What I Would Do In The Offseason

[The Peytonator]

First things first, do a little spring cleaning if you catch my drift. Polian - gone, Caldwell - gone, Christenson - Gone, Rychelski - Gone, Mike Murphy - goes back to LB coach. Mike Zimmer becomes our new head coach, Jeff Saturday retires and comes in as our OC, and we either go with Jack Del Rio as DC or with a cheaper, lesser known, but no less quality guy. We also dump our strength and conditioning coaches because we have been the most injury plagued team the last 3 years.

Resign Mathis, Wayne, Garcon, Wheeler, and Anderson or Brayton. Sign Carl Nicks or Ben Grubbs, Courtland Finnegan/Brent Grimes/Lardarius Webb/or Brandon Carr, Paul Soliai or Aubreyo Franklin, and Michael Griffin or LaRon Landry. We need to build a stout team around Peyton so we can make a push for a couple SBs as he heads for retirement. Spare no expense.

Trade down the number 1 pick and draft RGIII or Barkley. Either of those guys can sit and learn the game from the sidelines and take over in 4 years. Address CB, OLB, OT, WR, and DE in the draft.

Draft looks something like this

Rd 1. Robert Griffin III - QB Baylor (Hellzyeah, maybe even test out a Wildcat formation once in a while)

Rd 2. Chase Minnifield - CB Virginia (Shutdown corner)

Rd 2. Keith Tandy - CB West Virginia (I figure we get this extra pick in a trade, and he's a solid player)

Rd 3. AJ Jenkins - WR Illinois (Could see him replacing Wayne or at least being depth since Gonzo will be gone)

Rd 4. Derek Wolfe - DT/DE Cincinnati (Would be a strong run defender at DE and a good pass rusher at DT)

Rd 5. Alex Hurst - OT LSU (Hopefully Ijalana is healthy but he provides depth and is a good run blocker, could also play guard)

Rd 6. Nathan Stupar - OLB Penn State (This guy screams Colt OLB, fast, intelligent, cover guy, could play Sam or Will)

Rd 7. Anthony Miller - TE California (Might need another TE with our injury history)

Championship

[braveheartcolt]

Well, in the off season I'm going to change my name by deed poll to Polian and get a job with the Colts and see the games for free.....

[Superman]

What makes Jeff Saturday qualified to be an offensive coordinator?

[Bleedin Blue]

There are all kinds of problems with this. Polian is not really the problem...he just got too focused around Manning and build the entire offense and defense to work around his talents. Without Manning the house has crumbled. This will need to be fixed, but I still think both Bill and Chris are still the best football minds out there who can do this. History speaks for itself.

The coaching staff needs to go: Caldwell must go...no excuses for 0-16 in any league. Look for a new coach in the waiting. Someone younger and excellent at getting players to play. I would look to the Packers, Ravens, or Saints as their coordinators have been great for some time and could be the next great coach in this league. I do think that Spagnoula would be a great defensive coordinator for us. He knows the 4-3 inside and out and is a proven defensive coach. Special teams also needs to be fixed but I'm still not sure if the problem is Rychleski or the fact that this team's depth doesn't even qualify for roster spots in 1/2 the league.

You do realize that if you trade down you will miss out on Luck, Barkley and RGIII don't you? No team willing to make a trade for quarterback has a pick high enough to keep us in the running for the top 3 quarterbacks at this time. With Miami, Seattle, and Washington right behind us, trading down amounts to getting out of the QB hunt in this draft. Now things might get rearranged in the final 2 weeks but that has yet to be determined.

As for your picks...I like RG III but if given the choice between a Baylor QB putting up great stats or more "NFL ready" picks like Barkley and Luck, I'm taking the latter two every time. I think RG III may be better, but I don't think there is downside to the top two QB's here.

Chase Minnifield is a good pick and we need the help at corner badly. Dwight Jones, (NC) or Kendall Wright (Baylor) are also great choices here as our receiving corps is starting to get old and lacks depth. I consider WR a need this year because we have a bunch of free agents this year and next. If we do go WR in round 2 then CB becomes the round 3 pick and SS the round 4 pick.

[braveheartcolt]

There are all kinds of problems with this. Polian is not really the problem...he just got too focused around Manning and build the entire offense and defense to work around his talents. Without Manning the house has crumbled. This will need to be fixed, but I still think both Bill and Chris are still the best football minds out there who can do this. History speaks for itself.

The coaching staff needs to go: Caldwell must go...no excuses for 0-16 in any league. Look for a new coach in the waiting. Someone younger and excellent at getting players to play. I would look to the Packers, Ravens, or Saints as their coordinators have been great for some time and could be the next great coach in this league. I do think that Spagnoula would be a great defensive coordinator for us. He knows the 4-3 inside and out and is a proven defensive coach. Special teams also needs to be fixed but I'm still not sure if the problem is Rychleski or the fact that this team's depth doesn't even qualify for roster spots in 1/2 the league.

You do realize that if you trade down you will miss out on Luck, Barkley and RGIII don't you? No team willing to make a trade for quarterback has a pick high enough to keep us in the running for the top 3 quarterbacks at this time. With Miami, Seattle, and Washington right behind us, trading down amounts to getting out of the QB hunt in this draft. Now things might get rearranged in the final 2 weeks but that has yet to be determined.

As for your picks...I like RG III but if given the choice between a Baylor QB putting up great stats or more "NFL ready" picks like Barkley and Luck, I'm taking the latter two every time. I think RG III may be better, but I don't think there is downside to the top two QB's here.

Chase Minnifield is a good pick and we need the help at corner badly. Dwight Jones, (NC) or Kendall Wright (Baylor) are also great choices here as our receiving corps is starting to get old and lacks depth. I consider WR a need this year because we have a bunch of free agents this year and next. If we do go WR in round 2 then CB becomes the round 3 pick and SS the round 4 pick.

Just run that by me again.......the Polians are the best minds in football, but due to their 'Manning-itis', the team crumbled? That's a hellva contradiction there

[swflacoltsfans]

I would just go to the beach a lot.

[jskinnz]

What makes Jeff Saturday qualified to be an offensive coordinator?

Well he has spent much of the last decade with Manning's hands on his butt. That has to count for something, right?

Otherwise, it is kind of a ridiculous thought.

[Superman]

Well he has spent much of the last decade with Manning's hands on his butt. That has to count for something, right?

Otherwise, it is kind of a ridiculous thought.

I could maybe see him being a line coach. Maybe.

[buccolts]

Well he has spent much of the last decade with Manning's hands on his butt. That has to count for something, right?

Otherwise, it is kind of a ridiculous thought.

I guess the natural progression would be to have Polian's hand up his butt.

So he may be better suited as a HC than an OC.

[The Peytonator]

What makes Jeff Saturday qualified to be an offensive coordinator?

He understands football pretty well, I'd say better than Christenson. I don't know, remember the Monday Night game with the mic'd up convo between Peyton and Jeff? Peyton keeps calling pass plays, Jeff tells him they need to run it more. Next drive they run it down the Rams throat. I'd say his knowledge of the playbook, his chemistry with Peyton, and the fact that he isn't named Clyde 'I can't make adjustments' Christenson, qualify him for a shot. Hey we gave Jim Caldwell a shot, why not give a consumate professional that helped win a Super Bowl a shot? I don't see why he would lack the ability to call plays.

[The Peytonator]

Well he has spent much of the last decade with Manning's hands on his butt. That has to count for something, right?

Otherwise, it is kind of a ridiculous thought.

* jskinnz. All you ever do is make smartbutt comments about how everyone else's ideas are 'ridiculous'. You never add anything to the discussion. You tongue the organizations balls more sloppily than dn does.

[LaughingAtIrsay]

First things first, do a little spring cleaning if you catch my drift. Polian - gone, Caldwell - gone, Christenson - Gone, Rychelski - Gone, Mike Murphy - goes back to LB coach. Mike Zimmer becomes our new head coach, Jeff Saturday retires and comes in as our OC, and we either go with Jack Del Rio as DC or with a cheaper, lesser known, but no less quality guy. We also dump our strength and conditioning coaches because we have been the most injury plagued team the last 3 years.

Resign Mathis, Wayne, Garcon, Wheeler, and Anderson or Brayton. Sign Carl Nicks or Ben Grubbs, Courtland Finnegan/Brent Grimes/Lardarius Webb/or Brandon Carr, Paul Soliai or Aubreyo Franklin, and Michael Griffin or LaRon Landry. We need to build a stout team around Peyton so we can make a push for a couple SBs as he heads for retirement. Spare no expense.

Trade down the number 1 pick and draft RGIII or Barkley. Either of those guys can sit and learn the game from the sidelines and take over in 4 years. Address CB, OLB, OT, WR, and DE in the draft.

Draft looks something like this

Rd 1. Robert Griffin III - QB Baylor (Hellzyeah, maybe even test out a Wildcat formation once in a while)

Rd 2. Chase Minnifield - CB Virginia (Shutdown corner)

Rd 2. Keith Tandy - CB West Virginia (I figure we get this extra pick in a trade, and he's a solid player)

Rd 3. AJ Jenkins - WR Illinois (Could see him replacing Wayne or at least being depth since Gonzo will be gone)

Rd 4. Derek Wolfe - DT/DE Cincinnati (Would be a strong run defender at DE and a good pass rusher at DT)

Rd 5. Alex Hurst - OT LSU (Hopefully Ijalana is healthy but he provides depth and is a good run blocker, could also play guard)

Rd 6. Nathan Stupar - OLB Penn State (This guy screams Colt OLB, fast, intelligent, cover guy, could play Sam or Will)

Rd 7. Anthony Miller - TE California (Might need another TE with our injury history)

Championship

Wayyyy to much Madden 12 for you.

[The Peytonator]

Wayyyy to Madden 12 for you.

Hahaha. I did go a little overboard on the free agent pickups didn't I?

But still we could get a couple of them, and everything else I think is pretty resonable.

[BleedingBlue]

i agree and just wrote a similar post.

However Zimmer for DC only.

[LaughingAtIrsay]

Hahaha. I did go a little overboard on the free agent pickups didn't I?

But still we could get a couple of them, and everything else I think is pretty resonable.

Yeah you jump out the Boat on them free agents. I dont think we have much money & FO never sign outside free agents. Smh

[Captain Americolt]

yeah. Just a tad bit overbaord on the FA pick ups. I doubt we will have enough cap room to sign both reggie and mathis, let alone all the other guys you want.The RG3 pick is meh. His stats are inflated because of the spread offense. Luck and Barkely play in the pro style offense and have almost similar stats. Besides that everything sounds good except for jeff being OC.

[jskinnz]

* jskinnz. All you ever do is make smartbutt comments about how everyone else's ideas are 'ridiculous'. You never add anything to the discussion. You tongue the organizations balls more sloppily than dn does.

1. Saturday going from center to OC over the summer is a pretty comically bad idea. No way around it.

2. I am not the only who thinks that it is funny.

3. I am snarky on here but only to the folks who don't really understand the game. A vast, vast majority of the time I am right - take for instance - the post in question here.

4. If you think I only contribute smart comments, you don't really pay too close attention.

5. This is the internet. Grow some thicker skin, particularly when posting something that can at best be considered questionable.

[Superman]

He understands football pretty well, I'd say better than Christenson. I don't know, remember the Monday Night game with the mic'd up convo between Peyton and Jeff? Peyton keeps calling pass plays, Jeff tells him they need to run it more. Next drive they run it down the Rams throat. I'd say his knowledge of the playbook, his chemistry with Peyton, and the fact that he isn't named Clyde 'I can't make adjustments' Christenson, qualify him for a shot. Hey we gave Jim Caldwell a shot, why not give a consumate professional that helped win a Super Bowl a shot? I don't see why he would lack the ability to call plays.

Just thinking that we should run the ball on the goal line doesn't make one qualified to make play calls, much less be an offensive coordinator (which is waaaay more labor-intensive than simply calling plays on Sundays, and I honestly wonder how many fans understand that, since so many of them think that because Manning makes play calls that he's the de facto coordinator). I often criticize our offense -- including when Manning is running it -- for not running the ball more often in short yardage situations. Does that make me qualified to be our offensive coordinator?

I know a lot of fans are down on Clyde Christensen, and I can't blame them. We have the worst passing game in the NFL. But do you realize that he's been coaching offense for 30 years? He's been an NFL coach for 15 years, which is two years longer than Jeff Saturday has been in the league. He's got tons of experience. He's blazed his own trail. I can understand being down on him because of how bad our offense is right now, but it's entirely another thing to say that he doesn't understand football as well as Jeff Saturday.

I love Saturday, but he has zero coaching experience. He's played one position for his entire career, and he's had the assistance of one of the best quarterbacks of all time. He was four years old when Christensen started coaching. He's never coached on any level. He's never put together a gameplan. He's never run a practice, or a portion of a practice. To take him from playing one position for the past 18 years or so, and thrust him into one of the most important coaching positions on your professional team is pretty wild. I wouldn't even have him be our line coach, honestly. He'd have to spend a couple years at some lower levels, prove himself, and then get a shot with a pro team. Maybe he could run some preseason minicamps or work with some draft-eligible collegiate linemen, getting them ready for workouts and such. He's got some dues to pay before he can even be an NFL position coach, to say nothing of being a coordinator.

I appreciate everything he's done for the Colts, and for the game of football. He was instrumental in resolving the lockout. He has the respect of his peers and his colleagues throughout the NFL. But there's no way he has the credentials to be an NFL coordinator right now. Sorry.

[CantBeStopped]

yeah. Just a tad bit overbaord on the FA pick ups. I doubt we will have enough cap room to sign both reggie and mathis, let alone all the other guys you want.The RG3 pick is meh. His stats are inflated because of the spread offense. Luck and Barkely play in the pro style offense and have almost similar stats. Besides that everything sounds good except for jeff being OC.

Weren't Cam Newtons stats inflated because he ran a spread offense? Everyone before this season was going around saying you cant spell SCAM without Cam. Myself included. he proved us all wrong hasnt he. He's having one of the best rookie seasons ever. Now look at RG3 he's throws a spot on deep ball. Can run the ball which is something we have never had at the qb position and has played better quality defenses than the other 2. He's throwing the ball at a near 73% completion. Thats pretty darn good. I'd take him in a heart beat and pass on luck

[Captain Americolt]

Weren't Cam Newtons stats inflated because he ran a spread offense? Everyone before this season was going around saying you cant spell SCAM without Cam. Myself included. he proved us all wrong hasnt he. He's having one of the best rookie seasons ever. Now look at RG3 he's throws a spot on deep ball. Can run the ball which is something we have never had at the qb position and has played better quality defenses than the other 2. He's throwing the ball at a near 73% completion. Thats pretty darn good. I'd take him in a heart beat and pass on luck

I never questioned RB3's ability. He's a great passer. But spread offenses do inflate your stats. No question about it. If he was in a pro-style offense I believe he would have identical or even less numbers than Luck or Barkley.

[CantBeStopped]

I never questioned RB3's ability. He's a great passer. But spread offenses do inflate your stats. No question about it. If he was in a pro-style offense I believe he would have identical or even less numbers than Luck or Barkley.

But dont a lot of NFL teams pretty much run a spread now days. When manning is healthy about 75 percent of the time he is in the shotgun with 4 wide. The Saints Packers and Pats all run a similar offense. To me he would excel in our type of offense where we are very pass happy with a lot of shotgun formations

[Superman]

But dont a lot of NFL teams pretty much run a spread now days. When manning is healthy about 75 percent of the time he is in the shotgun with 4 wide. The Saints Packers and Pats all run a similar offense. To me he would excel in our type of offense where we are very pass happy with a lot of shotgun formations

That's an exaggeration.

Even still, there's a difference between a spread offense and a spread formation. Spread offenses put the ball in the quarterback's hands 80% of the time. They allow the quarterback to move around and avoid pressure, get outside the tackles and throw on the run, etc. They feature high percentage throws with lots of run after the catch.

And all that definitely inflates a quarterback's numbers. Graham Harrell averaged 43 touchdowns a year as a starter at Texas Tech, 70% completions, 5100 yards. That's a byproduct of the spread offense. That often doesn't translate to the NFL, even with a lot of spread formation. You're playing against elite talent on defense. You don't have as much time to throw. You're not throwing to wide open receivers (unless you play the 2011 Colts). You don't have as many designed QB keepers. You don't get outside the pocket to throw as much. And on and on.

I haven't been able to watch RGIII play all that much, only once I believe. He can sling it. But I don't know whether his skills as a spread offense quarterback would translate to the NFL. I'll let other people figure that out. I have watched Barkley and Luck, a lot, and I'm relatively certain that they can play well in the NFL.

[Bleedin Blue]

Just run that by me again.......the Polians are the best minds in football, but due to their 'Manning-itis', the team crumbled? That's a hellva contradiction there

Not a contradiction. They just gambled and lost, but I bet if you ask the 31 other FO's in the league where Bill Polian ranks among GM's and they would put him in the top 3 or 4. I know everyone is ticked off about this season and our pathetic run of defenses and offensive lines, but if you put it in perspective we've had a great decade of success. Be glad you're not a KC, Buffalo, Cincinnati, Denver, Carolina, or Seattle fan. Now I know that Manning was the greatest contribution to that success but he was a Polian pick in a year when many thought he should go #2. And he did build one of the more potent offenses in the league. He also has an amazing track record of success in finding great players that other GM's miss.