Colts meeting with ILB Kevin Minter (Merge)

[Bluefire4]

I had Hodges in my mock draft last month but I definitely considered Minter. He'll be good.

[NorthernBlue]

Seeing a lot of conflicting opinions on him regarding his play. Some say he's excellent in run defense and bad in coverage, others the opposite.

 

Never watched Cards game much, so I did some snooping. Coming out of college he was allegedly a tackling machine and a beast in the run defense-but had trouble translating that to the NFL. Took him a while, but he got to a consistent level. 

 

Then I believe in the off season of 2015, he lost a ton of weight, which contributed to his improvement in coverage (although the results didn't really show until this season, at least according to PFF). This in turn, forced a dip in his tackling, and he apparently missed a ton of tackles this year (like 20).

 

So he's somewhere in the middle I guess. Honestly, I got no idea, just basing off things I literally just read. I wouldn't mind him at all, depending on the price. Another one of those young, stop gap players I see Ballard getting to allow us to develop whoever we draft this year.

 

On a side note, I'm really starting to fall for Reddick in the first round.

[Superman]

12 minutes ago, stitches said:

Yes is good. I assume you prefer Foster from what I've read you say about him around here.

 

Would you be OK with drafting Reddick in the first if Foster is gone? Would you rather have Foster in the first or Reddick in the second?

 

I'd rather have Reddick in the second because that would be a huge steal, but I think that's a pipe dream. I'm resistant to Reddick at #15, but maybe I'm being stubborn. 

 

After Foster's injury and his altercation at the Combine, I've cooled on him, but only a little bit. At #15, he'd still be a get, IMO. 

 

But they are the kind of rangy, athletic ILB that I want.

[NorthernBlue]

4 minutes ago, coltsfanatic24 said:

Minter was the starting ILB on a top 10 defense. He would be a good addition to this team. 

That's not really a good way to judge a player. Dwayne Allen was a starting TE for a top 10 offense.

[SaturdayAllDay]

1 minute ago, NewColtsFan said:

 

I don't think he'd be the middle linebacker.

 

I think he'd be the WILL backer that Jerrell Freeman was.....

 

That's my hunch at least....

 

Im not convinced he is best suited as a WILL but even then, a WILL that misses 20% of his tackles doesnt sit well with me. Even a player like Zach Brown, who was known as a bad tackler up until this year, only managed to miss 6.5% of his tackles the year before. If 6.5% is bad, I dont want to know where Minter ranks in tackling. Our team already has tackling issues, lets not make things worse. 

[Superman]

19 minutes ago, dgambill said:

I think that is where we are targeting in the draft honestly. Hodges would be nice but I think he will require more money. I think there is a huge holding pattern to this group. Hightower is holding everything up. His contract is suppose to set the market...then Brown...Hodges...Minter etc. Some of these lesser guys may just say screw it...lets see what's being offered...sure we may leave a bit on the table but lets get something locked up before all the money is gone to other positions lol. I think Hodges will be in more demand. I think Minter is meant to be that steadying force on the defense....that will allow a young athletic LB possibly in the draft to come in and be our rangy all pro. I really think we are targeting Foster in the draft (thus the talk at 9 to get ahead of a couple teams that would target him as well)...may not work out but I think we look at him...and say a back up would be Reddick and Cunningham....just my gut...could totally be wrong.

 

Cunningham could be available in the second. He misses a lot of tackles, but I can deal with that at this stage of his career. He's also in on a heck of a lot of plays, so it's hard to complain about the plays he misses, when a player with lesser range probably wouldn't even be in the frame. 

[coltsfanatic24]

1 minute ago, NorthernBlue said:

That's not really a good way to judge a player. Dwayne Allen was a starting TE for a top 10 offense.

 

I'm not judging him just on that. I watched a few Cardinal games this year and he was always around the ball. He also grades out well by PFF.  He's an upgrade at ILB and allows us to draft a different position on defense.

[Colts_Fan12]

Awesome he is still young and maybe we can get say cunningham in the 2nd now to groom 

 

[Buck Showalter]

Ha! Hope Ballard realizes that there are other positions on defense other than just linebacker!!!

[Jason_]

Just now, Buck Showalter said:

Ha! Hope Ballard realizes that there are other positions on defense other than just linebacker!!!

 

yes there are, but none that needed more revamping than the LB corp

[Coltfreak]

1 minute ago, Buck Showalter said:

Ha! Hope Ballard realizes that there are other positions on defense other than just linebacker!!!

I don't.  It's bar far our weakest area

 

 

[dgambill]

1 minute ago, Superman said:

 

Cunningham could be available in the second. He misses a lot of tackles, but I can deal with that at this stage of his career. He's also in on a heck of a lot of plays, so it's hard to complain about the plays he misses, when a player with lesser range probably wouldn't even be in the frame. 

I'd be thrilled with Cunningham in the second if we could land him. He needs to add to that frame desperately but man he is a freak athlete....definitely not who I would take with 15...but not sure he makes it to our second...but I'd run up there with the card if he did.

 

I think people need to realize we probably can't solve all our defensive needs in one off season. It took us many to get here...a couple more to clean it up shouldn't be a problem. We all would love the best player at every position to come to us but realistically we have to have a measured approach at what will fit our system, afford, stay healthy, and likely to project to play better. So far I'm pleased...we may not sign Minter but we are doing our due diligence. If we are able to get into a position where we have starters in place at the end of free agency and to take bpa in this draft I will be excited. I think NT and CB will be the biggest needs left if we can get Minter under contract.

[stitches]

26 minutes ago, Superman said:

 

I'd rather have Reddick in the second because that would be a huge steal, but I think that's a pipe dream. I'm resistant to Reddick at #15, but maybe I'm being stubborn. 

 

After Foster's injury and his altercation at the Combine, I've cooled on him, but only a little bit. At #15, he'd still be a get, IMO. 

 

But they are the kind of rangy, athletic ILB that I want.

Have you checked out Elijah Lee? I noticed him while watching Jordan Willis(after his insane combine) and this no. 9 linebacker kept flashing again and again and again... so I had to check out who he is. So yeah... Elijah Lee is the guy. He seems athletic and he has 5 interceptions and 4 passes defensed last two years.

 

I need to watch more of him, but he looks intriguing at first sight:

 

[dgambill]

2 minutes ago, Buck Showalter said:

Ha! Hope Ballard realizes that there are other positions on defense other than just linebacker!!!

We are a 3-4 defense....and we had no starting quality lb's on our roster.....linebackers are the backbone of this defense...without the right ones it just won't work....so we had to invest in them.....probably draft a few too....so don't be shocked lol.

[dgambill]

4 minutes ago, stitches said:

Have you checked out Elijah Lee. I noticed him while watching Jordan Willis(after his insane combine) and this no. 9 linebacker kept flashing again and again and again... so I had to check out who he is. So yeah... Elijah Lee is the guy. He seems athletic and he has 5 interceptions and 4 passes defensed last two years.

 

I need to watch more of him, but he looks intriguing at first sight:

 

Very nice tape....of course hi-light videos usually are....where is he projected?

[Buck Showalter]

4 minutes ago, dgambill said:

We are a 3-4 defense....and we had no starting quality lb's on our roster.....linebackers are the backbone of this defense...without the right ones it just won't work....so we had to invest in them.....probably draft a few too....so don't be shocked lol.

Oh, not shocked at all. Its awesome Ballard is actively addressing the glaring holes on defense. I was just trying to make a bit of a joke, and at the same time optimistically hoping that that the D-Line gets some FA love this off-season too.

[stitches]

10 minutes ago, dgambill said:

Very nice tape....of course hi-light videos usually are....where is he projected?

Here's a full game(seems to have trouble shedding blocks):

 

 

He's projected to go on day 3(by most draftniks), but my guess is because pundits still haven't watched much of him and he didn't even get a combine invite.

 

[SaturdayAllDay]

1 minute ago, stitches said:

Here's a full game:

 

 

He's projected to go in day 3(by most draftniks), but my guess is because pundits still haven't watched much of him and he didn't even get a combine invite.

 

He'd be an interesting player to take with 1 of our 4th round picks if he is still around. 

[krunk]

Lee has been compared to Jamie Collins by some.

[Horse Shoe Heaven]

I like Minter would be a upgrade at ILB. Loved him out of college!! Wanted the colts to draft him. Hell yeah a real THUMPER!!

[Manning1887]

He seems like a younger version of D'Qwell Jackson to me. He is a solid linebacker, not very fast, and ultimately struggles in coverage. 

 

That being said, he would still be an upgrade over our current group. Personally, I am a little more interested in Zach Brown. If we are looking at shelling out around $4 million per, I would see if we can't get a deal done with Brown first. 

[dgambill]

20 minutes ago, stitches said:

Here's a full game(seems to have trouble shedding blocks):

 

 

He's projected to go on day 3(by most draftniks), but my guess is because pundits still haven't watched much of him and he didn't even get a combine invite.

 

He looks very slim...6'3 228?? He looks great in pursuit and seems to be good in coverage...maybe like a hybrid LB...sub-package guy. Be hard to see him taking on blockers and being that downhill run stopper but he is sure athletic. Intriguing though...be nice to have seen his measurable.

[stitches]

4 minutes ago, dgambill said:

He looks very slim...6'3 228?? He looks great in pursuit and seems to be good in coverage...maybe like a hybrid LB...sub-package guy. Be hard to see him taking on blockers and being that downhill run stopper but he is sure athletic. Intriguing though...be nice to have seen his measurable.

His pro-day is tomorrow. I sure hope the Colts send people to watch and take notes and measurements. Both for him and Jordan Willis.

[csmopar]

Any word on minter

[PrincetonTiger]

2 minutes ago, csmopar said:

Any word on minter

I was wondering the same thing

[weslo1812]

Do we even know if his visit was for today or could it be tomarrow? 

[csmopar]

28 minutes ago, weslo1812 said:

Do we even know if his visit was for today or could it be tomarrow? 

Was reported to be today

[weslo1812]

1 minute ago, csmopar said:

Was reported to be today

I know it says he's taking a visit to Indy, does that mean though that visit is today specifically or maybe it's tomarrow? Not sure on how exactly to read it.

[Steamboat_Shaun]

3 hours ago, Buck Showalter said:

Ha! Hope Ballard realizes that there are other positions on defense other than just linebacker!!!

 

Considering how bad Indy LBs have been, if he signed 2 or 3 more in FA, & drafted 7, I'd still wonder if was enough LOL.

[BlueCollarColts]

There has been suspiciously little news on this if the meeting was today...

[CR91]

6 minutes ago, BlueCollarColts said:

There has been suspiciously little news on this if the meeting was today...

 

well apparently he wasnt the only player meeting with the colts today so I take it its been a busy day 

[Tmoney]

all we have is Antonio and Edwin and these fools in here nit picking Kevin Minter. Kevin is a great up grade who can stay on the field all 3 downs. I've been higher on Zach Brown most of FA but he's no where near perfect. He's a 1 year wonder who stopped producing at a high level towards the end of the season. He's better in coverage but Minter sheds blocks and plays run more aggressively. The difference is whether you want a true Mike backer or a true Will backer. Zach could play both and again I love Zach Brown but I see why he has red flags

[COLTS449]

Why??? Brown and Hightower are available and there's several really good ILB's in the draft. Minter is another mediocre player. I want a team full of beasts. Not a team full of mediocrity. I mean he'd be alright if we had a Luke Kuechly, Bobby Wagner, etc type next to him, but we don't.

[bananabucket]

12 minutes ago, COLTS449 said:

Minter is another mediocre player. I want a team full of beasts.

 

So does every other team.

[COLTS449]

8 minutes ago, bananabucket said:

 

So does every other team.

 

They make it happen too. Difference is.....We have a top 5, young, franchise QB. So not bringing in young playmakers at all cost makes no sense. Seattle went out and brought in Avril and Bennett in Wilson's 2nd season. 2 star caliber players.

[BlueCollarColts]

27 minutes ago, COLTS449 said:

 

They make it happen too. Difference is.....We have a top 5, young, franchise QB. So not bringing in young playmakers at all cost makes no sense. Seattle went out and brought in Avril and Bennett in Wilson's 2nd season. 2 star caliber players.

Actually no team in the league has beasts everywhere, sorry to break it to you.

[gnet550]

If we can lock up Minter and then Poe comes back I can tell you I'd be ecstatic with this free agency...hunt and schwenke are even good depth signings

[COLTS449]

12 minutes ago, BlueCollarColts said:

Actually no team in the league has beasts everywhere, sorry to break it to you.

 

On D???? Look at a few rosters

[Smonroe]

9 minutes ago, COLTS449 said:

 

On D???? Look at a few rosters

 

Darn Jaguars are getting there.  Broncos aren't too shabby. 

 

And that team in Massachusetts seems to make everyone they bring in into a pro bowler.  

[COLTS449]

4 minutes ago, Smonroe said:

 

Darn Jaguars are getting there.  Broncos aren't too shabby. 

 

And that team in Massachusetts seems to make everyone they bring in into a pro bowler.  

 

Give the Jags Andrew Luck, or give us their roster. Completely off point. My point is when you have a young franchise QB you are dumb to not try and bring in superstar players and try and win a SB every year he's there. We should have already made a SB by now.