Marshall Martin's Blog

so, a complete rebuild? Got any particular running back in mind? I don't really know but, I think it counts against our cap when we release players

Marshall: Agree with most of what you said, but have to believe Irsay couldn't find a way to keep Bill Polian and get rid of Chris. I don't think we need to get rid of everyone you mentioned but we do need to shore up that running game. As far as I'm concerned Addai and Brown can go. Maureen I think only the guaranteed money goes against the cap if they are released.

You can find a RB anywhere in the draft. If we do take one it shouldn't be till the 3-4 rounds. I still like Addai, he's a great blocking back, but he needs to be released. I'm fine with keeping Brown and Carter. I think Carter can be a solid back in this league if he didn't develop a case of the fumbles every time he touched the ball. What needs real work is our makeshift offensive line. We grabbed some long time starters last draft in Castanzo and Ijilana. Saturday I believe will still play next season and if everyone stays healthy you will see a tremendous upgrade our run game. While I do agree that most of those guys should be let go, I don't agree with the Collie cut. He's been a great receiver when he's been healthy. But, drafting a RB shouldn't happen in the first 2 rounds unless somehow Richardson fall that low, which I doubt he will.

I think you've missed the problem... I'm not sure an "elite" RB is even in the top 10 of things we need. I think our running problem is scheme and lineman. The lineman we've gone after are very solid pass blockers, but not necessarily guys that knock defensive lineman off the ball for the run game. I think Carter ran well when he didn't cough the ball up, but he didn't have fumble problems in college so I hope he can get it figured out. Hes very young, this was his rookie year, and the same could be said with brown in terms of age. Brown ran very well this year, and it hasn't been the problem with him since we drafted him. His problem has been picking up blitzes and block on passing downs, but watching him this past year, he's improved dramatically that I think he could replace Addai next year. I agree with about half your cuts... Addai can go, clark might be overpriced and coming off injury so he can go, gonzalez sadly can't stay healthy even though I think hes a good player when he is healthy so he can go, painter is garbage, wayne and saturday only go if peyton is gone (why blow up the old nucleus of the team if your bringing back the 35 year old manning for a few more runs at the playoffs?). Collie has played great and stayed moderately healthy this year so I see NO reason he should go. My opinions on carter are clear above, give the kid a chance.

As for the defensive side, we need alot of help... If we don't go LUCK in the draft, I think Claiborne would fit in as a starting corner opposite powers. We couldn't cover an inanimate object this year... We could also really use a Nose Tackle. We don't have anyone big enough to occupy a couple defenders to allow linebackers to make plays. I think our LB core gained alot of experience this year which should be a huge help next year. Angerer looked especially strong filling in for Bracket (who I sadly think can go as well).

I do have a few RB's in mind Maureen: Ray Rice with Baltimore, Matt Forte with Chicago, Ryan Grant with Green Bay, Peyton Hillis with Cleveland, or Michael Bush with Oakland. All of the above are free agents this year and may fit nicely on our offense in whatever direction the team is headed. Some of the players I mentioned to let go are free agents this year anyway and would most likely require an increase in salary to stay and some of the others are just old and injury prone and IMO wouldn't be worth it to keep them just to have them on the bench most of the season. A good example was Bob Sanders; I hated to lose him but it didn't make sense to keep him. Also our running game was poor IMO. The Colts, according to Cliff Brunt of the Associated Press, (published Thursday, Oct. 27th, 2011 1:24p.m. MDT) ranked 25th in the NFL in yards rushing per game but it's average of 4.3 yards per carry ranks 15th. Still could be much better and Addai seems like he is always injured. In the past we didn't keep a RB more than 5 yrs including Edgerin James. I also believe that the Colts defense just isn't big enough in the middle to stop other teams from running on them and small corners who play too far off the receiver to make big game changing plays. Oh ya and a terrible special teams lol. Miss Terrence Wilkins bad.

First off no team really is going with a one back system anymore. Ryan Grant just as injury prone Addai. Plus we just resigned Addai last year something i would not have done. Most of our cap is still in older players, Bracket, Freeney etc... The only running back i would be ok with getting in free agency is Matt Forte. But hey good luck affording him. Ray rice is not leaving Baltimore and the others are not worth it. We do not have a run blocking OL although Ijilana should help in that area. Im not sure where people get off thinking that you can just find great running backs in round 3-4 like it happens all the time. Outside of demarco Murry and Arian Foster which running backs in round 3-4 start for team? The ones that have replaced injured players. Mojo was drafted in the 2nd round and he lead the league this year in yards. Go down the first 15 running backs that lead the league in yards and all but 3 or 4 where drafted in the first round. Besides running back is still the least of our worries.

Do you realize you hypothetically cut almost the entire offense?

We need a QB. I think Brown and Carter will do just fine

Do you realize you hypothetically cut almost the entire offense?We need a QB. I think Brown and Carter will do just fine

lol yes I realize that but the draft is coming up and free agency will help fill in the holes. Mr. Irsay has been talking about a more balanced team and major changes and right now the Colts are only a passing offense and nothing more. They just brought RB Evans back off practice squad and we have Brown still but need an elite RB that can help open up the passing game. Our defense has been severely lacking and same for our ST. Our passing offense will remain solid with Peyton and/or Luck. Its everywhere else that needs work. Look at GB defense! It sucked and the Giants D was solid. Just having a great offense isnt enough.

he will be okay. andew will learn under him. he will be okay i am ready for some football this coming season of colts and its will be good _

I agree with a lot of things said here. The defense needs help tremendously. I agree with letting addai go. He is not worth keeping IMO. I think the OL needs help to have a good run game though. If they do not keep Peyton(I hope we do but just don't look good for that) then we definitely need a good OL to protect a rookie qb. I would like to keep Collie to see if he can go a year without a concussion. He has played well when not hurt. Painter, Gonzalez and Clark can go as well. Painter is awful, Gonzalez is always hurt and we do not need him. Clark is just getting older and Tamme is good enough we don't need to keep Clark. Thats just my opinion. With the hiring of Pagano I'm excited and hoping to see some great defense finally from Indy. Not saying we have always been terrible or anything. I'm just so sick of seeing the ball get run down our throats. It honestly makes me mad watching us just get run over. We have been so relient on the pass and just let everything else go downhill. I love seeing a great offense but we need a defense that intimidates. I think even with the runningbacks we have now, if the defense and OL were better we could as a whole be so much better. I love that they want to make it a more balanced team. Peyton is one in a million and this year showed he ran the team. He masked a lot of flaws and we can't rely on one guy to do all that. We need to think of the future weather he comes back or not. We won't have him forever and need to be better equipped to win in other ways.

I think Clark is better than Tamme, keep Clark. 2007 TE single season record for TD's & 2008 TE single season record for yards and 2009 season 2nd TE NFL history for 100 receptions. 2010 wrist injury or he would of been out there making records. Clark is a smart player and with the right QB he can make some great plays. Keep Saturday if he's snapping to Peyton, this is second nature for these 2 and Saturday is super sharp and reading defense. The rest I agree can go, but will be sad to see Collie gone! I find it a bit unfair to judge players by any game that Painter was in, he made the entire offense terrible and no one was able to shine.

Cut Painter, Addai, & Gonselez. Keep TE Tamme way to important on special teams. Keep Dallas Clark & Austin Collie too. If Peyton is gone from Indy, their field & locker room veteran leadership will be essential in molding QB Andrew Luck's success for the 5-10 years.

We need an RB built with a low center of gravity like Jaguar MJD & Marshawn Lynch in Buffalo who won't shy away from contact & can consistently get 4-5 yards per carry to open up the play action pass & keep opposing safeties honest. Carter would be fine if he had better ball control & he just learned how to fall forward as RB.