A look at the roster (DB/special teams)
CB: Davis- one of the best all-around DB's in the NFL
Toler- very good-some games, average-the others
Butler- very good #3 CB, who excells at the hard to master skill of covering the slot receiver
Gordy-adequate
Very good at the top, with very little depth, This is an area where a team needs to have a lot of depth, Gordy and Bulter are free agents and should be a priority, especially Bulter, The Colts have aquired many players with off field issues in this new era, some have worked out, some haven't. Purifoy is an example of one that didn't ...............this is a need area ( for depth)
S: Adams- great signing and a great year (Pro Bowl)
Landry- had a few good games, but has been released
Brown- played well and should get better
Howell-missed the year
Anderson/McDonald-2 of the best special team players
Adams is a free agent and should be a priority, but I don't think they can sign all of the free agents they want, there will prob be a few that get away, for various reasons. Landry, like Richardson ( 2 of the biggest signings) have been major disapointments with on field production and Landry didn't seem to fit in, Howell went into the off season as a projected starter and is also a free agent, as is Anderson, so it's not likely that all of them will be back..........................most of the guys at the top of the depth chart are either gone or free agents..... a major need area
K-Adam, had a great year
P-McAfee- finally played a Pro Bowl level , after years of expectations
LS-Overton- very good
RT- Cribbs, explosive at times and very bad judgement, at times
A great group, with Pro Bowl ability, I thinks Cribbs was trying a little too hard to be a difference maker and ended up doing that, on the negative side, but his game changing ability was refreshing, Overton is a free agent and should be back...............not a need area
Bottom line: When a team plays in the AFC championship it shows that it is a team that has alot of talent, this team has that and is a few "key" pieces away from contending for a Super Bowl appearance, the outcome of that game and most of the games played this year vs very good teams showed what those "key" pieces are, ever since Pagano took over, we have heard, we need to run the ball and stop the run. Running the ball was inconsistent, as was stopping the run, those issues can be directly attributed to the 2 lines, games are won in the trenches and we lost them, in the trenches. The defensive line is priority #1, not because it is the #1 need, but because those players are so hard to find, the difference makers. The O-line is priority #1A, because that has been an ongoing issue, for years. If those 2 areas are upgraded enough, the talent level is good enough at the other positions to compete for a championship. Every year, there are many decisions, who to keep, who to let go, who to add, via free agency and the draft. Health is key, every year and is often a direct result to how much success there is going to be. The other needs will be determined by those decisions, there are positions that need depth added, to compete for a 16 game season. The reality is there is only so much money and sometimes, you just can't keep everybody and sometimes you can't match what another team is willing to pay a player. It is a very fine line and a juggling act that Grigson has to manage and it is going to get harder, every year, going forward. There are alot of young players who do not get paid alot of money, but that will change in the near future and some of them, will not be a part of this team, going forward. Luck's contract will be soon, in the next few years and that will make a significant dent in the amount of money that will be available for other players. At that point, every mistake that is made, missing on a draft pick and missing on a free agent, will be magnified. Grigson has made some great moves thus far and has also made some decisions that have not turned out very well, how he does in the future, will determine how sucessfull this team will be
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