Clark, Tamme, Pollard, Dilger

[number28]

out of those four, who was the best TE the Colts have had since Manning was drafted?

I know that Clark was given the best shot and was the most productive out of all of them, What's everyone's thoughts?

imo, Pollard was the best TE we ever had.

[21isSuperman]

I'm going to go with Clark. He was always Peyton's security blanket and bailed out Peyton a number of times. He runs all the routes, has pretty good hands (though not perfect), is fairly big, has solid speed, and his numbers are there....just don't expect him to be able to block Mario Williams one week and James Harrison the next

[ruksak]

My heart wants me to say Dilger, but my head says Clark. He's the only one out of all of them that commanded special attention from opponents.

BTW; Good thread topic!

[Gavin]

Pollard, He didnt things without Manning

[Andy]

I'd say it's a battle between Dilger and Clark for best TE in Indy Colts history, but the guy who helped PM more was Clark, as he was with Manning for a longer time and was more productive with PM.

Dilger was better pre-Manning and wasn't with him for a long time.

Pollard was a very good TE too, but I don't see him in the same category as Clark or Dilger. He was with Manning for a longer time and put up better numbers than Dilger did with Manning.

Tamme is a good TE but essentially, he only had half a year with PM.

I'd say:

1. Clark

2. Pollard

3. Dilger

4. Tamme

[MAC]

I feel the same way as Ruksak. Dilger was special, but how many times did we see Clark make a spectacular catch for a key first down, or just bust up the middle seemingly moving faster than the dbs. He could change games. Not your average TE.

NOW I might prefer to have the combination of Dilger and Pollard over the combination of Clark and Tamme. Hmmmmm. Or would either of them have been as effective without the other on the team. And then there were the two seasons when Clark and Pollard played together.

No matter how you look at it, the Colts have been blessed with good receiving tight ends for a LONG time. Now we've got Eldridge who publicly longs for his days of inline blocking. While we need that (and he's looked terrific in the role at times) - we need a tight end!

[dpete]

1. Clark

2. Pollard

3. Dilger

4. Tamme

Agreed.

[ruksak]

Pollard, He didnt things without Manning

When I think of Pollard I think of that ridiculous no-call in the NE playoff game back in 2003(2004?). Teddy Bruschi held him something terrible at a very crucial moment and we just fell-off after that. Anyone remember what I'm referring to here? It was at NE in the bad weather and Pollard was running a go route and got held hard in plain sight of the refs?

[ruksak]

No matter how you look at it, the Colts have been blessed with good receiving tight ends for a LONG time. Now we've got Eldridge who publicly longs for his days of inline blocking. While we need that (and he's looked terrific in the role at times) - we need a tight end!

Very well said.

Now it's time for us to draft our new TE of the future.

[subvet]

Pollard was great but Clark was the "go to guy" when no one else could get open--and it was usually on a slant across the middle. He knew he would get slammed but did it anyway for a few more yards and keep the ball moving.

[MTC]

Hmmm tough choice between Clark and Pollard.

I will go with Clark though, even though he wasn't that good at blocking, he was Peyton's best receiving tight end.

[21isSuperman]

I'd say it's a battle between Dilger and Clark for best TE in Indy Colts history, but the guy who helped PM more was Clark, as he was with Manning for a longer time and was more productive with PM.

Dilger was better pre-Manning and wasn't with him for a long time.

Pollard was a very good TE too, but I don't see him in the same category as Clark or Dilger. He was with Manning for a longer time and put up better numbers than Dilger did with Manning.

Tamme is a good TE but essentially, he only had half a year with PM.

I'd say:

1. Clark

2. Pollard

3. Dilger

4. Tamme

Best TE in Colts history has to be Mackey

[Andy]

Best TE in Colts history has to be Mackey

That's why I said Indy Colts history.

[21isSuperman]

That's why I said Indy Colts history.

I skipped right over that....my mistake

[Andy]

I skipped right over that....my mistake

no worries

[ruksak]

That's why I said Indy Colts history.

What other kind of Colts are there? It's not like they used to play in some slummy Maryland town or something.

[WeSpy]

Pollard, I think, was the best overall tight end. He had a little smidgin of everything.

But Clark, as others have pointed out, was special in the pass game. He had something that very few tight ends had, or have today. Occasionally, he was the first read. That's some stinkin' good tight end playing...

[number28]

When I think of Pollard I think of that ridiculous no-call in the NE playoff game back in 2003(2004?). Teddy Bruschi held him something terrible at a very crucial moment and we just fell-off after that. Anyone remember what I'm referring to here? It was at NE in the bad weather and Pollard was running a go route and got held hard in plain sight of the refs?

Is that the game where Peyton flipped out went nuts and started yelling NO!!! NO!!! NO!!! at the refs?

[GAColt]

Clark.

He may not have been as effective in a system the would have needed him to block more, but in the Colts offense he was great.