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Nate Irving Signed ....just now!


BrentMc11

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Hey, that's a nice picture of Nate giving up a TD in the Super Bowl. haha

 

No, it is not, he broke up the pass from Kearse's hands while the Seahawks were up 5-0 to prevent a TD to force a FG to go up 8-0.

 

http://www.nfl.com/videos/nfl-game-highlights/0ap2000000322599/Nate-Irving-breaks-up-touchdown-pass

 

Note that this is a LB going against a WR, not a TE.

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Yeah teams don't draft by BPA. They also only have like 60 player on their "big boards." They have targets for each round.

 

First I heard of this was a few years when a Dallas TV station caught a few seconds of video of the Dallas Big Board.

 

That was the year that the Cowboys took Frederick in the first round and Jones had to defend the pick.   And he was saying they had about 100-120 names they were focused on.    I thought it was odd that a team would be focusing on about 100 names when the draft was 256 players long.

 

And then,  I think it was after last year's draft,  Grigson was talking about the Colts process...  starting with about 5,000 names (not a typo) and it gets whittled down over the year, and then he too said his board is about 100 or so deep.

 

So,  that appears to be a growing movement.

 

I know I read about 3-4 years ago or so that the new rookie level wage scale would "flatten out" the grading and the idea of drafting BPA....    if you miss now,  you're not on the hook for a rookie 1st round contract that could be 30-50 Million....  Heck, Sam Bradford's rookie deal was about $75-78 mill with $50 guaranteed.

 

Teams aren't worried about that happening anymore and are more willing to focus on the player they want rather than the perceived BPA.

 

I'd love to know how many of the 32 teams approach the draft this way.....   are the Colts in the mainstream or are we in the first wave of new thinking?

 

I'm very curious.....

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I think Moncrief is the one player fans of BPA can point to that Grigson took. And I'm glad he did.

But I don't think Grigson has done much BPA drafting in his three years.

And I'll say something that likely won't be popular...... since the new rookie wage scale, I'm not sure a lot of teams are drafting BPA all that much.....

These days I think it's something that GM's say to cover themselves....

Exactly. And I don't see a first rd ilb, at all, after this.

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It was an ACL tear. That is the reason he was even available. Otherwise, the Broncos would have re-signed him instantly.

 

http://fantasynews.cbssports.com/fantasyfootball/update/25115511/colts-sign-former-broncos-lb-nate-irving-on-friday

 

Irving was the Broncos starting middle linebacker last year for the first eight games of the season (he had a sack of Andrew Luckicon-article-link.gif in the 2014 season opener). However, his season ended following an MCL injury after eight contests.

With Jackson turning 32 in 2015 and Freeman about to be 29 years old, the Colts were looking to add some quality, young depth at the inside position this offseason.

http://www.colts.com/news/article-1/Colts-Add-Inside-Linebacker-Depth-With-Nate-Irving/ed51ab9d-bf7a-4bb5-b62a-7ebda57309c7

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No, it is not, he broke up the pass from Kearse's hands while the Seahawks were up 5-0 to prevent a TD to force a FG to go up 8-0.

http://www.nfl.com/videos/nfl-game-highlights/0ap2000000322599/Nate-Irving-breaks-up-touchdown-pass

Note that this is a LB going against a WR, not a TE.

I stand corrected. Thanks.

I tried to purge all memory of that Super Bowl from my mind.

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He can barely cover.. Worse than Jackson. He is a two down Run LB

 

Lately, you are right. That example in the SB was a case of his instincts helping him, which I was impressed with how he diagnosed it fast enough. Play diagnosis can make up for lack of speed for an LB, IMO. His lack of straight line speed can be masked more easily inside in a 3-4 than a 4-3.

 

His best asset is navigating through traffic, shedding blocks and tackling the ball carrier, and being a good special teamer and tackler. I think the bolded reason is why he is being paid what he is. Maybe they are going to phase DQwell Jackson or Freeman as a coverage LB more often???

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Every pick in the first couple rds. over the last few years has gone to a position of major need.

 

1) I don't think that speaks to a needs-based draft strategy.

 

2) I don't think signing Nate Irving means ILB isn't a major need. (Of course, I didn't think he was getting a three year deal, so maybe the Colts feel differently.)

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There is no evidence in recent history that the Colts pick BPA.

 

says who?  how do you know the players that Grigson has selected weren't the best player available according to their rankings?  I'd be surprised if Grigson or Pagano give a hoot about what Mel Kiper thinks.

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sooo colts don't break the bank for Suh....and can fill a few positions of need before the draft even starts

 

nothing real flashy but quite a few solid signings.....now just have to hit a couple draft picks this year and they could be set.

Colts definitely need to hit on draft picks this year. Especially at DL, S, and RB.

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1) I don't think that speaks to a needs-based draft strategy.

2) I don't think signing Nate Irving means ILB isn't a major need. (Of course, I didn't think he was getting a three year deal, so maybe the Colts feel differently.)

2) neither do I. But, coupled with the other two contracts I do.

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He can barely cover.. Worse than Jackson. He is a two down Run LB

 

He's no coverage maven, I don't know where that's coming from, but he'll be better than D'Qwell was last year.

 

DJ 2014: 67 targets, 55 catches allowed (82%), 10.4 yards/catch allowed, 339 yards after catch, 7 TDs allowed, 1 INT, 1 pass defensed, passer rating against 130.9

 

Irving 2014: 23 targets, 16 catches allowed (69.6%), 14.2 yards/catch allowed, 146 yards after catch (ouch), 1 TD allowed, no INTs, no passes defensed, passer rating against 115.7

Irving 2013: 22 targets, 16 catches allowed (72.7%), 7.3 yards/catch allowed, 93 yards after catch, 1 TD allowed, no INTs, 1 pass defense, passer rating against 100

 

Again, he's not the coverage stud I'd like to see, but he's notably more effective in pass coverage than D'Qwell, by the numbers. And the tape shows a player with more range and athleticism who arrives at the ball with authority. I don't know what this means for our ILB rotation, but if it were Irving instead of D'Qwell, I'd call it an upgrade.

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He's no coverage maven, I don't know where that's coming from, but he'll be better than D'Qwell was last year.

 

DJ 2014: 67 targets, 55 catches allowed (82%), 10.4 yards/catch allowed, 339 yards after catch, 7 TDs allowed, 1 INT, 1 pass defensed, passer rating against 130.9

 

Irving 2014: 23 targets, 16 catches allowed (69.6%), 14.2 yards/catch allowed, 146 yards after catch (ouch), 1 TD allowed, no INTs, no passes defensed, passer rating against 115.7

Irving 2013: 22 targets, 16 catches allowed (72.7%), 7.3 yards/catch allowed, 93 yards after catch, 1 TD allowed, no INTs, 1 pass defense, passer rating against 100

 

Again, he's not the coverage stud I'd like to see, but he's notably more effective in pass coverage than D'Qwell, by the numbers. And the tape shows a player with more range and athleticism who arrives at the ball with authority. I don't know what this means for our ILB rotation, but if it were Irving instead of D'Qwell, I'd call it an upgrade.

 

Also, his 2014 coverage yards numbers are kind of inflated by an 81 yard pass where 3 Broncos missed tackles. 

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Also, his 2014 coverage yards numbers are kind of inflated by an 81 yard pass where 3 Broncos missed tackles. 

 

That's also the only TD he gave up, I think. Take that play out, and it's 65 yards after catch. Andre Ellington is no slouch, and the coverage wasn't terrible, given the matchup. But Irving didn't know where the ball was, didn't finish the play, and got zero help from his teammates. Definitely an outlier.

 

http://www.azcardinals.com/videos/videos/Andre-Ellingtons-81-yd-touchdown-catch/b1bc73fe-d230-40c6-a758-55d412a92944

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Freeman's RFA tender isn't guaranteed until he signs it, and I don't think he has. They could withdraw the tender. I doubt that, though.

I am thinking since Irving is signing for 3 years, they might be giving up on Freeman.  I hope they don't, but it seems odd they haven't come to an agreement, yet.  DQ is still signed for multiple years also.  Is the tender a 2nd rd pick?  I don't think any team is going to give that up to sign Freeman... 

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ok im confused. jvan said we couldnt sign pollard because he couldnt pass a physical since hes injured. so how did we sign irving then? he has a worse injury that occurred a month later then pollard

I didn't say he couldn't. I said they wouldn't I'm surprised they did.

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I am thinking since Irving is signing for 3 years, they might be giving up on Freeman. I hope they don't, but it seems odd they haven't come to an agreement, yet. DQ is still signed for multiple years also. Is the tender a 2nd rd pick? I don't think any team is going to give that up to sign Freeman...

I don't think they are giving up on Freeman. I think we're searching for some quality depth and maybe someone who can do what DQ was brought in here to do, DQ is on a 2 year contract if I recall right

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I don't think they are giving up on Freeman. I think we're searching for some quality depth and maybe someone who can do what DQ was brought in here to do, DQ is on a 2 year contract if I recall right

 

Jackson has a four year contract, but the first two years were pretty much guaranteed, and it's painless to release him after 2015.

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