My Crack at a final 53 (Way Too Early)

[Scott Pennock]

WR-Wayne, Brazill*

WR-Collie, Avery, Hilton*

TE-Fleener*, Miller (also LS)

TE-Allen*, Smith

LT-Castonzo, Linkenbach

LG-Rietz, Hicks**

C-Satele, McGlynn

RG-Ijalana, Anderson*

RT-Justice

QB-Luck*, Stanton, Harnish*

RB-Brown, Carter, Ballard*

FB-Mahaffey

K-Vinatieri

P-McAfee

CB-Powers, Fenelus**, Chism**

CB-Thomas, Rucker

FS-Bethea, Pellerin**

SS-Zbikowski, Lefeged

DE-Moala, Mathews

NT-McKinney, Johnson, Chapman*, Anunoby**

DE-Redding, Nevis

LOLB-Freeney, Addison

LILB-Connor, Edds

RILB-Angerer, Freeman

ROLB-Mathis, Hughes, Fugger*

* = Rookie

** = UDFA

[Nobody]

I hope and think Mookie is out.

[Smonroe]

Kind of hits home for me, I used to know at least 40 of the players who would make the team by this time every year. Not this year.

Franchise, this is as good a guess as any at this point, although I'm not sure why you wouldn't have Snow on the team. Unless it's to save cap.

[Scott Pennock]

I hope and think Mookie is out.

Who or what position would you keep over him?

[Scott Pennock]

Kind of hits home for me, I used to know at least 40 of the players who would make the team by this time every year. Not this year.

Franchise, this is as good a guess as any at this point, although I'm not sure why you wouldn't have Snow on the team. Unless it's to save cap.

Wasn't to save cap space it was to cut down on 'specialty' players and add more versitality.............the kid from Mount Union is a long snapper AND he was a productive tightend, two birds with one stone!

[TKnight24]

No one sees us keeping Griff Whalen? Another one of Andrew Luck's Targets from Stanford

[Smonroe]

No one sees us keeping Griff Whalen? Another one of Andrew Luck's Targets from Stanford

PS. But to be honest, I don't know much about Brazill. He could battle for that last WR spot if he's a better STs player.

[Nobody]

Who or what position would you keep over him?

Maybe Gallipo, Whalen or that Sambrano.

[Smonroe]

Wasn't to save cap space it was to cut down on 'specialty' players and add more versitality.............the kid from Mount Union is a long snapper AND he was a productive tightend, two birds with one stone!

They tried Santi a few years ago but he was always injured. You don't want to lose your only LS in a game, that could be disastrous.

[TKnight24]

Brazill is a Great Player at WR & KR/PR. But I do believe we're going to keep ALL of Luck's Teammates from Stanford

[Scott Pennock]

Brazill is a Great Player at WR & KR/PR. But I do believe we're going to keep ALL of Luck's Teammates from Stanford

So you think old Griff Whalen makes it as the 6th WR?

[Scott Pennock]

They tried Santi a few years ago but he was always injured. You don't want to lose your only LS in a game, that could be disastrous.

True, but Snow would still be only a phone call away............

[Scott Pennock]

Maybe Gallipo, Whalen or that Sambrano.

I can see the extra LB for special teams........not so sure about 6 WR's though?

[NewColtsFan]

No one sees us keeping Griff Whalen? Another one of Andrew Luck's Targets from Stanford

As a 40-year Stanford fan and someone who saw almost every snap of every game Luck played, my guess is Whalen does NOT make the final 53. He was a nice college receiver. I don't think he's an NFL WR. Having Fleener there is all Luck will need from a comfort stand-point. Maybe Whalen gets injured <<cough, cough, ahem>> and ends up on IR all year long. That'd be nice. But otherwise, I don't see it happening. He's there in the off-season and then some of the pre-season games, and then reality sets in and he likely is cut. That's my hunch, for what little it's worth...

[OZOC01]

I believe Chapman will be second string DT, with the potential to start late in the season. The rest I really cannot argue with.

[atapcl]

Wasn't to save cap space it was to cut down on 'specialty' players and add more versitality.............the kid from Mount Union is a long snapper AND he was a productive tightend, two birds with one stone!

Miller will have to win a job as a TE. The coaches seem high on Dominique Jones and Smith will be a blocking TE who can play ST. Miller is a LS but Mike McGlynn can play C, G, and LS and in a pinch he has played T. McGlynn's versatility could cause a lot of people to be cut.

[Boiler_Colt]

I think keeping 4 nose tackles may be a little much, although I would like to see Chigbo make the team.

Chapman may very well start the season on PUP, so that opens up one roster spot until he is activated if I'm not mistaken.

[Playoffs2013]

No one sees us keeping Griff Whalen? Another one of Andrew Luck's Targets from Stanford

no he was horrible at stanford and he will suck in the pros

[Playoffs2013]

So you think old Griff Whalen makes it as the 6th WR?

no its makes sambrano the 6th

[ztboiler]

On offense, I think you are generally right about the composition of the roster, and we'd all be guessing at the last couple kept in key battles. Linkenbach is in a real battle to make the team, but has played so much that it might be hard for Baker to leapfrog him. Today, I'd guess that this regime will cut Link and develop a more talented prospect like Baker. Baker has left tackle characteristics that might be too tempting to keep on the roster, even though he is way too green and was a UDFA for a reason. Hicks and Anderson both seem to fit our staffs notion of road grader guards. Hard to not project them on the roster even as 7th rounder/UDFA. Probably not good when many are projecting 3 lineman to make the cut as UDFA or 7th rounder - hopefully that won't be the case in coming years - but all do show remarkable qualities.

On defense, I think that there is a better chance that only 2 of the 3 UDFA CB's make the team - just hard to know. Pellerin's versatility gives him a nod at one spot, and then I think 1 of the others makes it. We all tend to discount players returning from the tail end of the roster in favor of new potential, but I'd say that Terrence Johnson has a leg up on all 3 of the incoming UDFA's. Also, I see Lefeged as a FS backup to Bethea more than a SS. I think the SS battle is between Caldwell and Merletti.

On the DL, Chigbo looks like a good bet (and seems to have body type to move between NT/DE/DT in the hybrid configurations), and I think they'll only keep 7 with Matthews or AJ fighting for the last spot.

At LB I like Mario Harvey's chances over Freeman, but we are really splitting hairs now with players that it is impossible to know much about. Edds is a player that we could all be very pleasantly surprised by as he is an excellent coverage LB with prototypical size and ball skills. In his 2nd full year back from the ACL, he could really break out.

[Vinny BoomBatz]

Wasn't to save cap space it was to cut down on 'specialty' players and add more versitality.............the kid from Mount Union is a long snapper AND he was a productive tightend, two birds with one stone!

I wasn't aware that he was a long snapper...thanks for the info and the early predictions, I give you alot of credit for putting it out there so early. I am in hopes that a FA or two will be picked up after the June 1st cuts tha may come cheap and help.

[Gavin]

Chapman should start over Mckinney if hes healthy, I dont even have Antonio Johnson on the team, other then depth I have no idea what purpose he serves, I would start Chapman Mckinney and Anunoby over him, I havent rewatched any of the games from last year except the first game vs Texans but Im not sold Reitz by a long shot, the left side of that line was terrible in that game at best, I would start Hayworth Hicks over Reitz, he absolutely demolishes nearly every defensive tackle or linebacker he touches

[ztboiler]

Chapman should start over Mckinney if hes healthy, I dont even have Antonio Johnson on the team, other then depth I have no idea what purpose he serves, I would start Chapman Mckinney and Anunoby over him, I havent rewatched any of the games from last year except the first game vs Texans but Im not sold Reitz by a long shot, the left side of that line was terrible in that game at best, I would start Hayworth Hicks over Reitz, he absolutely demolishes nearly every defensive tackle or linebacker he touches

I'm as high on Hicks as you are, and he may very well go the Jeff Saturday route and jump right in there early on....but while you are reviewing tape to compare he and Reitz, make sure you get a good look at Hick's tape against NFL DT's before you install him as a pre-season starter ahead of a young, athletic NFL guard that has been progressing nicely in this league for a couple of years now. We are all tempted to discard the remnant pieces of a 2-14 team, but some of them might actually be able to play a little - I guess we'll find out soon enough.

[gnet550]

A darkhorse to open another roster spot is to have AJ Edds be the teams long snapper, instead of carrying a fourth TE. My father-in-law works with AJs dad and from what I have heard he is capable and wouldn't mind taking long snapper duties

[KarlKuffs]

Chapman should start over Mckinney if hes healthy, I dont even have Antonio Johnson on the team, other then depth I have no idea what purpose he serves, I would start Chapman Mckinney and Anunoby over him, I havent rewatched any of the games from last year except the first game vs Texans but Im not sold Reitz by a long shot, the left side of that line was terrible in that game at best, I would start Hayworth Hicks over Reitz, he absolutely demolishes nearly every defensive tackle or linebacker he touches

If this is true, then I just gotta ask.....why wasn't he drafted by anyone?

[Smonroe]

As a 40-year Stanford fan and someone who saw almost every snap of every game Luck played, my guess is Whalen does NOT make the final 53. He was a nice college receiver. I don't think he's an NFL WR. Having Fleener there is all Luck will need from a comfort stand-point. Maybe Whalen gets injured <<cough, cough, ahem>> and ends up on IR all year long. That'd be nice. But otherwise, I don't see it happening. He's there in the off-season and then some of the pre-season games, and then reality sets in and he likely is cut. That's my hunch, for what little it's worth...

Good to know, coming from someone who's seen him a lot. I assume you're a new Colts fan because of the Stanford connections.

Welcome to the team and the forum!

[HtownColt]

46 players suit up on game days minus qbs and NTs so about 40 so make sure you have enough versatility to play special teams

[Captain Americolt]

why do people think Whalen is horrible? He started the season off sluggish and then came alive in the last 9 or so games. Almost all of his 740+ yards cam in the last 9 games. He had a good stretch of 470+ yards in 5 games. He was underused at Stanford becuase they are a power running team that rarely fell behind. When you watch "Andrew Luck vs. (team name here)" games on youtube, its hard not to notice him

[JoKeR]

A darkhorse to open another roster spot is to have AJ Edds be the teams long snapper, instead of carrying a fourth TE. My father-in-law works with AJs dad and from what I have heard he is capable and wouldn't mind taking long snapper duties

A LB long snapper? Interesting.

[betheafan41]

WR-Wayne, Brazill*

WR-Collie, Avery, Hilton*

TE-Fleener*, Miller (also LS)

TE-Allen*, Smith

LT-Castonzo, Linkenbach

LG-Rietz, Hicks**

C-Satele, McGlynn

RG-Ijalana, Anderson*

RT-Justice

QB-Luck*, Stanton, Harnish*

RB-Brown, Carter, Ballard*

FB-Mahaffey

K-Vinatieri

P-McAfee

CB-Powers, Fenelus**, Chism**

CB-Thomas, Rucker

FS-Bethea, Pellerin**

SS-Zbikowski, Lefeged

DE-Moala, Mathews

NT-McKinney, Johnson, Chapman*, Anunoby**

DE-Redding, Nevis

LOLB-Freeney, Addison

LILB-Connor, Edds

RILB-Angerer, Freeman

ROLB-Mathis, Hughes, Fugger*

* = Rookie

** = UDFA

QB - luck,Stanton,Harnish

RB - Brown,Ballard,Carter

WR 1 - Wayne, Brazil

WR 2 - Collie, Avery

Slot WR- Hilton, Avery,Fleener (when they run a 1 TE formation but want to keep Fleener in the game as the big guy to go to)

TE - Fleener, Smith

TE - Allan, Miller

LT - Castanzo,linkenbach

LG - McGlynn (just because he has ran the new OC offensive scheme in pittsburgh) , Hicks

C - Satele, Kirkpatrick

RG - ljalana , Anderson

RT - Justice

Defense

DE 1 - Redding,mathews

DE 2 - Moala,nevis

DT/NT - McKinney,Chapman, Johnson

LOLB-Freeney, Addison

LILB-Connor, Edds

RILB-Angerer, Freeman

ROLB-Mathis, Hughes, Fugger*

CB 1 - Powers, Fenelus

CB 2 - Chism, Thomas, Rucker

FS - Bethea,Pellerin

SS - Zbikowsky,Lefeged

K - Vinetari

P - McCafee

KR - Hilton, Zbikowski

PR - Hilton, Zbikowski

LS - Snow

This is just my pre-mature 53 man roster lol.

[betheafan41]

why do people think Whalen is horrible? He started the season off sluggish and then came alive in the last 9 or so games. Almost all of his 740+ yards cam in the last 9 games. He had a good stretch of 470+ yards in 5 games. He was underused at Stanford becuase they are a power running team that rarely fell behind. When you watch "Andrew Luck vs. (team name here)" games on youtube, its hard not to notice him

I think he will be pretty good. Luck is use to him and knows where to hit him on cross patterns and Whalen knows when to get into the area where Luck can get him the ball. there is that major upside with the colts getting whalen and fleener to compliment luck because all three of them are use to each other and they can make each other better. but with the overload on WR's Whalen as a undrafted FA signee will have to work his behind off if he wants to get on the roster and will need to be flawless if he wants to start. but with the injury history of Collie Whalen may just get his chance.

[Captain Americolt]

Not to mention the injury history on Avery too ^

[weslo1812]

Pesonally as far a the WR situation goes and the fact of whether or not sambrano makes it, I think we just might keep him on the practice squad especially if throught the season Donnie Avery cant stay healthy for some reason then we could bring him up. Either way I think we should keep him around one way or the other and let him polish up if hes on the practice squad.

[TKnight24]

So you think old Griff Whalen makes it as the 6th WR?

He would be a Good Fit. Remember, Collie has had Concussions & no one really knows how Healthy he is. Whalen is pretty much the Stanford Version of Collie in my Opinion. So it'd be Good to have a Collie Jr. on the Field lol

[TKnight24]

I see our Front 7 being very Dangerous this Year! Redding, Freeney, Mathis, Angerer, Connor, Chapman/Nevis, & Hughes. This is the Pass Rush Squad that Freeney & Mathis have been DYING for!. Those 2 really make up 85% of our Pass Rush. With a little help this year, maybe now the team will be more balanced

[Superman]

Collie has had Concussions & no one really knows how Healthy he is.

He played 16 games last year without incident. I think we have a pretty good idea how healthy he is.

[TKnight24]

He played 16 games last year without incident. I think we have a pretty good idea how healthy he is.

Yeah, & I hope it stays that Way. He should be our #2 WR & Wayne be #1. I think Avery should be Slot since he has that Knee Injury. I think it's a Knee Injury. But I defintely see Luck & Collie hooking up for some BIG Plays this Year. And he'll defintely make HUGE Plays with Reggie Wayne as his Vet. WR

[coltnorth]

It would be very dangerous to only have 3 OT in the roster. Castonzo, Link, Justice yes but somebody else is needed as OT depth. Maybe Baker there. Also don't forget about Hickman fighting for a OLB spot. He was a pass rushing specialist in the CFL with between 10 and 15 sacks last year. Was the runner up for defensive player of the year. I'm not saying he will be a starting OLB but could contribute as a rotational player and on special teams.

[Gavin]

Hickman probably makes the team

[Coffeedrinker]

If this is true, then I just gotta ask.....why wasn't he drafted by anyone?

Fortunately no other team in the NFL needed a guard that demolishes every DT and LB he comes in contact with.

Since you won't get an answer from the person to whom the question was posed; the best I can tell from his highlight reel is because he's a bit slow footed, once he's engaged he seems oblivious to what is going on around him and his mobility is poor because he keeps his feet too far apart. Judging, again only by the highlight reel, Hicks has some potential but he's a good year perhaps two from being able to provide consistent snaps.