Superman's 2018 offseason mock (1.0)

[Superman]

Pre-combine, based on limited film viewing and research. I plan to do another one after the combine, before free agency starts.

 

My goal is to stock the roster with guys we know can play. Not a bunch of superstars, but I want my projected roster to be at least two deep with proven contributors at every position, without relying on anyone coming back from serious injury, or relying on any rookies. I think I got that accomplished, with the exception of edge rusher and QB, but those are the toughest positions to fill, IMO. And at QB, we saw Brissett start 15 games this year without a lot of help from either the coaching staff or the surrounding talent, so I still feel okay there.

 

Numbers from Spotrac and OTC:

Colts cap standing: 2018 projected cap of $178m (7% increase from 2017), rollover of $18m from 2017 = adjusted cap of $196m. As of now, the Colts have $119m committed in 2018, cap space of ~$77m (committed $110m in 2019, projected 2019 cap of $190m)

 

Releases: none

 

Colts FAs: 

Melvin, three years, $22.5m (cap hits $7.5m each year 2018-20)

Vinatieri, two years, $6m fully guaranteed (cap hits $3m each year, 2018-19)

Moncrief, one year, $3m

Mewhort, one year, $2m

Mingo, one year, $1.5m

Desir, one year, $1.5m

B. Williams, one year, $950K

M. Person, one year, $800K

E. Jackson, ERFA, one year, $600K

L. Rhodes, ERFA, one year $600K

Vujnovich, ERFA, one year, $600K

Milton, ERFA, one year, $600K

Swoope, ERFA, one year, $600K

M. Jones, ERFA, one year, $600K (conflicting reports on him, based on my research I think he's an ERFA)

> Added ~$24.5m to 2018 cap (added $10.5m to 2019 cap, $3m guaranteed)

>> New cap position in 2018 -- $143.5m committed, remaining cap space of $52.5m (committed $120.5m in 2019)

 

Free agent additions:

Andrew Norwell, five years, $65m, $43.5m guaranteed (cap hits 2018 $9m / 2019 $11.5m); starting LG, All Pro in 2017, good in both phases, has gone from UDFA to one of the best guards in the league in four years, he will command 'highest paid guard' money

Anthony Hitchens, four years, $28m, $13m guaranteed (cap hits 2018 $6m / 2019 $6.5m); starting MLB, comes with Eberflus from the Cowboys, knows his system, has played all three LB positions, better in coverage than advertised, strong against the run

Dion Lewis, three years, $17m, $5m guaranteed (cap hits 2018 $4m / 2019 $6m); multi-use weapon well versed in McDaniels' system, good for 200 touches

Cameron Fleming, three years, $14.5m, $4.5m guaranteed (cap hits 2018 $3.5m / 2019 $5m); starting RT, another McDaniels guy, has played multiple positions in NE

Orleans Darkwa, three years, $14m, $3.5m guaranteed (cap hits 2018 $3m / 2019 $5m); starting caliber RB, can handle the lead role if necessary

Zach Fulton, three years, $12m, $3m guaranteed (cap hits 2018 $3m / 2019 $4m); starting caliber guard, has played multiple positions for the Chiefs

Bradley McDougald, two years, $4m, (cap hits $2m); spot starter at safety, position flexibility, similar to Geathers, filled in for Chancellor and Thomas in 2017

Marcus Smith, one year, $3.5m; rotational DE with some pass rush ability, still young 

Justin Hunter, one year, $2m; WR depth, potential as a starter, red zone option

Terrence Brooks, one year, $1m; nickel safety prospect, Butler replacement

EJ Manuel, one year, $1m; comes with Peetz from Oakland, competition for QB3

Bene Benwikere, one year, $850K; from Dallas, experience at all corner spots, proven depth, can start in a pinch

Terence Garvin, one year, $850K; ILB from Seattle, experience at multiple positions, plays fast

Matt Tobin, one year, $850K; G/T from Seattle

> Added ~$40.5m in 2018, $40m in 2019 ($18m guaranteed)

>> New cap position in 2018 -- $184m committed, remaining cap space of $12m (committed $160.5m in 2019)

 

Draft:

1/3 -- Bradley Chubb, NC State, edge/DE, I think he's a blue chip pass rush prospect, has high level traits that will translate to the pros, great production, just as good against the run, spoken of very highly; assuming we stay at #3, this is the most sensible pick; I don't do trades in my big mock, but that would be my next option, and depending on what happens, we might even be able to get Chubb a couple spots later

2/36 -- Billy Price, Ohio State, C/G, excellent performer in a big conference, mostly played center and was outstanding, good mover, powerful blocker, finishes, plays with great balance and leverage, pulls well, stays busy, good double teamer, handles twists and stunts like a pro; could potentially play guard, but looks like he has shorter arms than ideal; I could envision a scenario in which Ryan Kelly moves over for Price

3/67 -- RJ McIntosh, Miami, DT, 1-gap interior lineman who thinks he's an edge rusher, can penetrate, has moves including a swin and a spin, quick and active, good motor, chases plays down; plays too upright and loses leverage, gets washed out, can't control two gaps; tenacious, a handful to block when he plays with proper leverage, needs discipline; reminds me of a leaner, quicker Jordan Phillips

4/99 -- Cedrick Wilson, Boise State, WR, big, strong, physical, fast enough, good hands, has some advanced route running ability but needs refinement for details, advanced skills when the ball is in the air, shields the ball, stacks defenders, can go up and get it; sometimes a body catcher but no doubt about his hands which are strong and reliable, quick enough to make defenders miss and rack up YAC, also used as a KR

5/131 -- Fred Warner, NC State, ILB, rangy prospect who can run and hit, has coverage skills, reads/reacts against the run and has sideline speed to close off the corner from the middle of the field; a little small/light; nice Senior Bowl week, Chubb's teammate

6/163 -- Jaylen Dunlap, Illinois, CB, height/weight/speed prospect with a reputation as a leader in college, standout STs player, upside to be a boundary corner

7/195 -- Bentley Spain, North Carolina, T/G; good size, length and movement, lacks strength and power

> Added ~$10m to 2018 cap, $11.5m to 2019 cap

>> New cap position in 2018 -- $194m committed, remaining cap space of $2m (committed $172m in 2019)

 

 

Depth chart (draft picks in bold, FA additions in italics, injury returns underlined)

 

 

 

 

QB: Luck, Brissett, Manuel, Kaaya

RB: Lewis, Darkwa, Mack, Jones, Turbin, Ferguson

WR: Hilton, Moncrief, Rogers, Hunter, Wilson, Hogan, etc.

TE: Doyle, Swoope, Williams, Daniels, Travis

LT: AC, Clark

LG: Norwell, Haeg, Vujnovic

C: Kelly, Price, Person, Bond (Kelly should be fully cleared from his concussion)

RG: Fulton, Good, Mewhort, Glowinski

RT: Fleming, Tobin, Burwell, Spain

 

RDE: Sheard, Basham

NT: Hankins, Woods, Stewart

DT: Anderson, Hunt, Ridgeway, McIntosh (Anderson should be recovered)

LDE: Smith, Chubb

SLB: Simon, Walker, Garvin (Simon should be recovered)

MLB: Hitchens, George, Morrison

WLB: Mingo, Jackson, Grace, Warner

LCB: Melvin, Desir, Green, Dunlap (Melvin should be recovered)

RCB: Wilson, Milton, White

Nickel: Hairston, Benwikere, Moore

FS: Farley, Hooker, Brooks (not expecting Hooker back until midseason)

SS: Geathers, McDougald, Martin (Geathers has injury history, McDougald can take his place if necessary)

 

P/H: Sanchez

K: Vinatieri

S: Rhodes
 

 

 

 

Note on cap standing: I spent a lot of money, obviously, and I'm right up against the cap. But this depth chart includes a roster of 78 players. Only the top 51 contracts count against the offseason cap, and my number is at about $175m, leaving me still $20m short of the cap. There's also a strong possibility that some of the top 51 guys don't make the final roster, which would shave more off the number by Week 1. I would expect to be well under the cap by the time the roster is fine-tuned, with an in-season buffer of $10m and a projected 2019 rollover of $10m, leaving me about $30m under the cap in 2019. 

[DaColts85]

16 minutes ago, Superman said:

Melvin, three years, $22.5m (cap hits $7.5m each year 2018-20)

Good overall mock.  This is very realistic with FA being a key player with multiple other starters, similar to last year.

 

To the quoted... I know this pains you...lol!

[Superman]

2 minutes ago, DaColts85 said:

Good overall mock.  This is very realistic with FA being a key player with multiple other starters, similar to last year.

 

To the quoted... I know this pains you...lol!

 

LOL, not pained at all. He had a good year, including a really good game against the Steelers. Reward players who show up and do their jobs well. I don't think he's a shutdown corner, and I don't think I'd go much higher than that offer for him, but it would make no sense to let him walk if you can keep him on that kind of contract.

[Fisticuffs111]

Yeah, if we didn't have so much cap I wouldn't be too into re-signing Melvin, but we've gotta spend it somewhere. Also that'd just be a good deal.

I like the free agency. Norwell and Hitchens are obviously good but I also like Orleans Darkwa. 

The draft is solid. Chubb's really the only pick I love at #3 right now, so that or a trade down would be nice. I'm not huge on the Price pick but the reasoning makes sense, possibly moving Kelly around. Also Kelly's been missing time here and there anyways.

[BProland85]

Overall, very well done and detailed mock offseason you've created. I would say one thing I would change is adding more talent and athleticism at LB. Ballard has been said to want to vastly improve the LB core since they will be playing more 4-3 looks, so Indy needs rangy LBs who can cover, hit, and play sideline to sideline. Other than adding Hitchens, there isn't much improvement there in your mock, and I'm not sure Warner is the sole answer there.

 

So instead of drafting Price in round 2, I'd rather go with someone like ILB Rashaan Evans from Alabama. 

 

Also, I'd like to bring in some better talent at CB to make this secondary potentially great, which is what Ballard wants also. So in round 3, I would go with help at CB, with possibly someone like Mike Hughes or Jaire Alexander if available. I'd love seeing someone compete with Melvin or Wilson for a starting spot, creating more competition there. And Indy doesn't really have a speed corner who is very fluid on this roster yet, something we could use. So I'd love having Hughes on the roster.  

[DougDew]

Nice mock.  A bit heavy on the Gs and light on the WRs and LBs.  Moncrief and Mewhort can walk,IMO.  I think Mack can be coached to play the Lewis role.  I'd save the money on crief JM and Lewis and throw it at Jarvis Landry.

 

Like the out of the box thinking with Kelly sliding over for Price.  With Norwell, that might make an all-pro middle of the Oline.

[DaColts85]

1 hour ago, Superman said:

 

LOL, not pained at all. He had a good year, including a really good game against the Steelers. Reward players who show up and do their jobs well. I don't think he's a shutdown corner, and I don't think I'd go much higher than that offer for him, but it would make no sense to let him walk if you can keep him on that kind of contract.

Completely agree.  I think he would be interested and stick around for that contract.  I hope anyways.  I just hope he comes back healthy and ready to play at the same level or even better (assuming he comes back here).

[Andrew Luck fan club]

Talk about a perfect offseason. 

[Superman]

1 hour ago, Fisticuffs111 said:

I'm not huge on the Price pick but the reasoning makes sense, possibly moving Kelly around. Also Kelly's been missing time here and there anyways.

 

You have to watch Price play. Nelson is all the rage, for obvious reasons, but Price is nearly as impressive to me. I wouldn't be surprised if he goes in the late teens, but I'm not seeing anyone mock him that high so I put him in my mock. 

[Superman]

1 hour ago, BProland85 said:

Ballard has been said to want to vastly improve the LB core since they will be playing more 4-3 looks, so Indy needs rangy LBs who can cover, hit, and play sideline to sideline. Other than adding Hitchens, there isn't much improvement there in your mock, and I'm not sure Warner is the sole answer there.

 

I'm giving some credit to guys like Walker, George, Jackson, etc., and looking forward to seeing Grace, Garvin, etc. My big problem at LB is Simon, to be honest. I don't want to cut him, but I don't think he's a good fit in a new defense.

 

Quote

So instead of drafting Price in round 2, I'd rather go with someone like ILB Rashaan Evans from Alabama.

 

I feel like Evans is getting first round buzz.

 

Quote

Also, I'd like to bring in some better talent at CB to make this secondary potentially great, which is what Ballard wants also. So in round 3, I would go with help at CB, with possibly someone like Mike Hughes or Jaire Alexander if available. I'd love seeing someone compete with Melvin or Wilson for a starting spot, creating more competition there. And Indy doesn't really have a speed corner who is very fluid on this roster yet, something we could use. So I'd love having Hughes on the roster.  

 

I wasn't mocking the draft with needs in mind. But I did have to nix a couple of corners from my mock, just couldn't make it work. I think depth is needed, but I talked myself into Melvin, Wilson and Hairston starting, with the group behind them rounding out the top 5-6 with some STs ability.

[Superman]

1 hour ago, DougDew said:

Nice mock.  A bit heavy on the Gs and light on the WRs and LBs.  Moncrief and Mewhort can walk,IMO.  I think Mack can be coached to play the Lewis role.  I'd save the money on crief JM and Lewis and throw it at Jarvis Landry.

 

Like the out of the box thinking with Kelly sliding over for Price.  With Norwell, that might make an all-pro middle of the Oline.

 

Only light on WRs if you don't like Moncrief, which I do. He has good chemistry with Luck, and has been playing in a non-friendly offense. I'm giving him a year to show me something in a new system.

 

I did go heavy at RB and OL, but I think the reasons for that are obvious. At RB, we're used to Iron Man Gore, but RBs usually don't stay healthy. Lewis and Mack have history with injuries, some more serious than others. Same at OL, I wanted three new starters, and some depth that can be groomed to start. Take or leave Mewhort, but I wouldn't mind putting him back at RG.

[Hoo-Hoo-Hoo-Hoosiers]

Im curious about the Proposed Darkwa pick up, Superman.  Will he command 3yr/14mil? Honestly, didnt recall much about him other than the unique name, so I looked him up stats.  Appears to have had 2 good games last year, but very few touches/chances the three previous years.  Wondering if you knew something I wasnt seeing?

[Fisticuffs111]

1 hour ago, Superman said:

 

You have to watch Price play. Nelson is all the rage, for obvious reasons, but Price is nearly as impressive to me. I wouldn't be surprised if he goes in the late teens, but I'm not seeing anyone mock him that high so I put him in my mock. 

 

Just watched some videos of him, also one of him breaking down his own play. He's really impressive. Even if he's best at center he'd probably be our 2nd best guard right away.

Looks like he's starting to get his due in some mock drafts too, just saw a Walter Football mock that had him at #19 to the Cowboys.

[lance_m8]

Light on the WRs and resigning Moncrief is perfectly fine luck doesn't need all pros to be successful. If we landed all of those lineman I would be very surprised but we have the money so hopefully we lock them all in the building and they can not leave until they sign on the dotted line. Also to note I am big on Crief he could get 10+ TDs for us since TY is a ghost in the red zone and Luck seems to trust him. The back shoulder throw at the goal line at Green Bay 2 years ago was when I realized he could be a monster.

[Superman]

11 minutes ago, Hoo-Hoo-Hoo-Hoosiers said:

Im curious about the Proposed Darkwa pick up, Superman.  Will he command 3yr/14mil? Honestly, didnt recall much about him other than the unique name, so I looked him up stats.  Appears to have had 2 good games last year, but very few touches/chances the three previous years.  Wondering if you knew something I wasnt seeing?

 

Maybe he won't, but I think he's a starter. He was running behind a bad OL, with bad QBing, and no receivers, and he averaged 4.4 yards/carry. Gore, with similar circumstances, hasn't hit 4 yards per carry in the last three years. Darkwa is a one-cut, run behind his pads kind of guy, was one of the best in the league at avoiding negative rushes, and showed a tendency to break for 20+ yards last season.

 

He's not electric, he isn't going to change your offense, but if you want a steady back, he's a good one. My offer might be high, but I think he'll have a market for sure.

[Carlos Danger]

Mostly love it... 

 

There are some names i'd replace with players I like more, like B. Williams, Vuj, Darkwa, but most of these guys are coming back on the super cheap, so I can't say much... hopefully they wouldn't make the final 53.

 

I like the draft a lot, and I like the attention paid to the OL in FA and in the draft... all while still adding Chubb to the D. 

 

If (by some miracle) we actually add this much young talent to the roster in one off-season, I can see Indy making a run at the division crown in 2018 and competing for the SB in the very near future. 

[Fisticuffs111]

1 hour ago, Superman said:

 

Maybe he won't, but I think he's a starter. He was running behind a bad OL, with bad QBing, and no receivers, and he averaged 4.4 yards/carry. Gore, with similar circumstances, hasn't hit 4 yards per carry in the last three years. Darkwa is a one-cut, run behind his pads kind of guy, was one of the best in the league at avoiding negative rushes, and showed a tendency to break for 20+ yards last season.

 

He's not electric, he isn't going to change your offense, but if you want a steady back, he's a good one. My offer might be high, but I think he'll have a market for sure.

I really like Darkwa, or at least think he could be a solid starter/three headed monster along with Mack and somebody else. Managed a solid avg. behind a poor O-line when he got the chance. Also he seems to be tough as nails, played through a fractured tibia for quite a while.

I'd love to see what he and Mack could do in McDaniels' offense. Even if we weren't able to get Dion Lewis like in your mock, I think Darkwa/Mack would be an exciting duo with Turbin being a nice power compliment to them.

[COLTS449]

We gotta bring in another WR in FA. IMO.

[Hoose]

Thank you Superman. This is a well thought out piece of work and fun to read. 

Where I would differ: I think the Colts badly need a second top receiver. Allen Robinson from the Jags would be my first choice, assuming he's fully recovered. We all hope Moncrief could somehow become a different player with Luck behind Center, but he honestly regressed badly this year. No separation; hands of stone. Quit on routes. I'm no longer a fan. 

 

And Vujnovich can't get his bags packed fast enough as far as I'm concerned. 

 

I'd also go a bit easier on all the free agents. The roster will turn over, for certain, but I'm not sure as much as you are projecting. Wouldn't bother me to have a little more money heading into the 2019 off season. 

 

But again, thanks for this effort. It got the Colt side of my brain working a little harder. 

[Hoo-Hoo-Hoo-Hoosiers]

1 hour ago, Fisticuffs111 said:

2 hours ago, Superman said:

Maybe he won't, but I think he's a starter. He was running behind a bad OL, with bad QBing, and no receivers, and he averaged 4.4 yards/carry. Gore, with similar circumstances, hasn't hit 4 yards per carry in the last three years. Darkwa is a one-cut, run behind his pads kind of guy, was one of the best in the league at avoiding negative rushes, and showed a tendency to break for 20+ yards last season.

 

He's not electric, he isn't going to change your offense, but if you want a steady back, he's a good one. My offer might be high, but I think he'll have a market for sure.

I really like Darkwa, or at least think he could be a solid starter/three headed monster along with Mack and somebody else. Managed a solid avg. behind a poor O-line when he got the chance. Also he seems to be tough as nails, played through a fractured tibia for quite a while.

I'd love to see what he and Mack could do in McDaniels' offense. Even if we weren't able to get Dion Lewis like in your mock, I think Darkwa/Mack would be an exciting duo with Turbin being a nice power compliment to them.

It seems as though Darkwa may have a nice upside.  I also like Jerick McKinnon in this role.  He is a bit more compact than Darkwa, but I like what he has done considering he has always had to split time with AP, Asiata and Cook.  I would be very happy with your FA and draft.  The only other thing I might consider is swapping Moncrief for someone like Cody Lattimer.  That might be the homer coming out in me   Go Hoosiers

[Superman]

3 hours ago, Carlos Danger said:

If (by some miracle) we actually add this much young talent to the roster in one off-season, I can see Indy making a run at the division crown in 2018 and competing for the SB in the very near future. 

 

I think it would be a serious jumpstart, along with the new coaching staff, and hopefully Luck coming back. 

[Superman]

3 hours ago, Fisticuffs111 said:

I really like Darkwa, or at least think he could be a solid starter/three headed monster along with Mack and somebody else. Managed a solid avg. behind a poor O-line when he got the chance. Also he seems to be tough as nails, played through a fractured tibia for quite a while.

I'd love to see what he and Mack could do in McDaniels' offense. Even if we weren't able to get Dion Lewis like in your mock, I think Darkwa/Mack would be an exciting duo with Turbin being a nice power compliment to them.

 

Part of why I'm stuck on Lewis is him being able to teach the other backs and receivers the McDaniels offense. But he is kind of superfluous in this mock. Not that Mack can do everything he can, but that's what the hope is with Mack. 

 

Also, while Lewis is the conduit for the backs and receivers, Fleming is the same for the OL, including the protection calls and the other technical stuff that happens in the no-huddle.

[Superman]

3 hours ago, COLTS449 said:

We gotta bring in another WR in FA. IMO.

 

I think this group would be enough. What's missing, IMO, is a guy who makes tacklers miss, but I think Rogers has some of that ability.

[Superman]

1 hour ago, Hoose said:

Thank you Superman. This is a well thought out piece of work and fun to read. 

Where I would differ: I think the Colts badly need a second top receiver. Allen Robinson from the Jags would be my first choice, assuming he's fully recovered. We all hope Moncrief could somehow become a different player with Luck behind Center, but he honestly regressed badly this year. No separation; hands of stone. Quit on routes. I'm no longer a fan. 

 

And Vujnovich can't get his bags packed fast enough as far as I'm concerned. 

 

I'd also go a bit easier on all the free agents. The roster will turn over, for certain, but I'm not sure as much as you are projecting. Wouldn't bother me to have a little more money heading into the 2019 off season. 

 

But again, thanks for this effort. It got the Colt side of my brain working a little harder. 

 

My problem with Robinson is a) who knows if he's healthy, and b) he was on his way to a big payday, and I would think he'd rather stay with Jacksonville on a one year deal where he's familiar, then have a shot at the free agent market after he's shown he's ready to go and still a playmaker. 

 

I'm not as down on Moncrief as others are, obviously. I think all of our receivers have had a rough go the last three years, between Luck's injuries and an offense that I think served to make things difficult on our best players. I still think Moncrief has an attractive combination of tools, and if this new offense does what I think it can, he'd be a great asset. 

 

Vuj is obviously not critical to my mock, and I'm not a fan either, but in rewatching, I noticed some potential he has. He needs a lot of refinement, but I'm not opposed to keeping him in camp and letting him compete for a spot on the roster.

 

Definitely went heavy on the FAs, but it's because I think our roster showed itself to be one of the worst in the league last season. There are holes all over the place, and some of the young guys we were kind of excited about, especially at OL, didn't play well or suffered from injuries all season. 

 

Also, we'll have nearly $80m in cap space. I'm assuming Ballard will be active.

 

As for 2019, there are a few guys under contract that might not make it past 2018. I don't think Simon is a good fit for the defense we presume Eberflus will run, and Hankins will have to earn his third year also. That's potentially $12m right there. 

[Superman]

1 hour ago, Hoo-Hoo-Hoo-Hoosiers said:

 I also like Jerick McKinnon in this role.

 

I've always been a fan of McKinnon, but I see him more like Lewis than Darkwa. And I went with Lewis because of his link to McDaniels.

 

I don't think Latimer is leaving Denver, but I wouldn't be opposed to swapping him with Moncrief.

[Nesjan3]

it all looks good to me except the Hilton, Moncrief, Rogers at WR, we desperately need someone else to pair with Hilton not named Donte.

[stitches]

I really like your mock. I haven't watched some of the players you mocked to us in the draft so I will have to find film on them(RJ McIntosh for example is a name I hear now for the first time as being projected this high). I love Billy Price but I'm not sure he will be there for us in the second(IMO he doesn't get out of the first). That's why I usually mock Hernandez or Isaiah Wynn to us in the second or the third. 

 

A slight correction Fred Warner is actually from BYU, not NC state... 

[Superman]

9 minutes ago, stitches said:

I really like your mock. I haven't watched some of the players you mocked to us in the draft so I will have to find film on them(RJ McIntosh for example is a name I hear now for the first time as being projected this high). I love Billy Price but I'm not sure he will be there for us in the second(IMO he doesn't get out of the first). That's why I usually mock Hernandez or Isaiah Wynn to us in the second or the third. 

 

A slight correction Fred Warner is actually from BYU, not NC state... 

 

Must have confused my notes on Warner with someone else, but I'm not sure who...

 

I listened to Matt Miller earlier saying he thinks Price is a first rounder also.

[MarquisJ]

first things first great mock very detailed only thing i would change is getting another wr to help ty 

[Yoshinator]

14 hours ago, Superman said:

Pre-combine, based on limited film viewing and research. I plan to do another one after the combine, before free agency starts.

 

My goal is to stock the roster with guys we know can play. Not a bunch of superstars, but I want my projected roster to be at least two deep with proven contributors at every position, without relying on anyone coming back from serious injury, or relying on any rookies. I think I got that accomplished, with the exception of edge rusher and QB, but those are the toughest positions to fill, IMO. And at QB, we saw Brissett start 15 games this year without a lot of help from either the coaching staff or the surrounding talent, so I still feel okay there.

 

Numbers from Spotrac and OTC:

Colts cap standing: 2018 projected cap of $178m (7% increase from 2017), rollover of $18m from 2017 = adjusted cap of $196m. As of now, the Colts have $119m committed in 2018, cap space of ~$77m (committed $110m in 2019, projected 2019 cap of $190m)

 

Releases: none

 

Colts FAs: 

Melvin, three years, $22.5m (cap hits $7.5m each year 2018-20)

Vinatieri, two years, $6m fully guaranteed (cap hits $3m each year, 2018-19)

Moncrief, one year, $3m

Mewhort, one year, $2m

Mingo, one year, $1.5m

Desir, one year, $1.5m

B. Williams, one year, $950K

M. Person, one year, $800K

E. Jackson, ERFA, one year, $600K

L. Rhodes, ERFA, one year $600K

Vujnovich, ERFA, one year, $600K

Milton, ERFA, one year, $600K

Swoope, ERFA, one year, $600K

M. Jones, ERFA, one year, $600K (conflicting reports on him, based on my research I think he's an ERFA)

> Added ~$24.5m to 2018 cap (added $10.5m to 2019 cap, $3m guaranteed)

>> New cap position in 2018 -- $143.5m committed, remaining cap space of $52.5m (committed $120.5m in 2019)

 

Free agent additions:

Andrew Norwell, five years, $65m, $43.5m guaranteed (cap hits 2018 $9m / 2019 $11.5m); starting LG, All Pro in 2017, good in both phases, has gone from UDFA to one of the best guards in the league in four years, he will command 'highest paid guard' money

Anthony Hitchens, four years, $28m, $13m guaranteed (cap hits 2018 $6m / 2019 $6.5m); starting MLB, comes with Eberflus from the Cowboys, knows his system, has played all three LB positions, better in coverage than advertised, strong against the run

Dion Lewis, three years, $17m, $5m guaranteed (cap hits 2018 $4m / 2019 $6m); multi-use weapon well versed in McDaniels' system, good for 200 touches

Cameron Fleming, three years, $14.5m, $4.5m guaranteed (cap hits 2018 $3.5m / 2019 $5m); starting RT, another McDaniels guy, has played multiple positions in NE

Orleans Darkwa, three years, $14m, $3.5m guaranteed (cap hits 2018 $3m / 2019 $5m); starting caliber RB, can handle the lead role if necessary

Zach Fulton, three years, $12m, $3m guaranteed (cap hits 2018 $3m / 2019 $4m); starting caliber guard, has played multiple positions for the Chiefs

Bradley McDougald, two years, $4m, (cap hits $2m); spot starter at safety, position flexibility, similar to Geathers, filled in for Chancellor and Thomas in 2017

Marcus Smith, one year, $3.5m; rotational DE with some pass rush ability, still young 

Justin Hunter, one year, $2m; WR depth, potential as a starter, red zone option

Terrence Brooks, one year, $1m; nickel safety prospect, Butler replacement

EJ Manuel, one year, $1m; comes with Peetz from Oakland, competition for QB3

Bene Benwikere, one year, $850K; from Dallas, experience at all corner spots, proven depth, can start in a pinch

Terence Garvin, one year, $850K; ILB from Seattle, experience at multiple positions, plays fast

Matt Tobin, one year, $850K; G/T from Seattle

> Added ~$40.5m in 2018, $40m in 2019 ($18m guaranteed)

>> New cap position in 2018 -- $184m committed, remaining cap space of $12m (committed $160.5m in 2019)

 

Draft:

1/3 -- Bradley Chubb, NC State, edge/DE, I think he's a blue chip pass rush prospect, has high level traits that will translate to the pros, great production, just as good against the run, spoken of very highly; assuming we stay at #3, this is the most sensible pick; I don't do trades in my big mock, but that would be my next option, and depending on what happens, we might even be able to get Chubb a couple spots later

2/36 -- Billy Price, Ohio State, C/G, excellent performer in a big conference, mostly played center and was outstanding, good mover, powerful blocker, finishes, plays with great balance and leverage, pulls well, stays busy, good double teamer, handles twists and stunts like a pro; could potentially play guard, but looks like he has shorter arms than ideal; I could envision a scenario in which Ryan Kelly moves over for Price

3/67 -- RJ McIntosh, Miami, DT, 1-gap interior lineman who thinks he's an edge rusher, can penetrate, has moves including a swin and a spin, quick and active, good motor, chases plays down; plays too upright and loses leverage, gets washed out, can't control two gaps; tenacious, a handful to block when he plays with proper leverage, needs discipline; reminds me of a leaner, quicker Jordan Phillips

4/99 -- Cedrick Wilson, Boise State, WR, big, strong, physical, fast enough, good hands, has some advanced route running ability but needs refinement for details, advanced skills when the ball is in the air, shields the ball, stacks defenders, can go up and get it; sometimes a body catcher but no doubt about his hands which are strong and reliable, quick enough to make defenders miss and rack up YAC, also used as a KR

5/131 -- Fred Warner, NC State, ILB, rangy prospect who can run and hit, has coverage skills, reads/reacts against the run and has sideline speed to close off the corner from the middle of the field; a little small/light; nice Senior Bowl week, Chubb's teammate

6/163 -- Jaylen Dunlap, Illinois, CB, height/weight/speed prospect with a reputation as a leader in college, standout STs player, upside to be a boundary corner

7/195 -- Bentley Spain, North Carolina, T/G; good size, length and movement, lacks strength and power

> Added ~$10m to 2018 cap, $11.5m to 2019 cap

>> New cap position in 2018 -- $194m committed, remaining cap space of $2m (committed $172m in 2019)

 

 

Depth chart (draft picks in bold, FA additions in italics, injury returns underlined)

 

  Reveal hidden contents

 

 

QB: Luck, Brissett, Manuel, Kaaya

RB: Lewis, Darkwa, Mack, Jones, Turbin, Ferguson

WR: Hilton, Moncrief, Rogers, Hunter, Wilson, Hogan, etc.

TE: Doyle, Swoope, Williams, Daniels, Travis

LT: AC, Clark

LG: Norwell, Haeg, Vujnovic

C: Kelly, Price, Person, Bond (Kelly should be fully cleared from his concussion)

RG: Fulton, Good, Mewhort, Glowinski

RT: Fleming, Tobin, Burwell, Spain

 

RDE: Sheard, Basham

NT: Hankins, Woods, Stewart

DT: Anderson, Hunt, Ridgeway, McIntosh (Anderson should be recovered)

LDE: Smith, Chubb

SLB: Simon, Walker, Garvin (Simon should be recovered)

MLB: Hitchens, George, Morrison

WLB: Mingo, Jackson, Grace, Warner

LCB: Melvin, Desir, Green, Dunlap (Melvin should be recovered)

RCB: Wilson, Milton, White

Nickel: Hairston, Benwikere, Moore

FS: Farley, Hooker, Brooks (not expecting Hooker back until midseason)

SS: Geathers, McDougald, Martin (Geathers has injury history, McDougald can take his place if necessary)

 

P/H: Sanchez

K: Vinatieri

S: Rhodes
 

 

 

 

Note on cap standing: I spent a lot of money, obviously, and I'm right up against the cap. But this depth chart includes a roster of 78 players. Only the top 51 contracts count against the offseason cap, and my number is at about $175m, leaving me still $20m short of the cap. There's also a strong possibility that some of the top 51 guys don't make the final roster, which would shave more off the number by Week 1. I would expect to be well under the cap by the time the roster is fine-tuned, with an in-season buffer of $10m and a projected 2019 rollover of $10m, leaving me about $30m under the cap in 2019. 

FA and the draft are very well done, but I think the Colts FA's are really awful. Most of the players on one year deals you have can just be released. Maybe keep Mewhort, Person, Desir and Swoope. A team is only as strong as it's weakest members, and we don't need to keep all that worthless baggage on our team, even for min deals. Would rather sign cheap FA's or UDFA's after the draft to compete. I realize you want double depth at every position, but those guys wouldn't be on a lot of teams. I trust Ballard can find better.

[crazycolt1]

21 minutes ago, Jared Cisneros said:

FA and the draft are very well done, but I think the Colts FA's are really awful. Most of the players on one year deals you have can just be released. Maybe keep Mewhort, Person, Desir and Swoope. A team is only as strong as it's weakest members, and we don't need to keep all that worthless baggage on our team, even for min deals. Would rather sign cheap FA's or UDFA's after the draft to compete. I realize you want double depth at every position, but those guys wouldn't be on a lot of teams. I trust Ballard can find better.

There are a few more free agents I would keep. Aiken, Gathers, Melvin and Mingo should not be let go without more work to see what they can do.

[Yoshinator]

5 minutes ago, crazycolt1 said:

There are a few more free agents I would keep. Aiken, Gathers, Melvin and Mingo should not be let go without more work to see what they can do.

Melvin I'm fine with at 3 years, Aiken is pretty worthless to me with FA and the draft coming up. Geathers wasn't on Supe's list, and I would just get rid of Mingo if we are planning on drafting Chubb at 3. However, since there's no guarantee we get him, I'll concede under the circumstances to re-sign Mingo. On the WR's, I would rather just keep Hilton, Rogers, and Rodney Adams who we just signed and build around that in FA and the draft. It's really that bad at WR, but definitely fixable. Probably sign two WRs in FA and draft one in round 4 or 5 that falls a little bit.

[crazycolt1]

6 hours ago, Jared Cisneros said:

Melvin I'm fine with at 3 years, Aiken is pretty worthless to me with FA and the draft coming up. Geathers wasn't on Supe's list, and I would just get rid of Mingo if we are planning on drafting Chubb at 3. However, since there's no guarantee we get him, I'll concede under the circumstances to re-sign Mingo. On the WR's, I would rather just keep Hilton, Rogers, and Rodney Adams who we just signed and build around that in FA and the draft. It's really that bad at WR, but definitely fixable. Probably sign two WRs in FA and draft one in round 4 or 5 that falls a little bit.

Regardless if we do draft Chubb we will still need depth. Thus, Mingo. IMO he has earned a spot at least on the 90 player camp. Then let him go through the competition for a position.

 

[Hoo-Hoo-Hoo-Hoosiers]

8 hours ago, crazycolt1 said:

There are a few more free agents I would keep. Aiken, Gathers, Melvin and Mingo should not be let go without more work to see what they can do.

Aiken is an interesting case.  He certainly didn’t “prove-it” last year, but might be able to with Luck and McD.

[crazycolt1]

3 minutes ago, Hoo-Hoo-Hoo-Hoosiers said:

Aiken is an interesting case.  He certainly didn’t “prove-it” last year, but might be able to with Luck and McD.

I think so too. Under the circumstances with our QB issues I don't think we seen enough of him to determine exactly what he can bring.

[Superman]

9 hours ago, Jared Cisneros said:

FA and the draft are very well done, but I think the Colts FA's are really awful. Most of the players on one year deals you have can just be released. Maybe keep Mewhort, Person, Desir and Swoope. A team is only as strong as it's weakest members, and we don't need to keep all that worthless baggage on our team, even for min deals. Would rather sign cheap FA's or UDFA's after the draft to compete. I realize you want double depth at every position, but those guys wouldn't be on a lot of teams. I trust Ballard can find better.

 

We're going to tender young ERFAs. They are the same kind of players you want to bring in as UDFAs, except they have a year or two in the pros already. Obviously not make or break, but none of them are bringing down the quality of the roster. 

 

Also, Ballard brought in most of those guys. 

[Superman]

8 hours ago, Jared Cisneros said:

Melvin I'm fine with at 3 years, Aiken is pretty worthless to me with FA and the draft coming up. Geathers wasn't on Supe's list, and I would just get rid of Mingo if we are planning on drafting Chubb at 3. However, since there's no guarantee we get him, I'll concede under the circumstances to re-sign Mingo. On the WR's, I would rather just keep Hilton, Rogers, and Rodney Adams who we just signed and build around that in FA and the draft. It's really that bad at WR, but definitely fixable. Probably sign two WRs in FA and draft one in round 4 or 5 that falls a little bit.

 

Mingo and Chubb play different positions. Mingo is now an off the ball linebacker, not an edge rusher. 

[NewColtsFan]

8 minutes ago, Superman said:

 

Mingo and Chubb play different positions. Mingo is now an off the ball linebacker, not an edge rusher. 

 

???????????

 

I think if Mingo makes the roster it's as a pass rushing DE.  The same spot you also have us signing, Smith the DE from Louisville who went to Philly and Sea.

 

I dont see Mingo as a 4-3 OLB.   I don't think he has the skill set to play that.   He's mostly a one trick pony whose skill is rushing the QB.

 

You now see him as a 4-3 LB?   I think he gains 5-10 pounds and plays with his hand on the ground.   Probably only situationally, not as a starter. 

 

Love to get your expanded thoughts here...

[krunk]

I'm not sure If I see Mingo as an Off Ball LB either.    He came out of LSU playing 4-3 end as far as I can recollect. 

[Dustin]

After all these years you're still gonna die on that Marcus Smith hill huh