The Reason For The Colts Decline

[jbaron04]

i will only calculate to 2005

since 2005 the colts drafted 56 players of them 56 only 25 players our on their team now

to get a little more accurate ill count 1st thru 4th

since 2005 the colts drafted 30 players from the 1st thru 4th round of them 30 only 15 players our on their team now

to get a little closer ill do only 1st and 2nd

since 2005 the colts draft 13 players thru the 1st and 2nd rounds of them 13 players 9 our on their them now

of them 9 that our on the team only 4 our starters

so basically 56 picks since 2005 18 our contributers now only 9 our starters

ill do 1st thru 3rd

since 2005 the colts took 21 players from the 1st to 3rd round of them 21 players 7 were on offense with 14 on defense

since 1998 the colts took 9 offensive players out of a possible 13 first draft selections

ok

2011 nfl draft

1. anthony constanzo

2. ben ijalana

3. drake nevis

4. delone carter

5.

6. chris rucker

7.

2010 nfl draft

1. jerry hughes

2. pat angerer

3. kevin thomas

4. Jacques McClendon

5. brody eldridge

6.

7. ricardo mathews

7. kavell conner

7. ray fisher

2009 nfl draft

1. donald brown

2. fili moala

3. jerruad powers

4. austin collie

5. Terrance Taylor

6. Curtis Painter

7. Pat McAfee

7. Jaimie Thomas

2008 nfl draft

1.

2. mike pollack

3. Philip Wheeler

4. Jacob Tamme

5. Marcus Howard

6. Tom Santi

6. Steve Justice

6. Mike Hart

6. Pierre Garcon

7. Jamey Richard

2007 nfl draft

1. Anthony Gonzalez

2. Tony Ugoh

3. Dante Hughes

3. Quinn Pitcock

4. Brannon Condren

4. Clint Session

5. Roy Hall

5. Michael Coe

7. Keyunta Dawson

2006 nfl draft

1. Joseph Addai

2. Tim Jennings

3. Freddie Keiaho

5. Michael Toudouze

6. Charlie Johnson

6. Antoine Bethea

7. T.J. Rushing

2005 nfl draft

1. Marlin Jackson

2. Kelvin Hayden

3. Vincent Burns

4. Dylan Gandy

4. Matt Giordano

5. Jonathan Welsh

5. Robert Hunt

5. Tyjuan Hagler

6. Dave Rayner

7. Anthony Davis

2004 nfl draft

1.

2. Bob Sanders

3. Ben Hartsock

3. Gilbert Gardner

4. Kendyll Pope

4. Jason David

5. Jake Scott

6. Von Hutchins

6. Jim Sorgi

7. David Kimball

2003 nfl draft

1. Dallas Clark

2. mike doss

3. Donald Strickland

4. Steve Sciullo

5. Robert Mathis

5. Keyon Whiteside

6. Cato June

6. Makoa Freitas

2002 nfl draft

1. Dwight Freeney

2. Larry Tripplett

3. Joseph Jefferson

4. David Thornton

6. David Pugh

6. James Lewis

6. Brian Allen

7. josh mallard

2001 nfl draft

1. Reggie Wayne

2. Idrees Bashir

3. Cory Bird

4. Ryan Diem

5. Raymond Walls

6. Jason Doering

7. Rick DeMulling

2000 nfl draft

1. Rob Morris

2. Marcus Washington

3. David Macklin

4. Josh Williams

5. Matt Johnson

7. Rob Renes

7. Rodregis Brooks

1999 nfl draft

1. Edgerrin James

2. Mike Peterson

3. Brandon Burlsworth

4. Paul Miranda

5. Brad Scioli

7. Hunter Smith

7. Corey Terry

1998 nfl draft

1. Peyton Manning

2. Jerome Pathon

3. E.G. Green

4. Steve McKinney

5. Antony Jordan

7. Aaron Taylor

7. Cory Gaines

[chrisfarley]

of those, how many did we let get away through FA or not-resigning?

[jbaron04]

think about 14 good players

[Betty27_1]

I think the problem is, the Colts never prepared themselves of the possibility that they may not have Peyton for any given time during the season. My view on not only a back up QB, but the entire team is you have to be ready at any time to play without your star QB.

[GwinnettColt]

I think the problem is, the Colts never prepared themselves of the possibility that they may not have Peyton for any given time during the season. My view on not only a back up QB, but the entire team is you have to be ready at any time to play without your star QB.

I agree. That and the idea that they haven't had a decent OLine since Tarik retired and Jake Scott left. With the defense, they've never been able to tackle or stop the run in most games. There's talent there but as we saw Sunday, it's not a team-oriented defense lately. They've put the weight on Peyton's shoulders. The Steelers did ok without Roethlisberger the first few games because they have a tough defense. A mediocre offense can put points on the board.

We can recover this season. Tweak the O-line. Defense does their job, things will be ok. Probably not playoff bound, however, which is a whole different story in relation to next year's draft.

[Thewholefnshow28]

I think the most telling things about this is how much it hurts when you start missing on first round picks. Since 2007 the FO has basically whiffed on all of our picks for various reasons. When you are not hitting on your first round picks you are missing out some impact players.

2007: Anthony Gonzalez

2008: Tony Ugoh (I am counting Ugoh as our first since we gave one up for him.)

2009: Donald Brown

2010: Jerry Hughes

People will say the jury is still out on Hughes, but when you have the GM coming out and saying it was a mistake to take him instead of Saffold you know the guy is not going to amount to much.

If Hughes does not turn it around that is 5 straight years of busts. You cannot sustain depth and keep the team well rounded around Manning missing on top picks like that.

What has helped is Polian is great at finding those hidden gems like Bethea, Garcon, and Conner.

[HouFan]

The Colts have not drafted well but the number of guys they keep on drafts, even more so in later rounds, does not mean they drafted poorly. Bad teams usually keep all of their draft picks, because their team sucks and anyone else would be better.

[zachb]

The colts have road on the coat tails of manning for so long. The truth is we havent been a good draft day in soo long. We need new front office . They have proven there arragance no bigger example than this year

[tfunky14]

another *&%(( post

[jbaron04]

the most alarming things is that not one player from the 2004 or 5 draft is on the team and only 2 from the 2006 and 1 from the 2007 draft

them draft classes our suppose to be the veterans comtributing now but really 3 players from the 2004 - 2007

two first round pick and a 6th

gonzo 07

addai 06

bethea 06

[bridgewater]

Run those numbers for every team in the league and get back to us. Looking only at one team means nothing!

[manningfan]

I think the problem is, the Colts never prepared themselves of the possibility that they may not have Peyton for any given time during the season. My view on not only a back up QB, but the entire team is you have to be ready at any time to play without your star QB.

^^^^THIS^^^^^

The plan was Manning or bust. We'll see how that works out this year.

[GO BLUE]

we need to start working on an o-line that will keep the d off from whoever is the QB. No one will succeed if they are constantly being hammered because the line wont keep them safe.

[true colt fan]

correct me if im wrong but i beleive the colts hold the record for the most consecutive seasons with 11 games or more won with 2 superbowl appearences and one win where is the decline? no team can afford to keep every good player hence the salary cap they keep what they can for a core of players and replace the ones they cant with just as good of players. tha is why so many ex colt players end up on other teams and are almost always starters on those teams those teams have a little more money to spend. I think Peyton is the best qb to ever play the game and should be paid that way but when you pay a guy a hundred million dollars in 2 different contracts it doesnt leave much money to keep other players think about it

[wercolts]

Run those numbers for every team in the league and get back to us. Looking only at one team means nothing!

Exactly right. For me the real key is having the same 5 guys lining up in front of the QB and RB's every week for many many many many many weeks. Teams that pass as much as the Colts are most successful when they have the same offensive line for an entire season or more. Nobody knows their names early but they become pro bowlers after a season or 2.

[true colt fan]

Im sure if any of us in here new more about drafting signing players and keeping them and running a football team we would be there instead of Polian. thats why we work our jobs and he does his and might i say he is excellent at his job year in year out it shows all through his career

[basketballsteve]

To me 25/56 is a meaningless number unless you give me comparison numbers of other teams that drafted EVERY year during that time span at the bottom of the draft order, then we have something to measure that number against. Maybe it's a good stat to measure success or maybe not but make the case first.

[John Waylon]

It's because there's lead paint in our Gatorade...

[Steagles]

The Colts seem to (....) off good players we draft, and then the ones that love the organization are busts.

[doogansquest]

I think the most telling things about this is how much it hurts when you start missing on first round picks. Since 2007 the FO has basically whiffed on all of our picks for various reasons. When you are not hitting on your first round picks you are missing out some impact players.

2007: Anthony Gonzalez

2008: Tony Ugoh (I am counting Ugoh as our first since we gave one up for him.)

2009: Donald Brown

2010: Jerry Hughes

People will say the jury is still out on Hughes, but when you have the GM coming out and saying it was a mistake to take him instead of Saffold you know the guy is not going to amount to much.

If Hughes does not turn it around that is 5 straight years of busts. You cannot sustain depth and keep the team well rounded around Manning missing on top picks like that.

What has helped is Polian is great at finding those hidden gems like Bethea, Garcon, and Conner.

He didn't say Hughes was a mistake. He said, in hindsight and relative to our apparent needs, we should have considered Saffold.

You guys are twisting it around to confirm a non-existent point.

[Andy]

It's pretty good considering other teams draft picks... cough cough Eagles.

[Jason_]

correct me if im wrong but i beleive the colts hold the record for the most consecutive seasons with 11 games or more won with 2 superbowl appearences and one win where is the decline? no team can afford to keep every good player hence the salary cap they keep what they can for a core of players and replace the ones they cant with just as good of players. tha is why so many ex colt players end up on other teams and are almost always starters on those teams those teams have a little more money to spend. I think Peyton is the best qb to ever play the game and should be paid that way but when you pay a guy a hundred million dollars in 2 different contracts it doesnt leave much money to keep other players think about it

Wait...wait wait wait...just...wait. Hold up. So many colts players go to other teams and almost always become starters? Any of these names ring a bell?

Gilbert Gardner, LB...played 3 years with us as in a significant backup role and started the majority of his final year. After he left he spent 1 year with Tennessee playing in 13 games as a backup but didn't even match his first year's stats as a Colt. He then left and spent 1 year with Detroit playing in 2 games and recording zero stats. No tackles, no passes defensed, no assists...nothing. Then he spent 1 year with Chicago playing in 1 game and again amassed zero stats. Now out of the league at only 29 years of age.

Cato June, LB...played 4 years with us, starting in the majority of the last 3. He left here and did play 2 years starting 14 games each year but his stats only reached about 65% of what he was able to amass here in Indy. He then played 1 year with Chicago playing a non-existent role in just one game. Now out of the league at only 31 years of age.

Freddy Keiaho, LB...played 4 years with us, significant backup role his first year, starting in his second and third years and then back to a backup role in his 4th year. After we released him no other team ever signed him. He's now out of the league at 28 years of age.

Larry Tripplett, DT...played 4 years here, first 2 as a starter and the next 2 mostly in a backup role. He then spent 2 years in Buffalo as a starter that was it. So his career ended when he was still approximately 29 years old.

Tom Santi, TE...played 2 years with us in 08 and 09 in a total of 9 games. Didn't play in the league last year.

Mike Hart, RB...left the league due to lack of interest after we released him.

Michael Coe, CB....1 year with us, 2 years with Jax and going on second year with NYG. Has never made a start and played in a total of 17 games.

Jason David, CB...3 years with us, then 2 years in NO starting in 14 games and 6 games respectively. Didn't play in '09 or '10.

Mike Doss, Safety...4 years with us, 1 with Minn and 1 with Cincinnati. Between Minnesota and Cincy he played in all of 11 games and made 1 start. Hasn't been in the league since '08 and he's just now 30.

Now yes there are some players that left here and had significant roles elsewhere such as Edgerrin James, Mike Petersen, David Thornton, and I'm sure there are a couple more but "tha is why so many ex colt players end up on other teams and are almost always starters on those teams those teams have a little more money to spend." was definitely being way overly generous.

[Portage Coltfans]

funny,

I remember this being a topic of discussion right after polian selected the now famous Donald Brown. I actually got suspened from the forum from discussing how bad Polians draft picks have been, and that was back in 09.

Polian lovers say he drafts good players late, and yes he does.

But you can't win Superbowls without 1st round draft picks playing like 1st rounders. Almost, Every team drafts good players late in the draft.

those drafts from 07, 08, 09.......wow that is brutal. I'm hopeing Jerry Hughes doesn't overcome donald brown as the worst first round bust in colts history. I know they drafted hughes hoping they could just let Mathis go and not pay him, but wouldn't it be nice to have had a player in any other position last year? Lb, DB, OL I still don't get why they drafted Hughes, and I'll never understand BRown.

Our team is extactly what it should be, a bunch of bust 1st rounders(2005 and up) mixed in with some decent late round draft picks.

[jwilli69]

the most alarming things is that not one player from the 2004 or 5 draft is on the team and only 2 from the 2006 and 1 from the 2007 draft

them draft classes our suppose to be the veterans comtributing now but really 3 players from the 2004 - 2007

two first round pick and a 6th

gonzo 07

addai 06

bethea 06

Run those numbers for every team in the league and get back to us. Looking only at one team means nothing!

Now I think one thing that is telling about the poor drafts are the amount of players on the team but then look at the amount of players that have not went on to other teams and become contributors or starters. The drafting has been system oriented and busting. Polian is an arrogant butt and he is not hitting well. I think we can live with arrogant if he is hitting well but he has not. He is a part of the problem and needs to go along with his garbage coach!

[Jason_]

Now I think one thing that is telling about the poor drafts are the amount of players on the team but then look at the amount of players that have not went on to other teams and become contributors or starters. The drafting has been system oriented and busting. Polian is an arrogant butt and he is not hitting well. I think we can live with arrogant if he is hitting well but he has not. He is a part of the problem and needs to go along with his garbage coach!

Eh, I agree and disagree. I agree that the number of players that went on to do nothing after we released them is a bit frightening. In fact as I was going through doing player searches I came across even more names than I expected which really made me go back and re-think and wonder how bad some of the drafts really were.

However I disagree that it was Polian's fault. He was going after players that Dungy wanted. He knew what kind of players Dungy wanted and those are the types of players he went out and obtained. In that regard I would say he did his job well. Notice that, immediately after Dungy left, we started going after bigger, stronger guys and this was while Polian was still at GM. That indicates to me that Polian goes out and tries to find the best possible players to fit what the coach wants. I'd also have a hard time believing that Dungy and now Caldwell have no input on who gets drafted. In fact I think one could argue that it's actually the coach who picks the player and the GM's responsibility is to make the contract work. I honestly don't know how the relationship between coach and GM works in regards to finding and bringing in players. If anyone has further insight on this I'd be very interested to know.

[Fx Stryker]

Joe was our last 1st round pick that has been good. Its a shame our first rounders have been busts.

[OLD FAN MAN]

Wait...wait wait wait...just...wait. Hold up. So many colts players go to other teams and almost always become starters? Any of these names ring a bell?

Gilbert Gardner, LB...played 3 years with us as in a significant backup role and started the majority of his final year. After he left he spent 1 year with Tennessee playing in 13 games as a backup but didn't even match his first year's stats as a Colt. He then left and spent 1 year with Detroit playing in 2 games and recording zero stats. No tackles, no passes defensed, no assists...nothing. Then he spent 1 year with Chicago playing in 1 game and again amassed zero stats. Now out of the league at only 29 years of age.

Cato June, LB...played 4 years with us, starting in the majority of the last 3. He left here and did play 2 years starting 14 games each year but his stats only reached about 65% of what he was able to amass here in Indy. He then played 1 year with Chicago playing a non-existent role in just one game. Now out of the league at only 31 years of age.

Freddy Keiaho, LB...played 4 years with us, significant backup role his first year, starting in his second and third years and then back to a backup role in his 4th year. After we released him no other team ever signed him. He's now out of the league at 28 years of age.

Larry Tripplett, DT...played 4 years here, first 2 as a starter and the next 2 mostly in a backup role. He then spent 2 years in Buffalo as a starter that was it. So his career ended when he was still approximately 29 years old.

Tom Santi, TE...played 2 years with us in 08 and 09 in a total of 9 games. Didn't play in the league last year.

Mike Hart, RB...left the league due to lack of interest after we released him.

Michael Coe, CB....1 year with us, 2 years with Jax and going on second year with NYG. Has never made a start and played in a total of 17 games.

Jason David, CB...3 years with us, then 2 years in NO starting in 14 games and 6 games respectively. Didn't play in '09 or '10.

Mike Doss, Safety...4 years with us, 1 with Minn and 1 with Cincinnati. Between Minnesota and Cincy he played in all of 11 games and made 1 start. Hasn't been in the league since '08 and he's just now 30.

Now yes there are some players that left here and had significant roles elsewhere such as Edgerrin James, Mike Petersen, David Thornton, and I'm sure there are a couple more but "tha is why so many ex colt players end up on other teams and are almost always starters on those teams those teams have a little more money to spend." was definitely being way overly generous.

why would anyone want any of tonys tinys?

[Jason_]

why would anyone want any of tonys tinys?

Agreed...which is why I've never been much of a fan of Dungy.

[OLD FAN MAN]

Agreed...which is why I've never been much of a fan of Dungy.

the front office will get us some big players like other teams have like 250 lb lbs. they are tired of tonys tinys getting hurt too.

[Jason_]

the front office will get us some big players like other teams have like 250 lb lbs. they are tired of tonys tinys getting hurt too.

yep yep...we're already getting there. Sims, Angerer, and Moten I believe are each around 235 while Wheeler and Conner are at or just slightly over 240. Nate Tripplett, who we just brought back is between 245 - 250. I definitely like the direction they're moving in.

[Bdg57]

The colts have road on the coat tails of manning for so long. The truth is we havent been a good draft day in soo long. We need new front office . They have proven there arragance no bigger example than this year

Agreed 100 percent

[OLD FAN MAN]

Agreed 100 percent

the front office thinks some of their top picks didnt work out, but this can be fixed and they are going to address this

[GoColts8818]

Joe was our last 1st round pick that has been good. Its a shame our first rounders have been busts.

Gonzo was good enough that the Colts felt comfortable relasing Marvin Harrison. He then developed an injury problem he had no history of having that no one could have seen coming. Gonzo might go down as a bust but it's for a very different reason than Ugoh or Brown.

[GoColts8818]

The Colts seem to (....) off good players we draft, and then the ones that love the organization are busts.

Really how many players do you know that have said they didn't like playing here?

Also so guys we've drafted like Wayne, Clark, Manning, Addai, Bethea, Collie, Garcon, Angerer, Freeney, Mathis, McAfee, Powers, and others are all bust hunh?

[presto123]

Polian is so over-rated. The main example is compare our team without Peyton with the way the Pats looked without Brady. We are a team slowly declining by FO mismanagement and the Pats have set themselves up well for the future.

[GoColts8818]

Polian is so over-rated. The main example is compare our team without Peyton with the way the Pats looked without Brady. We are a team slowly declining by FO mismanagement and the Pats have set themselves up well for the future.

How many games did Peyton help Polian win in Carolina and Buffalo? Name me another GM who has taken three teams to conference title games and has built teams that have gone to six Super Bowls? Then name another GM that did it with two teams that were known for losing (the Bills and Colts) before he got there and did it with an expansion team in only it's second year for the other stop?

It's amazing how many people just like to over look all the success Polian has had in his career and try to credit it all to Peyton Manning.

Also everyone wants to be the Pats despite the fact the Colts have won more games in the past 10 years than them and in fact have won more games in NFL history than any other team over that time. It's the Colts, not the Pats that have tied the NFL record most straight trips to playoffs. The Pats have not won a playoff game since they lost the Super Bowl and since their last Super Bowl win they are 5-5 in the playoffs while the Colts are 6-5 over that same run and have been to two Super Bowls to their one and have won one of them and beat the Pats in their only playoff meeting over that time and are a 5-2 vs. the Pats over that span. Remind me again why we are dieng to be the Pats? Just looking at numbers it's the Colts not the Pats that have been the better team from 2005 on.

[braveheartcolt]

How many games did Peyton help Polian win in Carolina and Buffalo? Name me another GM who has taken three teams to conference title games and has built teams that have gone to six Super Bowls? Then name another GM that did it with two teams that were known for losing (the Bills and Colts) before he got there and did it with an expansion team in only it's second year for the other stop?

It's amazing how many people just like to over look all the success Polian has had in his career and try to credit it all to Peyton Manning.

Also everyone wants to be the Pats despite the fact the Colts have won more games in the past 10 years than them and in fact have won more games in NFL history than any other team over that time. It's the Colts, not the Pats that have tied the NFL record most straight trips to playoffs. The Pats have not won a playoff game since they lost the Super Bowl and since their last Super Bowl win they are 5-5 in the playoffs while the Colts are 6-5 over that same run and have been to two Super Bowls to their one and have won one of them and beat the Pats in their only playoff meeting over that time and are a 5-2 vs. the Pats over that span. Remind me again why we are dieng to be the Pats? Just looking at numbers it's the Colts not the Pats that have been the better team from 2005 on.

Why bother comparing ourselves to others, it's pointless. With Manning, we have came up short where it counts. It's hardly a disaster winning all those 'lead up' games, in fact it's been fun. But it really should have been a Dynasty. Who's to blame? Who knows. Probably the Draft and Salary Cap. It's there to stop Dynasties. Our Front Office Management can also take some of the blame. Putrid drafting, poor management decisions on contracts and resting starters, and their stubborn refusal to really attack our biggest weakness, our Defense. Don't forget luck either. It's a funny old game. I'm not a Polian lover as you know, but it's not all on him.

[OLD FAN MAN]

Why bother comparing ourselves to others, it's pointless. With Manning, we have came up short where it counts. It's hardly a disaster winning all those 'lead up' games, in fact it's been fun. But it really should have been a Dynasty. Who's to blame? Who knows. Probably the Draft and Salary Cap. It's there to stop Dynasties. Our Front Office Management can also take some of the blame. Putrid drafting, poor management decisions on contracts and resting starters, and their stubborn refusal to really attack our biggest weakness, our Defense. Don't forget luck either. It's a funny old game. I'm not a Polian lover as you know, but it's not all on him.

we compare our team to others because we compete against them

[Steagles]

Really how many players do you know that have said they didn't like playing here?

Also so guys we've drafted like Wayne, Clark, Manning, Addai, Bethea, Collie, Garcon, Angerer, Freeney, Mathis, McAfee, Powers, and others are all bust hunh?

I meant that in the guys that leave Indy hate us. Session, Chick (wasn't drafted, but just left)and a few others. Session specifically said that he never liked Indy and was in a place he likes in Jacksonville.

[braveheartcolt]

we compare our team to others because we compete against them

I didn't ask why we did it, just that it was pointless.