Indianapolis Colts officially re-sign LBer Freddy Keiaho

by Brad Wells on Apr 29, 2009 4:57 PM EDT in Colts News

KingRichard posted this news link before me, but according to the Indianapolis Star, Freddy Keiaho has officially re-signed with the Indianapolis Colts. Last year, Freddy was the starting weakside linebacker for Indy's Tampa-2 defense. He tested the free agent market and didn't get too many offers. Now, he's back.

Say what you want about Freddy, but he's a tough guy who plays 100% every snap of the game. His durability and his coverage skills have been a little suspect. It's also unsure whether or not Keiaho will even start this year. Clint Session has come on very strong, and is a much better candidate at weakside than strongside. Indeed, Coach Caldwell stated recently (but prior to re-signing Keiaho) that Philip Wheeler was now the starting SAM backer while Clint Session will move to WILL. Is that still the case now? Does Freddy get his old job back? Should he? What about Wheeler? Where does newly signed LBer Adam Seward fit in here?

Training camp battles at the linebacker spots this year should be very, very interesting. In the meantime, welcome back Freddy!

Photo: media.scout.com

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WOOHOO!

I was a little worried about our LB depth this year especially because this need wasn’t addressed in the draft this year. I would love to see Wheeler starting on the field at some point during next season. Since Larry Coyer does have more of a hybrid defense I can see Wheeler making some big plays as a blitzing LB.

by FreeneyWillEatYourBaby on Apr 29, 2009 5:35 PM EDT reply actions

Quality

This signing gives us more verteran depth at all three LB spots and at least a very good special teamer of whom the Colts always need. I still think our core should be Wheeler/Brackett/Session with Keiaho and Hagler keeping their legs fresh. If during camp Keiaho is truely better than Wheeler or Session then then so be it and we will have improved our defense. Either way you slice it (starter or vet backup/STer) this will help our team.

by bbxxj on Apr 29, 2009 5:43 PM EDT reply actions

Nice move

Adds depth and the guy seems to be a good, funny teammate.

Welcome back KO!

"We’re only going to score 17 points? haha...OK" - Tom Brady

by BlueMark1821 on Apr 29, 2009 5:50 PM EDT reply actions

What? Funny?

I don’t remember reading anything about Keiaho’s humor. If you have any links to share relating to that, I’d love to see them.

Now a proud annoyance on Stampede Blue, 18to88, Indy Football Report, and Phil B's blog.

Man, I need a life...

Random fact of the week from the empty void that is my mind: Every time the Colts have played the KC Chiefs in the playoffs, they have gone on to at least the AFC Championship game.

by Cassieper on May 1, 2009 2:13 AM EDT up reply actions

Special Teams help

More than even our LB corps this helps out our special teams enormously. Even if Keiaho is a starting LB, that leaves either Wheeler or Hagler fresh for ST.

So does anyone know who was regularly on ST last year? Either kick return or gunner?

by the_iowa_hawkeye on Apr 29, 2009 6:06 PM EDT reply actions

Reid might be the only one who left

Hagler and Gio are back now and I don’t think any other guys off the coverage teams were FAs.

I got Summer hatin' on me cuz I'm hotter than the sun. Spring hatin' on me cuz I ain't never sprung
Winter hatin' on me cuz I'm colder than Y'all. And I will never, I will never, I will never Fall.
-Lil Wayne, Mr. Carter

by shake n bake on Apr 29, 2009 6:13 PM EDT up reply actions

Perhaps time to reshuffle ST

With the new ST coach I almost have to wonder if they are going to be reshuffled….I mean, it’s not like they were exactly burning the field up on coverage or anything.

by the_iowa_hawkeye on Apr 29, 2009 6:16 PM EDT up reply actions

they were WAAAAAAAY better than usual though

it was the return game that was dragging down the ST unit last year.

by shake n bake on Apr 29, 2009 6:24 PM EDT up reply actions

D. Reid

by vintagephoenix on May 1, 2009 8:20 PM EDT up reply actions

I have his jersey

So at least I have another year of unwasted money. I got it for Christmas in ‘07 after a good first year by Freddy, only to have him follow it with a very mediocre 2008 campaign. Here’s to hoping he gets his game back on track next season.

Oh, and as a side note, I was wrestling between asking for his jersey and Kelvin Hayden’s. Really starting to regret not taking the latter.

by Aerostar193 on Apr 29, 2009 7:05 PM EDT reply actions

lol

I write words and stuff for Stampede Blue.

by KingRichard on Apr 29, 2009 7:13 PM EDT up reply actions

Yeah, I got a Freeney jersey and Wayne jersey to wear to games back in 2004.

Thankfully, it seems like I made a good choice.

Now a proud annoyance on Stampede Blue, 18to88, Indy Football Report, and Phil B's blog.

Man, I need a life...

Random fact of the week from the empty void that is my mind: Every time the Colts have played the KC Chiefs in the playoffs, they have gone on to at least the AFC Championship game.

by Cassieper on May 1, 2009 2:15 AM EDT up reply actions

all the possibilities

SAM-Brackett-WILL

Wheeler-GB-Session
Session-GB-Keiaho
Hagler-GB-Session
Seward-GB-Session
and that’s not even considering what happens of Session regresses or doesn’t handle the possible position change well.

If they were even deeper and safety I’d guess we’d see the 4-4 again at some point.

by shake n bake on Apr 29, 2009 7:13 PM EDT reply actions

deeper *at safety

by shake n bake on Apr 29, 2009 7:13 PM EDT up reply actions

so many typos

if Session regresses
if they weren’t even deeper at safety

by shake n bake on Apr 29, 2009 8:34 PM EDT up reply actions

LBs how I see it

I think Session has earned the starting WILL spot and if he plays well in camp and preseason it should be his.

GB is the defensive leader so it would take a monster performance by Seward to unseat him.

I think Wheeler deserves a shot to compete for SAM, but I also think Seward and Hagler should be able to compete for that spot too.

KO would be a solid backup to Session and obviously will compete for that spot in camp too.

I would like to see Chad Ocho Cinco traded to a team that already has a #85 on the roster. Then, I would like to see #85 refuse to give up his jersey number to Chad Ocho Cinco. That would make my day....

by AceOfSpades on Apr 29, 2009 8:19 PM EDT up reply actions

In the end....

WILL – Session Backup – Keiaho

MIKE – Brackett Backup – Seward

SAM – Wheeler Backup – Hagler

by AceOfSpades on Apr 29, 2009 8:23 PM EDT up reply actions

that's about how I see it

though I think Hagler was a good chance of holding Wheeler off.

by shake n bake on Apr 29, 2009 8:34 PM EDT up reply actions

yeah

I’m giving Wheeler the benefit of the doubt based on the comments from Caldwell, but Hagler has some experience and I’ve always liked him so that position may switch back and forth…

by AceOfSpades on Apr 30, 2009 9:31 AM EDT up reply actions

Yeah...

That makes sense. That was what it was a month before the draft, but we now added Hagler and Keiaho for depth.

I’m still not sure on Wheeler there. It seems like everybody is just assuming that he will go in there and be a stud this season. I have a bad feeling that Wheeler is not going to even come close to living up to expectations. I hope that I am wrong though.

Now a proud annoyance on Stampede Blue, 18to88, Indy Football Report, and Phil B's blog.

Man, I need a life...

Random fact of the week from the empty void that is my mind: Every time the Colts have played the KC Chiefs in the playoffs, they have gone on to at least the AFC Championship game.

by Cassieper on May 1, 2009 2:19 AM EDT up reply actions

Don't forget

Keiaho backed up Bracket in the middle, and he provides some veteran depth even if he doesn’t start. Though I wish we had made a move to get Cato back. His jersey sits forlornly in my closet.

by Golum on Apr 29, 2009 9:51 PM EDT reply actions

I love the linebacker depth

6 good linebackers is what every team should have and for the first time in forever we have that. This defense will be superb and the league won’t know what hit ‘em. I can’t wait for OTAs!

"I saw a commercial on late night TV, it said,'Forget everything you know about slipcovers.' So I did. And it was a load off my mind. Then the commercial tried to sell me slipcovers, and I didn't know what the hell they were."
-Mitch Hedberg

by Colts Homer on Apr 29, 2009 10:53 PM EDT reply actions

Defense of the COLTS

What Caldwell never seemed to understand (Maybe Dungy), was how important BIG tackles are when you have small linebackers with speed. These guys were never able to function after they lost their size at tackle. The O lines are too big today for linebackers to function without BIG TACKLES on defense. I hope GOD was smiling on us with this draft.

by RvHauler1 on Apr 30, 2009 5:24 PM EDT reply actions

Meeks and Dungy

were (I believe) the ones responsible for the D. Caldwell was QB coach until last year when he stepped in as Assistant Head Coach or whatever the title was.

I agree, though. I’m thrilled to see some size in the D Line. This draft has made me very, very hopeful.

"I throw, you catch. It's NOT that hard!"
Peyton Manning, SNL, 2007

by peytonsthebest on Apr 30, 2009 6:19 PM EDT up reply actions

I believe that the title was Associate Head Coach.

You’re close though :-)

Now a proud annoyance on Stampede Blue, 18to88, Indy Football Report, and Phil B's blog.

Man, I need a life...

Random fact of the week from the empty void that is my mind: Every time the Colts have played the KC Chiefs in the playoffs, they have gone on to at least the AFC Championship game.

by Cassieper on May 1, 2009 2:22 AM EDT up reply actions