Released Blair White (Merge)

[CR91]

this just means were going to draft a wr in round 2 or 3. wayne,collie,avery is a solid wr core if they can stay healhy luck will have a great year.

no this doesnt change our draft at all. i still say we look at wr in the fourth round.

[Fx Stryker]

I can. He's a below average athlete who Peyton succeeded in making look barely tolerable. And even with that they had problems because he frequently miss-read things and made bad decisions. His only value to the Colts was his growing comfort level with Peyton, but Peyton isn't here. A rebuilding team would be much better off using the roster spot on a draft pick. There is a shortage of speed at the WR position. I'd rather see a raw but fast player learning with the new QB than a blah player like White.

He was a rookie thrown into the burner. You can at least cut him some slack. He played hard, and played good.

[mvbighead]

Not sure I understand the move. No, White wasn't a world beater, but he was serviceable and more importantly, healthy. Also, he caught balls like a WR was supposed to. His athletic ability was nothing special, but he was a serviceable player.

I'd have rather seen them cut him in the preseason before the draft. I just don't see what they gain by cutting him now.

[LightninMax]

No impact. Colts are seriously deficient of deep threat speed at receiver. Wayne's effectiveness is greatly enhanced with speed on the opposite side of the field. I trust the Colts have a plan.

[Fx Stryker]

No impact. Colts are seriously deficient of deep threat speed at receiver. Wayne's effectiveness is greatly enhanced with speed on the opposite side of the field. I trust the Colts have a plan.

Avery says he runs a 4.21. That's not speedy?

[MSColtsFan]

no this doesnt change our draft at all. i still say we look at wr in the fourth round.

Just furthers my opinion that the Colts should look to trade down, maybe more than once, to acquire multiple picks. WR is deep this year, and so many are functionally the same to me. That whole second tier batch - the Sanu/Randle/Givens/Jenkins group I don't think is any better, substantially, than the next group. I'd prefer to see people like Toon and Broyles, as opposed to just Sanu, for example, so gaining additional picks by moving out of 34 might be beneficial. No offense to the CB crowd, by the way. The Colts will select WRs this draft, the issue is when to me...

[chad72]

I guess I'll post here too.

Too bad he's gone! I really liked him!

Watch, now he'll sign with the Broncos.

I doubt it.

Broncos just signed Andre Caldwell who has more upside than Blair White in the slot, IMO, with Peyton throwing to him. Demaryius Thomas and Eric Decker on the flanks plus 2 TEs in Dreessen and Tamme would be plenty of options for Peyton to throw too, IMO.

Blair White would be better off signing with a team like the Giants who can work him into the rotation since the Giants do not use their TEs as much for receiving like several other teams and if you remember, they had Steve Smith playing the slot in 2007 before he went to the Eagles. The Giants, with the loss of Manningham, could use some reliable hands in the slot.

I think the Blair White release however was more a product of his back injury which led him slide to being an UDFA and possibly a similar injury that put him on IR at the beginning of season 2 in 2011. Yes, he is useful when healthy but chances are, he is not, given his college history and recent history.

[MSColtsFan]

He was a rookie thrown into the burner. You can at least cut him some slack. He played hard, and played good.

He was an undrafted FA, so I'd say he did more than just get his cup of coffee in the big leagues. I agree, he was fine for what he was, and still might land somewhere if the back is healthy.

[CR91]

Just furthers my opinion that the Colts should look to trade down, maybe more than once, to acquire multiple picks. WR is deep this year, and so many are functionally the same to me. That whole second tier batch - the Sanu/Randle/Givens/Jenkins group I don't think is any better, substantially, than the next group. I'd prefer to see people like Toon and Broyles, as opposed to just Sanu, for example, so gaining additional picks by moving out of 34 might be beneficial. No offense to the CB crowd, by the way. The Colts will select WRs this draft, the issue is when to me...

id like us to take fleener, jeffery, or brandon thompson in the second

[WSO]

Which means Wayne. Can Collie or Avery, let alone both of them, play 16 games?

Did Collie not play in 16 games last year? Its Blair White, its not like we are releasing some Pro Bowl caliber receiver that was an important piece of the offense. I wish him well.

[LightninMax]

Avery says he runs a 4.21. That's not speedy?

That is the kind of speed that's needed. He's one that's been brought in to try to fill that need, but it's not proven yet that he's the one or that he's enough. In any case, White wasn't going to contend for that position.

[MSColtsFan]

Did Collie not play in 16 games last year? Its Blair White, its not like we are releasing some Pro Bowl caliber receiver that was an important piece of the offense. I wish him well.

Collie did play in all 16. I wasn't expecting White to be some 60 catch guy, but he bought insurance (NFL experienced) if Collie hiccupped wrong and gets concussed again, or Avery has a 300th knee issue. White did pretty well for a UDFA in my mind - we got out of him just about what could have been expected. I wish him well too. If his back is healthy, he may find work again in the NFL.

[jskinnz]

no this doesnt change our draft at all. i still say we look at wr in the fourth round.

Why lock into a specific position in a specific round? Outside of Luck at the top, I don't even think Grigson & Pagano can say that with any certainty.

[MSColtsFan]

id like us to take fleener, jeffery, or brandon thompson in the second

I would love Fleener or Jeffery at 34. But if the Colts move down to the middle of the second round, for example, and add two more picks doing so, I wouldn't cry about getting Randle or Sanu plus another player or two later instead. But I do like Fleener and Jeffery a lot. I know many people don't, but I'd be thrilled with either.

[CR91]

Why lock into a specific position in a specific round? Outside of Luck at the top, I don't even think Grigson & Pagano can say that with any certainty.

well because the way i have my mock. i have us taking luck first, fleener second, lamichael james third, and tommy streeter fourth. i also have us taking chris oswusu either as a 7th round pick or udfa

[buccolts]

did collie miss a game last year? its really a question because im not sure

I don't believe he missed a game.

When the QB can't deliver the ball in your area code, the DB doesn't know it's intended for you, and doesn't knock you out.

[Fatboyslim11]

I can. He's a below average athlete who Peyton succeeded in making look barely tolerable. And even with that they had problems because he frequently miss-read things and made bad decisions. His only value to the Colts was his growing comfort level with Peyton, but Peyton isn't here. A rebuilding team would be much better off using the roster spot on a draft pick. There is a shortage of speed at the WR position. I'd rather see a raw but fast player learning with the new QB than a blah player like White.

I agree. Blair White is a hard worker but just doesn't have the athletic skills needed for a good receiver. He is just another example of the so so players that dotted our roster in 2011.

[Carlos Danger]

This means nothing. Still, Alshon Jeffery at #34 would be my pick (if he's there). The guy boxes out corners like a power forward and attacks the ball instead of catching with his body. He will be a very productive wideout regardless of where he goes. Since Fleener will be long gone by then, if Jeffery isn't there we have to take a good look at Jenkins. I think the best scenario is Jeffery at #34 and Chase Minnifield in the third. I think Minnifield's film looks better than a lot of people on this forum give it credit for.

[deedub75]

This season will be a bust anyway and I believe Irsay realizes it. We will be picking in the top 5 next season. We can trade down next season and get lots of picks. We will be a really good team again in a couple of years.

[Kyle]

Probably could not have traded him and if he is signed by another team, I think we get a compensatory pick next year...

[MAC]

He was a rookie thrown into the burner. You can at least cut him some slack. He played hard, and played good.

Cut him some slack? I wasn't aware that I was being unfairly critical. It's not that I don't appreciate his efforts - and frankly everyone plays hard, as would any of us if given the opportunity - it's just that he was an UFA for a reason, and his upside is incredibly limited. I don't think that he "played good". This is no more important a transaction than any of the dozens of other roster additions/deletions as you shape a roster. White wasn't getting anywhere near the field unless someone else was injured. He was just incredibly fortunate to be given the opportunity to play with the best QB in the business in the first place. All I said was that the team is rebuilding, and I understand why they made the move.

[Nobody]

We need WR at 34 even more now. Wayne is old, Avery and Collie both have injury concerns, Collie is a slot WR.

[Fx Stryker]

Cut him some slack? I wasn't aware that I was being unfairly critical. It's not that I don't appreciate his efforts - and frankly everyone plays hard, as would any of us if given the opportunity - it's just that he was an UFA for a reason, and his upside is incredibly limited. I don't think that he "played good". This is no more important a transaction than any of the dozens of other roster additions/deletions as you shape a roster. White wasn't getting anywhere near the field unless someone else was injured. He was just incredibly fortunate to be given the opportunity to play with the best QB in the business in the first place. All I said was that the team is rebuilding, and I understand why they made the move.

Well I hope you are as critical to all rookies, and not be soft on those that are, what do you call it - "hyped."

[Coltman51]

Nice guy but not a big talent.

Are you ready, hey, are you ready for this

Are you hangin' on the edge of your seat

Out of the doorway the bullets rip

To the sound of the beat - yeah

Another one bites the dust

Another one bites the dust

And another one gone and another one gone

Another one bites the dust, eh

Hey, I'm gonna get you too

Another one bites the dust

[MAC]

Well I hope you are as critical to all rookies, and not be soft on those that are, what do you call it - "hyped."

He is a 25 year old UFA coming off injuries.

I've lobbied to give a LOT more leeway in the past to people like Gonzalez, but it's not because they are "hyped". This isn't about the unfair politics of favoring higher draft choices (as people often said about Polian), it's about the fact that they have actual talent. That's why they are drafted high, that's why they are hyped, and that's why you give them an extra chance. There is something there that you hope to extract. Blair White has none of that. He was (what do we often say here) training camp fodder that got on the field for a few games because of everyone above him on the depth chart being injured. Do you not think that Taz Smith or David Gilreath wouldn't have also caught a few passes if they were given the chance to be Peyton's #2 target? Were you upset when they were released? Whatever Blair's personal attributes, he just really isn't that good a receiver. So "thank you for your efforts Blair, good job, good luck". Now who's next?

[FireJimCaldwell]

Probably could not have traded him and if he is signed by another team, I think we get a compensatory pick next year...

Players that are released are not part of the formula for compensatory picks.

Tamme yes.

Garcon Yes.

Manning No

White No

Clark No

Addaii No

etc no

[Coffeedrinker]

Not sure I understand the move. No, White wasn't a world beater, but he was serviceable and more importantly, healthy. Also, he caught balls like a WR was supposed to. His athletic ability was nothing special, but he was a serviceable player.

I'd have rather seen them cut him in the preseason before the draft. I just don't see what they gain by cutting him now.

I liked White, yes he made some rookie mistakes and read the wrong coverage but so what, he was an good route runner with great hands.

I bolded the part I wanted to talk about... I'm not sure he is healthy. He was placed on IR last year with a knee injury and perhaps he has not or will not fully recover from that. I'm just speculating.

[MAC]

Not promoting Blair White as anything special, but he's not a below average athlete. His measurables are all pretty impressive. I don't understand waiving him before the draft.

If you say so. I rarely look at measurables, and I don't remember them for more than about five minutes when I do look. But your comments led me to go to his NFL.com combine tab on his player profile:

"White is a step slow off the line and does not have the top-end speed to stretch the field. Keeps his hips too high and loses speed coming out of breaks which limits his ability to get separation in man coverage."

I hadn't read that before, but it seems to describe what we've seen from him on the field. He is a backup possession receiver who isn't going to be getting faster anytime soon. If you are a twelve win team seeking depth for a playoff run, and your star QB has invested a lot of time developing timing with this guy, than great, keep him for depth. If you are a two win team trying hard to find new impact players on offense to grow with your baby QB, than what purpose does he serve?

I guess that they could have kept him longer, but there might be injury issues as some have suggested, and they also might have considered it fairer to give him a chance to catch on with another team.

[Fx Stryker]

He is a 25 year old UFA coming off injuries.

I've lobbied to give a LOT more leeway in the past to people like Gonzalez, but it's not because they are "hyped". This isn't about the unfair politics of favoring higher draft choices (as people often said about Polian), it's about the fact that they have actual talent. That's why they are drafted high, that's why they are hyped, and that's why you give them an extra chance. There is something there that you hope to extract. Blair White has none of that. He was (what do we often say here) training camp fodder that got on the field for a few games because of everyone above him on the depth chart being injured. Do you not think that Taz Smith or David Gilreath wouldn't have also caught a few passes if they were given the chance to be Peyton's #2 target? Were you upset when they were released? Whatever Blair's personal attributes, he just really isn't that good a receiver. So "thank you for your efforts Blair, good job, good luck". Now who's next?

They drafted higher because they have more talent? Try telling that to Wes Welker and Arian Foster. Blair stepped in and did a solid job. I'm not upset he is gone. I just think it's unfair to say he was nonathletic. He made some good catches, and yes he made some mistakes. However he was a rookie who was thrown into the first string of a very complex offense. I think he fared better then most would. He played the #3 spot well. Was it the same as Collie and Peyton, no. It probably could have been if they had the time to develop.

[Superman]

If you say so. I rarely look at measurables, and I don't remember them for more than about five minutes when I do look. But your comments led me to go to his NFL.com combine tab on his player profile:

"White is a step slow off the line and does not have the top-end speed to stretch the field. Keeps his hips too high and loses speed coming out of breaks which limits his ability to get separation in man coverage."

Those aren't measurables, sir. These are measurables:

40 time: 4.49

Vertical jump: 33.5"

3-cone: 6.69

Those numbers don't make a person a good football player, but that's what I'm talking about when I say "measurables." What you're talking about is a so-called scout's analysis. Good information from both. But when you say he's a below average athlete, I don't agree. We always talk about how fast and athletic Pierre Garcon is, but his measurables are pretty much the same as White's. Forty time is 4.42, vertical jump is 36", 3-cone is 6.9. White's numbers rival Dez Bryant's, but I don't think anyone would call Bryant or Garcon below average athletes.

And since he's a receiver, I'll say this as well: White has better hands than both.

I hadn't read that before, but it seems to describe what we've seen from him on the field. He is a backup possession receiver who isn't going to be getting faster anytime soon. If you are a twelve win team seeking depth for a playoff run, and your star QB has invested a lot of time developing timing with this guy, than great, keep him for depth. If you are a two win team trying hard to find new impact players on offense to grow with your baby QB, than what purpose does he serve?

I guess that they could have kept him longer, but there might be injury issues as some have suggested, and they also might have considered it fairer to give him a chance to catch on with another team.

I said before, I'm not saying that Blair White was anything special, nor am I upset that he was released. This is a minor thing, overall. At best, he's a 4th receiver. This is not a big deal. I'm just saying that I expected him to be in camp with the Colts, not waived before the draft. Because if he's your 4th or 5th, that bodes well for your top 3. I think. He might be better off on a team with a veteran quarterback (Denver, anyone?). I'm not crying for him. Just didn't expect to see him released at this point.

[MAC]

Those aren't measurables, sir. These are measurables:

40 time: 4.49

Vertical jump: 33.5"

3-cone: 6.69

Those numbers don't make a person a good football player, but that's what I'm talking about when I say "measurables." What you're talking about is a so-called scout's analysis. Good information from both. But when you say he's a below average athlete, I don't agree. We always talk about how fast and athletic Pierre Garcon is, but his measurables are pretty much the same as White's. Forty time is 4.42, vertical jump is 36", 3-cone is 6.9. White's numbers rival Dez Bryant's, but I don't think anyone would call Bryant or Garcon below average athletes.

And since he's a receiver, I'll say this as well: White has better hands than both.

I said before, I'm not saying that Blair White was anything special, nor am I upset that he was released. This is a minor thing, overall. At best, he's a 4th receiver. This is not a big deal. I'm just saying that I expected him to be in camp with the Colts, not waived before the draft. Because if he's your 4th or 5th, that bodes well for your top 3. I think. He might be better off on a team with a veteran quarterback (Denver, anyone?). I'm not crying for him. Just didn't expect to see him released at this point.

I know what measureables are, and I understood your post. In fact I assumed that you were correct and didn't bother checking. What I was searching for was a written answer to the thought "if Superman is right and he is a good athlete, why does he look so darn slow and ineffective to me on the field". The description that I posted answered that question fairly well.

Since I considered him to be Collies backup, I've then taken it a step further and compared the two to see why Collie seems so superior to me. It turns out that White's measureables are better than Collies, but the descriptions make it clear why the numbers simply don't tell the whole story. Or more precisely, perhaps they don't measure enough things. Collie has an initial quickness which allows him to get off the line and get open, or get out of cuts and get open. The bottom line is that he gets open, which is kind of important for a receiver. He excels at the precise areas where White fails - while doing everything else as well or better as well. Same bottom line - he was never all that good. With his injuries he may well now be worse.

[Blackhawk4]

Avery says he runs a 4.21. That's not speedy?

Doesn't matter if he ran 4 flat if he can't stay on the field.

[Coltswarriors]

Shocked. We're extremely thin at WR.

Wish we would have went after another WR in free agency.

[Superman]

I know what measureables are, and I understood your post. In fact I assumed that you were correct and didn't bother checking. What I was searching for was a written answer to the thought "if Superman is right and he is a good athlete, why does he look so darn slow and ineffective to me on the field". The description that I posted answered that question fairly well.

Since I considered him to be Collies backup, I've then taken it a step further and compared the two to see why Collie seems so superior to me. It turns out that White's measureables are better than Collies, but the descriptions make it clear why the numbers simply don't tell the whole story. Or more precisely, perhaps they don't measure enough things. Collie has an initial quickness which allows him to get off the line and get open, or get out of cuts and get open. The bottom line is that he gets open, which is kind of important for a receiver. He excels at the precise areas where White fails - while doing everything else as well or better as well. Same bottom line - he was never all that good. With his injuries he may well now be worse.

I was just responding to the comment that he's a below average athlete. I think his measurables speak to that pretty well.

You're absolutely right that he's inferior as a receiver to Collie, and other players. And after the injuries, that difference might be even more pronounced. But I think he's still a good option to have at the end of your bench, if he's healthy. No big, either way. I just don't think he's a below average athlete.

And now, I've used up my faux-umbrage for the day on whether or not Blair White is a below average athlete. Very productive. I can go home now.

;)

[jemack]

Could it be they just released the next Wes Welker, OMG!

But seriously, I liked the kid

[21isSuperman]

He was decent, but never a great WR. And he really benefited from having Peyton throw him the ball. Not a huge loss

[BuildtheMonster1285]

I am shocked. I thought White had a lot of potential to be a great WR

[KarlKuffs]

lol.....I knew when I clicked on this thread that there were actually going to be some people who bemoaned or "couldn't understand" releasing a guy who had minimum talent and production, and would have been a #5 receiver at best.....or just as likely, would have been recruited over and released during training camp.

Take off your blinders, people. Every player on this team isn't irreplacable. Alot of them suck.....which is a big reason why we went 2-14 last season.

This ain't your Bill Polian Colts anymore.

[GoColts8818]

Saw the theory is that the Colts were concerned about him staying healthy. While we are thin at WR I do think we willl be over come the loss of White I always thought he was a major product of Peyton Manning.

[Gavin]

It's cool, the two WRs will be better, Blair was a product of Peyton

while that is true, all of the colts were a product of Peyton