My Colts Free Agency/Draft 1.0

[pacolts56]

Its pretty obvious we should be able to upgrade 5-6 positions in free agency alone this off-season.

 

IMO...the team needs to re-tool the trenches before jumping into any Mike Wallace or Victor Cruz sweepstakes. I believe our WR corps is solid enough for another season and will benefit from better pass protection and run/pass balance.

 

Fortunately...the draft offers some good depth at the O-line positions which, along with our cap space, allows us to strengthen every level of our defense with these free agency signings. I also believe that the top 3-4 free agent RTs will be retained by their current teams.

 

Anyway here's my first stab at a free agency scenario that I think is realistic and addresses needs on both sides of the line.

 

Louis Vasquez RG

Anthony Spencer OLB

Alan Branch NT

Desmond Bryant DE

Keenan Lewis CB

William Moore SS

In the draft portion of this strategy I'm assuming that LG Chance Warmack and CB Xavier Rhodes are off the board at #24.

 

#24 – Jonathan Cooper LG / North Carolina

#86 – Brandon Jenkins OLB / Florida State

#118 – Menelik Watson RT / Florida State

#184 – Le’Veon Bell RB / Michigan State

# 214 – Cooper Taylor SS / Richmond

 

Thoughts?

 

[chelsea_fc]

No problem at all with the fa signings, covers a lot of needs with cheaper to mid range signings. I think grigson will not break the bank on any signings. I love the focus on the trenches on both sides of the ball. Bryant is one of my favorite fa's this season.

Now the draft, I like cooper in the first a lot and if jenkins is there in the third he's too good to pass up. My only concern of your entire scenario is watson in the 4th, Kiper recently projected him to the Colts in the first round, so I doubt he's there in the 4th. I'd love it if he would but I don't see it. Bell is one of those do it all backs that would go well with Ballard for that one two punch. Overall like the scenario a lot and would have no problem if this is what happened this summer.

[Gavin]

Dont know if Cooper(LG) fits our Man blocking scheme, he fits Zone for sure, if we are going Guard I'd rather trade down and draft Warford in the 2nd while picking up another 3rd round pick and draft Brandon Jenkins and  OT Brennan Williams or SS Robert Lester with my other 3rd round pick

[tydontlie]

I like your draft and free agency. With that said, i disagree with you on our need to upgrade our WR position this offseason. I am almost certain that we will add another WR, either in FA or the draft. Our WR group is simply too inconsistent to keep the same bunch of guys out there as last season. I really showed in the Ravens game (everyone was dropping passes).

[pacolts56]

No problem at all with the fa signings, covers a lot of needs with cheaper to mid range signings. I think grigson will not break the bank on any signings. I love the focus on the trenches on both sides of the ball. Bryant is one of my favorite fa's this season.

Now the draft, I like cooper in the first a lot and if jenkins is there in the third he's too good to pass up. My only concern of your entire scenario is watson in the 4th, Kiper recently projected him to the Colts in the first round, so I doubt he's there in the 4th. I'd love it if he would but I don't see it. Bell is one of those do it all backs that would go well with Ballard for that one two punch. Overall like the scenario a lot and would have no problem if this is what happened this summer.

Thanks....I'm looking forward to seeing Grigson's approach, but I have the same hunch you do in that 5-6 across-the-board upgrades with mid-priced FA's do us better than 2 or 3 big splash signings.

 

Interesting where Kiper has Watson valued...that's the highest I've seen. But if he's that good, then there are OG prospects that can be had in later rounds too...assuming we can indeed land Vasquez. IMO....OG is a top priority.

 

The March free agency period and Draft Day can't get here soon enough!

[pacolts56]

I like your draft and free agency. With that said, i disagree with you on our need to upgrade our WR position this offseason. I am almost certain that we will add another WR, either in FA or the draft. Our WR group is simply too inconsistent to keep the same bunch of guys out there as last season. I really showed in the Ravens game (everyone was dropping passes).

Well....there were those moments where mostly Avery and on a few occasions Hilton might have had key drops. And grooming a replacement for Reggie is definitely something that will need addressing in the not too distant future.

 

I'm not totally opposed to perhaps adding a WR...as long as its cost friendly.

 

But I would consider a 50 mil high profile WR signing though as the wrong priority this off-season. IMO....the trenches need more immediate upgrading.

[ALuck>RG3]

We shouldn't waste a pick on an rb we should sign Chris rainey he is very young and will be very cheap

[tydontlie]

yea I def agree that we need to focus first on the trenches..but i hope we can find a decent wr to add to our sqaud.

[esmort]

I

 

Well....there were those moments where mostly Avery and on a few occasions Hilton might have had key drops. And grooming a replacement for Reggie is definitely something that will need addressing in the not too distant future.

 

I'm not totally opposed to perhaps adding a WR...as long as its cost friendly.

 

But I would consider a 50 mil high profile WR signing though as the wrong priority this off-season. IMO....the trenches need more immediate upgrading.

 

^^Agree ... I won't discount the possibility of a FA WR, or even drafting one if some crazy value falls into our laps. But, I think that if you look at what Grigson has already done and who we already have than odds are against us getting much in the way of a bigger name WR in FA(maybe 1-2 smaller names and some camp bodies).  I think it will be #1 Wayne, #2 Hilton, and than  Brazill, Palmer, & Whalen competing for #3 and #4/KR/PR .... Kelley and Collie are the "wild cards" at the moment. 

 

Also a lot of people saying we need another receiver seem to be forgetting Allen (who is a going to be a stud) & Fleener (who did not do that bad considering he was a rookie and injured) are both very able receivers as well.

 

If you really look at it we are not that bad off in the receiver department.

[Michael Bolden]

(My Mock Draft)

RD1) Datone Jones-UCLA

RD3)B.W. Webb-William & Mary

RD4)Kwame Geathers-Goergia

RD6) Shamarko Thomas-Syracuse

(Free Agency)

1)Ed Reed(FS)-Ravens

2)Shaun Philips(OLB)-Chargers

3)Donald Thomas (OG) -Patriots

4)Gosder Cherilus (OT)-Lions

5)Mike Cox(FB)-Falcons

6)Julian Edelman(WR/KR/PR)- Patriots

(Re-signings)

Fili Moala

Jerraud Powers

Darius Butler

Pat McAfee

Moise Fokou.