My Depth Chart: After 4 Preseason Games

by bamock on Aug 25, 2008 1:37 AM EDT Comment 3 comments

Alright, after all the preseason action it's come down to cut day. At some point tonight all players officially on or off of the Colts roster for the start of the season will be notified. Accordingly, it is my last chance to get in my thoughts on who will be on our roster and who I believe should be on our roster. Below you will find both. First, who I believe should be on our roster followed by who I believe will be on our roster. You've already read countless depth chart previews so I don't expect I will bring a great deal to the table you've not already read. Nonetheless, here it is.

WHO SHOULD MAKE THE ROSTER - COLTS 2008-2009

Depth Chart -

WR - Reggie Wayne, Marvin Harrison, Anthony Gonzalez, Devin Aromashodu, Courtney Roby, Pierre Garcon *PS Roy Hall, Onrea Jones

TE - Dallas Clark, Gijon Robinson, Jacob Tamme *PS Tom Santi

RB - Joseph Addai, Dominic Rhodes, Mike Hart

QB - Peyton Manning, Jim Sorgi *PS Jared Lorenzen

LT - Tony Ugoh, Dan Federkeil

LG - Ryan Lilja, Jamey Richard

C - Jeff Saturday, Steve Justice

RG - Mike Pollak, Charlie Johnson

RT - Ryan Diem *PS Michael Toudouze

RE - Dwight Freeney, Marcus Howard *PS Jeff Charleston

LE - Robert Mathis, Curtis Johnson

UT - Raheem Brock, Keyunta Dawson, Eric Foster *PS Dan Davis

NT - Ed Johnson, Collin Ferrell, Darrell Reid

SAM - Clint Session, Tyjuan Hagler

MIKE - Gary Brackett, Philip Wheeler

WILL - Freddie Keiaho, Jordan Senn *PS Kyle Shotwell

CB - Marlin Jackson, Kelvin Hayden, Dante Hughes, Tim Jennings, Keiwan Ratliff

FS - Bob Sanders, Matt Giordano, Melvin Bullitt

SS - Antoine Bethea, Brannon Condren, Jamie Silva

K - Adam Vinatieri

P - Hunter Smith

LS - Justin Snow

Review -

This depth chart includes 53 roster spots and 6 practice squad players. This is based on who I believe should make the roster.

Wide Receiver -

If I'm going into the season I want to have the most value out of the WR spot I can find. At this point, due to Roy Hall's unfortunate hamstring issue during pre-season, I see Garcon and Aromashodu showing the most as back-ups in the pre-season. Onrea Jones and Courtney Roby showed flashes but when it comes down to it... our ST coverage units looked good without Hall... Onrea Jones did not show particular value in ST return units and Courtney Roby did. So there are your two official back-up WRs with a third who also brings immediate KR value (Garcon PR duty I would imagine).

Tight End -

Same as before, Robinson and Tamme have proven themselves. Santi has not. Save him until he can.

Running Back -

I don't see a reason to attempt to store any RB on the practice squad. Unless we want to develop Simpson potentially in the return game... the others really have run their course.

Quarterback -

Sorgi will be the back-up. If Manning truly will start and play a full game against Chicago... there is NO REASON to carry a third QB on the full roster. As such, store one of the two who fought for the spot and Lorenzen gets the nod based upon what I've discussed previously re: pocket presence, comfort in the Colts system.

Defensive End -

With Raheem Brock and Darrell Reid both getting looks to round out DE depth I see no reason to keep any DEs beyond Freeney, Mathis, Howard and Johnson. Want a safety valve with some pass rush value? Fine... keep Charleston on the PS.

Defensive Tackle -

With Brock and Reid, along with Dawson to be realistic, as tweener DL we should keep Ferrell and Foster to compose the heart of the rotation... much like we had hoped to complete with Pitcock behind Brock/Johnson last year.

Linebacker -

It kills me to push Shotwell back to the PS because I think he's really talented but Senn, overall, put out more than Shotwell in the big picture during the preseason. And, all you Guzman lovers will argue but, I'm sorry... he can't play as good as either of these kids. I don't know why you have such an infatuation with him... after all... Guzman was an undrafted free agent pick up last year. Why so surprising that undrafted free agents could outplay him for a spot this year?

Cornerback -

Rushing goes down... Ratliff steps in. I hope that's what happens because I think this kid can play.

Safety -

If we don't waste a spot on a 3rd QB or on having 10 OL, there is no reason we can't keep Silva. I think we should.

Punter -

Clearly the coaches didn't see it my way but Crossett was a gem and really could be something for the future. However, he's been cut already and I don't see them securing a PS spot for a guy who a team will pursue when he's needed anyway.

Final Thoughts -

In my opinion, for the strongest team talent-wise we can put on a 53 man roster from what I've seen this preseason. This should be the roster. However, realistically, I highly doubt Dungy and Co. nor many of you will see it my way. So... below is the roster I believe you can expect to see at the close of the moves Saturday night.

WHO WILL PROBABLY MAKE THE ROSTER - COLTS 2008-2009

WR - Reggie Wayne, Marvin Harrison, Anthony Gonzalez, Roy Hall, Pierre Garcon, Courtney Roby *PS Devin Aromashodu, Onrea Jones

TE - Dallas Clark, Gijon Robinson, Jacob Tamme *PS Tom Santi

RB - Joseph Addai, Dominic Rhodes, Mike Hart

QB - Peyton Manning, Jim Sorgi, Quinn Gray

LT - Tony Ugoh, Dan Federkeil

LG - Ryan Lilja, Jamey Richard

C - Jeff Saturday, Steve Justice

RG -Mike Pollak, Charlie Johnson

RT - Ryan Diem

RE - Dwight Freeney, Marcus Howard

LE - Robert Mathis, Curtis Johnson, Raheem Brock

NT - Ed Johnson, Collin Ferrell

UT - Keyunta Dawson, Eric Foster, Darrell Reid

SAM - Tyjuan Hagler, Ramon Guzman

MIKE - Gary Brackett, Phillip Wheeler

WILL - Freddie Keiaho, Clint Session *PS Kyle Shotwell, Jordan Senn

CB - Marlin Jackson, Kelvin Hayden, Dante Hughes, Tim Jennings, Keiwan Ratliff

FS - Antoine Bethea, Brannon Condren, Melvin Bullitt

SS - Bob Sanders, Matt Giordano *PS Jamie Silva

K - Adam Vinatieri

P - Hunter Smith

LS - Justin Snow

This is a FanPost and does not necessarily reflect the views of Stampede Blue's writers or editors. It does reflect the views of this particular fan though, which is as important as the views of Stampede Blue's writers or editors.

2 recs | Comment 3 comments

Story-email Email Printer Print

Comments

Gotta think

We’ll keep 3 QB’s.

Collin Ferrell makes team? Hmm, I don’t know if I see that happening..

Not sold on Eric Foster either..I haven’t even noticed him in the games.

I could see Silva making it, but what about Bullitt? You have him on there but I haven’t even noticed him in the games either. Just trying to figure out who isn’t going to make the team that you have penciled in, because we’ll need another roster spot for the 3rd string QB.

by yellowsnow on Aug 25, 2008 7:59 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Some responses for you...

On the QB situation, if you watched the same game I did last night you have to believe that neither Gray nor Lorenzen has proven worthy of a roster spot. Sorgi, gulp, is the best we got. If we want a realistic option at back-up it’s time to look somewhere else. You have to believe that Dungy and Polian realize this too. Accordingly, until I read or otherwise hear that we have acquired a new QB and kicked at least Gray back to waivers, I’m not sold on the idea that 1) Manning is actually going to miss the game against the Bears or that 2) we actually plan on taking up a roster spot with a player we’ll never use and have absolutely no faith in under any circumstance. 53 spots, use them wisely.

Collin Ferrell has performed rather well the last two games. The only real concern we have with our depth at defensive tackle has been finding DTs in the Ed Johnson/Booger McFarland mold who are capable of filling running lanes. Ferrell has shown the ability to blow up running plays and penetrate the offensive line as well in the last two games. It would be nice to have a guy like Ferrell on the squad, someone to replace Pitcock maybe?

Eric Foster has done well the last couple of games and is definitely the closest thing we have on the team as a Raheem Brock replacement at UT. He wreaks havoc getting penetration and his hustle has proven to be rather disruptive. Add to that the fact that he has consistently received accolades from the coaches and many experts around the NFL. Something tells me he will make the team.

Melvin Bullitt had not played in a preseason game until last night and he looked good… very fast and rather much like he was picking up where he left off last year, which was pretty good particularly amongst our young defensive players.

We may not be able to keep all the safeties I think are worthy but I too hope we can keep Silva and I think Bullitt has value as a ST player at the very least.

by bamock on Aug 25, 2008 9:44 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Man looking at this roster

I have a hard, HARD, time finding who should be cut to create a 53 man roster. I would like to add one more DE and RT to the penciled in portion but am unsure who to cut.

This is a good problem.

by metal_militia on Aug 25, 2008 1:17 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs