Colts Roster Improvement

[Yoshinator]

Was looking at the Colts roster this morning, and it is night and day now after this year's draft. Sometimes, one draft is a major difference maker, and I believe it is with us. The RB's and WR's look like they have hope this year. Of course, Luck's health is contingent on this as well. Adding Ebron should be a major improvement. The O-Line looks a ton better with Nelson and Braden in the future. Even someone like Slauson adds a veteran presence to the O-Line. On defense, we have a pass rush possibly with Turay and Lewis. A possible enforcer with Darius Leonard at LB. The secondary is still weak, but we have to remember that we are getting Hooker back soon, Geathers possibly, and that Wilson will be playing his first full year, so it's like a new secondary for us despite not making any new improvements through the draft.

 

Lets give this roster a chance. There's a lot of upside, and it's the seeds of something great. We also still have the Jets 2nd round pick next year, as well as a compensatory 4th rounder, so we are ahead of the game in the draft for at least one more year. Enjoy training camp, and have faith, until we have reason not too!

[DaveA1102]

I don't always agree with him, but I liked Gregg Doyel's take on our off-season.

 

We have improved in the four most important positions of any football team:

Quarterback

Head Coach

Offensive Coordinator

Defensive Coordinator

 

Not only do we have a pool of young, talented players, hopefully the new coaching group can coach them up to being even better.

[IinD]

Having 'names' definitely doesn't usually bring championships. You've got to have young talent. 

If they can develop these kids there's no reason they can't be competitive. That's all fans usually want.

 

I think people forget having #12 is a HUGE help to everyone on the team, even the defense.

[Yoshinator]

1 minute ago, IinD said:

Having 'names' definitely doesn't usually bring championships. You've got to have young talent. 

If they can develop these kids there's no reason they can't be competitive. That's all fans usually want.

 

I think people forget having #12 is a HUGE help to everyone on the team, even the defense.

Yep. When I play Madden or Fantasy Football, I'll usually take the young upside over the old veterans anyday. Those players will be your foundation for 10+ years and are the players that have a chance to be elite under reasonable contracts as well under a decent age. We need a few veterans to balance out the young players if they struggle, but the draft is what builds a team, FA just finishes off the roster for a SB run (though there are some good bargains there as well).

[lollygagger8]

Simply getting rid of the old coaching staff just doubled the win category from last year. 

[LJpalmbeacher2]

I don't neccessarly agree with roster being improved from this time last year. A lot of unproven players & coaches at this time.

I do agree the inside of our OL should be improved with new editions of Nelson, Smith, and Slaughson along with Kelly looks promising.

 

But we Lost Moncreif, Aiken, Gore on offense. We replaced them with 4 late round draft picks plus Grant.

 

On defense we lost V.Davis, Hankins, cb Melvin, and Mingo. 

 

I agree it's hard to think that last seasons coaches can't be improved on BUT all of our new main coaches are first timers in their new positions.

 

A lot of unprovens all over. We just have to wait and see if or when they start showing they are significantly better or not than theor replacements.

 

 

[Superman]

8 minutes ago, LJpalmbeacher2 said:

But we Lost Moncreif, Aiken, Gore on offense. We replaced them with 4 late round draft picks plus Grant.

 

In 2017, Ryan Grant had almost as much production as Moncrief and Aiken combined. I really like Moncrief's potential, and I'm not that high on Grant, but it won't be hard to replace the production from Moncrief and Aiken. Neither of them played well last year.

 

Gore's production won't be difficult to replace, either. His professionalism, reliability, durability, etc., those are basically gone, which will hurt. But I think any mediocre combination of backs can average 3.7 yards/carry and score 3 TDs. 

 

Add in Luck, an offensive minded coaching staff with a new scheme, and better line play, and I think it's a virtual certainty that the offense will be better. Even if Luck doesn't play (and I think he will), I think Brissett would far more productive this year than he was last year.

 

Lots of question marks and unprovens, but I can't muster up any serious concern about the offense at this point.

[Smonroe]

Every team has unproven players with plenty of potential.  We're not the only team with a bunch of hidden gems waiting to be stars.

 

With Luck back and the new Oline, I can see that side of the ball doing better than most suspect.  Maybe top 10.  As we all know, a franchise QB's value is incredibly important, with effects felt on both sides of the ball.

 

But I'm going to temper my excitement on the defense and all the new coaches.  None of us really know what we have yet.  We probably don't know who at least 8 of the starters on D are yet, much less who's making the team.  Kind of hard to say how good we can be until that's sorted out, right?

[ColtsGermany]

I think getting younger on the roster and add more speed is essential for today's style of football. 

But what is more important to the colts is

1) do we have a better playcalling? 

2)do we have a ground game now that the O-Line looks a lot better? (i think so) 

3)ANDREW LUCK

 

If the first 2 points will be right, it would help AL a lot. Beeing more unpredictable (playcalling, ground game, force opponents to fill the box) is what would help us the most getting the best out of Luck. Look what he was able to do with almost no running game and bad play calling.... Imagine what he can do if that changes... 

 

The defense will need time to develop imo. 

[Superman]

http://www.sharpfootballanalysis.com/blog/2018/the-unbelievable-story-of-the-2017-colts

 

I'm posting this here. It was posted earlier this offseason (I think by Stitches) but in tweet format, and the author has since expanded and posted it to his website. It details a) how dramatic and unprecedented it was for the Colts to falter as much as they did in the second half of games in 2017, and b) how shockingly predictable the offensive play calling was, especially in 4th down. It's impossible to not see the link between the two.

 

My opinion is that, even without Luck, and even with really bad OL play (seriously, five centers, including two UDFA rookies), the Colts could (should?) have won another 2-3 games last year.

[ColtsGermany]

13 minutes ago, Superman said:

http://www.sharpfootballanalysis.com/blog/2018/the-unbelievable-story-of-the-2017-colts

 

I'm posting this here. It was posted earlier this offseason but in tweet format, and the author has since expanded and posted it to his website. It details a) how dramatic and unprecedented it was for the Colts to falter as much as they did in the second half of games in 2017, and b) how shockingly predictable the offensive play calling was, especially in 4th down. It's impossible to not see the link between the two.

 

My opinion is that, even without Luck, and even with really bad OL play (seriously, five centers, including two UDFA rookies), the Colts could (should?) have won another 2-3 games last year.

Thanks for posting this. 

 

Looks like we can only do better this year... Even if Luck will get hurt again. 

[ColtsBlitz]

7 hours ago, DaveA1102 said:

I don't always agree with him, but I liked Gregg Doyel's take on our off-season.

 

We have improved in the four most important positions of any football team:

Quarterback

Head Coach

Offensive Coordinator

Defensive Coordinator

 

Not only do we have a pool of young, talented players, hopefully the new coaching group can coach them up to being even better.

Not to mention the various additions elsewhere. OL WR LB RB and DL are all getting at least one new player that looks good

[braveheartcolt]

We pretty much know Luck is an uptick from last year. We have oodles of form to back up this notion. The rest is just wishful thinking, no matter how we spin it. 

 

[Defjamz26]

The roster is improved for tomorrow but not necessarily for today. The moves the Colts made this off season were more like investments. In 2 years the Colts will have arguably the best roster in the AFC. Teams like the Jaguars who spent all their cash on outside FAs are either going to have to trade/let those same guys walk or watch all their young players get their 2nd contracts on other teams. I would bet that the Colts probably have the youngest roster in the league ATM. Slauson May be the only starter on offense 30 years or older once the season starts. On defense I don’t think any of our projected starters are 30 either.

 

With youth comes inexperience though. There will be some bumps in the road, and the Colts might still finish under .500 But that’s what happens when you start from scratch. But I’m confident this coaching staff are the teachers that Ballard mentioned needing for the team to be successful.

[aaron11]

46 minutes ago, Defjamz26 said:

 I would bet that the Colts probably have the youngest roster in the league ATM.

had me curious so i checked.  colts are tied for third youngest(rounding to the nearest tenth) 

 

the rams are slightly younger but their kicker is 15 years younger than AV too, thats probably  enough to make up the .3 overall difference 

 

the browns are a full year younger on average, but their kicker is 22 years younger than ours too

 

if you throw out the kickers we may not quite be number one but it would probably be a close second 

[Defjamz26]

58 minutes ago, aaron11 said:

had me curious so i checked.  colts are tied for third youngest(rounding to the nearest tenth) 

 

the rams are slightly younger but their kicker is 15 years younger than AV too, thats probably  enough to make up the .3 overall difference 

 

the browns are a full year younger on average, but their kicker is 22 years younger than ours too

 

if you throw out the kickers we may not quite be number one but it would probably be a close second 

I think Vinateri, Slauson, and Howard are our only players 30 and up. And we just picked up Howard and Slauson, so if you look at us before those pickups, were probably 1 or 2. We literally went from one of the oldest teams in the league to one of the youngest in 2 and half years.

[Hoose]

8 hours ago, Superman said:

http://www.sharpfootballanalysis.com/blog/2018/the-unbelievable-story-of-the-2017-colts

 

I'm posting this here. It was posted earlier this offseason (I think by Stitches) but in tweet format, and the author has since expanded and posted it to his website. It details a) how dramatic and unprecedented it was for the Colts to falter as much as they did in the second half of games in 2017, and b) how shockingly predictable the offensive play calling was, especially in 4th down. It's impossible to not see the link between the two.

 

My opinion is that, even without Luck, and even with really bad OL play (seriously, five centers, including two UDFA rookies), the Colts could (should?) have won another 2-3 games last year.

This is where Luck will make such a difference. Last year's D played much better than people realize. But they were on the field seemingly all second half of every game. The O was absolutely putrid, and the D simply got worn down. Look how many times the Colts lost the game in the 4th quarter...games in which they were competitive in the first half. 

Luck's ability to keep the O on sustainable drives, together with the improved O-line, will help this young D immensely. And that alone means more wins.