the KEY to success, this year's OL......

[coltsguy510]

If Castonzo is too slow for your liking we better look somewhere else for a LT because he's a little more athletic than Ijalana is. I don't know what people expected out of a rookie LT with no offseason reps blocking for horrible QB's, but Castonzo at least did enough to get another year to show his stuff. Suggs whipped him? Suggs whipped everyone last year. It means he's got to get better, not for us to overreact and throw in the next guy immediately.

Castonzo's not Joe Thomas or Jake Long, and we're not going to get that caliber of prospect unless we spend a top 5 pick on him. But he's still good enough to be a top 10 LT in this league if he keeps developing. It's way too quick to pull the plug on him as being our LT.

We can have a top 2 LT for next season. Jake Long is a FA!!

[GoColts8818]

If Castonzo is too slow for your liking we better look somewhere else for a LT because he's a little more athletic than Ijalana is. I don't know what people expected out of a rookie LT with no offseason reps blocking for horrible QB's, but Castonzo at least did enough to get another year to show his stuff. Suggs whipped him? Suggs whipped everyone last year. It means he's got to get better, not for us to overreact and throw in the next guy immediately.

Castonzo's not Joe Thomas or Jake Long, and we're not going to get that caliber of prospect unless we spend a top 5 pick on him. But he's still good enough to be a top 10 LT in this league if he keeps developing. It's way too quick to pull the plug on him as being our LT.

Clearly they expected Anthony Munzo and since they didn't get a pro-bowl rookie left tackle that must mean Castonzo is no good and must be cut right away or that very least benched for a guy who was taken a round latter than him and couldn't beat Jeff Linkenbauch out for a job last season. Think about what I just said. Now tell me if that is honestly who you (you being used in the general sense) want protecting our new franchise's QB blindside?

I know Ijalana looked good in a quarter last year but people need to come to grips with that was a quarter of football. Again that is very much like benching your third baseman in baseball because a guy you just called up from the minors went 1 for 1 in pinch hitting. You need a big sample size than what you got.

As has been pointed out Ijalana struggled in the pre-season. He was okay against other teams backs and third stringers. That's why he didn't start over Link and spare me the Caldwell being too stupid to make the change excuse. If Ijalana had played better in the pre-season they would have given him the shot. While Caldwell might not have been the best coach in the world he had no reason on earth to just hold Ijalana down in favor Link. Ijalana was viewed as guy coming out of college that was going to ned some work to make the jump to the NFL. He still does. Missing most of last season isn't going to help that because now he has to rehab from that injury and try to make up for lost playing time. In terms of playing time he is still very much a rookie and that's what he is going to need to get better.

You also have to remember in that quarter of action that Ijalana was thrown out there the Bucs had spent all week working on how to prepare for Castonzo and it's not like they had no clue how Ijalana played. So there was a feeling out process going on I am sure. He wasn't in the game long enough for that process to be completed let alone see how the Bucs probably would have attacked him and how he would have responded to that.

As this poster pointed out no Castonzo isn't a top 10 draft pick stud left tackle and as the poster pointed out look at where he was drafted. If he had that kind of talent he would have gone that high. With that said he can and I think will be a very good player for us for years to come. You don't have to be one of the best in the NFL to be a good player for a team.

Frankly Castonzo played about as well last year as Charlie Johnson had at left tackle the year before that. There was no major drop off. With that said Castonzo should keep getting better where as Johnson was probably already at his peek. He's a rookie players need time to grow. It doesn't happen over night. Glenn nearly got Harbaugh killed his rookie year. Yet when given a chance he turned into one of the better left tackles in the NFL. Castonzo is not a finished product yet so people need to stop judging him as if this is as good as he's going to get. Being the most NFL ready tackle in the draft doesn't mean a guy has reached his peek in terms of development it just means he was the most ready to play day one. That player can still and probably will get better.

Yes Castonzo got owned by the DPOY. You know how many people Suggs owned last year, let alone a rookie left tackle? That's why he was the DPOY! That's like saying Champ Baily isn't a good CB because Peyton Manning picked him apart in a game. Frankly if Castonzo hadn't gotten owned by Suggs that would have been the shocking thing. I would be much more concerned if "John Smith" of whoever owned Castonzo last year but that didn't happen. Also I really doubt that Ijalana would have held up any better than Castonzo did last year vs. Suggs.

Castonzo was the more polished player coming out of college. He has the year of experience playing left tackle in the NFL. He will start at left tackle over Ijalana at least till Ijalana shows that he has developed that he is better than Castonzo. Right now Ijalana needs to first prove he's better than Link and Justice. Once he does that then we can start to look at his play vs. Castonzo's because that will both be starting.

[coltsguy510]

I know I have said this a million times, but does anyone else think that we should go out and get Jake Long, Ryan Clady, Jeff Otah, Sebastian Vollmer, or Jermon Bushrod? I would definitley want Long, but only for the right price.

[GoColts8818]

I know I have said this a million times, but does anyone else think that we should go out and get Jake Long, Ryan Clady, Jeff Otah, Sebastian Vollmer, or Jermon Bushrod? I would definitley want Long, but only for the right price.

I'll wait till next year when I see how this line preforms and which of those players hit the market.

[coltsguy510]

I'll wait till next year when I see how this line preforms and which of those players hit the market.

I meant to put, if they aren't resigned.

[buccolts]

I meant to put, if they aren't resigned.

Oh, oh, oh.... I thought you were being sarcastic, and referring to the numerous unrealistic pick up posts we've enjoyed here the past few months.

[GoColts8818]

I meant to put, if they aren't resigned.

It's all good, I still want to see how our line does. I mean no point and going out and getting someone if the guys we have in place are doing the job. We can then use that money on other players to replace guys who aren't getting the job done at other positions on the team. Clearly if our new line isn't getting the job done then yes it would be a good idea to go after the best free agents we can get to make the line better.

[Warhorse]

darn right....

Losing Scott and Glenn REALLY HURT this team. And Lilja's injury, and Ugoh's bust factor...

darn what could have been. But, it was the best run YET.

Onward and forward.

Perfect post. Concise, accurate, wide in scope, and positive while acknowledging flaws.

[coltsguy510]

Oh, oh, oh.... I thought you were being sarcastic, and referring to the numerous unrealistic pick up posts we've enjoyed here the past few months.

I didn't mean all of them either.

[coltsguy510]

It's all good, I still want to see how our line does. I mean no point and going out and getting someone if the guys we have in place are doing the job. We can then use that money on other players to replace guys who aren't getting the job done at other positions on the team. Clearly if our new line isn't getting the job done then yes it would be a good idea to go after the best free agents we can get to make the line better.

If Castonzo, Satele and Ijilana are the only ones that do adequete to good, We could get one of the players mentioned above and then LT, RT, and OG would be instantly better. Castonzo would be the perfect RT and Ijilana would be a great OG. We could then pick up a guard in the 2nd or 3rd round of the draft and have a great offensive line unit. If we do get that Franchise LT we would be set for years.

[GoColts8818]

If Castonzo, Satele and Ijilana are the only ones that do adequete to good, We could get one of the players mentioned above and then LT, RT, and OG would be instantly better. Castonzo would be the perfect RT and Ijilana would be a great OG. We could then pick up a guard in the 2nd or 3rd round of the draft and have a great offensive line unit. If we do get that Franchise LT we would be set for years.

I think Reitz will do just fine. He did well last season and like Castonzo should keep getting better. Also there is no proof to suggest that Ijialana will make a good right guard. He's never played the poistion. As we saw with Link some guys are just tackles. Not everyone can do what Diem and Johnson did and move between the two positions. Also right now Ijalana needs to worry about recovering from his knee injury and proving he is better than Link (something he wasn't last year which is why Link started over him) before we say he's a great anything.

We can play the what if game all night because we don't know what's going to happen so like I said I want to see what is going to happen not only with our players but how those other player preform before I say oh yes we have to go get this guy. For all we know Long could have some kinda horrible injury this season or Castonzo could develop into a pro-bowl tackle. We just need to wait and see.

[coltsguy510]

I think Reitz will do just fine. He did well last season and like Castonzo should keep getting better. Also there is no proof to suggest that Ijialana will make a good right guard. He's never played the poistion. As we saw with Link some guys are just tackles. Not everyone can do what Diem and Johnson did and move between the two positions. Also right now Ijalana needs to worry about recovering from his knee injury and proving he is better than Link (something he wasn't last year which is why Link started over him) before we say he's a great anything.

We can play the what if game all night because we don't know what's going to happen so like I said I want to see what is going to happen not only with our players but how those other player preform before I say oh yes we have to go get this guy. For all we know Long could have some kinda horrible injury this season or Castonzo could develop into a pro-bowl tackle. We just need to wait and see.

Ijalana's has prototypical size for the OG position. He has very long arms, which would help a ton as a guard. He is very quick as a guard and has good downfield speed. He is strong and can block downfield on the run. He could be a great guard, it's just a matter of learning the position. http://www.nfldraftscout.com/ratings/dsprofile.php?pyid=85820&draftyear=2011&genpos=OG

[Superman]

He did not have a good year the year before last but if you honestly watch hm and just him last year he played very well. Frankly he should have probably should have gotten a pro-bowl nod last year but it makes up for the one he got he year before that when he didn't deserve it.

We'll see about the new guy, I have a hard time believing if he was honestly better than Saturday that his old team would have just let him walk. I am not saying he wont be good but I at least want to see him on the field before I say he's as good or better than Saturday. I would hope it's a net gain though at the points in their career's. Saturday is on his last legs so I would hope that the younger guy can out preform the older vet over the long haul. I am sure that was part of the logic behind the move. I am not saying the Colts did anything wrong in what they did this past off-season in terms of the center spot I am just saying let's not under sell Saturday he had a pretty good year last year. That's all. I agree it makes perfect sense to go with a younger when we are in a rebuilding mood.

I think he played well. I'd stop short of very well. But, as we said, definitely better than 2010, when no one had a good year on the offensive line. Not trying to undersell him, I just think he's living off of reputation at this point. He's literally been up and down the past four seasons, and he'll be 37 when the season starts.

As for Satele leaving the Raiders, they had major cap issues to correct this offseason, more than almost any other team. Certainly more than us, even if we'd kept Manning. They had to cut some pretty serviceable players (perhaps overpaid, but not chopped liver) to get under the cap before the league year started. A number of players restructured contracts to free up cap space. They had to let several other decent players walk, and Satele was one of them. This happens every year, to several teams. Those are sometimes the best free agent acquisitions you can make, and that's how I feel about Satele. A very good signing, for not a whole bunch of money, for a player in his prime who can make an immediate impact at a position of need. And he's nine years younger than Jeff Saturday. This might have been our best roster move of the offseason, aside from drafting Luck.

The problem is that physically Ijalana hasn't played and his skills were raw. That's something that is only going to get better by playing. That's what I mean when I say he's pretty much going to be a rookie again. Yes he'll have the benefits from the other things but some of that is going to be spent on rehab as well. I would expect Ijalana to make a jump this year but I don't think he's going to be better than Castonzo who played the bulk of last season and has that game experience under his belt. Ijalana still needs that and that's something you can only get by playing. I think he'll start on the line this year I just don't think it'll be at left tackle.

Frankly I think the left side of our line is set in Castonzo and Reitz. I think our new center is going to be our center. That leaves two jobs the right guard and right tackle spots which will be in the air for Link, the new kid we drafted, Ijalana, Justice, and McGlynn in all likely hood. I would expect McGlynn and Ijalana to lock down the two jobs but I could be wrong.

I think the line is moving in the right direction without question. We seem to have a good young core in place. Now they just need playing time together which is part of the rebuilding process the team is in.

I like the group we have, that's for sure. Lots of promise. Don't know how it will all come together, but this year will be an opportunity to determine exactly where the holes are on the offensive line, and then we'll have plenty of cap space to fix those holes next year. If we need a guard (we should have our tackles and our center already), we'll be able to grab one in free agency.

[GoColts8818]

Ijalana's has prototypical size for the OG position. He has very long arms, which would help a ton as a guard. He is very quick as a guard and has good downfield speed. He is strong and can block downfield on the run. He could be a great guard, it's just a matter of learning the position. http://www.nfldrafts...=2011&genpos=OG

Tony Ugoh was also said to have the prototypical size for the OT poistion how did that work out? Just because someone has a prototypical size for something doesn't mean he will be great at it. Could Ijalana be a good guard? Sure he could. I am not saying he wont be. I am saying it remains to be seen that he will be. Right now what we know about Ijalana is that he couldn't beat out Link for a starting job last year. He has some work to do before I am ready to say he's a player we can count on for the o-line going forward. With that said I am not ready to give up on him either. I just think he need to prove himself.

[Gavin]

I'd like to see Hayworth Hicks play Guard the guy manhandles defensive linemen, hes violent on the line and can handle linebackers with ease and for his size can run to block downfiield

[Coffeedrinker]

our coaches wont let luck get hurt because of a slow footed lt who gets beat by speed rushing lbs

Same thing. Just because you say it, does not make it so. AC is far from perfect but slow footed is not one of his weaknesses.

[Balzer40]

the only way luck will survive and thrive this year depends, in part, if he can stay upright. and with any rookie qb, any, you have to have a strong running game to take some of the pressure off him. we have'nt exactly been known to scare teams off the line of scrimmage, let alone run the ball. i think pagano and arian's want to change that, but with basically a brand new line, who will emerge as the starters, if healthy? how about, left to right, my picks?........castonzo, mcglynn, a.q. shipley, olsen, justice. OL coach harold goodwin has got his hands full. we need to be much more physical up front, be able to drive them off the line and pound the ball between the tackles. if we can't, luck may not even survive his first season, and another 2-14 staring us in the face. just my opinion.....

I would say Castanzo, Reitz, Satele, Ijalana, Justice.

I dont know why people keep thinking Reitz and Satele wont start. Reitz done pretty good last yr. considering it was his 1st yr. starting at guard or anywhere for that matter, and they didn't give Satele a 3.6 million dollar a yr. contract to be a backup. There is no way Shipley will be the starter.

[Gavin]

I would say Castanzo, Reitz, Satele, Ijalana, Justice.

I dont know why people keep thinking Reitz and Satele wont start. Reitz done pretty good last yr. considering it was his 1st yr. starting at guard or anywhere for that matter, and they didn't give Satele a 3.6 million dollar a yr. contract to be a backup. There is no way Shipley will be the starter.

if we are looking to be more physical then Hayworth will start

[Coffeedrinker]

I would say Castanzo, Reitz, Satele, Ijalana, Justice.

I would make two changes to this underthe assumption that ijalana will be ready to play.

AC, Reitz, Satele, McGlynn, Ijalana.

I dont know why people keep thinking Reitz and Satele wont start. Reitz done pretty good last yr. considering it was his 1st yr. starting at guard or anywhere for that matter, and they didn't give Satele a 3.6 million dollar a yr. contract to be a backup. There is no way Shipley will be the starter.

Reitz I can understand, most people do look at olineman unless they get talked about during the game and let's face it, most announcers didn't even know who Reitz was last year. I agree he did well (I personally like McClendon better but I thought Reitz was better than DeVan and Thomas). he showed steady improvement through out the year and he and AC starting working well together. Satele has be available for 78 games in the NFL, he's been active for all 78 games and has started 74 of the 78 games. I don't know why anyone would think he was brought in to be anything other than a starter. Not saying he cannot get beat out for the position for the position, but I agree you don't give a guy a 3 yr/10.5 million dollar contract with a $5 mil in guaranteed money to be a back-up.

[Coffeedrinker]

if we are looking to be more physical then Hayworth will start

Judging by his highlight real that coltguy511 posted, Hayworth is not ready to start in the NFL and is at least a year away.

[Gavin]

Judging by his highlight real that coltguy511 posted, Hayworth is not ready to start in the NFL and is at least a year away.

Whys that? he looked pretty good to me, did you see what he did to those linemen and a linebacker a few times

[Coffeedrinker]

Whys that? he looked pretty good to me, did you see what he did to those linemen and a linebacker a few times

I did. Go back to page two, I wrote a brief thing on what I saw in the clip.

[Gavin]

I did. Go back to page two, I wrote a brief thing on what I saw in the clip.

Trying to find Carl Nicks highlights to compare the two