Colts Sign Nt Brandon Mckinney [Merge]

[Warhawk]

The upside here is that now we don't have to reach for an NT in the draft. I'd still like to get one, if we can get a good value player for the position, but it's not such a priority that we have to spend a high round pick on a mid-to-late round guy just because we have a glaring need.

IMO it would be really nice if Ta'amu fell to the third, since I want Fleener in the second (assuming he falls). Of course, who knows how things will shake out. But, like I said, if we have a guy the coaches think can be an adequate starter, we don't have to hit the panic button with a draft pick.

[Gavin]

any highlights on him drawing double teams and eating up blocks?

[KarlKuffs]

0 sacks

lol

[Nobody]

Source?

Bleacher Report Team Stream

#Colts have signed former #Ravens NT Brandon McKinney to a two-year deal.

32 minutes ago from TweetDeck

VikingsNow

Just google it, they signed him.

[KarlKuffs]

Ya I think he is the 2nd coming, 14 tackles in 6 years sounds awesome.

lol again

Alot of people in this thread clearly have no idea about the purpose of a NT.

[UndecidedFrog]

lol again

Alot of people in this thread clearly have no idea about the purpose of a NT.

From my understanding, a NT in a 3-4 defensive front has the responsibility to take on more than one OLman, so that his LBs can take care of the sacks and tackles. Any tackles or sacks that a NT gets is just gravy on top.

[HarassedOffTheSite]

Good pick up. It's a start. Would be nice if we could move Nevis and AJ to the ends. We'll see.

[Bubba_Rebel]

Or that Cory Redding guy...

[Rblake]

It's on twitter and I got a text about it. It's legit.

This made me laugh out loud. No offense!

thanks!

[MTC]

I still hope we draft a nose tackle in the draft. Good signing though.

[Gavin]

No footage of him drawing double teams? just because hes 345lbs dont mean he eats up alot of blockers, he may be slow of the snap and could still be handled by one guy

[HarassedOffTheSite]

DL formerly of the Ravens!! We have our NT!!

Correction: We have A NT. ;)

[Rblake]

Thanks! I checked Google unsuccessfully, but it wasn't listed until about 20 minutes after your post. It's there now!

Bleacher Report Team Stream

#Colts have signed former #Ravens NT Brandon McKinney to a two-year deal.

32 minutes ago from TweetDeck

VikingsNow

Just google it, they signed him.

[Malakai432]

From my understanding, a NT in a 3-4 defensive front has the responsibility to take on more than one OLman, so that his LBs can take care of the sacks and tackles. Any tackles or sacks that a NT gets is just gravy on top.

NO!!!!!!!!!!!! Our NT MUST have approximately 2,000 sacks a year, anything else is unacceptable

[HarassedOffTheSite]

IMHO this is in no way a signal that we will not be drafting a NT early. This is a good addition but he is not the Jesus Christ of FA NT. Until I hear Grigs or Pagano says this is "the guy", he's depth on the Dline.

[JWF]

Height isn't super important if the guy has long enough arms. You want your nose tackle to have leverage, and McKinney certainly has that.

Yeah. Height (more so wingspan) isnt as important inside as it is outside.

[dgambill]

I agree with Casserly.. I still think we take a NT if available in rounds 3-5...if value is on the board. This is A NT..not THE NT for this team moving forward.

[Smonroe]

Not too many starts, but it's understandable considering who he was behind in Baltimore. We need another one of these 340+ guys in the draft. Great start though.

[Superman]

I'm not overly excited about this, but at least we have someone who can play the position.

[mvbighead]

Hey, we signed a NT... i bet that is a sign we...

Seriously? This crap never ends.

We signed a NT because we do NOT have one. McKinney knows the system and will finally be given his chance to shine. He may develop into a solid contributor, he may just get us by for a year or two.

To me, this guy sounds exactly like someone who some folks were hopeful we would sign:

http://www.nfl.com/player/antoniogaray/2505668/profile

Garay has been in the league for 7 years. It wasn't until this season and last season that Garay was given an opportunity.

Now, the rest is on McKinney. He can take advantage of this opportunity which will be great for everyone involved, or he can let a real opportunity pass by. I am willing to bet he becomes a solid contributor.

In any case, this signing says nothing about what they'll do in the draft. It all depends upon how they feel about the players available when they pick. We have so many holes that I can't see them simply saying that we must add another NT, so they'd forgo drafting a legitimate prospect in a different position just to fill a potential need.

In any case, this is our 3rd? Ravens pilfering... Redding, Zbikowski, McKinney. We're adding key pieces to our roster that will at least give Pagano something to work with. As others said, it'll take some time (2-3 seasons minimum) to get a good roster going. But they're making progress.

[Nobody]

No footage of him drawing double teams? just because hes 345lbs dont mean he eats up alot of blockers, he may be slow of the snap and could still be handled by one guy

Nobody is answering you because they don't make highlight reels of eating up double teams! Nobody wants to watch a guy get blocked!

[dgambill]

Nobody is answering you because they don't make highlight reels of eating up double teams! Nobody wants to watch a guy get blocked!

BEST POST OF THE DAY!! LOL Thank you so much for that one. It is sad but true!

[Scott Pennock]

This is just another of tose mid-level free agent signings that add 'quality' depth to a roster...........he has played in the Chargers and Ravens 3-4 schemes and is familiar with Pagano's schemes in particular!

Between him and Mookie, we now have a couple 'bodies' at the very least to help clog up the middle.............this will not keep us from drafting another NT (or two) in the draft, this does however, give the front office a bit of flexability to draft BPA versus need!

[Tony Sullivan]

A lot of these players I'm fine with as stop gaps. You don't just go tampa2 to the 34 over night.

[Nobody]

BEST POST OF THE DAY!! LOL Thank you so much for that one. It is sad but true!

anytime, anytime.

[mystrymaster]

Muir or Johnson weren't stars when we signed them either however they were indeed better than we had.

I like the signing gives us someone who can legitemately play the position.

[unitaswestand]

You gotta give Grigson some props. He keeps picking up middle of the road free agents at a decent price. They aren't game changers, but solid players. I love it!

[Moncrief]

Anyone want to take a gander of what we focus most on in the draft

[Gavin]

Nobody is answering you because they don't make highlight reels of eating up double teams! Nobody wants to watch a guy get blocked!

Correct me if Im wrong oh Hot Headed One but Ta'amu is a prime example of a guy that eats up double teams and so does Poe and they have highlights seriously man Im getting tired of your snide and hot headed remarks especially directed towards me go take your vicodin and calm the heck down

[John Dee]

Ya I think he is the 2nd coming, 14 tackles in 6 years sounds awesome.

That's almost as many as Freeney had this last season.

Casey Hampton, one of the best Nt's of the last decade had 200 tackles in 11 seasons, and 9 sacks in those 11 seasons. If BM can just hold his ground and not get shoved off the ball he will have done his job.

[chad72]

Yeah maybe Hebron Fangupo (sp?) in the 7th... But we don't have to spend our 3rd on Ta'amu now.

You still have to consider Ta'amu if he is available in the 3rd as a developmental prospect. But yes, I do like Fangupo in the 5th as better value. Just my personal opinion.

I feel the same thing that most folks feel - CB and WR/TE will alternate in rounds 2 and 3, in no certain order.

[KarlKuffs]

I agree with Casserly.. I still think we take a NT if available in rounds 3-5...if value is on the board. This is A NT..not THE NT for this team moving forward.

This exactly correct....and the right way to go about things.

McKinney is a rotation guy; this doesn't change the fact we need to draft a NT somewhere in the 3-5 range.

Yet another smart FA signing for Grigson.

[chad72]

Yet another smart FA signing for Grigson.

Let us hope they all translate on the field. Donnie Avery has the speed but has not been available, so there are always question marks that can only be answered on the field. But for the most part, they are good steps in the right direction.

To me, Grigson's free agent signings are equivalent to Bill Polian's low cost UDFA signings from a cost perspective. I am hoping they work better than the UDFA signings. It is good to wait it out till the prices go down before bidding on a free agent D-lineman.

[Malakai432]

I'm going to go get some Firehouse Subs.....

[KarlKuffs]

Let us hope they all translate on the field. Donnie Avery has the speed but has not been available, so there are always question marks that can only be answered on the field. But for the most part, they are good steps in the right direction.

To me, Grigson's free agent signings are equivalent to Bill Polian's low cost UDFA signings from a cost perspective. I am hoping they work better than the UDFA signings. It is good to wait it out till the prices go down before bidding on a free agent D-lineman.

Yep....from a cost perspective, yes.

The difference, and why our overall roster will be in much better shape from here on out than it has been the last 3-4 years, is that Grigson is signing people that have actually played at the NFL level for other teams, whereas most of Polians UDFA's wouldn't have sniffed a roster spot on most of the other 31 teams in the league, let alone start.

[BNS]

I wonder how "sleek" the new NIKE jersey will look on Brandon? I think this is a good signing...like other have said, he's not a game changer, but we can't afford to sign a game changer at every position. He's a stopgap (no pun intended) signing who knows Pagano's system and can give us a NT for a couple of years while we develop a NT from the draft, maybe.

It'll be nice to see some beef on our defensive line!!!

[Gavin]

Yep....from a cost perspective, yes.

The difference, and why our overall roster will be in much better shape from here on out than it has been the last 3-4 years, is that Grigson is signing people that have actually played at the NFL level for other teams, whereas most of Polians UDFA's wouldn't have sniffed a roster spot on most of the other 31 teams in the league, let alone start.

that reminds me, how many of our former players actually got signed to another team? 3 Manning, Saturday, Wheeler?, I would have thought Brackett and Addai would be backups at best

[Coltsman1788]

Wooo Hooo! There's my...Big Fattie...Big Fattie....Big Fattie :clap: Thanks Grigs, now find me another one in the draft!

This is a good signing in that this guy was solid rotational depth with the Ravens. He wasn't a starter but he got decent playing time. Last year, McKinney started 0 games and had 14 tackles compared to Fili Moala who has 22 tackles and started 14 games. He will be an immediate upgrade to the DT's that we currently have on the roster as none were the true nose tackle types needed to run Pagano's defense. This kid fits that bill and when paired with whoever else we draft should make for a decent rotation at that position.

This signing also gives us the luxory to take a NT later in the draft and grab the best offensive player available in some of the earlier rounds. I think this was a good move for the Colts. We are ready for the draft now folks!

[austriancolt]

I can't await the new season and the NEW Colts!

[chad72]

Yep....from a cost perspective, yes.

The difference, and why our overall roster will be in much better shape from here on out than it has been the last 3-4 years, is that Grigson is signing people that have actually played at the NFL level for other teams, whereas most of Polians UDFA's wouldn't have sniffed a roster spot on most of the other 31 teams in the league, let alone start.

I disagree. You have to look at them when they were signed, not when they were let go.

1. Brackett would have definitely found spots on other teams as a coverage LB when he was younger. Like Ray Lewis who needed Ngata to resurrect his career by clogging the middle letting him make plays, any MLB needs that D-line support up front, that was lacking for the most of Brackett's career. When he was able to roam when he was younger, he was a good MLB. Maybe not a great one but definitely a good one, IMO, that made plays.
   
2. Other UDFAs - Melvin Bullitt, he stepped in pretty well for Bob Sanders till his shoulder issues started taking a toll.
   
3. Not to mention, our best UDFA signing - Jeff Saturday.
   
4. We do need to be reminded that Blair White was a UDFA as well and is an intelligent slot wideout for the rotation. Blair White had several other teams call him when they realized he was going undrafted and he chose us because we had No.18 at the helm.
   
5. Dominic Rhodes was an invaluable UDFA.
   

So, let us not knock down Polian's UDFAs with a broad brush just because they had faded towards the end. They were let go because their skills had eroded but when they were drafted and their skills were good, they made more than ample plays I can recall. Just because Polian did not win more SBs, it does not mean we put the "Johnny come lately" Grigson on a pedestal. It is fair enough to ask for Grigson to be given a chance but let us not act like Polian did not put in enough pieces to keep the winning going. Polian did fade eventually but he did shine, at least till 2006, IMO.

People have such a short memory. Just because someone has a divorce, it is no reason to "trash" the ones involved in the previous relationship. That is how I see it.