If Irsay Wants Fisher, He Needs To Pull The Trigger

[GoColts8818]

And how have those teams fared since?

We don't need a guy that's already been a GM elsewhere, although it wouldn't hurt. I just don't see the Colts hiring a HC directly to GM.

I am not ruling out anything at this point. When Miami had Parcells as their GM they won the AFC East. The Browns seem to still be a work in process so I think it's a little early to judge them since they just got their HC in place this year. As for the Seahawks you can't really count them beacuse they didn't hire Dungy but they did win a playoff game last year after winning the AFC South.

[GoColts8818]

FWIW on Dan Patrick this morning they had a poll regarding this. We came in second to SD (before they announced Turner and Smith were staying) the question was as a head coach/gm which is the best job:

sd

IND

stl

mia

I'd go with the Colts or the Rams. The Chargers are a mess and don't have a high draft pick they are no longer the most talented team in the NFL like they once were and of course that job is not open. Miami needs an overhaul again so you will pretty much be starting over.

In Indy they have some good players to build with and frankly if you put a good QB in place with those players you can probably turn it around pretty quickly iyou make the right moves. The Colts might not be a Super Bowl team next year but they could very easily be a playoff team next year depending on which direction they go in. As for the Rams they have some really nice young peaces there and the second pick in the draft that you can either use to get the LT they need to sure up their line or trade it for more picks to help add talent to their roster.

[Superman]

I'm seeing alot of comment in other threads about going after Spagnuolo. That would mean changing the entire defensive scheme because Spagnuolo likes man to man and the occasional blitz. He would totally mess up the Tampa 2. So the only way I see that happening is if Caldwell is fired.

I like Spagnuolo as a DC, but after seeing what the people up top are saying about the Coyer to Murphy situation, I can't see Caldwell staying and bringing Spagnuolo on as his coordinator. Seems pretty obvious that Caldwell wants to run the same defense Dungy ran, which makes me wonder why he got rid of Meeks in the first place. I always thought he wanted to move on from the Dungy defense, which is why he went with Coyer.

The problem I see with a 3-4 is that right now I don't think we have the linebackers or corners. Personally I would take Angerer over Brackett at MLB right now and I don't think Gary will come back next year. Now other than that who do we have? Conner? Sims? Edds? Wheeler? I don't know how a 3-4 change would help because I don't think we have the linebackers make it successful. The corners would be a big issue like you said. Lacey? Powers? I don't think so. No matter what defense we're in, we need secondary help anyway, but I dont see those guys being able to play consistent man coverage. That would mean devoting alot of the draft to defense or dipping into free agency, something that a new GM may be interested in.

We have the linebackers. Angerer, Conner, Sims, and Brackett can all play inside linebacker in a 3-4. Wheeler, Hughes, Mathis can all play outside linebacker as pass rushers. I don't think that would be the best use of Dwight Freeney's skills and talents, but the others could do it no problem. You can cover deficiencies in the secondary with good coaching. Happens all the time.

Much more concerning would be the defensive linemen. We don't have a really good nose tackle to anchor a 3-4, and we don't really have the five-tech ends. Brayton and Anderson could probably pull it off, but it would be a waste of Drake Nevis. Go read what Warren Sapp has said about being moved to five-tech in Oakland. That's what we'd be doing to Nevis, who I think is the best young lineman we have.

My preference would be to stay with the 4-3, not because I think one is better than the other, but because some of our best personnel up front (Freeney, Nevis) doesn't fit in a 3-4.

[Superman]

I am not ruling out anything at this point. When Miami had Parcells as their GM they won the AFC East. The Browns seem to still be a work in process so I think it's a little early to judge them since they just got their HC in place this year. As for the Seahawks you can't really count them beacuse they didn't hire Dungy but they did win a playoff game last year after winning the AFC South.

Parcells has been a personnel guy for a long time. One of the guys who had dual responsibility.

I definitely wouldn't hire a guy like Dungy to be GM. He has a set and firm philosophy that he wants, and he wants players that fit a certain mold.

[GoColts8818]

Parcells has been a personnel guy for a long time. One of the guys who had dual responsibility.

I definitely wouldn't hire a guy like Dungy to be GM. He has a set and firm philosophy that he wants, and he wants players that fit a certain mold.

That is true about Parcells.

I was't exactly endorsing hiring Dungy as the GM. I only brought his name up because I was talking about maybe bringing in Fisher as the GM and said it seemed trendy lately to hire a former NFL head coach as a GM at the moment and sighted the Seahawks trying to get Dungy to take the job as their GM as an example of that.

[Unitas19]

If Dungy returns to the Colts organization in any form, I'll switch allegiances and possibly conferences. He's a mediocre coach, at best - don't care what his record was at Indy > he rode Peyton's coattails all the way to multiple playoffs and the Super Bowl win (and so has Caldwell). Dungy has his idea of what a coach and what the NFL should be - granted he's looking through his "faith" glasses - but anyone who knows anything about football will tell you that being a head coach or GM takes a certain kind of brass and fire that people like Dungy don't have. If Indy had had a coach like Belichick or Harbaugh or Tomlin (feel free to add others) during the past decade, they would have at least six Super Bowl rings, maybe more, and would have created a legacy like no other team. Lack of coaching, not talent, cost us all those years.

I'm cool with Fisher or Mularkey or Billick (sp?) - but not Dungy or one like him (Caldwell).

[hawkeyes]

Irsay runs a business that just happens to be a sports team - he knows Mannings days are numbered - even if he returns 100% he only has a handful of years left. Its time to rebuild and he set that ball into motion.

I think hes going after a GM first then will together they will decide on a coach ... Cant wait for April!

I agree Unitas19 - Dungy was way over-rated and I dont care to see him around here.

[Unitas19]

Yep, it's a business, first and foremost. We were talking about that today at work. Irsay has to make a decision - is it a complete overhaul (including a new QB) or is it a restructuring and resigning to keep the vets on the team with Peyton as QB? Assuming, of course, that Peyton can play...or that he even wants to play for Indy after his comments about the Polians yesterday...

[JColts72]

Please No Dungy (GM), he'll want to keep his buddy Caldwell araound, either new era iwth both GM/HC, and not split new GM/Caldwell stays.

[ColtsHappy]

Hey

Complete newbie here as far as the forum goes but I have to speak my truth - Indiana native living in New York but dedicated Colts fan since I was 6 in 1958 - I am curious - why is everyone setting their sights so low? Am I missing all the chat about the possibility of Jim Harbaugh? C'mon, first of all he is a ring of honor Colt, his brother in law coaches those remarkable Hoosiers, so family is close by in the area - and don't you realistically think it would be his dream to return to the team he actually played so remarkably for? Also, and most obviously - he was the one who had a huge hand in nurturing Andrew Luck into his current greatness at Stanford. Do you not think he would be over the top excited about being re-united with Luck and be involved with Peyton? Forget Fisher, let's set our sights at the top, my money is on the fact that Mr. Irsay has a plan WAY beyond Jeff Fisher....

Prove me wrong - as soon as the 49ers are one and done Harbaugh is on our doorstep grinning along with Irsay - it's so obviously a perfect fit...... And Jim can bring whoever he wants along for the incredibly ride....

[JColts72]

Fischer may still be in Indy play if Cldwell gets fired already as has only Rams or Dolphins to contend with

[Warhorse]

Fischer being interviwed today at Miami via pick-up by ther owner (ESPN). So if Irsay wants GM and coach, he can get off his duff to make things happen instaed of weeks on end-

I just cannot fathom your slant on this. Our team owner just canned his GM and VP of operations. He just gave himself a TON of work, risk, and personal challenge. The thought that he is sitting on his duff is absurd.

[bWild]

Hey

Complete newbie here as far as the forum goes but I have to speak my truth - Indiana native living in New York but dedicated Colts fan since I was 6 in 1958 - I am curious - why is everyone setting their sights so low? Am I missing all the chat about the possibility of Jim Harbaugh? C'mon, first of all he is a ring of honor Colt, his brother in law coaches those remarkable Hoosiers, so family is close by in the area - and don't you realistically think it would be his dream to return to the team he actually played so remarkably for? Also, and most obviously - he was the one who had a huge hand in nurturing Andrew Luck into his current greatness at Stanford. Do you not think he would be over the top excited about being re-united with Luck and be involved with Peyton? Forget Fisher, let's set our sights at the top, my money is on the fact that Mr. Irsay has a plan WAY beyond Jeff Fisher....

Prove me wrong - as soon as the 49ers are one and done Harbaugh is on our doorstep grinning along with Irsay - it's so obviously a perfect fit...... And Jim can bring whoever he wants along for the incredibly ride....

While the ties you've made make it sound like a marriage made in heaven, you've overlooked that Harbaugh is a 1st year head coach that turned the 49ers around in the period of one off-season. There's absolutely no way he gets canned!!!!

[ColtsHappy]

Canned? What does that have to do with anything?

Of course he won't be canned, but that doesn't mean he can't come to the colts!