Pre- draft positional breakdown and analysis

[trueblueblood]

Ok guys, I've just been so excited about our roster this year, so I'm gonna go through what I think our depth chart will be, and give a little opinion as well, so lets get started!

Qb- do I really need to say anything? Luck is the best young qb in the game and will thrive under pep hamiltons west coast principles. Hamilton will utilize fleener and Allen more effectively than in Arians offense, and adding another threat in dhb to luck's arsenal may sneak luck into the elite conversation by season's end.

Rb- we are not particularly stacked at this position, but were not starving either. Vick Ballard showed some promise last season while running behind a very sketchy o-line, and adding FB Stanley havili will only help. If healthy, Donald brown could also thrive in the new offense.

Wr- wide receiver is one of the colts better positions. Reggie Wayne is getting older, but showed last season that he can still play with the best of them. Look for him to have another 1200+ yard season. T.Y. Hilton really impressed me last season, leading all rookies in every major receiving category. He did drop a few balls, but that's expected from a rookie. That being said, he will have another good year. Darrius heyward-bey, The latest receiver to be added to the team, does have some question marks, but I believe he will turn over a new leaf in Indianapolis. Lets face it, Oakland is where talent goes to die.

TE- the colts couldn't be in a better situation here, two very young, very talented guys in fleener and Allen who both showed promise last season. Look for fleener to have a break out year in hamilton's offense, and look for Allen to continue to be a very good run blocker, as well as a viable receiving threat.

OL- this is a tough one. The worst offensive line in the league last season arguably belonged to the colts. However, Some of the free agent signings instantly upgraded the right tackle and guard positions. Gosder cherilus is a very underrated right tackle who only gave up 4 sacks last season in detroits pass-happy offense. That's one every four games on a team that throws the ball 50 times a game. Pretty good if you ask me. Donald Thomas played as a backup in New England last season, but started 7 games at guard as well. I know that pays fans are sad to see him go, so that's always good news. As for castonzo, he needs to work on pass blocking a tad more, but showed that he was a very good run blocker last season.

DL- this will definitely be the group with the most competition come training camp, and competition creates motivation. Motivation translates into winning. The signing of Ricky jean Francois brings some versatility to the line, as he played all three positions on the 3-4 line last season in San Francisco, but will most likely be a DE. At the nose tackle position, I'm still waiting to see what chapman can do. Hopefully he comes back this season 100% healthy and ready to go. We just have so much depth on the line, redding, moala, Nevis, McKinney... This will allow us to evaluate every player throughout the offseason and choose who the starters will be, and whoever they will be, I'm confident that they will hold their own.

ILB- jerrell freeman was a beast last year, constantly in on every play and flying around the field making plays. He was definitely our best ilb last season, and one of the better ones In the nfl. Conner and angerer were good last season, particularly Conner, who played with a lot of intensity. I just don't think angerer fits too well in the 3-4, but I guess we will see.

OLB- we still have Robert Mathis, who can still get to the qb and disrupt plays in the backfield, one more offseason working and practicing in the 3-4 will only help more. I'm still iffy on Jerry Hughes, he showed some promise last season, but I don't think he's freeney's or Mathis eventual replacement. He's just not that good. As for walden, people forget that grigson brought in walden to set the edge, not to be a pass rush specialist. I've watched what I could of walden and from what I can tell, he has a very high motor and plays the run very well. It's time to start focusing more on the run, and that's what grigson is doing.

I did a write up of the secondary in another thread, feel free to read it. But we have a very strong roster for this season. Get excited people!!!

[HarassedOffTheSite]

Good stuff

[Tark The Shark]

Sounds about right.

 

From that analysis, I think the most logical choice is to go Guard, RG specifically. 

 

Franklin and Chapman will battle it out for the NT position. Walden and Hughes (I think I am the only here that thinks Hughes can a very good player for us) rotate as weak side linebacker. 

[will426]

Ok guys, I've just been so excited about our roster this year, so I'm gonna go through what I think our depth chart will be, and give a little opinion as well, so lets get started!

Qb- do I really need to say anything? Luck is the best young qb in the game and will thrive under pep hamiltons west coast principles. Hamilton will utilize fleener and Allen more effectively than in Arians ooffense, and adding another threat in dhb to luck's arsenal may sneak luck into the elite conversation by season's end.

Rb- we are not particularly stacked at this position, but were not starving either. Vick Ballard showed some promise last season while running behind a very sketchy o-line, and adding FB Stanley havili will only help. If healthy, Donald brown could also thrive in the new offense.

Wr- wide receiver is one of the colts better positions. Reggie Wayne is getting older, but showed last season that he can still play with the best of them. Look for him to have another 1200+ yard season. T.Y. Hilton really impressed me last season, leading all rookies in every major receiving category. He did drop a few balls, but that's expected from a rookie. That being said, he will have another good year. Darrius heyward-bey, The latest receiver to be added to the team, does have some question marks, but I believe he will turn over a new leaf in Indianapolis. Lets face it, Oakland is where talent goes to die.

TE- the colts couldn't be in a better situation here, two very young, very talented guys in fleener and Allen who both showed promise last season. Look for fleener to have a break out year in hamilton's offense, and look for Allen to continue to be a very good run blocker, as well as a viable receiving threat.

OL- this is a tough one. The worst offensive line in the league last season arguably belonged to the colts. However, Some of the free agent signings instantly upgraded the right tackle and guard positions. Gosder cherilus is a very underrated right tackle who only gave up 4 sacks last season in detroits pass-happy offense. That's one every four games on a team that throws the ball 50 times a game. Pretty good if you ask me. Donald Thomas played as a backup in New England last season, but started 7 games at guard as well. I know that pays fans are sad to see him go, so that's always good news. As for castonzo, he needs to work on pass blocking a tad more, but showed that he was a very good run blocker last season.

DL- this will definitely be the group with the most competition come training camp, and competition creates motivation. Motivation translates into winning. The signing of Ricky jean Francois brings some versatility to the line, as he played all three positions on the 3-4 line last season in San Francisco, but will most likely be a DE. At the nose tackle position, I'm still waiting to see what chapman can do. Hopefully he comes back this season 100% healthy and ready to go. We just have so much depth on the line, redding, moala, Nevis, McKinney... This will allow us to evaluate every player throughout the offseason and choose who the starters will be, and whoever they will be, I'm confident that they will hold their own.

ILB- jerrell freeman was a beast last year, constantly in on every play and flying around the field making plays. He was definitely our best ilb last season, and one of the better ones In the nfl. Conner and angerer were good last season, particularly Conner, who played with a lot of intensity. I just don't think angerer fits too well in the 3-4, but I guess we will see.

OLB- we still have Robert Mathis, who can still get to the qb and disrupt plays in the backfield, one more offseason working and practicing in the 3-4 will only help more. I'm still iffy on Jerry Hughes, he showed some promise last season, but I don't think he's freeney's or Mathis eventual replacement. He's just not that good. As for walden, people forget that grigson brought in walden to set the edge, not to be a pass rush specialist. I've watched what I could of walden and from what I can tell, he has a very high motor and plays the run very well. It's time to start focusing more on the run, and that's what grigson is doing.

I did a write up of the secondary in another thread, feel free to read it. But we have a very strong roster for this season. Get excited people!!!

Love it all except that angerer doesn't fit he wasn't healthy enough his foot was causing him issues but if you look at the year before when he was healthy he's basically identical to freeman when you speak of flying around or taking down the ball carrier

[NewColtsFan]

Sounds about right.

 

From that analysis, I think the most logical choice is to go Guard, RG specifically. 

 

Franklin and Chapman will battle it out for the NT position. Walden and Hughes (I think I am the only here that thinks Hughes can a very good player for us) rotate as weak side linebacker. 

 

Actually,  it's already been announced that Mathis will go to the weak side to replace Freeney....   Sidbury will back him up.

 

Walden and Mathis will man the strong side...      I think Hickman and the new Canadian guy will fight for the 5th/6th spots...

[NewColtsFan]

I'll add a thought here that might surprise some....  and might not surprise others...

 

I think Reggie has another great year,  but not quite as great as last year.   And it's not because he's older or slowing down.

 

I think the Colts will throw a few times less but complete the same,  or more,  so Luck has a higher completion percentage....

 

With roughly the same number of completions I think Reggie doesn't get his 105 catches (that's not the exact number, but it's close)

 

I think he'll get roughly 85-90 catches for roughly 1100 yards.   I think the other 15-20 receptions he doesn't get will go to Fleener and Hilton and DHB and Allen and the RB's...   you get the idea....  a little more diversity...

 

Just my hunch....

[HarassedOffTheSite]

I think barring injuries, we're in for another good season. I've steadily transitioned to believing LB is our 2nd highest need behind oline. m in agreement that Angerer probably isn't best suited to this defense...but we'll see. I wouldn't be disappointed if we went after more inside & outside LBs in this draft. ;)

[Tark The Shark]

Actually,  it's already been announced that Mathis will go to the weak side to replace Freeney....   Sidbury will back him up.

 

Walden and Mathis will man the strong side...      I think Hickman and the new Canadian guy will fight for the 5th/6th spots...

 

I have always understood that over the left tackle was the strong side and over the right tackle was the weak side.

 

I should have said rush LB

[Balzer40]

I have always understood that over the left tackle was the strong side and over the right tackle was the weak side.

 

I should have said rush LB

 

 

 

It's the other way around. The weak side is over the LT and the strong side is over the RT.

[Tark The Shark]

It's the other way around. The weak side is over the LT and the strong side is over the RT.

 

Fair enough.

[Jason_]

which side is the weak and which is the strong depends on how the opposing offense is lined up.  

 

 

The Rush LB typically lines up on the defensive right side and the Sam LB typically lines up on the defensive left side.

[Superman]

which side is the weak and which is the strong depends on how the opposing offense is lined up.  

 

 

The Rush LB typically lines up on the defensive right side and the Sam LB typically lines up on the defensive left side.

 

I'd say the Sam typically lines up on the strong side, and the Rush on the weak side. But I don't think any of it is relevant; one of the biggest advantages of the defense is that you can move pieces wherever you want to create mismatches and exploit weaknesses.

[Jason_]

I'd say the Sam typically lines up on the strong side, and the Rush on the weak side. But I don't think any of it is relevant; one of the biggest advantages of the defense is that you can move pieces wherever you want to create mismatches and exploit weaknesses.

 

yeah, you're right.that's what I get for posting at work and only paying half-attention to what I'm saying. lol,  And you're right, the players move around a lot regardless of how the offense is lined up to keep the offense guessing, which is one of the things I love most about this type of defense.