The reason Raheem Brock left the Colts: Lack of playing time

we have freeney, mathis, hughes, foster, king, johnson, muir, moala, chick, and maybe even matthews on the line. No need for someone who doesn’t want to be there.

I have a question. may make me look like a fool. but what exactly is a “joker” linebacker? is it basically a 4th linebacker on 4-3 used as a pass rusher..so like a 4-4… or do u sub out a linebacker in the 4-3 for a pass rushing linebacker so that it still stats a 4-3?

I was going to cite Pro Football Focus, but the site has become subscription-only shakes phone in anger. Nonetheless, I believe Brock was fourth or fifth on the defense in snaps, behind Bethea, Lacey, Brackett, and maybe Bullitt.

He had all the chances he needed.

There are guys in sports who need more time in a game to get into a groove, and others who are able to put the pedal to the metal at the whistle. Brock sounds like he’s saying I was never able to really get the chances to put in the time.

It’s easy to pass this off as him whining about money, but sometimes we forget that two of the games best players at DE are on the Colts team. If Brock really wanted a chance to become a decent DE, he needed those reps. Whether he fails at it for another team or not, he’d never really be able to showcase his stuff on a ROUTINE basis with the Colts. I remember a guy by the name of Steve Young who sat behind two great QB’s and only got a chance to shine due to a serious injury to a HOF QB.

Yes, we can say well he had a great chance to shine in the SB, but that’s not a fair shake. The guy was constantly being moved around and never really given the chance to stay put. As hoosierstudent just posted, he had plenty of snaps…..but those were at DT, DE, Joker LB, etc…..the guy was not lining up at one position all game….which impacts his productivity…

I concur with Naptown_Ninja as that he most likely knew he wouldn’t be around much longer and wanted a chance for one last ride somewhere else. Brock would fit better in a 3-4, and I’m glad someone else besides me commented on that.

Look, my opinion means squat, but I can’t fault the guy for wanting to see if he could be a better player at one position……or simply wanting to see if he could be the player he thinks he is… however, I do know that I will always love the guy for being a big part of the Colts. He was a great player to the fans, as he always made time for us. On the field, he may have been a slightly above average player, but he was always a good teammate.

I wish him well, and I hope the O-Line stomps their feet in his grill when they run over him twice a season…

I still believe that he saw what was coming (Him getting cut) and decided to leave the Colts on his own accord instead. I, for one, don’t hold it against him in the least. I’d rather he went to an NFC team or at least a team outside the division but you have to admit that Colts players going down to Tenn. to get paid is becoming somewhat of a tradition.

I was waiting for the press to start laughing, when he mentioned Pro Bowl and more opportunities for himself… He needs confidence, but he will have a hard time making the Titans.

Consider this – let’s say you’re on a project team with a fabulous project manager, a star lead architect, and a few developers. The career path is such that the incentives are to move into a lead architect or project manager role, but the developers only get the opportunity to play those roles when the incumbent is on vacation or out of the office.

For the sake of their career, one of these developers decides that it’s time for him to find another opportunity where he could rise to lead architect or project manager. Would you begrudge him that opportunity? even if he goes to the competitor to do it? even if you think he doesn’t have the capability to perform those roles?

I don’t. He may not get the job he seeks, but in my mind he’s maintained a lot of integrity by identifying the situation that will work the best for him. By staying in the current situation, he may not be motivated to perform his best, and I wouldn’t want that, either.

As for Brock, I’ll miss him and I’ll root for him (except on a couple of key games). I even hope he eventually comes back to retire a Colt (though I suspect he won’t).

I dont think he had much to contribute to the Colts anymore. The only two spots I could see him having a semblance of impact is if he switched back to DT and was used only in pass rush situations at that spot or as a “joker” LB. He would have essentially been regulated as a situational role player and would have seen a significant decline in his playing time

He wasn’t angry that he didn’t get more playing time. He fully understood why. He simply wants a chance to make a pro bowl and he wasn’t going to get that playing behind 2 pro bowl ends. He doesn’t care about the money and he doesn’t care about the Superbowl because he’s already done that. He wants a pro bowl. He’s willing to take the risk to try and get it. Who can blame him? Not me.