OhioColt's off-season mock draft 1.0

[OhioColt]

Wentz will be our starting QB for the upcoming season.  We paid too much for him for the first two years.  After this year, it makes more financial sense to move on if need be, not to mention, the QB class is much better and we will have a first rounder as leverage.

 

Using OTC:

2022 OTC 36.037m cap space

2023 OTC 76.898m cap space

 

Colts Free Agents:

OL Julie’n Davenport (continued to struggle)

RG Mark Glowinski (slow start but played well as season progressed but ends up as a cap causality)

LT Eric Fisher (got to be a younger-better upgrade in FA, the draft on current roster)

LT Sam Tevi (had high hopes prior to his season ending injury)

RB Marlon Mack (was hoping for a comeback miracle but was MIA)

TE MAC (not a starter and border-line FA) 1-year 4.25m

WR T.Y. Hilton (age and injuries are a major concern, but he still was out second best WR) 1-year 8m

WR Zach Pascal (had hoped for a career year instead underperformed on a contract season)

DT Antwaun Woods (flashed at times but age catching up and time to move on)

DE Isaac Rochell (showed promising play at times but still needs to elevate his game) Overpaid initial contract and may not take a pay cut

DE Kemoko Turay (health always an issue and never took advantage of his opportunities)

LB Matthew Adams

CB Xavier Rhodes (solid career but time to move on)

CB T.J. Carrie (age and injuries caught up to Carrie this season)

SAF Andrew Sendejo (played well for our injury depleted DB group – enjoy retirement)

 

Colts Free Agents Resigned:

WR Ashton Dulin 2-year 965k, 1.08m

WR Quartney Davis (ERFA signing, no L-T value proven yet) ERFA tender 825k

OT Matt Pryor (solid 2021) 2-year 3m-4m

OL Chris Reed (decent 2021, not a L-T answer but decent stopgap) 1-year 2.4m

DT Taylor Stallworth (slow start but finished strong as season progressed) ROFR RFA 2.433m or RD2 3.986m – sign 2-year deal 1.5m-2.3m

DT Robert Windsor (ERFA signing, no L-T value proven yet) ERFA tender 825k

DE AQM (played well as projected but clearly not on Paye’s level to continue as a starter) 3-year 7m avg

DE Tyquan Lewis (decent rotational player) 3-year 3m avg (2m-3m-4m)

LB Zaire Franklin (slow start and been on my cut list after first few weeks but finished the season strong) 3-year 1.25m-2m-2.8m

LB Skai Moore (ERFA signing, no L-T value proven yet) 1-year ERFA tender 895k

CB Nick Nelson (ERFA signing, no L-T value proven yet) 1-year ERFA tender 895k

SAF George Odum (from ST-ace to starter that took his game play to another level) 2-year 2.3m-3.1m

SAF Jahleel Addae (flashed at end of season and like to give him another year or two) 1-year 1.25m

K Michael Badgley (decent depth) 2-year 1.035m/1.08m

 

FA signings Other Teams:

LCB Nik Needham (Dolphins) 3-year 5m avg – 18.32m 2022 cap space

TE Dalton Schultz (Cowboys) 4-year Front-end contract 11m, 10m, 9m, 8m – 8.315m 2022 cap space

WR-ST KhaDarel Hodge (Lions) 2-year 2.5m-3m – 6.71m 2022 cap space

LDE Jacob Martin (Texans) 3-year 5m avg with 3m sign bonus – 2.605m 2022 cap space

 

Trade:

C Ryan Kelly (Pinter played better) (gain 3m cap space in 2022 and 12.375m cap space in 2023) – Even trade with Commanders for OG Wes Schweitzer (2023 UFA) and contract should break nearly even negating 3m.  Schweitzer played both guard spots equally well.  Projecting to be starting RG replacing Glowinski.

 

Retire:

TE Jack Doyle (gain 5.45m cap space in 2022) – 8.055m cap space 2022

 

Restructured Contracts:

DT Grover Stewart (needs to renegotiate contract take a 3-4m pay cut for 2022-2023) – Assume takes 3m cut and 2022 cap space now 11.055m

 

Late FA Addition:

LDT: Solomon Thomas (Raiders) - Replaces Woods at higher back-end contract premium, 3-years 4m, 4.8m, 5.6m.  Looks like Raiders may have cap issues this off-season so value addition with final cap adjustments projecting 4-7m to sign draftees.  Would need players like Stewart to restructure contracts and possibly a few others to free up more cap space as we still need to sign Nelson to a long-term contract.

 

NFL Draft:

 

Round 2: RCB Coby Bryant (Cincy) – Replaces X. Rhodes

Round 3: LT Kellen Diesch (Arizona St) – Played well in college and has the tangibles but needs coaching

Round 4: OC John Michael Schmitz (Minnesota) - Adds depth to our OL after trading Kelly

Round 5a: WR Dontay Demus Jr. (Maryland) – Before his injury he had a PFF Season grade of 78.0 which was better than most of the top receivers at the time.

Round 5 (comp): WLB Jeremiah Gemmel (NC) - High IQ and creates TOs, sacks, FF, and INTs – solid backup to Leonard as E.J. Speed will be a 2023 FA.

Round 6 (comp): TE Austin Allen (Nebraska) – An under the radar player who is turning heads at the Combine

Round 7: SLB Jesse Luketa (PSU) - Got some talent and potential 4-3 SAM

 

Depth Chart:

QB: Wentz, Ehlinger

RB: Taylor, Hines, Jackson

WR1: Pittman, Strachan

WR2: Demus, Hodge, Dulin

WR3: Campbell, Patmon, Harris

TE1: Schultz

TE2: Granson, Allen

LT: Diesch, Pryor

LG: Nelson, Reed

C: Pinter, Schmitz

RG: Schweitzer, Reed

LT: Smith, Pryor, Fries

 

LDE: Paye, Martin, Banogu

LDT: Buckner, Thomas, Williams

RDT: Stewart, Stallworth, Windsor

RDE: AQM, Odeyingbo, Lewis

WLB: Leonard, Gemmel, Speed, Glasgow

MLB: Okereke, Moore, Jefferson

SLB: Franklin, Luketa

LCB: Ya-Sin, Needham

SCB: Moore

RCB: Bryant, Rodgers

SS: Willis, Addae

FS: Blackmon, Odum

 

Our offense gets the biggest changes this off-season while the defense remains mostly the same.  Projecting similar outcome as last season but clearly need better OL play and questions going forward with Wentz at QB and a starting LT.  Both Martin and Thomas as FA additions should be key rotational contributors.  Like Leonard, Gemmel is another player who has shown he can step up and create turnovers.  Expect Bryant to struggle initially to the NFL but hope he can piece it all together much faster than Ya-Sin in his rookie season.  Hopefully the defensive coaching changes works out and players remain healthy this season.  Next off-season we will have more cap space available to be more aggressive and continue to wisely build for the future.

[Defjamz26]

I really don’t see how anything in that offseason makes the Colts significantly better. You added CB depth but you didn’t really upgrade any position, and that draft is almost entirely project players.

 

You keep Wentz, but aside from Schultz you don’t do much to help him. Wouldn’t really be a fan of this off-season tbh.

[MikeCurtis]

Hey fellow Buckeye O-H!

 

Thanks for posting

 

I always enjoy reading these 

 

What I like:

 

Dalton Shultz.... seems like a perfect pickup and fills a TE need

Wentz seems to be the best answer for this year, and when the dust settles, should be our starter (I hope)

I like that you brought back Pryor and Reed (theses are a priority IMHO)

 

Thoughts

 

Carson IS a question mark. Would you want to ALSO take a flyer on a young FA OR a mid range QB in the draft?

 

I think if you are counting on a 3rd round LT to start this year, you may have a tremendous problem

 

The WR that you picked in FA to start has a 4 year total of 30 receptions. Im not sure that makes us any more explosive

 

IMHO the biggest need (after QB) is Defensive end.... we were near dead last in pressures and sacks

 

This defense will be an utmost failure without improvement

 

This team is in DIRE need of a bona fide pass rusher

 

 

Thanks for posting

 

 

 

 

[Clem-Dog]

I’d be content with this.  Nothing splashy but it’s solid.  

[Archer]

I think these kind of non-splashy off-seasons are realistic for us.  I always post ones like this and get a big ole “meh” from the forum…

[DaColts85]

This off-season just seems very meh. You aren’t helping the offense at all. With the defensive side you still aren’t helping much either. I see CB talking with Gus everyday to figure out what we have and what we need to help his system.  You grab a CB early but yet not one that fits Gus’s system the best. We need a long great “zone” type guy. I see this being something we grab in FA. Casey Hayward would still not shock me. I just don’t see AQM coming back. He is a great rotational guy but not with this system IMO. You keep Turay and Lewis and allow them to push for snaps with Dayo and Paye. CB will go after a DT or something a long the line with FA or the draft. I can almost bet that. 
 

offensive weapons will be key and Schultz would be a great add. We need more than just this though. I see something else added. Just my view though.