Left guard

[FloridaColtsFan]

I realize Mewhort may be moving to Right Tackle this year and would like to see the Colts go after Evan Mathis to be a proven fit at Left Guard to replace him. Has anyone heard anything about who is going after him? Opinions of Mathis? Thanks.

[GoColts8818]

I heard someone who covers the Colts, maybe Chappell or maybe Kravtiz say they knew the Colts had no interest in him.

[Patagonia Chris]

I think if they were going to go after him they would have done it by now. The roster they have now is what they'll open camp with. If someone goes down or multiple players are under-performing then maybe Grigson will add someone.

[12isthenew18]

no need to waste money. We have lots of battles in camp

[Dark Superman]

Signing Evan Mathis WOULD NOT be a waste of money. I think if Cherilus can't stay healthy we should cut ties to him, sign Mathis, and move Mewhort to RT.

 

I have zero faith in Donald Thomas and Hugh Thornton.

 

I'd be happy with Costanzo, Mathis, (center) Herremans, Mewhort

[Dark Superman]

no need to waste money. We have lots of battles in camp

Signing Evan Mathis is not a waste of money. Keeping someone like Donald Thomas on the roster is a waste of money. And if we keep Gosder and he can't stay on the field, we will most likely move Mewhort to tackle, which is going to leave a huge hole at the guard position. We need to win now.. and this offense's full potential won't work if we can't run the ball and protect Luck.

[CS5959]

We have a lot of depth, but the depth options aren't great beside Reitz in my opinion.  I am not sure why Reitz has not got more attention to fill in at left guard.  Hopefully he will get a solid chance to take that starting role over Thornton and Louis. Hopefully we don't do to Reitz what we did to AQ Shipley.

[Lucky4Us]

The fact that a former teammate in Herremans hasn't lobbied for him says a lot IMO.  Must be a bad apple.

[FloridaColtsFan]

The fact that a former teammate in Herremans hasn't lobbied for him says a lot IMO.  Must be a bad apple.

 

Who says that he hasn't ? If he is a so called bad apple, that can be worked out real quick.

[CoachLite]

Oooh look! Smoke and mirrors! Whether or not Evan Mathis signs with the Colts will be answered soon. I think it's gonna happen, but I've been wrong before.

[NewColtsFan]

The fact that a former teammate in Herremans hasn't lobbied for him says a lot IMO.  Must be a bad apple.

 

I'm sorry.....   what did I miss?

 

How do you know Herremans hasn't lobbied for Mathis?

 

Those kind of talks go on behind closed doors.....

[NewColtsFan]

Now that we've released Cherilus and moved Mewhort,  and I expect to soon release Donald Thomas as well,  I do NOT expect to sign Mathis.

 

As someone here noted,  if we had interest in him,  we would've already done it....

 

I'm not saying that it's a 100 percent lock we're not signing him,  only that I don't think it's likely.....

[Dark Superman]

Either way, thing's should get interesting very soon.

[BlueCollarColts]

Costanzo/Thornton/Holmes/Herremans/Mewhort is my guess

[FloridaColtsFan]

I'm sorry.....   what did I miss?

 

How do you know Herremans hasn't lobbied for Mathis?

 

Those kind of talks go on behind closed doors.....

 

Exactly

[HtownColt]

Joe Rietz SHOULD be the front runner but I think the Colts are stuck on having him as the sixth man. I have more faith in Donald Thomas than I do Thornton though

[Bravo]

Thorton at LG and Herremans at RG

[CR91]

Costanzo/Thornton/Holmes/Herremans/Mewhort is my guess

 

god no. I dont want thornton anywhere in the starting lineup

[IndyD4U]

Thorton at LG and Herremans at RG

 

This

[throwing BBZ]

Signing Evan Mathis is not a waste of money. Keeping someone like Donald Thomas on the roster is a waste of money. And if we keep Gosder and he can't stay on the field, we will most likely move Mewhort to tackle, which is going to leave a huge hole at the guard position. We need to win now.. and this offense's full potential won't work if we can't run the ball and protect Luck.

 

 Mewhort was nothing great at LG, just pretty decent for a Rookie, so it ISN'T a huge hole. We have a couple guys that could step up and play at that level.

 Maybe even one that has the speed to actually pull well to the right!!!

[throwing BBZ]

god no. I dont want thornton anywhere in the starting lineup

 

 So you don`t believe in player development. Just remember how bad Castonzo was his first 2+ years.

[throwing BBZ]

 So you don`t believe in player development. Just remember how bad Castonzo was his first 2+ years.

 

 In 2013, and Castonzo finished the year with a negative-6.4 pass-protection grade from Pro Football Focus, including allowing 51 total pressures. He and Cherilus were PFF 3rd Worst pass protecting Tandem in 2013.

 Last season the guys Castonzo blocked OFTEN latched onto him amd driving him back while staying in their rush lane. A solid plan as Andrew prefers escaping left under pressure and Teams were able to get Plenty of Pressure against the other 4 lineman.

 Nice for AC`s numbers. So is Andrews pocket awareness that seems second to none.

 No doubt AC continues to improve and it will be interesting to watch how the O-Line holds up as a group this season.

[krunk]

I'm sorry.....   what did I miss?

 

How do you know Herremans hasn't lobbied for Mathis?

 

Those kind of talks go on behind closed doors.....

 

 

Herremans just got on the team. I'm sure he's trying to learn the playbook and everything else.  I would assume FA recruiting is on the low end of the totem pole for him.   

[Mr. Irrelevant]

Dunno, maybe we will pick up a half decent vet once all the teams start to cut the roaster down to 53? This OL just seems to be a work-in-progress year after year after year.

[Valpo2004]

If we're all in for a SB run this year we should sign Mathis.  If not then why did we sign Gore and Andre Johnson?

[Coffeedrinker]

If they move Mewhort to RT then I see Reitz or Thornton being the LG (with the edge to Thornton), if they keep Mewhort at LG then I see Reitz being the starting RT.

[NewColtsFan]

Herremans just got on the team. I'm sure he's trying to learn the playbook and everything else.  I would assume FA recruiting is on the low end of the totem pole for him.   

 

"Learning the playbook and everything else" is not a 24/7/365 thing.....   especially not for a veteran.

 

There is plenty of time to walk into the GM's office or the HC's office to say....   "Hey, I just wanted to tell you that Mathis is really good,  and he's a good guy too.    Not a problem in the locker-room.    If you're not sold on what we currently have,  I think Mathis is worth bringing in."

 

It's not hard to lobby for a friend/former teammate.    That kind of thing happens all the time.....

 

I'm not claiming that Herremans has or hasn't done this.    I'm just saying that the poster who claims Herremanns has NOT done this does not know at all.     He has no way of knowing this.....     That's my point.....

[krunk]

"Learning the playbook and everything else" is not a 24/7/365 thing.....   especially not for a veteran.

 

There is plenty of time to walk into the GM's office or the HC's office to say....   "Hey, I just wanted to tell you that Mathis is really good,  and he's a good guy too.    Not a problem in the locker-room.    If you're not sold on what we currently have,  I think Mathis is worth bringing in."

 

It's not hard to lobby for a friend/former teammate.    That kind of thing happens all the time.....

 

I'm not claiming that Herremans has or hasn't done this.    I'm just saying that the poster who claims Herremanns has NOT done this does not know at all.     He has no way of knowing this.....     That's my point.....

 

 

Yeah I get that, but I'm just saying Grigs should be well informed on Mathis.  Herremans could do that(lobby for Mathis) but doesn't really need to. He's probably focused on his own preparation.  Not going to go too deep because I know you know.  Me personally I don't think Grigs is going the Mathis route, but who knows how things change when the injury bug pops up.

[NewColtsFan]

Yeah I get that, but I'm just saying Grigs should be well informed on Mathis.  Herremans could do that(lobby for Mathis) but doesn't really need to. He's probably focused on his own preparation.  Not going to go too deep because I know you know.  Me personally I don't think Grigs is going the Mathis route, but who knows how things change when the injury bug pops up.

 

I'm with you, K....

 

I too don't think we'll bring in Mathis.   And the only reason I think that is that I believe Grigson/Pagano are OK with our interior lineman.

 

My main point in all of this, is that there's no way that the other poster would know whether or not Herremans has, or hasn't, lobbied for Mathis.      Really,  that's all it is....

[Archer]

I've been a Thornton apologist for a while.  He hasn't played very well in two seasons as a Colt, but he has some very good excuses for that IMHO.  His rookie year he played out of position (honestly, a 340 lb. pulling LG?!) after missing the entire TC with an injury and only having practiced at RG.  If ever a guy was set up to fail, it was Thornton as a rookie (and fail he did!).  Then, last year, he played pretty well the first three games, and then played terribly while injured the rest of the year.  Really, who I have no confidence in is OL coach Joe Gilbert, who has made several terrible personnel calls (including rookie Thornton at LG over Reitz) the last couple of years.  Now that Thornton is down to the low 320s, I'm cautiously optimistic about him at LG this year.

[Malakai432]

Are there any other quality linemen that the Colts could potentially trade for, possible a younger solid guard that another team may be looking to shop we could trade a pick for??? It worked with Vontae.

[DougDew]

Reitz did well when playing next to AC before he got nagging injuries.  Then I think that offseason the Colts signed DT and he was the starter of course.  I think Reitz is penciled in to start at LG.  Thornton, Louis, and Heenan will be the backups, IMO.

 

We really don't know much about DT's situation.  I can't really put him into the LG spot until I hear something positive about his health and prognossis for the future.

[Hoose]

"Learning the playbook and everything else" is not a 24/7/365 thing.....   especially not for a veteran.

 

There is plenty of time to walk into the GM's office or the HC's office to say....   "Hey, I just wanted to tell you that Mathis is really good,  and he's a good guy too.    Not a problem in the locker-room.    If you're not sold on what we currently have,  I think Mathis is worth bringing in."

 

It's not hard to lobby for a friend/former teammate.    That kind of thing happens all the time.....

 

I'm not claiming that Herremans has or hasn't done this.    I'm just saying that the poster who claims Herremanns has NOT done this does not know at all.     He has no way of knowing this.....     That's my point.....

I assume it has occurred to you that Herremans would be lobbying for Mathis to potentially take his place as a starter? He's not doing that. He isn't guaranteed a starting position, but he's got to be a big favorite if Mewhort moves to RT as he most likely will. Nor should the Colts panic and pick up Mathis. They have plenty of guards to choose from. But little tackle depth. I think they'll stand pat unless injuries hit. 

[Colts_Fan12]

I assume it has occurred to you that Herremans would be lobbying for Mathis to potentially take his place as a starter? He's not doing that. He isn't guaranteed a starting position, but he's got to be a big favorite if Mewhort moves to RT as he most likely will. Nor should the Colts panic and pick up Mathis. They have plenty of guards to choose from. But little tackle depth. I think they'll stand pat unless injuries hit.

why would he not start one would play LG the other RG?? So idk why you think Mathis would take his starting job

[Colts_Fan12]

If we don't go after Mathis my money is going on Thorton to start at LG.

[NewColtsFan]

I assume it has occurred to you that Herremans would be lobbying for Mathis to potentially take his place as a starter? He's not doing that. He isn't guaranteed a starting position, but he's got to be a big favorite if Mewhort moves to RT as he most likely will. Nor should the Colts panic and pick up Mathis. They have plenty of guards to choose from. But little tackle depth. I think they'll stand pat unless injuries hit. 

 

I'm not sure how much of this thread you've been reading,  so I'll recap my position.

 

1.   I don't think the Colts will be bringing in Mathis.

 

2.   I think Herremanns is projected as the starter right now.

 

3.   My only real point in this thread is that the person who said Herremanns was not lobbying for Mathis and that much mean that Mathis is bad in club house could not possibly know that.    It was pure speculation pulled out of thin air........

 

I don't know if Herremanns is lobbying or not.    But no one else does either.

 

And it doesn't take much effort to lobby.   Walking into the office of the GM or the HC to say a few words doesn't take much time or energy.

 

Hope this clears up things....

[ColtsFanMikeC]

Now that we've released Cherilus and moved Mewhort,  and I expect to soon release Donald Thomas as well,  I do NOT expect to sign Mathis.

 

As someone here noted,  if we had interest in him,  we would've already done it....

 

I'm not saying that it's a 100 percent lock we're not signing him,  only that I don't think it's likely.....

 

I was reading an article earlier today (I think on Bleacher Report) which suggested Mathis is asking too much in his contract for a 33 year old.

 

He has had a very good last 3-4 years (even though he missed the first half of last year w/ injury).  Not that 33 is too old to have a good couple of years left as a OG, but it sounded to me as though he wanted a long term contract loaded with money -- not worth it, in my opinion.  If we can get him at a decent 1-2 year deal, maybe go for it -- but we've got enough talent that we don't need to break the bank on someone like him.

[Dark Superman]

 Mewhort was nothing great at LG, just pretty decent for a Rookie, so it ISN'T a huge hole. We have a couple guys that could step up and play at that level.

 Maybe even one that has the speed to actually pull well to the right!!!

 

But.. do you think he's going to be as good, or close to being as good as a healthy Cherilus?

[Hoose]

I'm not sure how much of this thread you've been reading,  so I'll recap my position.

 

1.   I don't think the Colts will be bringing in Mathis.

 

2.   I think Herremanns is projected as the starter right now.

 

3.   My only real point in this thread is that the person who said Herremanns was not lobbying for Mathis and that much mean that Mathis is bad in club house could not possibly know that.    It was pure speculation pulled out of thin air........

 

I don't know if Herremanns is lobbying or not.    But no one else does either.

 

And it doesn't take much effort to lobby.   Walking into the office of the GM or the HC to say a few words doesn't take much time or energy.

 

Hope this clears up things....

Wasn't being critical. I just think its unlikely that a player who is fighting for a particular position would lobby to bring in another player to challenge him, old team mate or not. I 

DO believe that the Colts have sufficient talent at G to field starters at LG and RG without any more signings.  I AM worried about the T depth. Time will tell if that worry is relieved by the play of some of the younger Tackles, but that's a big wish. I'd look for a FA tackle before a FA Guard.