Nate Irving Signed ....just now!

[chad72]

They could be going pre-dominantly 4-3 as well. Mathis and Cole as DEs with Werner, Newsome and Walden to back them up

 

Freeman, DQwell, and Irving are the LBs. Irving played 4-3 OLB at NC State, correct?

[ColtStronger]

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

I really don't think Irving is depth tho.  Like somebody previously stated, he is probably our best ILB on the roster already.  I like Jerrell and hope he resigns, but I'm not too big of a fan of DQ.  I think for what he got paid, he should've done better.  He isn't terrible, but could be better, IMO.  Since Irving can be both for us, I would automatically think he is a starter, but isn't necessarilly what Pagano is thinking.

[backshoulderfade]

I dont think this is a matter of who starts or not. This is meant to be a rotation. This is the most quality we have had top to botton ib the linebacking corps for as long as I remember.

[csmopar]

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

Gotcha.

[krunk]

What I like about the Irving signing is it lights a fire under Freeman and Jacksons butts being that Irving used to be a starter.  They don't have much room to slip up with him on their heels.

[ColtsBTM12]

Seems Like a good signing. I hope he stays healthy.

[akcolt]

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

It was a partial tear of the MCL according to numerous sources: http://www.denverpost.com/broncos/ci_26931999/broncos-nate-irving-placed-season-ending-injured-reserve

 http://fantasynews.cbssports.com/fantasyfootball/players/playerpage/1117345/nate-irving

 

I am at work and other sites are blocked. Either way he is coming off a knee injury. I think he helps a lot this year and maybe can make DQ expendable next year. I like the signing glad it got done. An inside linebacker that is a run stuffer perfect and he is young.

[Superman]

They could be going pre-dominantly 4-3 as well. Mathis and Cole as DEs with Werner, Newsome and Walden to back them up

 

Freeman, DQwell, and Irving are the LBs. Irving played 4-3 OLB at NC State, correct?

 

Langford signed because he wanted to be back in a 3-4. I think it will continue to be a 3-4 base, but I think they want to have more flexibility in their sub packages. 

[Colts_Fan12]

Instantly the best ILB on the roster.

I agree

[ProblChld32]

I think if he can perform like he was showing in the first 8 games of 2014, we get a bargain.

 

Spot on, agree with you 100% 

[Mr. Irrelevant]

Sounds like a very good deal for us.

 

Getting a good ILB is kinda of tricky since you want them to both be a big help to stop the run and help in coverage. So they should ideally be able to take out an elite RB or TE on the same down depending on what the offensive play is. Good that it isn't my job!

[masterlock]

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

There's also no consensus as to what counts as the "best" player available, since opinions will always vary.

[Dark_Indy]

Donte Moncrief.

 

This is true. At the time the Colts were loaded at WR

 

Hilton

Wayne

Nicks

Brazill

Rogers

Whalen

[Horse Shoe Heaven]

I like the signing. Big athletic strong run defender! To those who said we over paid , I don't think so if Healthy he sees action and probable takes DQ's job next year! 3 million a year in today's NFL is not over paying for a guy of this caliber! Going to be real interesting where we go in the draft? DL, RB, WR, Safety, CB, OL, LBERS, water boys!

[jvan1973]

This is true. At the time the Colts were loaded at WR

Hilton

Wayne

Nicks

Brazill

Rogers

Whalen

sarcasm?

[southwest1]

 I like the signing glad it got done. An inside linebacker that is a run stuffer perfect and he is young.

Bingo! That's why I like him the most. He's under 30. Nice addition Grigs. Time to stop the run dead in it's tracks & Irving will go a long way toward doing that.

[Caleb3502]

Good player, had 46 tackles and 1 sack in 8 games last year before the injury.

[BlueCollarColts]

Solid signing, defense just got better.

[wig]

There's also no consensus as to what counts as the "best" player available, since opinions will always vary.

 

I'm not going off of what TV personalities say.

 

But, if Grigs has gone BPA, then he's the luckiest man alive since they've all hit a position of big need in the first couple of rounds.

[dw49]

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.)

 

 

I'm thinking most of the guaranteed money will be in this year , 2015. If he works out , they have D Jackson's replacement in 2016. He's due to hit the cap at 5.75 in 2016 , while the Colts save all but 500K but letting him go. It was no doubt a 2 year deal that Jackson was signed to and odds are very much against him being on the roster after this year.

 

So I'm betting Grigson structured Irving's contract to either keep him as the starter in 2016 or just let him go if he's still viewed as a depth guy.

[1959Colts]

Highlights:

http://www.colts.com/videos/videos/2015-Free-Agency-Nate-Irving-Highlights/fedf25ce-920a-4c50-a873-b55e9219fafc

[#BringBobBack]

Him and Freeman are gonna wreck it this year

[TKnight24]

we spent way too much in him

Overpaid cause you don't know who he is? Or overpaid cause you feel Freeman & Jackson are better?

[Steamboat_Shaun]

Everything I've read says he's not a great coverage guy, but is a very good run-stopper. Either way I like the signing.

[akcolt]

Overpaid cause you don't know who he is? Or overpaid cause you feel Freeman & Jackson are better?

You know this board same as Langford signing they don't know the name its a bad signing or overpriced

He will be our starting LB next year give us the chance to save a chunk by cutting DQ if we so choose. Really good signing

[texascolt]

I think Irving will be a starter and we will still draft a IL in the first round.  

[New Zealands #1 Colts Fan]

Before injury last year. He was ranked 4th run stopping ILB by PFF

[The Peytonator]

Good signing Grigs!

 

 

Now let him start next to Freeman. 

[PrincetonTiger]

Good Signing

[Jason_]

I'm not going off of what TV personalities say.

But, if Grigs has gone BPA, then he's the luckiest man alive since they've all hit a position of big need in the first couple of rounds.

That's probably largely because they're going by their board and they're not going to have every player on their board. Further, their board is most likely filled predominantly with players at positions of need.

[MTC]

Meh. Not excited about this signing. 

[krunk]

You figure somebody had to come along with some negativity sooner or later!

[Monster]

What I like about the Irving signing is it lights a fire under Freeman and Jacksons butts being that Irving used to be a starter.  They don't have much room to slip up with him on their heels.

 

IRON SHARPENS IRON!!!     Great Signing!!!

[MTC]

You figure somebody had to come along with some negativity sooner or later!

 

Is that directed towards me?

 

He is not a good coverage LB which we desperately need and he's coming off an ACL injury.

[krunk]

Is that directed towards me?

 

He is not a good coverage LB which we desperately need and he's coming off an ACL injury.

 

It's not an ACL, he's just about heeled from it and he's young.  Plus we are not done adding talent so I'm sure Grigs will pick up a coverage backer in the draft. We need run stopping and coverage backers. 

[CR91]

Is that directed towards me?

 

He is not a good coverage LB which we desperately need and he's coming off an ACL injury.

 

freeman can cover. irving can stop the run. their interchangable

[backshoulderfade]

If our pass rush is on point we can blitz less and those gaps in the middle become a lot smaller.

[neckbeard]

Grigson has already had his best BPA he will ever have. Andrew Luck!

[wig]

That's probably largely because they're going by their board and they're not going to have every player on their board. Further, their board is most likely filled predominantly with players at positions of need.

 

So, like I have been saying, they pick based on need in the early rounds, not BPA.

[Gavin]

I'm not going off of what TV personalities say.

 

But, if Grigs has gone BPA, then he's the luckiest man alive since they've all hit a position of big need in the first couple of rounds.

That's going to happen when you have a team with a lot of needs, He could have thrown a dart at a dart board with 8 labels other then Kicker, Punter and QB and landed on a position of need at some point over the last 3 years