2018 projected starters and major holes that need to be addressed

[CR91]

Lets take a look at what the colts would look like without knowing of any FA pickups or draft picks along with not resigning any of our free agents. I will also go ahead and assume luck will be our starter next year.

 

Offense

 

Rogers                Castonzo Vujonvich Kelly Clark Haeg Doyle            Hilton

                                                              Luck

                                                              Mack

 

Yes I know that is 10 not 11. We don't currently have wrs under contract besides hilton and rogers after this season.The offense imo is in shambles especially on the oline. We cant afford to bring luck back without making major investments on the o-line. We need to get a prized FA RT along with drafting Qunten Nelson. I would like to resign mewhort as well, but I can not see Ballard resigning him with how hes landed on IR for three seasons straight now along with mewhort possibly retiring. Our skill position players is extremely lacking. We need to find someone to take pressure off Hilton. As much as I like Moncrief, he is just not the answer. With all the tools he has, he just cant put it all together nor can he stay healthy. Doyle has been a good player, but I really think we can upgrade. Mack has shown flashes, but the question will be can he be more then a outside runner looking for the big play instead of grinding out yards between the tackles.

 

Defense

 

                                      

                                           Wilson       Geathers        Hooker        Hairston

 

                                                 Simon  Morrison Walker Sheard

                                                     Hankins Woods Anderson

                     

The biggest weakness imo is ILB and Pass Rush. I think our DL and Secondary has enough depth and potential. Hankins Sheard and Simon have been great FA pickups along with Woods that helped really improve our run defense. Hooker was having a great start with his career with 3 ints along with the rest of the secondary that has creating a lot of turnovers compared to last season. Unfortunately similar issues remain like lack of pressure and our LBers  unable to cover TEs or RBs. 

 

Top Priority Needs   

RT

G

ILB

RUSH

WR

RB

 

 

[Superman]

Woods signed a two year deal, so did Hunt. Melvin is actually a free agent. 

[CR91]

49 minutes ago, Superman said:

Woods signed a two year deal, so did Hunt. Melvin is actually a free agent. 

 

I stand corrected. Thanks Superman

[Douzer]

I've evolved my thinking as I watched the Colts play this year.

At this moment, I now see PASH RUSH (Specifically DE) as the largest position weakness on the team.

I expect to see most of these positions nailed down with FA's to allow maximum flexibility on draft day.

 

DEFENSE:
DE

ILB

OLB

S

CB

DT

 

OFFENSE:

T

G

TE

WR

RB

 

[Coltfreak]

38 minutes ago, Douzer said:

I've evolved my thinking as I watched the Colts play this year.

At this moment, I now see PASH RUSH (Specifically DE) as the largest position weakness on the team.

I expect to see most of these positions nailed down with FA's to allow maximum flexibility on draft day.

 

DEFENSE:
DE

ILB

OLB

S

CB

DT

 

OFFENSE:

T

G

TE

WR

RB

 

At DE who do you replace?  Hankins or Anderson?

[Douzer]

36 minutes ago, Coltfreak said:

At DE who do you replace?  Hankins or Anderson?

Hankins is listed as a DT and I believe that's where they want him taking snaps long term. Anderson, Hunt and Anthony Johnson are the 3 DE's on the Roster. As much as Anderson and Hunt play solid against the run, neither of them have demonstrated the athletic ability necessary get to a QB. That skill is an absolute must for a DE in a 3-4 scheme and IMHO, means they don't merit a starting roll and are a huge reason why the team lacks pass rush. I see it as so essential to the scheme, that it ranks higher than the giant hole at ILB. Sheard, Simon, Mingo and Basham make the OLB group in less need of an immediate upgrade than the current personnel group at DE.

[aaron11]

4 minutes ago, Douzer said:

 Sheard, Simon, Mingo and Basham make the OLB group in less need of an immediate upgrade than the current personnel group at DE.

these are good players, but none of them are really pass rush specialists.   i wouldnt say its a dire need, but since edge rushers are so hard to find, we pretty much have to spend high picks on one or we wont get it

 

sheard leads the team with only 4.5, thats not enough for our top guy.  i dont blame the DEs either, sheard is a versatile olb, but not a high end edge rusher

[zvich]

G is a much higher priority than RT. When Good is healthy (which he hasn’t been much I’ll admit) he’s a solid RT. Most pressure comes from the interior of our line. The tackle play this year has actually been decent 

[zvich]

7 minutes ago, aaron11 said:

these are good players, but none of them are really pass rush specialists.   i wouldnt say its a dire need, but since edge rushers are so hard to find, we pretty much have to spend high picks on one or we wont get it

 

sheard leads the team with only 4.5, thats not enough for our top guy.  i dont blame the DEs either, sheard is a versatile olb, but not a high end edge rusher

Sheard doesn’t have a whole lot of sacks but I believe he’s 3rd in the NFL in pressures. Sometimes pressures can be better than a sack but I would like to see more sacks out of him. 

[Douzer]

6 minutes ago, aaron11 said:

these are good players, but none of them are really pass rush specialists.   i wouldnt say its a dire need, but since edge rushers are so hard to find, we pretty much have to spend high picks on one or we wont get it

 

sheard leads the team with only 4.5, thats not enough for our top guy.  i dont blame the DEs either, sheard is a versatile olb, but not a high end edge rusher

Yeah, typically the elite edge rushers go early, but so do the elite DE's. That's why I see DE as the #1 need. With no threat from the opposite side DE, the OLB 's are more easily thwarted.

[aaron11]

3 minutes ago, Douzer said:

Yeah, typically the elite edge rushers go early, but so do the elite DE's. That's why I see DE as the #1 need. With no threat from the opposite side DE, the OLB 's are more easily thwarted.

i wonder if we will even be a 3-4 next year.  if we switch we can have sheard and a draft pick play DE.  anderson would probably have to go, while simon can play one of the LB spots.  woods and hankins might even be better suited for that 

[Douzer]

9 minutes ago, zvich said:

G is a much higher priority than RT. When Good is healthy (which he hasn’t been much I’ll admit) he’s a solid RT. Most pressure comes from the interior of our line. The tackle play this year has actually been decent 

I agree he's the best RT we have and that he's played the position well, but I really think they want to get him inside where his freakish strength can and be used against NT's and DT's. I don't know that for sure, it's just my take on how to fix the O-line. 

[Douzer]

2 minutes ago, aaron11 said:

i wonder if we will even be a 3-4 next year.  if we switch we can have sheard and a draft pick play DE.  anderson would probably have to go, while simon can play one of the LB spots.  woods and hankins might even be better suited for that 

True. With a new HC and new DC, nothing is guaranteed. I hadn't really given that any thought.

[Defjamz26]

1 hour ago, Douzer said:

Hankins is listed as a DT and I believe that's where they want him taking snaps long term. Anderson, Hunt and Anthony Johnson are the 3 DE's on the Roster. As much as Anderson and Hunt play solid against the run, neither of them have demonstrated the athletic ability necessary get to a QB. That skill is an absolute must for a DE in a 3-4 scheme and IMHO, means they don't merit a starting roll and are a huge reason why the team lacks pass rush. I see it as so essential to the scheme, that it ranks higher than the giant hole at ILB. Sheard, Simon, Mingo and Basham make the OLB group in less need of an immediate upgrade than the current personnel group at DE.

This is why I don’t get the people clamoring for edge rushers. Pass rush should come from multiple positions. The Texans for example get sack production from Watt, Clowney, and Mercilus. The Jets get most of their pressure from their interior with Williams and Wilkerson. The Colts biggest issue with pass rush is that they have zero interior pass rush. Guys like Vita Vea and Maurice Hurst wouldn’t be bad pieces to have.

[ProblChld32]

5 hours ago, Douzer said:

I've evolved my thinking as I watched the Colts play this year.

At this moment, I now see PASH RUSH (Specifically DE) as the largest position weakness on the team.

I expect to see most of these positions nailed down with FA's to allow maximum flexibility on draft day.

 

DEFENSE:
DE

ILB

OLB

S

CB

DT

 

OFFENSE:

T

G

TE

WR

RB

 

if you don’t mind me asking why do you think DE is our biggest defensive need? Hankins and Anderson were stout there also Hunt & Ridgeway were more than decent rotational / depth players there.

[Hoose]

2 hours ago, Defjamz26 said:

This is why I don’t get the people clamoring for edge rushers. Pass rush should come from multiple positions. The Texans for example get sack production from Watt, Clowney, and Mercilus. The Jets get most of their pressure from their interior with Williams and Wilkerson. The Colts biggest issue with pass rush is that they have zero interior pass rush. Guys like Vita Vea and Maurice Hurst wouldn’t be bad pieces to have.

I agree with this to a point. Teams do need a pass rush from the D line. But the rush LB in the 3-4 is still the key pass rush specialist. The Colts don't have that player right now. That player will have to come in the draft. 

A healthy Henry Anderson can provide some help for the D-line; the question is can he stay on the field? 

[ClaytonColt]

3 hours ago, Defjamz26 said:

This is why I don’t get the people clamoring for edge rushers. Pass rush should come from multiple positions. The Texans for example get sack production from Watt, Clowney, and Mercilus.

Two of those guys are edge rushers though.

 

I agree that we need to get more pressure from multiple people however it will almost always be the same positions providing the sack production.

[Douzer]

21 minutes ago, ProblChld32 said:

if you don’t mind me asking why do you think DE is our biggest defensive need? Hankins and Anderson were stout there also Hunt & Ridgeway were more than decent rotational / depth players there.

Pass rush.

Must have it from the DE position.

 

[BOTT]

8 hours ago, Defjamz26 said:

This is why I don’t get the people clamoring for edge rushers. Pass rush should come from multiple positions. The Texans for example get sack production from Watt, Clowney, and Mercilus. The Jets get most of their pressure from their interior with Williams and Wilkerson. The Colts biggest issue with pass rush is that they have zero interior pass rush. Guys like Vita Vea and Maurice Hurst wouldn’t be bad pieces to have.

why? Because the Colts edge rushers aren't good.

 

getting interior pass rushers would be great, but they are much harder to find.

[2006Coltsbestever]

I cant wait for next season. When Andrew gets healthy it will be fun watching him kick everyone's butt! We were in so many games and we have a lot of high Draft picks coming too. Hooker will be back and healthy too. Our Defense is already improving and with a new Coach we will have a new winning culture. I have a feeling 2018 will be like 2012.

[John Waylon]

Pass rush and ILB are need #1 and 1A. 

 

I think WR is a need that doesn't seem as pressing, but actually is. Defenses are just clamping down on Hilton with double coverage taking him out of the game a lot of the time. He's seen more double coverage this season than any other he's played. You can let Moncreif, Aiken, or Rogers go in single coverage, and still have good coverage on them. 

 

I'm honestly fine with letting Moncrief walk. He's shown flashes, but never more than that. There's never been any real consistency with him. 

 

Aiken... yeah, no. 

 

Rogers has potential, but again, I think he could benefit even more from another good receiver that the defense has to put some effort into covering. 

[Defjamz26]

9 hours ago, Hoose said:

I agree with this to a point. Teams do need a pass rush from the D line. But the rush LB in the 3-4 is still the key pass rush specialist. The Colts don't have that player right now. That player will have to come in the draft. 

A healthy Henry Anderson can provide some help for the D-line; the question is can he stay on the field? 

The Rush OLB is going to get 10+ sacks a year without other pass rushers though. We need interior rushers to take some heat off the OLB. You put a guy like Maurice Hurst next to Sheard and watch Sheard get like 10 sacks.

[Valpo2004]

2 hours ago, John Waylon said:

Pass rush and ILB are need #1 and 1A. 

 

I think WR is a need that doesn't seem as pressing, but actually is. Defenses are just clamping down on Hilton with double coverage taking him out of the game a lot of the time. He's seen more double coverage this season than any other he's played. You can let Moncreif, Aiken, or Rogers go in single coverage, and still have good coverage on them. 

 

I'm honestly fine with letting Moncrief walk. He's shown flashes, but never more than that. There's never been any real consistency with him. 

 

Aiken... yeah, no. 

 

Rogers has potential, but again, I think he could benefit even more from another good receiver that the defense has to put some effort into covering. 

 

WR seems to be something we could fill in free agency.  We only need a #2, someone who's good enough and enough of a threat that opposing defenses can't double up on Hilton all the time.

 

But it is a need no question.

[John Waylon]

13 minutes ago, Valpo2004 said:

 

WR seems to be something we could fill in free agency.  We only need a #2, someone who's good enough and enough of a threat that opposing defenses can't double up on Hilton all the time.

 

But it is a need no question.

 

I'm torn. At times I agree with that, but then at other times I also think that an elite WR would really help open things up on the offense all the way around. Having a Reggie Wayne to compliment a Marvin Harrison sure helped during the last era. It opened up the TE and the slot spots immensely. 

 

I'd take a Donnie Avery type player in the offense sure, but why settle for just that? That may have to be the course, though, unless Ballard can find a mid-late round gem. The FA market for WR this year is gonna be full of players like the DHB/Nicks/Aiken type players we've tried to get something out of in the past. I don't see any realistic options to help claim some of the attention away from Hilton. 

[Smonroe]

2 minutes ago, John Waylon said:

 

I'm torn. At times I agree with that, but then at other times I also think that an elite WR would really help open things up on the offense all the way around. Having a Reggie Wayne to compliment a Marvin Harrison sure helped during the last era. It opened up the TE and the slot spots immensely. 

 

I'd take a Donnie Avery type player in the offense sure, but why settle for just that? That may have to be the course, though, unless Ballard can find a mid-late round gem. The FA market for WR this year is gonna be full of players like the DHB/Nicks/Aiken type players we've tried to get something out of in the past. I don't see any realistic options to help claim some of the attention away from Hilton. 

 

First priority is the O line.  It doesn't matter if we have four elite WRs if the QB doesn't have time to get the ball out.

 

Crief was pretty good when Luck played.  He was an endzone threat.  I'd re-sign him if he were healthy.  Chester is good enough to be a 2 on a lot of teams.  We're thin after that, but who isn't?

 

We have a lot of potential at TE too.  Hopefully, the O line gets a boost in free agency.  Get Chubb in the draft, and worry about WRs right after we find a couple decent ILBs.

[aaron11]

32 minutes ago, Valpo2004 said:

 

WR seems to be something we could fill in free agency. 

we have tried that pretty much every year lately and failed.  this year it was aiken

 

no choice but to try again though, unless we get a lucky late round pick.  no one is worth a high pick this year

[BOTT]

29 minutes ago, aaron11 said:

we have tried that pretty much every year lately and failed.  this year it was aiken

 

no choice but to try again though, unless we get a lucky late round pick.  no one is worth a high pick this year

Well, Grigson and Chuck tried.....and unsurprisingly, they failed.

 

and Ballard brought in a low rent guy who he though maybe could be a 3. The position can be filled in free agency if Ballard wants to spend the money.

[superrep1967]

19 hours ago, Superman said:

Woods signed a two year deal, so did Hunt. Melvin is actually a free agent. 

Yeah, I'd resign Melvin for sure given he is healthy. 

[superrep1967]

40 minutes ago, aaron11 said:

we have tried that pretty much every year lately and failed.  this year it was aiken

 

no choice but to try again though, unless we get a lucky late round pick.  no one is worth a high pick this year

Yes, I agree!

[aaron11]

7 minutes ago, BOTT said:

Well, Grigson and Chuck tried.....and unsurprisingly, they failed.

 

and Ballard brought in a low rent guy who he though maybe could be a 3. The position can be filled in free agency if Ballard wants to spend the money.

grigson was bad, but ballard was nothing special this year either

 

the draft class hasnt done much, if grigson made the same exact picks people would be bashing the hell out of him for it

 

[BOTT]

10 minutes ago, aaron11 said:

grigson was bad, but ballard was nothing special this year either

 

the draft class hasnt done much, if grigson made the same exact picks people would be bashing the hell out of him for it

 

Between the draft and the free agent pick ups I think he did a nice job.  Nothing spectacular.

[horseshoecrabs]

Just goes to show you not having a healthy franchise QB playing exposes a lot of weaknesses in a team. It happened when Peyton got hurt & Andrew.

 

[Valpo2004]

3 hours ago, aaron11 said:

we have tried that pretty much every year lately and failed.  this year it was aiken

 

no choice but to try again though, unless we get a lucky late round pick.  no one is worth a high pick this year

 

That's because they where always trying to bring in budget guys on prove it deals.

 

They never once brought in a guy who was considered a solid to good WR and wasn't on the decline.

 

The first guy they brought in, I can't even remember his name, he couldn't catch and that was well known.  Then they brought Hakeem Nicks in who was in a clear decline already, that's why the Giants didn't keep him.  Then they brought in Andre Johnson who was old and in decline.  That's why the Texans let him go.  Then they brought in Aiken who to be fair wasn't in decline but he was a budget guy on a prove it deal because he was trying to ride on one decent season he had when he played more due to injury because the rest of the season's he wasn't anything more then the #4 receiver.

 

If they really want to fix the position they need to stop bringing in budget guys and spend a little bit of money on it.  They don't need to break the bank for it, but if they are going to keep spending like 3 or 4 million on one year prove it deals then they are going to keep getting similar results.  

[Valpo2004]

3 hours ago, John Waylon said:

 

I'm torn. At times I agree with that, but then at other times I also think that an elite WR would really help open things up on the offense all the way around. Having a Reggie Wayne to compliment a Marvin Harrison sure helped during the last era. It opened up the TE and the slot spots immensely. 

 

I'd take a Donnie Avery type player in the offense sure, but why settle for just that? That may have to be the course, though, unless Ballard can find a mid-late round gem. The FA market for WR this year is gonna be full of players like the DHB/Nicks/Aiken type players we've tried to get something out of in the past. I don't see any realistic options to help claim some of the attention away from Hilton. 

 

I sort of said this in another post, but in FA we've always gone towards budget guys on prove it deals.  DHB couldn't catch and everyone knew that beforehand.  Nicks was in decline, Andre Johnson was in decline.  Aiken was a guy who had one decent season due to injuries to all the people ahead of him but without injuries he was only trusted to be like the 4th or 5th receiver on his team.

 

We need to find a guy who's a starter and always has been and is the #1 or #2 guy on their team.  Someone who has a good enough history that they arn't going to accept a prove it deal.

 

Because we are going for a #2 we don't have to break the bank for it.  But we are going to have to open the wallet a bit and spend some money on a quality receiver.  Not a guy who's only had 1 good season, not a guy who's had good seasons but those where 2 years ago.  Not a guy who's 30+