In the second part of the "State of the Franchise" series we will take a look at the defensive side of the ball, position-by-position.  Then we can speculate about which positions might need more work and potential FA or UDFA prospects the Colts may have interest in before training camp and pre-season play begins.

Defensive Tackle:

Eric Foster - Rutgers
6'2", 265 lbs.
2008 Starting NT!
DT
2nd Season
UDFA - 2008

Keyunta Dawson - Texas Tech
6'3", 254 lbs.
2008 Starting UT!
DT/DE
3rd Season
7th Round Selection - 2007

Antonio Johnson - Mississippi State
6'3", 310 lbs.
DT
3rd Season
5th Round Selection - 2007 (acquired from Tennessee practice squad 2008)

Daniel Muir - Kent State
6'2", 312 lbs.
DT
3rd Season
UDFA - 2007 (signed off of waivers from Green Bay 2008)

Raheem Brock - Temple
6'4", 274 lbs.
Starting LDE in 2008
DE/DT
8th Season
7th Round Selection - 2002 (acquired off of waivers from Philadelphia 2002)

Fili Moala - USC
6'4", 303 lbs.
DT
Rookie Season
2nd Round Selection - 2009

Terrance Taylor - Michigan
6'0", 319 lbs.
DT
Rookie Season
4th Round Selection - 2009

Adrian Grady - Louisville
6'1", 290 lbs.
DT
Rookie Season
UDFA - 2009

Pat Kuntz - Notre Dame
6'2", 285 lbs.
DT
Rookie Season
UDFA - 2009

Analysis:

Defensive tackle is the position that has me most excited about this summer and the coming season.  Colts fans have been screaming for years that the DT position needed to be a priority for Polian and Co. not just when disaster strikes and free agent moves are made to stop the bleeding, but in the off-season - in the draft.  This year folks, Polian and Co. answered the call and I am of the opinion that the four young DTs that were added through the draft and UDFA all have a good shot of being very productive in our defense and may ALL, that's right ALL, make the roster this year.  Every year there are players let go that shock people, and sometimes it's players like Colin Ferrell who get the boot but do not be surprised if Caldwell/Coyer start cleaning out the DT closet, replacing players who were regular facets of our defense with new younger players who better suit the new "tweaked" defensive scheme the Colts will be unveiling this year.

Fili Moala brings more size and length than we've seen at the UT spot for many years.  He has a high motor, he can penetrate the pocket by slipping through blocks, he does a decent job of standing up to double-teams, and he can bull-rush his opponent if he draws a single blocker.  Anything that causes the pocket to collapse and the QB to move will make Freeney and Mathis even more dangerous.  He probably won't be an immediate Pro Bowl talent but compared to last year, the presence he'll bring to the DL both in stopping the run and rushing the pass will be a vast improvement.

Terrance Taylor is a beast of a man, the strongest DT coming out of this year's draft class and a former wrestler.  He gets knocked on by fans of rival Big 10 teams on these forums but the fact is that many thought he would be one of the most coveted DTs in the 2009 draft at the end of his solid Junior year.  What happened instead is the Michigan defense imploded.  It was terrible and in an environment like that the lone presence on the DL wasn't able to make much of an impact.  He has a chance to bring something to the Colts we've not had since Corey Simon, a pure NT who has the strength to push the pocket, is hard to move off of the line and will fill running lanes appropriately which should free up LBs to make plays on the ball.  He may need some development but there is no reason to believe that he won't be used in at least a Quinn Pitcock kind of role this year, developing for a more involved role in 2010.

In my mind, Adrian Grady is the top prospect for the Polian UDFA gem of 2009.  Grady is a bad man, he looks like Mr. T for crying out loud, he plays with leverage that is superior than both Moala and Taylor and has incredibly strong legs, coupled with explosion off the ball that should make him a prime-time competitor for a back-up UT spot.  Watch out Keyunta Dawson and Eric Foster, this kid is going to make you earn your spot.  Grady has the kind of quickness the Colts like in Dawson in Foster but is 20-30 lbs. heavier.  I am excited to see this kid out on the field.

The last new addition to the Colts DL competition is local boy Pat Kuntz who played at Notre Dame.  The Irish had their own defensive problems last season and Kuntz was one of the few bright spots in a rather disappointing season.  Kuntz, like a Mitch King, has a very noticeable "animal-like" nature that comes out in games.  He plays with high intensity all the time and will work his tail off to make an impact in the game, or make the Colts roster over the summer.  Like Grady, Kuntz has the kind of speed, motor, and ability to push opponents that make him valuable to the Colts and a potential threat to Dawson/Foster/Muir.

The veterans deserve their due as well.  Antonio Johnson seemed like he was doing a decent job of picking up the Colts scheme and certainly helped our running game when he was on the field.  With more development in our system and work with Coach JT, he could be another massive DT competing for NT responsibilities.  He has the NFL experience advantage over Terrance Taylor and may be the player who keeps Taylor as a back-up in his rookie season.

Don't forget Daniel Muir.  He may amount to nothing, could be released before pre-season in one of the team's initial cut downs, or he could be a valuable player.  The Colts wanted Muir bad enough that, not only did they grab him off of waivers immediately last year, they kept him on the roster through his injuries and let other prospects like LaJuan Ramsey go.  If he's fully healthy, it will be interesting to see what he brings to the table and what about him caught the Colts eye.

The most promising DT last season was Eric Foster who had to start out of position for the crippled Colts DL.  Even in this massive assignment Foster handled himself relatively well.  Most fans remember the big stand he made against the Steelers which held them out of the end-zone.  If he can continue to grow and develop, he could be a valuable asset as a smaller/speedy UT option.  It will be interesting to see how the coaching staff handles Foster this summer.

The hottest topic and biggest subject of being a casualty this summer is Keyunta Dawson.  Dawson is a strong man but he weighs 13 lbs less than Dwight Freeney and he's playing DT in the NFL.  Too often fans watched Dawson get blown off of the ball by much larger offensive linemen who were clearing the way for an oncoming RB, disposing of Dawson and moving on to our LBs.  That said, Dawson was the most adept of our DTs at running plays down, getting down the line, runnings sideline to sideline... ya know, all the things you hear more often describing LBs.  Still, let's be serious, Josh Thomas is not with the team at this point and Dawson could be used opposite Brock on pure-running downs at the DE position.  If he is used as a starter again this year, or sees a lot of playing time on the inside, I'll need to find the nearest censor before lashing out lengthy epithets at my TV screen.

I am very excited about the Colts moves at DT and cannot wait to see these players develop over the summer and take the field against the teams that want to "run the ball down our throat" every game this year.  *REBEL YELL - BRING IT YOU BASTARDS!!!*

Defensive End:

Dwight Freeney - Syracuse
6'1", 268 lbs.
Colts All-Time Career Sacks Leader
4 Time Pro Bowl Selection
8th Season
1st Round Selection - 2002

Robert Mathis - Alabama A&M
6'2", 245 lbs.
2008 Pro Bowl Selection
2nd Colts All-Time Career Sacks
7th Season
5th Round Selection - 2003

Raheem Brock - Temple
6'4", 274 lbs.
Starting LDE in 2008
DE/DT
8th Season
7th Round Selection - 2002 (acquired off of waivers from Philadelphia 2002)

Marcus Howard - Georgia
6'0", 237 lbs.
2nd Season
5th Round Selection - 2008

Curtis Johnson - Clark Atlanta University
6'3", 237 lbs.
2nd Season
UDFA - 2008

Analysis:

I've gotta tell you folks, this is another position that I'm really looking forward to watching this year.  The DEs on this team will only benefit from the improvements made to the interior of the DL.  Freeney and Mathis are one of, if not, the most feared DE pass-rushing combinations in the league.  With opposing OL unable to single-block each of our DTs this year, it will be even more difficult for team's to handle the super sack brothers.  Anything, I mean anything, that makes it more difficult for our opponents to handle or deal with these two head-hunters only serves to make me grin, giggle, and dance around my apartment.  Hey Dwight... hey Robert... IT'S TIME TO EAT!!!

That said, there are a couple of young DEs on the team who I look forward to watching in our pre-season games.  Marcus Howard is the fastest DE on the team right now, I think most would agree if they've seen how lightning quick he comes around the edge.  He doesn't yet possess the strength or the technique to make up for his lack of strength to be as effective a player as Mathis but it is certainly going to be fun watching him have the time and get the reps to develop behind two of the best in the business at punishing the QB.

Curtis Johnson, honestly, is even more exciting to me because I saw things he did in pre-season last year and on special teams that were pretty remarkable.  I think he is a player who could really develop under solid coaching and if he has his habit to jump off-sides under control, has gotten a little stronger, and has continued to improve technically... Johnson may well have the higher ceiling out of the two young DEs.

Linebacker:

Gary Brackett - Rutgers
5'11", 235 lbs.
Starting MLB
Defensive Captain
7th Season
UDFA - 2003

Clint Session - Pittsburgh
6'0", 235 lbs.
Starting SAM
3rd Season
4th Round - 2007

Freddy Keiaho - San Diego State
5'11", 226 lbs.
Starting WILL/MLB
4th Season
3rd Round Selection - 2006

Tyjuan Hagler - Cincinnati
6'0", 236 lbs.
SAM/WILL
4th Season
5th Round Selection - 2005

Philip Wheeler - Georgia Tech
6'2", 240 lbs.
LB/DE
2nd Season
3rd Round - 2008

Jordan Senn - Portland State
5'11", 224 lbs.
MLB/WILL
2nd Season
UDFA - 2008

Rufus Alexander - Oklahoma
6'1", 232 lbs.
2nd Season
6th Round Selection - 2007 (acquired from free agency 2008)

Michael Okwo - Stanford
6'0", 225 lbs.
1st Season
3rd Round Selection - 2007 (acquired from free agency 2009)

Adam Seward - UNLV
6'3", 250 lbs.
5th Season
5th Round Selection - 2005 (acquired as an UFA from Carolina)

Ramon Humber - North Dakota State
5'11", 232 lbs.
Rookie Season
UDFA - 2009

Tyrell Sales - Penn State
5'11", 232 lbs.
Rookie Season
UDFA - 2009

Analysis:

This has been an atypical off-season for the Colts at LB.  Not only were the Colts able to retain all of their starters from last season, they added undrafted free agent Adam Seward from Carolina.  Ultimately, what this means is that the Colts LB corps should be as strong or stronger than it was last year.  This is true not only because they were able to retain their starters but also because of, as someone else put it, the trickle down effect from our new DTs. 

Clint Session improved greatly last year, his first year in a starting role for the Colts, and I believe he could really break out this year as one of the team's best defensive playmakers.  I am excited to see him get an opportunity to start again and would love to see him as the WILL.  However, two years ago Freddy Keiaho showed a great deal or promise despite getting injured very early in the season.  Last year he struggled a bit but I think people have to be realistic in their evaluation of Freddy last year.  The defensive line was so bad that it is hard to imagine that any LB on the team would look really good.  Especially not the WILL.

Tyjuan Hagler returns to the team after losing his starting spot last year to Clint Session due to a pre-season injury.  Many were excited to see Hagler and felt he showed the ability to be a starter for the Colts.  Hagler played well when he started at WILL after Brackett was injured but his spot on the roster and role on the team is still a bit of an unknown entering the summer.

Philip Wheeler, one of our dangerously inconsistent 3rd Round selections, is hoping to make a push for a starting spot this year.  Based on Coyer's defensive habits it would seem that Wheeler would have a decent shot of making the team because he brings a pass-rushing/blitzing element to the LB corps that was previously absent.  If Coyer likes what he sees from Wheeler as a potential SAM he could start; or he could be a rotational player who brings a blitz threat as long as he's on the field.

Jordan Senn had an astounding pre-season last year, leading the team in tackles and was awarded a roster spot, beating out veteran Ramon Guzman.  Senn certainly looks the part of a Colts LB but has a lot of competition to fight through if he plans to not only stay on the roster but have a chance at more time on the field in 2009.

The three intriguing additions to the team are Michael Okwo, Rufus Alexander and Adam Seward.  Many have already annointed Adam Seward as the back-up Mike.  He has more experience than any LB on the roster not named Brackett and has been stuck behind great MLBs at Carolina for his entire career.  He is quite a bit bigger than a normal Colts LB and could be another indication that the Colts are "tweaking" the T2 by bringing in larger players. 

Another T2 LB we've brought in is Michael Okwo who was originally drafted by the Chicago Bears defense in the 3rd Round of the 2007 draft.  He was drafted in case Lance Briggs chose to follow-through with his holdout.  As Briggs returned to the field in 2007, Okwo was not really needed.  He suffered through an injury his rookie year and spent time on Chicago's practice squad after.  Now he's with the Colts and, if he plays up to his 3rd Round billing, he could be a cheap upgrade for our depth if nothing else.

Leading up to last year's draft many Colts fans were excited about Rufus Alexander as a potential Colts target in the draft.  The Colts went in another direction but were able to land Alexander from free agency in 2008 and will now have the opportunity to evaluate him over a full summer workout.  In his senior year at Oklahoma he was a tackling machine and showed great promise.  He will be interesting to watch.

Two additional LBs were added recently in UDFAs Tyrell Sales of Penn State and Ramon Humber of North Dakota State.  Sales played on a Penn State team that was stacked with talent at his position for most of his collegiate career and was overshadowed by Aaron Maybin as a senior.  However, it seems that he can play the part so long as he can keep out of trouble off the field. 

The more exciting of the two, in my opinion, is Ramon Humber.  Humber was the key component of North Dakota State's defense last year and really put up some strong numbers:  93 Tackles, 36 Assists, 12 TFL, 4.5 Sacks, 1 INT, 2 Pass Break-Ups, 7 QB Hurries, 2 FF.  Clearly this was against lesser competition but, as Polian says, if a player can play, a player can play.  It will be interesting to see how this shorter version of a "poor man's" Jason Williams will perform on the field this summer.

Corner Back:

Kelvin Hayden - Illinois
6'0", 195 lbs.
Returned the Super Bowl XLI sealing interception for a TD in 2006
Starting LCB
5th Season
2nd Round Selection - 2005

Marlin Jackson - Michigan
6'0", 196 lbs.
Starting RCB
5th Season
1st Round Selection - 2005

Tim Jennings - Georgia
5'8", 185 lbs.
Starting NCB
4th Season
2nd Round Selection - 2006

Dante Hughes - California
5'10", 190 lbs.
CB
3rd Season
3rd Round Selection - 2007

Michael Coe - Alabama State
6'0", 190 lbs.
CB
3rd Season
5th Round Selection - 2007

T.J. Rushing - Stanford
5'9", 186 lbs.
CB/KR
4th Season
7th Round Selection - 2006 (acquired from free agency 2006)

Jerraud Powers - Auburn
5'10", 192 lbs.
CB
Rookie Season
3rd Round Selection - 2009

Brandon Foster - Texas
5'8", 185 lbs.
CB
1st Season
UDFA - 2008

Nick Graham - Tulsa
5'10", 191 lbs.
CB
3rd Season
UDFA - 2007 (acquired from free agency 2008)

Jacob Lacey - Oklahoma State
5'10, 177 lbs.
CB
Rookie Season
UDFA - 2009

Brandon Anderson - Akron
5'10", 179 lbs.
CB/S
Rookie Season
UDFA - 2009

Analysis:

Another position handled atypically by the Colts leading up to the 2009 season.  Kelvin Hayden was offered a new contract to keep him on the Colts for the foreseeable future, securing one of our starting CB spots.  CB was one of the positions which almost certainly spelled doom to a player on the Colts roster who was coming to the end of his original contract.  Hayden broke that mold and has given fans a reason to feel at least somewhat relieved that they're not entering the 2009 season with their two starting CBs ready to enter free agency.

That said, Marlin Jackson is still in his contract year and what will happen with Jackson is still up in the air.  The injury last year could not help Jackson in terms of his power to negotiate for a high-paying contract extension.  However, Jackson has been an important part of the Colts secondary and I don't think it is any secret that the front office and fans alike are more comfortable when the former 1st Round draft pick is on the field than when he is not.

The depth behind Jackson is where things get a little scary.  Tim Jennings spent a lot of time on the field last year, starting for Jackson after he was put on the IR.  Jennings showed some flashes of doing some good things, showed some signs of being a non-factor in the game, and showed some flashes of doing some really stupid things.  The inconsistency, the inability to appropriately cover bigger receivers or elite route runners, and the propensity to make bone-headed mental mistakes at the most inopportune times in a game certainly haven't won Jennings many friends.  Add to that the flash-backs many fans have of passes to the left side of the field on 3rd and long last year and the number of times the result was a reception and a 1st Down and you're starting to get the picture.

Dante Hughes was a fan favorite as a rookie, and moving into his second year, but for some reason the Colts front office has seemingly either forgotten Hughes or is not happy with his development.  He may yet have the opportunity to beat out Jennings for the nickel spot while Jackson and Hayden are healthy but it seems like the more experience Jennings gets on the field, the harder it will be for coaches to throw a player with less experience into the game.

T.J. Rushing is really just a returner but has played some CB in emergencies and wasn't awful.  That said, I don't think the Colts staff wants him on the field for defensive purposes if they can help it.  His paycheck depends on his ability to win a return job.  Brandon Foster was an UDFA pick-up last year and spent a lot of time on the Colts practice squad but is vertically challenged like so many of the Colts CBs and will have to really show development to leap-frog past Hughes, Jennings, Coe and the Colts 3rd Round selection this year, Powers.

Michael Coe is another CB prospect Colts fans have been anxious to see on the field.  Many seem to think he has the ability, and the size, to be an effective corner for the Colts.  However, he has suffered from the injury bug since he entered the league, spending each year on the IR.

Nick Graham is a player most Colts fans don't want on the roster at all.  Some have mentioned that he's a solid special teams player, in coverage.  He better be really good at it because there's a lot of talent on the Colts roster and barring injury, a "decent special teamer" is not going to make the final cut.

Jerraud Powers was drafted in the 3rd Round of the Colts draft and has been likened to Kelvin Hayden by Polian.  However, Powers is shorter than Hayden and is known more as a cover-corner than a zone guy.  He also may not pack the punch against the run as players like Hayden, Jackson and Jennings have proven to.  It will be interesting to see when and how Powers in used and if he really is as good as Polian has indicated by using our 3rd Round pick on him.

Possibly the most intriguing player to keep an eye on this summer in the CB competition is Jacob Lacey.  Lacey has improved greatly in each of his collegiate years and seems to bring all the things the Colts want to the table.  To overuse this phrase once again, I would liken him to a "poor man's" Bradley Fletcher (CB Iowa).  If he can develop well over the summer and take to the Colts system, I wouldn't be surprised to see him at least on the practice squad, if not pushing Hughes/Graham for a roster spot.

Brandon Anderson out of Akron is a player who showed some ability as a senior.  It would seem he could be considered at CB or S.  I have him at CB for now because of his 10 pass break-ups as a Senior... and because I feel sorry for anyone who has any part of the competition for a S spot this year.

We have a lot players at the CB position so "lots of options," and potentially "lots of depth," but we don't have a lot of proven ability at CB behind Jackson and Hayden.  Jennings has experience at the position but hasn't been spectacular.  Our best "depth CB" was not re-signed in the off-season.  The rest are in a crap shoot for two-three roster spots with Jennings and Powers as the immediate front runners.  Let's hope somebody good comes out of this group.

Safety:

Bob Sanders - Iowa
5'8", 206 lbs.
SS
2007 NFL Defensive Player of the Year
6th Season
2nd Round Selection - 2004

Antoine Bethea - Howard
5'11", 203 lbs.
FS
2007 Pro Bowl Selection
4th Season
6th Round Selection - 2006

Melvin Bullitt - Texas A&M
6'1", 201 lbs.
S
3rd Season
UDFA - 2007

Matt Giordano - California
5'11", 200 lbs.
SS
5th Season
4th Round Selection - 2005

Brannon Condren - Troy
6'1", 205 lbs.
S
3rd Season
4th Round Selection - 2007 (acquired from free agency 2008)

Jamie Silva - Boston College
5'11", 204 lbs.
SS
2nd Season
UDFA - 2008

Travis Key - Michigan State
5'9", 190 lbs.
S/CB
1st Season
UDFA - 2008 (acquired from free agency 2009)

Brandon Harrison - Michigan
5'9", 197 lbs.
S/CB
Rookie Season
UDFA - 2009

Analysis:

The Colts have one of the strongest groups at S of any team in the league, if not the strongest.  Bob Sanders, when healthy, is a defensive player of the year candidate every year.  Antoine Bethea is a tackling machine, one of the better players on the team at making plays on the ball in the air, and is in competition for a Pro Bowl selection each year.  Melvin Bullitt played very good football last year when Sanders was down, coming up to make plays against the run, hitting hard, making plays on special teams, and sealing games with late interceptions.  Bullitt would be a starter on quite a few NFL rosters if he was not with the Colts after his performance last year. 

If that's not enough, Matt Giordano has been one of the most dependable back-ups for the Colts for years now and is one of the fastest players on the team... known for running down Devin Hester on the inital kickoff in Super Bowl XLI.  Brannon Condren was one of the biggest "gasp" decisions by the Colts front office last year as he seemingly played well in the pre-season and had me saying that he may make the team over Bullitt.  Silly me. 

Still, Silva's job isn't in stone.  Silva is an excellent special teams contributor and absolutely a football player who is capable of making plays on defense and special teams.  However, Condren has a lot of experience in the Colts system too, moreso than Silva in fact, and he's faster, bigger and could work his tail of to get his roster spot back.  The "real competition" in my mind is between these two players, although Giordano may be thrown in as well.

That said, we have a couple of young S prospects who are in the precarious position of trying to do anything to claw their way onto the Colts roster or practice squad against the formidable veterans ahead of them.  Travis Key of Michigan State was signed as as a free agent late last season and has hopped around from team to team since initially signing with Minnesota as an UDFA last year.  In his senior season with the Spartans, Key compiled impressive stats:  69 tackles, 24 assists, 1 TFL, 2 INTs, 2 FF, 2 FR - but those stats are not going to be enough for him to crack the roster.  He'll need to show that he is one of the best kept secrets on special teams to make the roster and may have a better chance of clawing his way onto the practice squad in case something should happen and an emergency sub is needed.

Our most recent S prospect is Brandon Harrison out of Michigan, signed as an UDFA this year.  Harrison has a little bit better size for the position than Key does and also had impressive senior stats:  69 tackles, 27 assists, 7 TFL, 3 Sacks, 3 pass break-ups, 1 FF, 2 FR - but like Key, there is little chance that those stats will carry over to a roster spot.  Harrison probably would have a better shot at CB but could surprise and make the practice squad as a developmental S.

What's not to like at the S position?  Whoever comes out of this competition will be a part of one of the strongest S groups in the league.