wants to control his future.   Signing with us and he loses that control.

 

Meanwhile...   while we're focusing on Cousins we're not paying enough attention on the rest of free agency...

 

And...  if we did sign Cousins just to trade him, we will have paid him his signing bonus...   roughly 50-60 million just trade him?    You think Irsay signs off on that?!?

 

There is ZERO chance of this even being considered, much less actually done.

 

 

lmao earth to NCF

[throwing BBZ]

18 hours ago, BOTT said:

NFL gossip

 

 Simple Logic

[southwest1]

8 hours ago, stitches said:

Here's a small film breakdown of Hitchens:

 

Good tape on Anthony here. He stuffs the run, causes near interceptions, & can take running backs & quarterbacks. I may deplore the Cowboys organization, but that guy is always around the ball & causing havoc for the offense. Thanks posting this stitches. 

[Andrew Luck fan club]

1 hour ago, Steamboat_Shaun said:

 

It seems pretty similar to the Zeitler situation last year. We weren't willing to make him the highest paid guard in the league, so it's hard to imagine we'd be willing to do that this year just because we have a few more dollars to spend. I do hope that it happens, because it'd be a huge signing for us, but he's going to have a lot of options, and there's also the possibility that Carolina doesn't even let him hit free agency.

Maybe Zeitler wasn’t the right locker room guy and maybe Norwell is. Maybe seeing our QB being the most sacked will push Ballard over. Maybe us having a “few more” dollars this year will matter. 

 

Im just saying, obviously it’s not a given but it’s very possible. 

1 hour ago, NewColtsFan said:

 

Theres no reason?

 

Respectfully, I don't think you understand how this works...   There's EVERY reason why this would NEVER happen...

 

If Luck is healthy and we just want to sign him to trade him, why would he even take the phone call?    Cousins wants to pick where he's going to play, he doesn't want the Colts to decide his future.

 

Offering him a lot of money will mean NOTHING.   Everyone will offer him a ton of money.   The issue is control.   Cousins wants to control his future.   Signing with us and he loses that control.

 

Meanwhile...   while we're focusing on Cousins we're not paying enough attention on the rest of free agency...

 

And...  if we did sign Cousins just to trade him, we will have paid him his signing bonus...   roughly 50-60 million just trade him?    You think Irsay signs off on that?!?

 

There is ZERO chance of this even being considered, much less actually done.

 

I stopped reading half way through your third paragraph.