[Khaled Holmes starting center?]

By the way, I thought Holmes looked pretty mediocre in his "highlight" reel.  That was truly the best of his career's work? 

[Khaled Holmes starting center?]

We don't need another receiver.  We have the perfect lineup right now.  Experience, talent and depth.  Possession (Wayne) Speed (TY) Beast (Nicks) and huge upside still on Da'Rick and Brazille both.  Whalen will likely fill in for any injuries before the season ends (unless someone snaps him up).  

 

I think they may look at Ward from North Ill if he's around or Yankey from Stanford on the line who could really help us at all 3 inside positions.  Either of those guys would be huge in the bottom of the second.  

 

Brian

[Phil Costa RETIRES!]

I don't think he gets paid a dime actually. 

[Now that we have signed Hakeem Nicks, what do you see the Colts doing this year?]

Our schedule is much tougher than people think this year.  The NFC East will feast on our weakest division, which will build their confidence and their records which will keep them all far more engaged all season instead of phoning it in last season.  

 

The AFC North is ALSO going to be FAR better than last year.  Each has made significant moves/or has high draft picks.  The Bengals already beat us and I doubt they'll be good enough to win the division.  The Steelers were on a major upswing to end the season and barely missed the playoffs (a missed late field goal by the Chargers kept them out I believe).  We will have super tough games against the Steelers and Bengals no matter where we play them.  The Ravens would be an even match if we play them there.  Cleveland is a wild card in that with their (and our) draft picks, they could end up with the two best wideouts in the NFL, a stud for a quarterback and any number of Best Player Available types from a LOADED draft year.  Every year we see teams go from worst to first and Cleveland could be one next year if they draft smart.  We could be a coin flip in any of those 4 games and so at best we should expect 2-2.   In the NFC East, Philadelphia will be a beast, the Cowboys will finally be back on track, the Redskins will come roaring back.... only the giants seems likely to be a win, but we always lose to a team we should beat, so catching them on the road might be a trap game.  I could see us easily splitting 2-2 in that division.  (Frankly, we could end up worse, or win one we shouldn't against a team like Philly).  But lets take the middle 2-2.   So now we are sitting 4-4.  Next we have our own division.  I think a sweep is possible, but all of those teams are drafting early in a loaded year.  TN will be tough and Texas at home will too.  Jacksonville is a possible trap game.  We're going to lose at least one legit and one trap game in our division.  So that means 4-2.  So now we're 8-6.  Who's left?  Denver and New England.  I think it is highly unlikely we beat either at their place.  So with one being home and one away, let's call it even at 1-1.  That makes us 9-7 for the Reg season and winners of our division which will finish worst again next year.  At least one of those teams will also finish 9-7 but we'll win the tie-breaker and squeak into the playoffs.  I am saying this with the assumption that we're BETTER than we were last year.  Our schedule will be just as tough in reality as last year and though we may benefit from the right mix of home games to finish with a ceiling of 11-5, we could just as easily go 8-8 and miss the playoffs most likely to Texas who is LOADED with talent and will likely have Clowney to go along with the DPOY winner on the other side.  Worst to first don't you know.  

 

I LOVE the Colts... but I watched every single NFL game twice or more last year and I am telling you, our schedule could be BRUTAL next year.  Our biggest hope is a sweep of our division and an 11-5 record but with Denver and New England getting the #1-#2 seeds again and us losing in the exact same round having to play either team at home in the playoffs.  

 

With all that said above, one factor I left out was LUCK.  (Both the man and the factor).  I predict 10-6 or 11-5 (thanks to a reasonably healthy team AND Luck), Div winner, #4 seed to the North winner (who will feast on our division) to finish in #3.  Most likely we'll make 2 trips out to Denver, once in the reg season and once in the playoffs.  It would take a LUCK show to upset them either time.  We'll either play Texas or  a team from the AFC North in the first round, then either Denver or New England (who will have their injured players back with some new additions (CB's will be much tougher this year than last not to mention Gronk) depending on an upset happening in the other playoff game.  We should win our first playoff game.  

 

Just my two cents.  I hope I am wrong and we blow people away... but I think reality will show us a much tougher year even with a better, more experienced team.  

[James Jones Colts?]

nope....he and Decker are both #2 receivers and neither solve our need for a solid #1 or possession in the realm of Wayne.  Even if TY becomes the #1 in the vein of Marvin Harrison, either of these two guys would be a solid #2 but both want TOP #1 money.  If they came with a #2 price tag, I would see both as huge upgrades over DHB whose career should be over in the NFL after his disgracefully bad season here.  

 

I want a receiver over all other positions, but I want a true #1 monster, not a nice but non-spectacular #2.  If only we had a #1 pick this year and could trade up enough to get one of the monsters in this draft class to spend their career with Luck like Reggie or Marvin did with Manning.  Luck deserves another top rate receiver to go with Hilton.  Sure, defense wins championships, but with a much tougher schedule than anyone is giving us credit for this season (I think we have one of the toughest, not the easiest... those NFC East teams are going to be a nightmare for us to get past this year plus we have to play Denver, New England and Cincy, all three of which could easily beat us and don't think for a second that Pittsburgh won't regain form and be a 10-6 to 12-4 level team next year.  We are going to have to outscore these teams and with the Texans likely to get back on the saddle, just winning our division is going to be a challenge again.  TN may take one of two from us this year as well.  We need  a sure fire #1.,  I am not hearing much about Da'Rick this offseason and if he can step up to be a serious #1 or #2.  Perhaps the coaches and Grigs are keeping that under wraps.  If so, then I'd breath a little easier.  I don't think Decker or Jones or Nicks solve any problems for us and certainly not for the money.  We need a Center and CB/ILB/FS/SS in FA and with Luck, TY and our two tight ends needing to be resigned soon enough, there's just not enough money unless a true #1 monster is available in the draft after a tradeup or via an unforseen FA or trade opportunity.