Jim Caldwell is now "not certain" that Bob Sanders will start in the season opener against the Jaguars

by Brad Wells on Aug 12, 2009 1:22 PM EDT in Colts News

Not to sound too negative, but here is another swift kick to the gonads (from Mike Chappell at the Indianapolis Star):

"I’m not certain,’’ coach Jim Caldwell replied this morning when asked if he was confident Sanders would be ready for the Sept. 13 opener against Jacksonville. "I would say that if I felt that way. I’m really not certain.
"The most important thing is to get him healthy.’’

It is the continuing merry-go-round with Bob. He's healthy. He's not. He's healthy. He's not.

What we hope is that Bob will get clearance to practice soon and play as soon as possible. But, after living through the Marvin Harrison and Ryan Lilja knee fiascoes the last two seasons, it's tough to have any faith. Also, Bob practically lives on the injury list. He has yet to play a full 16 game season in his entire career. While I love Bob and think he is a great player, if he cannot stay healthy, the Colts need to think about dumping him.

He is simply not worth the salary cap space if he is this hurt, this often.

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With the emergence of Bullitt

and if Bob has another injury-plagued season, something may have to give in order to keep Bethea and a couple other free agents. I wouldn’t be surprised..

by yellowsnow on Aug 12, 2009 1:30 PM EDT reply actions

Couldn't agree more

WIth Bullitt and Bethea…don’t forget Giordano…stepping up…the safety position can be dominant without BOB. Though Bob is a dominant force and threat to any offense…he can’t be that force on the injury list!!!

THIS_IS_HIM

by J-ROC on Aug 12, 2009 1:35 PM EDT reply actions

So it seems like the last 3 guys are going to sit on the PUP for a while

Bob, Vinny and Guns Giguire

It's shocking what you can miss sometimes. The amazing color changing card trick.

by shake n bake on Aug 12, 2009 1:38 PM EDT reply actions

Guns was just taken off of PUP:

Link

Also, the Colts have activated WR San Giguere (leg) from the Physically Unable to Perform list.

That makes 2 people left, and they probably will be taken off of PUP before the season starts, because those 2 will most likely by ready before week 6 (unlike Lilja).

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: Cursed players this year (via my autograph curse): Donald Brown, Fili Moala, Jerraud Powers, Austin Collie, Terrence Taylor, and Curtis Painter.

by Cassieper on Aug 13, 2009 1:32 PM EDT up reply actions

BBS

I couldn’t agree more regarding the Sanders situation. This is getting really rediculous. He is paid WAY too much for someone who plays half time. I love Bob, but would not be too broken up if he was let go or traded…or anything. Not only is Bob injury prone…but he seems to be a very slow healer.

by TRDean on Aug 12, 2009 1:41 PM EDT reply actions

Trade Value

His trade value was at its highest after the 07 season. I’m not sure what other teams would jump at a highly paid talent with so many injury issues.

If they shopped him around, I would hope we can get something good in return, like an OT or something.

"I'm looking for Ray Finkle....and a clean pair of shorts."

by AceOfSpades on Aug 12, 2009 4:11 PM EDT up reply actions

like an OT or something.

Ha! That would be nice, wouldn’t it?

by jedye on Aug 12, 2009 7:59 PM EDT up reply actions

sigh

that damn Murphys law better make up for this week in a big way. There should be no way in hell that we should suffer this much after the fiasco that ensued last year with injuries and other such crap.

by metal_militia on Aug 12, 2009 1:42 PM EDT reply actions

I started...

I started to think this about Bob awhile ago and I decided to give him a bit more time. Sadly, he just keeps getting hurt. Pro sports is a cut throat business especially when you have a very well regulated salary cap like the NFL does. If Bob can’t be on the field then he is literally $$$ just sitting there not being used.

by MasterRWayne on Aug 12, 2009 1:43 PM EDT reply actions

So tired of this

I love Bob, but as you guys have already said, we are loaded at safety and it may not be worth carrying Bob’s salary if he cannot get out there and make things happen on a consistent basis. I also wonder if we would really feel Bob’s loss as much if we do in fact have a more dominant D-line and some active linebackers that can tackle. Bob was the “eraser” in previous seasons and if we can shore up the line and not need to have so many mistakes erased, we can likely field a very strong, fearsome duo at safety without Bob in the mix.

That said, I hope the man wakes up healthy on day 1 and knocks Torry Holt back to St. Louis.

by tenyardfight on Aug 12, 2009 1:47 PM EDT reply actions

I said this last year

and everyone argued with me that Sanders is worth it even if he only plays 4 games a year. I don’t believe that. Bullitt is a fine replacement for now, but they should consider drafting a slightly bigger safety (less injury exposure) next offseason along with some LT help because Sanders can’t be trusted to stay healthy.

I am confident in Bullitt to step it up, but I just wish it wasn’t this same issue every year.

"I'm looking for Ray Finkle....and a clean pair of shorts."

by AceOfSpades on Aug 12, 2009 2:01 PM EDT reply actions

Couldn't agree more

I love Bob and want him to stay healthy because I believe he is one of the best safeties, if not the best, in the league. Yet financially speaking, it hurts the team he is on the bench so much.

by npb1985 on Aug 12, 2009 2:01 PM EDT reply actions

What is Bob's injury?

Is it the same thing consistently? Could someone fill me in? I am sure Polian is already thinking of a future with Bob or without him….I think Bob is prob worried too…Wasn’t there a quote of him saying something like, :“the way I play and am built, I’m gonna be hurt alot…” (paraphrased ) That is a clear indication that bob is concerned about his resiliency, and may see an exit from indy….

I hope he gets better and stays that way….he is such a bad ass…..

by peterbones on Aug 12, 2009 2:26 PM EDT reply actions

recovering from offseason surgery

he gets some pretty much every year. I guess this time he hasn’t healed as fast or needed more serious surgery.

It's shocking what you can miss sometimes. The amazing color changing card trick.

by shake n bake on Aug 12, 2009 2:28 PM EDT up reply actions

Maybe he's having surgery again

and they’re not telling us..just as they did with Peyton last year…

GO COLTS! =D

by fpacheco on Aug 12, 2009 3:45 PM EDT reply actions

6 million this year, around 4 next year.

It’s not really that much money.

If he’s healthy half the time, he’s worth it.

Besides that, the cap is gone after this year and probably never coming back.

18to88.com

by deshawn zombie on Aug 12, 2009 3:54 PM EDT reply actions

probably gone after this year

an uncapped year was in there to get the owners negotiating before a strike/lockout was eminent. Only a small group of owners want the league uncapped.

I’m pretty sure they have a sizable gap of time after the season to get a extension/new deal done that would prevent an uncapped year.

It's shocking what you can miss sometimes. The amazing color changing card trick.

by shake n bake on Aug 12, 2009 3:58 PM EDT up reply actions

title should be possibly gone after this year

though there’s probably a good chance with some owners looking to kill the cap and the rest trying to force the players union backwards from the set of concessions the owners made last time.

It's shocking what you can miss sometimes. The amazing color changing card trick.

by shake n bake on Aug 12, 2009 4:11 PM EDT up reply actions

Not sure I agree with your cap views

And even if it is gone for a while (I don’t think the league is sustainable without one), can Irsay afford it? He is a professional football owner, not a shipping/media magnate who dabbles in the NFL for vanity reasons. He hasn’t got the pockets or outside income of some other owners.

LIke most here, I love Bob. I am concerned and don’t really see him lasting three more seasons in Indy. Two, probably. Or anywhere for that matter—at some point, his injuries are likely to diminish his skills/speed. And at some point, I hope he wakes up one morning and says “I’m in too much pain.” And I hope that’s BEFORE it’s to late. I don’t want another Jim Otto limping around on canes. He has exceeded the average NFL career by a good bit already, believe it or not. Anything else we get out of him is just gravy at this point. Expensive gravy, yes, but appreciated nonetheless. I think when the time comes for Polian to weigh the cost/benefit of Bob against Bulitt or Bethea and risk losing one of THEM, that’s when I think Bob’s days as a Colt will be numbered.

If the NFL life is too tough for Bob, maybe he should try modeling like Mister Brady:

http://nbcsports.msnbc.com/id/32379703/ns/sports-nfl/

I hate Joe Namath. That's how long I've been a Colts fan.

by Bobman on Aug 12, 2009 4:06 PM EDT up reply actions

My comment about disagreement was aimed at DZ, Not Shake.

I hate Joe Namath. That's how long I've been a Colts fan.

by Bobman on Aug 12, 2009 4:07 PM EDT up reply actions

Im sorry but im not with most of your sentiments. I love bob and people get hurt. look at the other teams who have lost their stars for the year. if we lose him one game…its jax, they suck, bullit will be fine in replacement and when he gets back he will be ready to go. Im tired of reading the moaning. I have to listen to it in real life at work.

heal bob and I when you come back may you womp on many! sorry but HE is worth it. pretty sure most colts fans want him back healthy but life doesnt always cooporate

Im a bob fan!

by kinnickcolt on Aug 12, 2009 3:56 PM EDT reply actions

wishful thinking

sounds like you are painting the picture that Bob is rarely injured and this will be a short term scenario with a happy ending….problem is that this story has repeated itself over and over again the past 4-5 years and it’s not fun.

IMO, the D won’t be as reliant on Sanders this year so his absense may not be felt in quite the same way it was in the past. If they succeed (win the SB or get close) without him, there will be some interesting decisions to be made next offseason.

"I'm looking for Ray Finkle....and a clean pair of shorts."

by AceOfSpades on Aug 12, 2009 4:16 PM EDT up reply actions

Bob's a great player

but the fact is that he’s an undersized safety who hits like he’s a middle linebacker. It doesn’t take a genius to know that sooner or later his body is going to totally break down and I’d rather the Colts cut ties with him now than wait until he has the career-ending injury. We have several capable backups who have the talent to start, I’d be shocked if Bob’s still wearing a Colts uniform in 2010.

by BSU_Alum07 on Aug 12, 2009 4:49 PM EDT up reply actions

Bob deserves every penny

I don’t understand the sentiment of many on this site in regards to Bob Sanders. Sure, he does get injured because of his size and super intensity, he cannot help that. Here is the bottom line…Is he worth what we pay him for the amount of time he plays? Yes. No one will argue that he is a freak when he is actually in games. Our backups are good, but not freaks. If we get a freak half a year (hopefully the 2nd half) then great.

Remember when he came back from injury and played like a freak in postseason 06 and we won the superbowl? Remember how he closed out the the Superbowl with an INT, got one against NE in the AFC game too. If we save him for the postseason…he is worth it.

This surgery was done at a strategic time so he would be ready for this year. Colts were a part of that decision process. As far as questioning if he heals fast? Are you just bored? What kind of time do you have where you can ponder that? He heals when he heals, and the Colts training staff has a lot to do with that.

He is worth every penny. If Peyton missed 6 games a year in the past 4, would he still be worth it? Definitely.

Lucas Berridge

by Firebird on Aug 12, 2009 6:53 PM EDT up reply actions

At the money

Bob makes, he’s not worth it. Is Melvin Bullitt as good as Bob? Probably not, but the odds of him playing an entire season are much higher. Bob has 4 years left in the NFL max, IMO. It’d be better for the Colts to cut Bob now or at the end of the season and watch as some other team struggles for a couple of years to keep Bob healthy before Bob admits the obvious and retires because his body’s a trainwreck.

by BSU_Alum07 on Aug 12, 2009 10:19 PM EDT up reply actions

Who the F are you?

I know he does not heal fast!! No I am not bored…are you? Sorry you don’t understand the sentiment are you stupid? Understanding is not the same as not agreeing with!!! Sander is hurt too much. Period!!

by TRDean on Aug 13, 2009 6:31 AM EDT up reply actions

If we can get Bob healthy enough to pass a physical....

maybe we can get a pretty stupid team to trade us a ton of picks. Hey, there are plenty of those out there.

by jackhammerslam on Aug 12, 2009 7:49 PM EDT reply actions

IT's his quad...I think Bob's body is breaking down.

This is from indyfootballreport.com

Said Polian:

In a nutshell and a vast oversimplification, it’s the strengthening of his quad muscle to the point where it allows him to begin a rapid advance in football conditioning. He’s in great physical condition. He’s not in football condition and he can’t get there until the quad strengthens up. Is that going to take four weeks or six? I don’t know and it doesn’t matter. But he’ll be back at some point in time for the vast majority of the regular season.

by tenyardfight on Aug 12, 2009 7:54 PM EDT reply actions

that's interesting

Kind of saying “it’s not that he’s injured – it’s that his leg is too weak now so that if he played now he would become injured.”

by jedye on Aug 12, 2009 8:05 PM EDT up reply actions

Probably stating the obvious

But I assume this is just a reflection of how far he’s gotten after surgery. The quad atrophies very rapidly and it takes a long time to rebuild (hell I’m 12 years removed from knee surgery and my quad is still not 100%, but that’s really my fault). If rebuilding that quad is the only thing that’s holding him back now, that sounds really encouraging.

How can you not love a team that does this?

by LovinBlue on Aug 12, 2009 9:20 PM EDT up reply actions

D-line play

I want to see how he holds up this year. If we can get some consistent run stopping from our dline maybe it will help 21 stay healthy. It’ wait and see until then for me.

IN POLIAN I TRUST

by colt44 on Aug 12, 2009 8:33 PM EDT via mobile reply actions

Part time player

Like everyone else, I’ve loved the difference Sanders makes when he’s healthy.
However, I seriously doubt he’s going to play a full season…ever.
If that’s the case, and assuming he does recover to about 90-95% of his top ability, he should be a situation player and paid on that basis.
There is no point in always having an injury prone question mark at that position every season.
(Especially when the Colts may have another big question mark in their kicking game.)
Maybe his style is the cause of the never ending injuries or maybe he’s just injury prone.
I have a gut feeling that he’s got far more injury problems than the Colts are revealing.
In my opinion, there is no point in having him play full tilt in one game only to have him miss three games or more due to yet another injury.
The Colts need to find a way to make him a situation player, or get him as healthy as possible and shop him around to other teams.
I’m tired of reading the injury report with his name on it.

by centauri on Aug 12, 2009 8:33 PM EDT reply actions

It's Funny...

…how when he’s not playing and the defense struggles everyone wants him back on the field, but when he’s injured, it’s time to get rid of him. Fans are something else. Look, don’t get me wrong I know that he misses a lot of games, but when he plays, HE PLAYS. Maybe he’s gotten so many injuries the past seasons, because our defense has failed to help him. Once a runner gets past our d-line, it’s pretty much anybodies job to either make a tackle, or let the guy run for 29835923525 yards and score a touchdown. Bob Sanders is usually the guy running all over the place every game when he’s in. Our defense’s inability to stop the run has led to him playing basically like a maniac. If it’s true that our defense will be better against stopping the run, then I doubt Sanders will be as injured as he is now. Just think about it, he won’t have to almost literally be doing everything when he plays. If he can play 12+ games in a season, that’s good enough for me. Don’t forget, most of the defensive players rely on him to make plays when someone gets a huge gain. So, for Sanders to be healthy, it has to be a team thing. The defense can’t rely on him to make every tackle, or he will be gone not only from the Colts, but from the NFL. Your body can only take so much abuse.

I'll be the DJ, tell me what to play. No, I won't even play, just keep it on replay.

twitter.com/natknowsports
youtube.com/natknowsports

by The Answer 3 on Aug 12, 2009 10:53 PM EDT reply actions

Thank you.

I’m trying to stay away from this because I think its overreaction. I love Bob. But that isn’t the only reason I wouldn’t want him cut. Heck, if he can play in 6 games at the end of the season and the playoffs, I think he’s worth it. It isn’t only what he does on the field when he’s there that’s important, its his vibe, or leadership or what have you, that he brings to the rest of the D that’s HUGE. I mean HOW amazing was it that when he returned in 2006 that the ENTIRE defense improved? He’s an important player and not just for his skills.

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

by peytonsthebest on Aug 13, 2009 11:25 AM EDT up reply actions

One thing I'm afraid of

We cut Bob after this season, he signs with the Patriots and never misses another game and kills us. Hopefully the cap is gone after this year. Polian has been one of the highest spenders in the league, and the Colts would consistently be a top team like now. Colts drafting + Keeping free agents = Pretty awesome team.

"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 Aug 13, 2009 1:52 AM EDT reply actions

Considering

Bob’s never played a full season in his career & he’s entering his peak year athletically this year, I don’t think we would have to worry about him suddenly becoming the bionic man if he were released. My greatest fear is that Bob’s going to become one of the former players who can’t dress himself because he can’t lift his arms above his shoulders and be crippled for life after the NFL.

by BSU_Alum07 on Aug 14, 2009 9:21 AM EDT up reply actions