With Pagano gone...

[BProland85]

And I wish all the best to his speedy recovery and battle with this illness, my topic was made to wonder if our team will struggle to win games without his leadership and defensive mind.

I could see this team going 4-12 or 5-11 now that Pagano will be out for awhile. Our offense should be fine with Luck and Arians still there, but our defense could suffer.

Lets say we go 5-11, that puts us at around the 6th or 7th overall pick. With that pick, we should be able to get a defensive stud like Mingo or Jones at DE/OLB, or DT Hankins or Lotulelei. Or we could trade down and still get a player like SS Eric Reid or OG Chance Warmack.

If you were in the front office, where would you go if we have the 7th pick and these guys are gone...

1- QB Geno Smith

2- QB Matt Barkley

3- WR Keenan Allen

4- OLB Jarvis Jones

5- DT Star Lotulelei

6- OT Luke Joeckel

My pick would be DT Johnathon Hankins unless we get a great offer to trade down and get a lot of picks in return. If we had to stay put and take a guy though, I would take Hankins since he will still be very young at only 21 in his rookie year, and has been compared to Marcell Dareus.

If we could trade down to say the 14-20 range, I would like to get either SS Eric Reid or OG Chance Warmack late in the 1st.

[21isSuperman]

Depending on how the CBs play, I'd still like us to consider Amerson. However, if the coaches feel the CBs are good, I think we should go O-line. I also like your idea of trading down. SS and OL are two of the biggest needs for our team.

[coltsguy510]

I think that we would be picking at 5th if we went 5-11 and if a WR did go 3rd, it would be Justin Hunter not Allen.

[coltsguy510]

If Jones was available and a team was picking 4th and we had the 5th pick, I would consider trading up a spot.

[Nobody]

Depending on how the CBs play, I'd still like us to consider Amerson. However, if the coaches feel the CBs are good, I think we should go O-line. I also like your idea of trading down. SS and OL are two of the biggest needs for our team.

Have you watched some of Amerson's tape? He's awful in man coverage. No way he goes in the first as a corner, maybe sneaks in late as a FS if he has a good combine.

I think we go OL, OLB, or S with our first two picks. I wouldn't mind taking Jarvis Jones if available, he's a special player. I think our best course of action is to trade down for a second, take an OG in the first, a hard hitting run support SS in the second, and a developmental OLB in the third. One with all the tools (size and speed) that needs refinement and falls to the third.

[Gavin]

Im thinking before Pagano was diagnosed with Cancer (I hope for his full recovery regardless of what happens football wise thats just a game)that we were going to go 5-11 with him as active HC but with him not being ACTIVE HC I can much more easily see this being a very LONG season

[BOTT]

hankins or top 3-4 pass rusher....mingo, lemoniere, montgomery, etc....

[Boiler_Colt]

Mingo, Teo, Warmack, or even Woods or Hunter. I don't like Eric Reid, he's been burned by some pretty marginal competition this year.

[coltsguy510]

Mingo, Teo, Warmack, or even Woods or Hunter. I don't like Eric Reid, he's been burned by some pretty marginal competition this year.

Reid has been better than Mingo.

[Boiler_Colt]

Reid has been better than Mingo.

Quite possible, but when a guy gets burned twice for long scores against the powerhouse that is North Texas, it scares me.

[coltsguy510]

I see us going 4-12 and ending up with the 3rd pick. We pick Jarvis Jones or trade back, pick up a second and get Warmack, Reid, or Te'o.

Jones Pick:

1. Jones

3. Margus Hunt

Warmack:

1. Warmack

2. Matt Elam

3. Dion Jordan

Te'o:

1. Te'o

2. Jonathan Cooper

3. Jordan

Reid:

1. Reid

2. Cooper

3. Jordan or Hunt

[Hans Moleman]

I'd love to see us trade down, grab Teo, and use the extra pick to address the best lineman on either side.

More realistically, I think we just need another year of BPA with the focus directed more towards the trenches this year.

[NewColtsFan]

I confess I'm not entirely comfortable talking about the effect the absence of Pagano will have on the team... the news coming earlier today....

But I'll try to tip-toe and be completely respectful about it... so, I'll say this...

I think we can count on the loss of Pagano having some negative impact. How big is the question. But, look how bad N.O. is struggling without Payton. Now, I recognize that's in large part because he was their play-caller and he might be the best in the business.

Pagano was not our play caller... at least, not to anyone's knowledge.

But he's the overall leader, he sees the Big Picture, he oversees the entire program, so his absence will be felt...

I don't know what this will do to our record. And, for now, I really don't care. I'll concern myself with it somewhere down the road....

[vtcoltsfan802]

I want Jones so bad, he is a game changer on Defense. Hopefully we pick up a starting olineman or two during FA and then If he's available I want to pick him no questions asked with the first pick.

If we can't get a Starting OL in FA then that needs to be addressed with the first pick, If we are a top 10 pick then trade back and pick up whatever picks we can.

[haseo15]

I want Jones or Te'o because i think having that pressure up front could make our front 7 a lot better overall in pass rushing situations.

[NewColtsFan]

I see us going 4-12 and ending up with the 3rd pick. We pick Jarvis Jones or trade back, pick up a second and get Warmack, Reid, or Te'o.

Jones Pick:

1. Jones

3. Margus Hunt

Warmack:

1. Warmack

2. Matt Elam

3. Dion Jordan

Te'o:

1. Te'o

2. Jonathan Cooper

3. Jordan

Reid:

1. Reid

2. Cooper

3. Jordan or Hunt

Some of the guys you're writing about I don't know them... at least, not yet....

But I've seen enough on Hunt to be able to say there's not much chance he'll fall to the 3rd round... I think he's seen as a 2nd rounder right now. Not sure yet on Cooper, he may not last to the 2nd round... but it's very early....

[Andy]

O-line should be a priority in this draft, imo.

[BProland85]

O-line should be a priority in this draft, imo.

Id prefer to address the OL in Free Agency, then in the draft, focus on defense, particularly in the front seven and SS. I really think this team needs an elite pass rusher at DE/OLB to replace Freeney unless Hughes shows us something in the regular season. Mathis is getting up there in age too, so another elite pass rusher is needed to infuse youth there.

After getting an elite pass rusher, get a SS and another NT or 3/4 DE.

We made the offense young last draft, lets do the same with our defense!

[PrincetonTiger]

O-line should be a priority in this draft, imo.

OL in FA, DL/DB in Draft.