The Colts go into the beginning of the 2011-2012 league season in good shape but not without needs. Depending on whom they choose to resign, the potential needs of Indianapolis are as follows: safety, defensive tackle, and running back. Other areas to consider would be guard, linebacker, and corner.
First, let’s talk about the Colts free agents. It’s a long list, but don’t get overly concerned because not everyone is leaving.
[caption id="attachment_184" align="alignright" width="275" caption="Addai is a free agent. Will the Colts resign him or look elsewhere for help in the market? "]
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- Joseph Addai (RB)
- Melvin Bullitt (S)
- Eric Foster (DT)
- Aaron Francisco(S)
- Tyjuan Hagler (LB),
- Mike Hart (RB)
- Charlie Johnson (OT)
- Ken Hamlin (S)
- Kenyunta Dawson (DE)
- Antonio Johnson (DT)
- Daniel Muir (DT)
- Dominic Rhodes (RB)
- Clint Session (LB)
- Adam Vinatieri (K)
- Gijon Robinson (TE)
The most notable FAs are Addai, Bullitt, Vinatieri, and Foster. Two other Colts who are being talked about are Kelvin Hayden and Ryan Diem, both of which could be released to clear up more cap room. Alright, first let's address who the Colts should let go.
Muir, C. Johnson, Hamlin, and Dawson can all go. The Colts' problem at defensive tackle and in a weak run defense needs to be fixed with a big free agent signing. Start getting rid of this unnecessary and unproven idea of rotating tackles. Adding Drake Nevis via the draft only adds to that rotation. One defensive tackle has to go to stop the continuous additions and keep some cap room open. Charlie Johnson is an easy choice due to grabbing Anthony Castonzo in the draft. This guy can be an impact rookie and start right away on the left side. Sure, he may struggle at times but Manning never holds onto the ball long and will help him adjust and grow into a talented player. Hamlin may be a surprise when picking between him and Francisco, but I really liked what I saw out of Francisco this past year and would pick him to help keep depth in the safety position. However, Hamlin can only go if the Colts resign Bullitt. Finally, Dawson is a nice rotation man at end but hopefully Jerry Hughes can step up his game this year to become that guy. Plus, do you really want to take Freeney and Mathis off the field?
Okay, so why do the Colts keep all the rest? Well, simply put, these guys fit well into the Colts system both offensively and defensively. Both units play a unique style of football compared to all other teams in the league. On offense, the need for Manning to trust his players and that no-huddle offense make guys like Addai and Robinson useful. What about Rhodes? Dominic Rhodes once helped this team win Super Bowl XLI and knows the system maybe better than anyone, minus Reggie Wayne and Dallas Clark. While people may not see it, I see value in keeping him around with such an injury prone cast at RB. Robinson is a reliable TE who can continue to help out in run-blocking. Defensively, the Colts run the seemingly rare, traditional 4-3 scheme and while no one expects this defense to singlehandedly win games, the speed they bring to the game is so different from what any other team has to offer. Players such as Session, Bullitt, and A. Johnson fit nicely here in Indy where they may not look like elite players around the league, but are close to perfect for this defense.
[caption id="attachment_182" align="aligncenter" width="540" caption="The Colts' defensive line, especially run defense, needs to improve this year"]
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The reality is the Colts still will not be able to keep all the players on my wish list and have to pick priorities. So, who do they reach out for in the market if they choose to part ways with Addai, Bullitt, Muir, etc? I recently wrote a piece on why Reggie Bush may be a good fit for Indy. To be fair, I made it a two-sided argument and believe keeping Addai is the best choice, BUT… that being said, Bush has so much he can bring to this team. Free agent DT Shaun Cody is another man Indianapolis might want to take a glance at. He brings very little to the pass rush, but where he excels is his ability to stop the run and he could maybe be THAT guy in Indy to solidify their line and stop the excessive rotation. Let the DEs create the pass rush.
[caption id="attachment_183" align="alignleft" width="200" caption="Landry is an interesting FA who the Colts may want to think about getting should they not resign Melvin Bullitt"]
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The run defense needs to be improved. Fans can only take so much more. If Bullitt departs, have a look at Dawan Landry or Eric Weddle. Landry is Ed Reed’s counterpart in Baltimore and how can the Colts question the guy’s game when he has been learning from arguably the league’s best for many years. Weddle isn’t a 'great' player, but I could see him fitting well in the Colts scheme and would benefit from a solid front seven (as long as DT is taken care of!!!).
The first and foremost priority to address is resigning Peyton Manning to the big contract. This is what is going to determine who Indy can sign or resign and how much money the franchise has available. A little heads up, there won’t be a whole lot of moolah left after Manning’s deal is done. My hope is the Colts manage to make just one big splash in the market with a fairly high profile player and resign the majority of their own players. If a player is brought in on defense to help out the run D, then the Colts should have a great shot again at winning the division and making a run in the playoffs. It won’t be without difficulty this year, though. The Texans are going to go after Asomugha and seem to have talent across the board. And besides the Colts, the entire division is all about running with backs such as Jones-Drew, Foster, and Johnson. The run defense must improve for the Colts to continue their winning ways. The market opens Friday so lookout for signings and check back for more stories about free agency and Indianapolis.
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