What is our biggest need?

[Superman]

Take quarterback off the table, that spot is filled. If you had a silver bullet and could fix any position on the team, without money/cap space or draft position being a concern, what ONE position would you fix?

[chad72]

NT or ILB for the 3-4 front - two very key components. If we get a good candidate for either, that is where our money or draft resource should be prioritized. We cant win our run happy division without those key components. Without winning the division, we are going nowhere.

Outscoring someone is not a luxury we have right now with a new QB. In a few years, it might be an offensive player to put us over the hump, just not now.

[Nobody]

CB.

[oldunclemark]

Take quarterback off the table, that spot is filled. If you had a silver bullet and could fix any position on the team, without money/cap space or draft position being a concern, what ONE position would you fix?

tight end....

pass catching tight end

[Superman]

NT or ILB for the 3-4 front - two very key components. If we get a good candidate for either, that is where our money or draft resource should be prioritized. We cant win our run happy division without those key components. Without winning the division, we are going nowhere.

Outscoring someone is not a luxury we have right now with a new QB. In a few years, it might be an offensive player to put us over the hump, just not now.

So you're thinking more long term, two or three years from now, what foundational piece would help the team the most, right? So then, choose one. Money doesn't matter, draft resources don't matter. You can wave a magic wand and fix one position: ILB or nose tackle?

[oldunclemark]

WE have one tight end....

Brody Eldridge..and catching passes is not his strength

..we need 2 more tight ends

[MSColtsFan]

NT for sure for me, if the Colts in fact play 3-4 predominantly.

[OZOC01]

A powerful nose tackle.

[chad72]

NT for sure for me, if the Colts in fact play 3-4 predominantly.

So you're thinking more long term, two or three years from now, what foundational piece would help the team the most, right? So then, choose one. Money doesn't matter, draft resources don't matter. You can wave a magic wand and fix one position: ILB or nose tackle?

Agree with NorCalColt, nose tackle.

[Superman]

CB.

I agree that our cornerback play has been atrocious for at least two seasons, but I think it has more to do with the coaching than the players. In watching the games again here recently, Kevin Thomas has stood out to me. He played excellent coverage when he was allowed to actually play coverage. Rucker played decent coverage, but got beat a few times. Powers is a good corner. I'd prefer to see what our corners look like in a sensible NFL defense.

[Superman]

tight end....

pass catching tight end

I would submit that we can be a good offense without a good tight end. I think the Colts in 2006 were the last team that had a significant receiving tight end threat and won a Super Bowl. The Giants in 2007 didn't; Shockey was in the club box. Steelers didn't; Heath Miller was hurt. Saints didn't use Shockey very much, although he was a weapon. Jermichael Finley was hurt in 2010. Giants didn't use a tight end very much this year.

You really think tight end is our biggest need?

[oldunclemark]

I would submit that we can be a good offense without a good tight end. I think the Colts in 2006 were the last team that had a significant receiving tight end threat and won a Super Bowl. The Giants in 2007 didn't; Shockey was in the club box. Steelers didn't; Heath Miller was hurt. Saints didn't use Shockey very much, although he was a weapon. Jermichael Finley was hurt in 2010. Giants didn't use a tight end very much this year.

You really think tight end is our biggest need?

Its a new day...look at New England's tight ends..

some of what you say is undoubtebly true.........but TE is also the position we are weakest at.

We have nothing there except Brody....who's a blocker.

We have to be able to move the ball....remember: 15 poinst a game last year

..and we arent that deep at wide receiver either....

We are moving into an era of attack tight ends..everybody says so.

TE

[Superman]

Its a new day...look at New England's tight ends..

some of what you say is undoubtebly true.........but TE is also the position we are weakest at.

We have nothing there except Brody....who's a blocker.

We have to be able to move the ball....remember: 15 poinst a game last year

..and we arent that deep at wide receiver either....

We are moving into an era of attack tight ends..everybody says so.

TE

We started the tight end thing. New England is getting all the credit, but I don't think they deserve as much credit as Peyton Manning and Tom Moore.

Regardless, my point is just that I think we can be a good offense without a good tight end. I'd like to have a good pass catching tight end also, but I think it's more of a luxury than it is our biggest need. I think nose tackle or wide receiver would be more important to us being a good team.

[oldunclemark]

We started the tight end thing. New England is getting all the credit, but I don't think they deserve as much credit as Peyton Manning and Tom Moore.

Regardless, my point is just that I think we can be a good offense without a good tight end. I'd like to have a good pass catching tight end also, but I think it's more of a luxury than it is our biggest need. I think nose tackle or wide receiver would be more important to us being a good team.

Getting away from my point...lets address your point..

This is why I hope we dont go old school on offense..

I thought the Colts changed the game offensively...you are 100% correct

NE followed us..and NOLA spun off that...

there will come a day when most all teams play indoors..

.and do the fast break offense TE-as a 4th-WR assault thing..

Tall TEs...speed on the oustide.......

Welker/Stokley hands men in the slot......Collies slicing through the seams

Its OUR heritage...I dont want to see us go back to Bob Griense and Larry Csonka and Paul Warfield

We should stay with it and just built a bigger, bettre attack vehicle for the next generation

[CS Colts Fan]

1. TE Catching Flenner if Available @ 34

2.CB starting hopefully Shutdown or close too

3. NT

we have no catching TE and Luck has been using them he is comfortable with them and it will help him in his transition to the NFL

[bahhummbug]

NT anchor of 3-4 without a good nosetackle 3-4 is useless it starts at NT.

[Superman]

Getting away from my point...lets address your point..

This is why I hope we dont go old school on offense..

I thought the Colts changed the game offensively...you are 100% correct

NE followed us..and NOLA spun off that...

there will come a day when most all teams play indoors..

.and do the fast break offense TE-as a 4th-WR assault thing..

Tall TEs...speed on the oustide.......

Welker/Stokley hands men in the slot......Collies slicing through the seams

Its OUR heritage...I dont want to see us go back to Bob Griense and Larry Csonka and Paul Warfield

We should stay with it and just built a bigger, bettre attack vehicle for the next generation

I don't think it's old school to not rely on a tight end as a staple of your pass attack. I like how we could use our two tight end package in a no-huddle and give the defense multiple looks from down to down. But I don't think that's a necessary component of a successful offense, and as Exhibit A, I give you the rest of the NFL. There are a handful of teams that have really good tight ends that contribute mightily to their offense. I'd like us to be one of those teams, just like you. I just don't think it's necessary to be a good team or have a good offense.

So, as it relates to our team, I find it curious that you think it's our biggest need. It's your opinion, and I don't mean to give you a hard time about it. I just wondered if you really think it's our biggest need, or if it's just your biggest wish.

[chad72]

1. TE Catching Flenner if Available @ 34

2.CB starting hopefully Shutdown or close too

3. NT

we have no catching TE and Luck has been using them he is comfortable with them and it will help him in his transition to the NFL

I dont think he is asking about pick no.34 in particular. If we had free agency money and/or draft picks, which would be the first thing you would look for to fix? Going for a pass catching TE would be like a kid wanting a toy like the other kid, IMO. The way our team is rebuilding, the TE can be a relief guy but the running game and D help for a rookie QB will take the team further. We dont have to go old school but have to provide the balance quicker (the balance with D helping out O, and the balance with running helping out passing) in order to help a rookie QB. Once the team is built inside, we go outside and load up.

If this is a team like the Ravens, the offense would put them over the hump, so load up outside a little more. But for a rookie QB, one has to go with the assumption he will need help from his running game and D a bit more till he gets his feet wet. It is not like Wayne, Avery, Collie are all slouches in the passing game. If the O-line protects Luck, the Wayne and Collie that we know will manage to get open and Luck will find someone.

Otherwise, it is Spider Y Banana, pass to RB or FB .

[Nobody]

I agree that our cornerback play has been atrocious for at least two seasons, but I think it has more to do with the coaching than the players. In watching the games again here recently, Kevin Thomas has stood out to me. He played excellent coverage when he was allowed to actually play coverage. Rucker played decent coverage, but got beat a few times. Powers is a good corner. I'd prefer to see what our corners look like in a sensible NFL defense.

1. Our corners sucked in a Tampa 2 D, which barely uses CBs, we need man on man CBs now.

2. Thomas is horrible at man coverage. He's a zone corner.

3. SPEED. Our CBs are soooo SLOW. We can't keep up with guys. I would want a fast, tall, man coverage, shutdown CB.

4. Coaching can only help so much.

[Superman]

1. Our corners sucked in a Tampa 2 D, which barely uses CBs, we need man on man CBs now.

2. Thomas is horrible at man coverage. He's a zone corner.

3. SPEED. Our CBs are soooo SLOW. We can't keep up with guys. I would want a fast, tall, man coverage, shutdown CB.

4. Coaching can only help so much.

Our corners weren't allowed to cover. When they were, they looked fine, particularly Thomas.

[FightLikeSin]

I'd have to say TE. They are crucial right now. Luck leaned on Fleener a lot and I think it would be wise for the Colts to either get Fleener or at least another pass catching TE. I would have said NT, but we at least have McKinney to get us through the year. But we have nobody to catch the ball at the TE position.

[lollygagger8]

I think our biggest need would be to stop listening to whatever Polian says

[The Peytonator]

It depends on what you mean by fix any position. If you just mean an average, fill the need type player, I'd go with TE because we just don't have anything there. If you're talking about a truly dominant, top 3 in the league type player, I'd go with NT. That's about the most important position on a defense and dominant ones are hard to find.

[Gavin]

Guard

Corner

Tight End

Guard and Corner can flip

The Guards we have no scare me and not in a good way also ssame thing for Corner, we certainly dont have a man shutdown corner, and I would love to get a Cordy Glenn or a Zeitler them two are beasts

[schwamm]

We started the tight end thing. New England is getting all the credit, but I don't think they deserve as much credit as Peyton Manning and Tom Moore.

Regardless, my point is just that I think we can be a good offense without a good tight end. I'd like to have a good pass catching tight end also, but I think it's more of a luxury than it is our biggest need. I think nose tackle or wide receiver would be more important to us being a good team.

Actually, to re-derail for a second, I think credit does belong with the Patriots. Ben Coates totally reshaped the TE position, and even led the team in receptions for a couple years in the early 90's (I think), at a time when such a thing was unprecedented. If memory serves, he was the first TE to breech the 1,000 yards receiving in a season mark.

Now, back to our regularly scheduled OP... I'd say trenches. If I was starting a team from scratch (with a 3-4 D), I'd go QB, then blind side OT, then NT. Since you are taking QB off the table, and the Colts are (I hope) set with Castanzo, I'd definitely go NT next, without hesitation. IMO, that is the Colt's biggest and most pressing need. After that, I'd still say it's trench positions (Guards, Center, Ends...). Every good construction project ("building the monster") needs a solid foundation.

That said, I don't think there is a "value" option at NT available with the Colt's second pick, unless they want to take a shot at moving up to grab Poe... but at what cost?

[Superman]

I think our biggest need would be to stop listening to whatever Polian says

Irsay fired Polian in January. The draft starts in about two and a half hours. It's time to leave the Polian era in the past and embrace where we are right now.

[GoColts8818]

Beyond QB hmmm Cornerback or DT IMO.

I would have said DT till we brought one in but even he is only one guy.

You can make a strong case for tightend too.

[oldunclemark]

I don't think it's old school to not rely on a tight end as a staple of your pass attack. I like how we could use our two tight end package in a no-huddle and give the defense multiple looks from down to down. But I don't think that's a necessary component of a successful offense, and as Exhibit A, I give you the rest of the NFL. There are a handful of teams that have really good tight ends that contribute mightily to their offense. I'd like us to be one of those teams, just like you. I just don't think it's necessary to be a good team or have a good offense.

So, as it relates to our team, I find it curious that you think it's our biggest need. It's your opinion, and I don't mean to give you a hard time about it. I just wondered if you really think it's our biggest need, or if it's just your biggest wish.

I'm an offensive guys..

..and I note that most of ourt free agent signings have been on defense...

I trust that Pagano is a defnsive guy and he's the man....on that side

Buy you dont have a good offense without good skill talent...

For US.....we're very, very thin at the position that is being maximized more and more by more teams..

That wasn't a random thought

I most definetly think that of all 22 positoins..our biggest need is tight end...2 of them

[Superman]

Actually, to re-derail for a second, I think credit does belong with the Patriots. Ben Coates totally reshaped the TE position, and even led the team in receptions for a couple years in the early 90's (I think), at a time when such a thing was unprecedented. If memory serves, he was the first TE to breech the 1,000 yards receiving in a season mark.

I don't know who the first was, but it wasn't Ben Coates. First of all, he did it for the first time in 1994, as did Shannon Sharpe. But Kellen Winslow did it over a decade earlier. And he led the league in receptions twice in row, in 1980 and 1981.

But there have been plenty of transcendent tight ends who broke the mold and pioneered the way for the guys in the league right now. I wasn't saying that we had the first. I'm just saying that the so-called revolution that's taking place right now with two tight end sets and different formations with the same personnel isn't a Bill Belichick idea. It's something that Tom Moore and Peyton Manning were doing several years ago. They probably got it from someone else. Yet people keep running around talking about how Belichick is changing the game.

Now, back to our regularly scheduled OP... I'd say trenches. If I was starting a team from scratch (with a 3-4 D), I'd go QB, then blind side OT, then NT. Since you are taking QB off the table, and the Colts are (I hope) set with Castanzo, I'd definitely go NT next, without hesitation. IMO, that is the Colt's biggest and most pressing need. After that, I'd still say it's trench positions (Guards, Center, Ends...). Every good construction project ("building the monster") needs a solid foundation.

That said, I don't think there is a "value" option at NT available with the Colt's second pick, unless they want to take a shot at moving up to grab Poe... but at what cost?

I wasn't really thinking about our second round pick, but I agree that there isn't someone we should be grabbing at #34 at nose tackle. Ta'amu might be there in the 3rd. I'd rather have him than move up for Poe, who scares me. I'm starting to agree that nose tackle is our biggest need.

And, I wonder about the value of a foundational left tackle for protection, especially with a mobile quarterback. The idea behind having a great left tackle isn't to keep your quarterback from getting pressured or sacked; that's going to happen no matter how good your linemen are. The idea is that you don't want him getting murdered, and it doesn't necessarily take a great left tackle to do that. Some of the best offenses in the NFL don't have great left tackles. The Saints probably had the best line in the NFL last year, and Bushrod might have been the least talented player of them all.

Unlike most, I'm willing to give Reitz and Ijalana/Justice a chance at guard. Depth would be great, but I'm not that thrilled with the idea of placing a high premium on guard this offseason. And I like Satele at center.

[gthatch15]

Cornerback is by far our biggest need. Is this really an argument? The Colts were terrible in pass defense last year and had one solid CB for sure, and that's Jerraud Powers. Lacey went downhill and got cut and players like Rucker and Thomas showed flashes and potential but might still need to be coached up and gain experience. TE is a close second, but in a passing league you have to have players that can defend against the pass. We have Bethea, Zbikowski, and Powers and we just need one more good CB to have a good defensive backfield.

[Gavin]

Guard Nose Tackle Corner and not in any particular order, simply put this is a passing league and if ya dont have a good number 1 Corner your spinning your tires and how ya gonna run if you dont have any mean nasty offensive linemen, I dont think we have those at this point and nose tackle, well how are ya gonna stop a 3rd and short with a small nose tackle if he is double teamed

[MSColtsFan]

Actually, to re-derail for a second, I think credit does belong with the Patriots. Ben Coates totally reshaped the TE position, and even led the team in receptions for a couple years in the early 90's (I think), at a time when such a thing was unprecedented. If memory serves, he was the first TE to breech the 1,000 yards receiving in a season mark.

My vote is Don Coryell and his use of Kellen Winslow with those Chargers teams. That, to me, was the first time someone used what functionally was a WR at TE to create matchup issues, especially as the Chargers had great speed on the perimeter, kept people honest with Muncie draws... Gibbs in DC, a coach on the Coryell staff, took that to another level, using two, one more a receiver type, the other more a blocker (Diddier and Walker as I recall) as they won titles...

[Gavin]

Powers is a Zone Corner and not Man and it shows

[JWF]

QB, QB, QB and QB.

But id say get a good WR/TE to pair with Luck would be the next priority.

[Superman]

Powers is a Zone Corner and not Man and it shows

Do you realize how much zone the Ravens play? Why does everyone think we're going to scrap every ounce of zone from our defensive approach?

And by the way, in watching Powers and our other corners, they played better last year when they were allowed to cover. It was the deep cushions that ruined any coverage ability they do have and forced them to be open field tacklers. The only concern I have about Jerraud Powers is his ability to stay on the field.

[Superman]

Cornerback is by far our biggest need. Is this really an argument? The Colts were terrible in pass defense last year and had one solid CB for sure, and that's Jerraud Powers. Lacey went downhill and got cut and players like Rucker and Thomas showed flashes and potential but might still need to be coached up and gain experience. TE is a close second, but in a passing league you have to have players that can defend against the pass. We have Bethea, Zbikowski, and Powers and we just need one more good CB to have a good defensive backfield.

I'd like an improvement at corner, but I (again) submit that it was the ridiculous defensive scheme we used that hurt our pass defense more than a deficiency in talent. I've been rewatching all the games from last year over the past few weeks, and the biggest issue was our deep zone coverage. Kevin Thomas looked very good in man coverage. Rucker isn't as good. Even Lacey looked significantly better when he wasn't playing eight yards off.

[Gavin]

Do you realize how much zone the Ravens play? Why does everyone think we're going to scrap every ounce of zone from our defensive approach?

And by the way, in watching Powers and our other corners, they played better last year when they were allowed to cover. It was the deep cushions that ruined any coverage ability they do have and forced them to be open field tacklers. The only concern I have about Jerraud Powers is his ability to stay on the field.

hes not a number 1, he didnt even have a decent amount of interceptions at Auburn

[Gavin]

I'd like an improvement at corner, but I (again) submit that it was the ridiculous defensive scheme we used that hurt our pass defense more than a deficiency in talent. I've been rewatching all the games from last year over the past few weeks, and the biggest issue was our deep zone coverage. Kevin Thomas looked very good in man coverage. Rucker isn't as good. Even Lacey looked significantly better when he wasn't playing eight yards off.

I do agree that alot of it was coverage and I would go as far as to say most of it, but we do need a Corner and Id take Janoris Jenkins in the 3rd if he lasts if not then I can wait till next year

[BleedingBlue]

I think at this point the answer could be whatever you want it to be.

lets say we had the exact same roster we had at the end of the season...and evaluate our needs.

I'd say our weaknesses watching 2011 we're our OL and lack of a premiere back as well as our secondary.

We also lacked a NT that could take a double or break things up the middle. It seemed everytime the book ends would collapse the pocket all anyone needed to do was push up the middle. ordinary scramblers were beating us with this

So now that you take the cuts and roster changes into effect you have to consider all those things on top of new needs.

Who are our line backers for the 3-4 besides angerer? Freeney? two more?

Whether a tight end is the foundation of your offense or not, you still need more than one on your roster so thats the obvious answer to your question.

We lost garcon so that means we still need another receiver.

I was a big fan of DB but he isn't carrying us to any sb.

We really can't miss with this draft. 4 out every 5 guys is a MUST pan out IMO. Dont like those %.

TLDR priority list

OL

CB

NT

TE

RB

WR