In my last blog, the Colts roster was at 80 and was only hours away from being down to 75. To get to the magic number was painful and costly for the Colts. Basically, all came way of injuries and to starters, key players or rookies who looked like they had potential.
Going to IR were:
NT Brandon McKinney who would have played a major role on defense. This one hurts.
WR Griff Whalen who seemed to be coming along nicely and provided some depth at WR and KR/PR. Not as painful as losing McKinney, but losing a rookie to IR is never a good way to start an NFL career and I've seen it turn them in to either camp/pre-season extras or nothing more than an injury replacement for teams.
OT George Foster who wasn't ever listed as a starter, but I read some good things about him and he seemed to be pushing for a 2nd unit role. This undoubtedly makes the decision for the Colts coaches on which OT/OGs to cut a little easier.
Going on PUP was:
OG Justin Anderson, the rookie never seemed to heal from his injury and hadn't been on the field. I figured he was bound to the practice squad, but going to PUP keeps him on the protected roster, so maybe the Colts see enough potential to put him on PUP vs the waive/injure route.
Going on the Reserve/Non-Football Injury List was:
NT Josh Chapman, also another rookie who seemed hadn't healed from an injury so also had not been on the field. After reading about all the positives about him after the draft, I was a little surprised the Colts just put him on the reserve/non-footfall injury list. Maybe I'm reading too much into it, but seems a little odd for someone who even national writers were raving about and saw one even had him as a potential draft steal.
Bad news was the Colts lost 2 of the 3 Nose Tackles listed on the (previous) depth chart. Only one left was big Antonio Johnson. Since then, the Colts have listed unproven Chigbo Anunoby as the backup NT. Wouldn't be surprised to see either a DE/DT playing NT during the Cincinnati game tomorrow or the Colts to pick up a NT from the waiver wire after teams cut rosters down to 53.
Speaking of the 53-man roster, these are the players I suspect are on the bubble list.
Offense
QB Harnish (likely to go to practice squad, Colts' or another team's)
WRs Ross, Sambrano, Adams, Moore Of this group I wouldn't be surprised if one makes the roster, but injuries/depth at other positions seems more urgent.
RB Karim (and possibly one of either Evans or Carter) Whichever one can play the role of FB the best or can play a role on special teams has the best shot at making the team. Also suspect whoever might have eligibility to be on the practice squad roster may play a role on who sticks to the 53-man roster.
TE Smith would seem to be the odd man out, but wouldn't be surprised if Jones is let go too.
OT/OG Nsekhe, Taylor and Hicks with the possibility of Tepper all would seem to be on the bubble. Again, special teams ability I think will come into play on which ones make it or not.
Defense
The line of thought on defense would be unless you are a solid starter, I wouldn't feel too safe if you played for the Colts prior to this year. It seems to me the new Colts coaches have divested interest in any former Colt players, particularly on defense and especially with the DB/CBs.
DE/NT/DT Aiono, Anunoby (though McKinney going to IR might save him) and even Shirley and Matthews I'd say are on the bubble.
LBs Harvey, Addison, Brown and Hickman seem like the ones on the bubble from this group. Lloyd and Fokou were traded for by this new regime, so I think that would play into their favor. Freeman would be my surprise cut only because the Colts have had him listed and have played him as being with the 1st unit. I don't necessarily buy it. It was preseason and this is Angerer's position when he gets back from injury.
CB/Ss We know Powers and Bethea are safe holdovers from last year's team. Also, since trades were made to get Davis, Gordy, Johnson and Vaughn, it would seem they are safe or safer. Lindsey was picked up on waivers, so there's no real cost/connection with him. J King was listed as the starter before trading for Davis, but the fact Davis was picked up could be a sign of the lack of confidence in him. Thomas is the other odd man in that he was picked up on waivers and doesn't have the dubious label of being on last year's roster. So, he and J King I'd say are on the bubble, but being chosen by the current coaching staff would seem to help. That leaves former Colts B King, Hines, Lefeged and Newton. Lefeged is at least listed as 3rd unit KR in addition to being backup to FS Bethea, so that might help. If the Colts coaching staff follow their MO for dumping players from the Colts roster from last year, if I were the others, I'd be keeping an eye out for teams that might need DB help. Maybe the Bears would be an option. They seem to like (and do well) with former Colts DBs.
Special Teams
LS Overton must be doing something right not be cut before now, but I can't see him beating out LS Snow unless the coaching staff feels its time to make the change and get younger and Overton is the right fit to pull the trigger on Snow. Seems here P McAfee and K Vinatieri would have some say in this one.
Counting down to kickoff of the season.
Wednesday, August 29, 2012
Monday, August 27, 2012
Colts July/August Roster Moves/Analysis
Sorry, busy @ work and busy travelling this summer (Orlando, Vegas and Michigan next weekend).
While I was away, the Colts made many roster changes. One area I've been harping on needing improvements, CB/DB, was the most active position of any, so the Colts management/coaching staff must have agreed.
Since 7/19, here is a rundown on the Colts moves.
Signings of LB Balogun and RB Alexander seemed like pick ups just for the next pre-season game due to injuries and that proved to be the case as they were both waived in the 1st round of cuts to get the roster to 75. The problems with DB/CB position became clear with the 1st round of cuts as 6 of the 11 first to get cut were DB/CB/S positions. Makes it pretty clear why the Colts were very active in trading to acquire DB/CBs and with whom they were not pleased with in camp. After the two injury signings in Balogun & Alexander and the six DB/CB/Ss, they only left three other players on the cut list. WR Cosby, who was fighting with a lot of young talent for a position and didn't help his matters by not impressing on special teams, G J Foster, who just wasn't any better than other guards or tackles on the roster and P Stohovich, which was only a matter of time.
Should see a few more today after 4pm today (8/27), the deadline to get the roster down to 75.
I expect we'll see the Colts hot on the waiver wire this week, so wouldn't be surprised to see pickups in the postions of G/T if nothing else for depth, WR especially if it looks like Collie's concussion is lingering since that would leave Wayne & Avery as the only true vets at WR and Avery is banged up, NT/DE/DT since it looks like Brandon McKinney may be going on IR or at the very least miss substantial time, and SS as a quality backup to Zbikowski.
It'll be interesting to see who the Colts end up cutting and picking up on the waiver wire.
One more preseason game until it's really GAMETIME!!! BRING IT!!!
While I was away, the Colts made many roster changes. One area I've been harping on needing improvements, CB/DB, was the most active position of any, so the Colts management/coaching staff must have agreed.
Since 7/19, here is a rundown on the Colts moves.
- Acquired DB D.J. Johnson from Philadelphia for DT Ollie Ogbu
- Signed OT Ty Nsekhe, OT Ben Ijalana put on IR
- Acquired LBs Moise Fokou and Greg Lloyd from Philadelphia for DB Kevin Thomas
- LB A.J. Edds put on IR
- Signed LB Mike Balogun
- Signed RB Alvestor Alexander
- Acquired DB Josh Gordy from St. Louis for draft picks
- Acquired DB Vontae Davis from Miami for draft picks
- Waived CB Cameron Chism, CB-Antonio Fenelus, CB-Terrence Johnson, CB-Chris Rucker, S-Matt Merletti, S-David Caldwell, LB-Mike Balogun, WR-Quan Cosby, RB-Alvestor Alexander, G-Jason Foster and P-Brian Stahovich
Signings of LB Balogun and RB Alexander seemed like pick ups just for the next pre-season game due to injuries and that proved to be the case as they were both waived in the 1st round of cuts to get the roster to 75. The problems with DB/CB position became clear with the 1st round of cuts as 6 of the 11 first to get cut were DB/CB/S positions. Makes it pretty clear why the Colts were very active in trading to acquire DB/CBs and with whom they were not pleased with in camp. After the two injury signings in Balogun & Alexander and the six DB/CB/Ss, they only left three other players on the cut list. WR Cosby, who was fighting with a lot of young talent for a position and didn't help his matters by not impressing on special teams, G J Foster, who just wasn't any better than other guards or tackles on the roster and P Stohovich, which was only a matter of time.
Should see a few more today after 4pm today (8/27), the deadline to get the roster down to 75.
I expect we'll see the Colts hot on the waiver wire this week, so wouldn't be surprised to see pickups in the postions of G/T if nothing else for depth, WR especially if it looks like Collie's concussion is lingering since that would leave Wayne & Avery as the only true vets at WR and Avery is banged up, NT/DE/DT since it looks like Brandon McKinney may be going on IR or at the very least miss substantial time, and SS as a quality backup to Zbikowski.
It'll be interesting to see who the Colts end up cutting and picking up on the waiver wire.
One more preseason game until it's really GAMETIME!!! BRING IT!!!
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