Why Have The Colts Failed In Drafting 1St Rounders Recently? A Simple Analysis Of Their Drafting History....

[everybodysgotone]

Bill Polian was brilliant during his Buffalo years building a dominant team from scratch. He drafted well, traded well, and brought Jim Kelly in from outside the NFL. Maybe a Bills fan could chime in on the Buffalo era.....because I'm not sure what really happened to cause his firing. He then built an instant winner from nothing in Carolina. As the OP pointed out, his early Indy years were good too.....while building a winner on the heels of some already good Harbaugh years.

Let's not forget - - Marvin Harrison and Tarik Glenn were already in Indy when Polian arrived. Glenn's position was switched, which was a fantastic move to protect the newly acquired Manning.

Apparently, Bill Polian is at his best in win-now short term situations vs. maintaining excellence. Relying too much in a single player (Manning) is part of it, but his otherwise far less than conservative way of doing things has also clearly been a detriment (e.g. little focus on team balance regarding D and ST, holding roster spots for non-contributors, and overpaid salaries). Polian has been in charge longer and with more power, in Indy than anywhere else. His Indy history has had much more time to reflect long term results vs. short term splashes.

Polian has been able to create succesful eras, to a degree, but to date hasn't left a true legacy with any of his teams. In my view, he's not good at balancing short term/long term as it pertains to times of need for more conservative decision making. There was a marked difference in decision making this past offseason compared to years past. Credit Chris Polian for the shift. It's what the team needs more of and if balance can be found we might be headed in a better direction.

[pacolts56]

Bill Polian was brilliant during his Buffalo years building a dominant team from scratch. He drafted well, traded well, and brought Jim Kelly in from outside the NFL. Maybe a Bills fan could chime in on the Buffalo era.....because I'm not sure what really happened to cause his firing. He then built an instant winner from nothing in Carolina. As the OP pointed out, his early Indy years were good too.....while building a winner on the heels of some already good Harbaugh years.

Let's not forget - - Marvin Harrison and Tarik Glenn were already in Indy when Polian arrived. Glenn's position was switched, which was a fantastic move to protect the newly acquired Manning.

Apparently, Bill Polian is at his best in win-now short term situations vs. maintaining excellence. Relying too much in a single player (Manning) is part of it, but his otherwise far less than conservative way of doing things has also clearly been a detriment (e.g. little focus on team balance regarding D and ST, holding roster spots for non-contributors, and overpaid salaries). Polian has been in charge longer and with more power, in Indy than anywhere else. His Indy history has had much more time to reflect long term results vs. short term splashes.

Polian has been able to create succesful eras, to a degree, but to date hasn't left a true legacy with any of his teams. In my view, he's not good at balancing short term/long term as it pertains to times of need for more conservative decision making. There was a marked difference in decision making this past offseason compared to years past. Credit Chris Polian for the shift. It's what the team needs more of and if balance can be found we might be headed in a better direction.

Yes.... and one thing to note is that the salary cap was adopted in 1994.... after Polian's run with the Bills, so he was untethered to the cap restrictions that have done him no favors in Indianapolis. Alot of it by his own doing.

The decision to let Edgerrin James walk was largely understood due to our cap situation at the time, and masked well enough by Addai's success as a rookie. But the 36 mil contract given to Ryan Diem the very same off-season Edge was let go was a head-scratcher for me.

I mean....36 million for Diem? Was there no RT anywhere that could've helped us avoid that kind of contract commitment and allow us to invest a few more bucks on defense at the same time?

Then again.... when Polian did invest on defense it was an ill-advised 43 million to Kelvin Hayden.

Oh well.... hopefully the rookie salary cap will help us as we transition to the post-Manning era. Getting our LT Anthony Castonzo for 8 million is a good first step.... but the front office has to get better at this in the future because we were absolutely handcuffed from adding a free agent or two over the years that MIGHT have made a difference between a playoff run and another Super Bowl.

[unitaswestand]

I think you have to apply the same logic to Brown as you did Rob Morris. Brown is a slasher, a player to run the stretch. He is a specialist. I don't know that anyone envisioned him playing like Delone Carter and taking it between the tackles on every play. But the problems with the offensive line have really hurt what Donald can do. But you can see if he gets a small hole, he is gone. He reminds me so much of Robert Smith, while he was with the Viking.

The guy that worries me is Hughes because when i see him play, he seems to give half effort. No spins, no moves. It is like his whole approach is "I will go at this guy straight on and try to get around him". He isn't strong enough to go over them. He has ability but just doesn't seem to go all out like Mathis and Freeney do.

Gonzalez. Tough one. Do you call a guy a bust that gets hurt? He is a very good player.

And I do agree with the person who said a draft is the whole draft. Polian has been great at finding mid to late round gems.

[Mouthfire]

Is this an analysis of the Colts first rounds drafts under Polian or their first round drafting since 1996? Marvin (1996) and Tarik (1997) were drafted by Bill Tobin not Polian.

That's true. Thanks for pointing that out.

Great picks by Bill Tobin, though.

[UnitastoOrr]

I think lately Polian has been trying to draft personel to cover up if someone can't be resigned. Ex. Brown was to replace Addai and Hughes was going to be the fill in for Mathis. Then we turn around and resign Addai and Mathis. It failed with Ugoh and that put us back. I maintain that Gonzalez abd Brown have not gotten a fair shake, I have no info to confirm that but it seems whaen those guys are given a shot they seem to preform. Now not great but they do contribute. Someone said that Brown doesn't fit the Colts sheme as a Colts back, that he can't pass block, if that is the case then why did we draft him, that is a front office mistake. The Gonzalez thing I still can't figure out, shoot Collies isn't doing anything give Gonzalez a shot. Lets see if those two guys are real bust or just need time and if they preform then it comes down to a coaching and front office problem

[smittywerb]

The Gonzalez thing I still can't figure out, shoot Collies isn't doing anything give Gonzalez a shot. Lets see if those two guys are real bust or just need time and if they preform then it comes down to a coaching and front office problem

Gonzalez is hurt, again. Brown got beat out for his spot by a rookie.

[Fatboyslim11]

How or what do you use to determine hit or miss? Yes Rob Morris wasn't a stud, but he wasn't a dud either and was a nice player for the Colts for a few seasons. With AC when healthy he produced, it was health not talent that has kept him down.

Rob Morris was not a lst round talent. He frequently missed gap assignments and was easily blocked on running plays. He played the pass decently but he wasn't that fast nor quick. Morris had one or two good seasons with the Colts - certainly not enough to warrant his first round selection status. If a player does not produce in accordance with his high selection he is considered a bust and health cannot be used as a justification for failure.

[Gonzo]

He was a starter on a Super Bowl winner when the defense started showing up in the playoffs that year. That alone gives Morris a pass in my book.

[pacolts56]

He was a starter on a Super Bowl winner when the defense started showing up in the playoffs that year. That alone gives Morris a pass in my book.

You raise a good point on Rob Morris.... and no doubt why Marlin Jackson, for many of us.... kind of gets a lifetime exemption from "miss" status thanks to his INTERCEPTION!!!

[doogansquest]

I guess I'd like to see the stats on how well other teams have fared when consistently drafting between 25-32.

After the top 15 or so, it becomes a relatively wide open crap shoot.

[alfred87]

Imagine how it would be if Polian had drafted Hakkem Nicks insead of Brown