Rebuilding Necessary?

First let me warn you that this is going to be a really long but I feeling like posting what i think/feel and seeing what others think and feel. It has been a horrible season. But the Colts seem determined to end it on a positive note, and to maybe show is that this group of guys isn't quite done yet......

As we all know, this season has absolutely sucked! I do feel, however, that perhaps there has been some overreaction by man. So many just want to blow it up and start all over and I don't think that we are at that point yet. I was feeling like our D maybe would need a major overhaul but now I'm not sure. I think Coyer may really have been that much of the problem when it comes to our defense. The last couple of years, there have been so many times when I've sat and yelled at the tv and wondered what the D was doing. Someone asked me last night why our D has looked better the last couple of weeks and I said "idk they look like they're playing the Tampa 2 like they used too and not like they have been lately." So I think Coyer was setting them up for failure with his schemes and playcalling. Granted, there are still problems and its not perfect but there are a lot of solid pieces there.

Now lets get to all the potential guys who may get cut or could be allowed to walk. Let me start with the DEs. Mathis is a free agent and Freeney is heading into the last year of his deal with a major cap hit on this last coming year. I've heard the rumors of letting Mathis walk and maybe even cutting Freeney loose. I don't understand this at all? Who do you replace them with? JERRY HUGHES?! I mean who steps in and plays? And, in my opinion, you can't let one go and keep the other. You have to have both and you NEED both if you're the Colts. I mean they make the defense work! And they are what 31 and 30? People wanna say they are on the decline. Well Mathis certainly didn't look like it last night. And Strahan was good until he retired which I can't remember his age but I know he was older than these two guys! I just can't envision our defense with out them. Give Mathis a new deal, extend Freeney, and try to balance out the money over the years as best you can or put a lot on the back end of the deals and decide later what to do with them when they're older. Now two guys on defense you can let go are Brackett and Bullitt. Bracket is older and we gave him way too much money on that last deal, he's injury prone, and Angerer is better at the spot now. I love Brackett and all he's meant to the team, but his time to go is now. Bullitt has been a great fill in and we'll all always remember him for 4th and 2 but he too must go now.

A defense with Freeney, Mathis, Nevis, Johnson, Anderson, Brayton, and Moala sounds pretty good to me though if we can get a great DT in the draft somewhere I say do it. Angerer, Conner, and Wheeler is a solid LB group too that is only getting better. Still need to draft and/or sign a couple of LBs for depth. If we win next week and end up with the #3 pick, I think we should draft the Honey Badger out of LSU. He instantly makes the secondary better. If we still end up with the #1 overall pick, I think they HAVE to trade down. Luck may be the once in a generation player that Peyton is, but you don't NEED him to make it all work. Roethlisberger is good but not on Peyton or Brady or Rodgers level but he has two rings. You need a really good QB, not necessarily a great QB, and a really good TEAM. The Colts can pick up a QB in a year or two. I think if you trade down, potentially with Cleveland, you try to take the CB from LSU and either the LT out of USC or Allen the TE from Clemson if you get rid of Clark. I LOVE Clark and I'll be so sad to see him go but I do understand it with Tamme there and maybe a chance at Allen.

The offense will be good to go with Peyton back at the helm. Have to resign Garcon and in my opinion, you have to resign Saturday b/c who is going to step in for him right now? Pollak? I don't trust him. Collie will get back on track with Peyton there to look for him. Garcon is our deep threat so he has to stay. I'd love Reggie to stay and think it has its benefits but again, I can see how it might be best and easier to get along without him. If we can keep our trio of RBs that is great but yet again, Addai may be a casualty. Now that we have an Oline that can block at least some of the time, Brown is finding holes and breaking nice runs. Carter just needs to pull and AP and focus an offseason on ball security and he's good to go. Oline is better but could still use and extra piece or two.

I really think the Colts can make one last run over the next few years. I also admit that is what I want. I love the guys here and am attached to them. People say we lack youth but I think we have more than people think. We have it at RB, LB, CB (though they may not be that great), some of the O line, and WR. Thoughts?

P.S. I've written this throughout the day at work and have had to stop and restart several times so if it seems like my thoughts kinda wander at times, I apologize.