How to build a championship team

by coltsgolfbeer on Feb 14, 2012 1:53 PM EST

Here is how I believe we will need to go about building a championship team. Basically, we need to buid a championship caliber offense this offseason through the draft, with some free agency additions to shore up our defense. Next year, we go mostly defense in the draft, and I think in 2013 we could make a super bowl run.

Release:

Peyton Manning, Dwight Freeney, Reggie Wayne, Gary Brackett, Saturday and Diem retire. This will free up some cap room (more in 2013), and allow us to build a team around Luck.

Offense: I love the Patriots two tight end set, I would love to copy that as an option, with some excellent receivers as well. We need to shore up our O-line, Pollak takes over at center but we still need a guard.

Draft: 1st round - Luck

2nd round - Coby Fleener, TE

3rd Round - Tony Bergstrom - OG UTah

4th Round - Ryan Broyles- WR

Defense:

Moving to a 3-4, we need a big nose tackle. I think we keep Mathis and play him at LB, Bullitt and Bethea are not bad safeties if they stay healthy, but we need a CB.

Free agency moves:

Paul Solilai, DT Miami

Brandon Carr, CB Kansas City

*If we have the money (we won't), would like to get Cory Redding, DE Baltimore

With these moves, we would have a scary offense...Fleener is 6'6, runs a 4.5 40, combine him with Dallas and we are scary, then Garcon at #1, Broyles at #2/slot, Collie in there as well, we would have a great offense.

I think with these moves we have a good defense with Pagano coaching, and by 2013 this team could win a championship if good things happen.

This is a FanPost and does not necessarily reflect the views of Stampede Blue's writers or editors. It does reflect the views of this particular fan though, which is as important as the views of Stampede Blue's writers or editors.

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"If we have money"

If Colts cut Peyton now, Brackett, Bullitt after June1 and trade Freeney , then Colts have 45 million in cap space.
21 goes to Mathis and Garcon and rookies in 2012. 4 needs to remain for the season, there is 20 to spend.

by Ty46 on Feb 14, 2012 2:07 PM EST reply actions

keeping bullitt, possibly reducing his contract

by coltsgolfbeer on Feb 14, 2012 3:30 PM EST up reply actions

In just 2 games, he reinjured his shoulder

His career might be over, but also played poorly.

by Ty46 on Feb 14, 2012 3:41 PM EST up reply actions

yea wouldn't hurt to pickup a safety if we can

by coltsgolfbeer on Feb 14, 2012 4:20 PM EST up reply actions

agreed

Bullitt is a big question mark. Plus like you say, he didn’t play well at all when he was in there. I don’t remember how much his contract was but if we can cut him without taking a big hit I would do it. I wasn’t all that excited about them signing him in the first place.

by modern_day_warrior on Feb 14, 2012 5:59 PM EST up reply actions

Not true.

The figure is more than 10 million less than that.

That said, I agree with the general ideas from you and the OP. Except I think Carr will cost too much. I don’t know anything about Soliai but if he is a scheme fit I think there is a way to make it work. I like that he’s young.

Anderson has expressed interest in returning as a 5-technique DE as well. Could be a low-cost short term solution as well.

Oh, and cut Clark. Hughes post-June 1 too if he doesn’t have a good camp.

I am not in favor of selling out to try to field the 100% absolute best 2012 squad when you can eat some dead money and be ready for 13-14, but I do think that this team could surprise some people next year if things go perfectly. Even with a tough non-division schedule (AFCE and NFCN) 8-8 might not be out of the question. And that’s a good solid base on which to build when you’ll suddenly have 50 or so million in cap to spend in the coming season.

by willyduer on Feb 14, 2012 7:57 PM EST up reply actions

this

by mlc2656 on Feb 15, 2012 1:40 PM EST via mobile up reply actions

Fans assume far too much about the draft.

Assuming that Broyles, a 4th round pick, would develop into a good starting wide receiver is a big leap.

by James Broschat on Feb 14, 2012 2:52 PM EST reply actions

agreed.

I do feel that he is special. But we would need a backup plan in case he isn’t.

by coltsgolfbeer on Feb 14, 2012 3:29 PM EST up reply actions

Not really. If Broyles had stayed healthy the entire year he’d be a late first/early second round pick. The only reason he’s dropped in mocks lately is because of his ACL. If he proves that’s healed, then his stock might go up to the 3-4 range.

by TrueBlue87 on Feb 14, 2012 3:56 PM EST up reply actions

Doesn't matter.

Still assuming that A. He will stay healthy, and B. That he will develop into a starting wide receiver. It’s still very uncertain.

by James Broschat on Feb 14, 2012 9:00 PM EST up reply actions

.

Only those who attempt the absurd will achieve the impossible.
Escher, M.C.

by motrepip on Feb 14, 2012 4:42 PM EST reply actions

ACTUALLY

like this draft. The holes on this team cannot be fixed in one draft so its important to accumulate as much talent as possible. Taking the highest rated player on the board even though not a huge area of need is smart drafting. Taking a TE or OL early makes a lot of sense. Since Luck is the future surrounding him with as much offensive talent as possible is important.

by javen on Feb 14, 2012 5:32 PM EST reply actions

you forgot one key piece of information

With Peyton Manning released and having luck as quarterback along with the ohers you mention the Colts will also have the Number 1 pick of the draft for the second year in a row.

by maggot head on Feb 14, 2012 5:33 PM EST reply actions 1 recs

false.

Heck, orlovsky almost lost the 1 pick in a few starts and I would take luck over him any day.

by ohsnap12 on Feb 14, 2012 9:21 PM EST up reply actions

Thought for a minute that you were saying you'd take Orlovsky over Luck.

My head almost exploded.

by James Broschat on Feb 15, 2012 12:20 AM EST up reply actions

I like where your going with this.

But, I agree with Ty46 on trading Freeney if he doesn’t fit into the new defensive system. We could end up with another 1st rounder if given the right suitor. He’s surely worth a 2nd rounder and some change given the market for pass rushers. All this is of course speculation until next month rolls around but, it should be interesting to see what takes place.

by Next Man Up on Feb 14, 2012 6:28 PM EST reply actions

Agree

Also due to the fact this is a comparatively weak draft on pass rushers someone could be more willing to give up a 1.

by indycolts21 on Feb 14, 2012 7:06 PM EST up reply actions

No way

They’d be lucky to get a 2 for him. His contract is too high to be attractive to another team, especially when everyone knows the Colts would likely just release him for cap relief.

by willyduer on Feb 14, 2012 7:59 PM EST up reply actions

i believe he only has 1 year left on contract, so i think a 3rd rounder is more likely

by coltsgolfbeer on Feb 14, 2012 9:02 PM EST up reply actions

If you trade Freeney to another team, he then at that point would restructure his deal. The mere fact he’s owed X amount of dollars from the Colts is meaningless. In turn, we sell to the highest bidder.

NeXt Man Up

by Dann Giszewski on Feb 15, 2012 2:04 AM EST up reply actions

You lost me with

""I love the Patriots two tight end set, I would love to copy that as an option,""

I don’t think the Patriots set out to create this much of an emphasis on the TEs. The drafted talent and then adjusted their scheme to how the talent developed. We should do the same on offense.

"If they want me to be a crazy, emotional, frenzied fan in section 603, then they can't expect me to be reasonable about the business of football"

by indylator on Feb 14, 2012 6:53 PM EST reply actions 1 recs

Absolutely

I like it because the triangle of Welker and those two TEs is guaranteed to create at least one mismatch.

But freaks like Gronk don’t grow on trees. They only got him because of his back injury history and Hernandez because he was a character risk. We can’t just pick up another TE and expect Tamme and Fleener (or whoever… I think Fleener might be gone by 34, though I do like the idea of giving Luck a familiar face) to produce the same kind of results when paired with Collie.

By the time this team is ready to be a serious title contender again they’ll have turned over the entire roster except punter and maybe ILB. So you just take the best available and figure things out from there. With the improvement in coaching, new blood and enthusiasm, and an upgrade from Painterlovsky to Luck, that’ll put them on the road to respectability very quickly. A few more good drafts and pickups and then you’re looking at some real success…

by willyduer on Feb 14, 2012 8:03 PM EST up reply actions

Copying the Pat's offense would be hard and perhaps not a good idea

First, you have to get two good TEs. These TEs have to be Goldilocks perfect, with both being able to receive and at least one being able to block. If you’re going to use em for running, you’ll also need a fast guy like Hernandez.

Then theres Welker. Slot receivers are common, but its hard to find one as consistently great as he is. You’ll also need 1-2 other receivers to change things up, both of which should be at least average.

And, even if all this gets done, theres the question of whether it will even work. I remember just this year after we lost to the Steelers and Giants in a row everybody wrote it off as an idea that was good until it was figured out, and that the Jets had come up with a “blueprint for our defeat.” I’d be willing to be half the people praising the two-TE system now weren’t doing it then. Also, the Pats receivers are pretty weak right now – we’ll almost certainly be drafting a high-pick WR, or getting a big name FA, which is another thing you’d have to worry about.

I will say this, though – Gronk was a 2nd rounder, Hernandez a 4th, and Welker undrafted – some might argue that won’t ever happen again, but it proves having a great offense is perfectly possible even without a boatload of high picks.

Oh my god a floor zombie! Oh wait, thats you
- Toby Turner

by New Century Silver on Feb 15, 2012 5:50 PM EST up reply actions

Don't forget..

Let’s not forget who runs the Pats offense from the QB position. Gronk, Hernandez, and Welker are great at creating mismatches, but Brady is the real reason their offense works.

BOOM BABY

by PacerFan317 on Feb 16, 2012 5:41 AM EST up reply actions

Lost you

I remember reading somewhere that Pats went to 2 TE set because of the fact that Jets had excellent cover corners (revis, cromartie) and their TEs cannot be defended by corners. I think it is a nice formation that will be copied (this is a copycat league). I like how you can run or pass easily out of the formation.

by coltsgolfbeer on Feb 14, 2012 8:33 PM EST up reply actions

I'm all for it if it can be succesfully copied

The problem is reaching on talent in order to satisfy a plan or design. Sure, it looks good on paper……………..

"If they want me to be a crazy, emotional, frenzied fan in section 603, then they can't expect me to be reasonable about the business of football"

by indylator on Feb 15, 2012 11:25 AM EST up reply actions

i hear you

fleener isn’t a reach though

by coltsgolfbeer on Feb 15, 2012 11:55 AM EST up reply actions

i dont like getting rid of freeney

but the rest of it was decent

by omahacolt on Feb 14, 2012 8:13 PM EST reply actions

me neither but it's time to cut ties...

with a 31 year old DE who is very expensive, doesn’t fit the system, and is weak against the run. I know he is amazing against the pass, his spin move and bull rush are incredible but i think he has to go

by coltsgolfbeer on Feb 15, 2012 10:54 AM EST up reply actions

freeney

can fit any system and getting rid of him would be a mistake

by omahacolt on Feb 15, 2012 7:42 PM EST up reply actions

doesn’t fit the system

Simply not true. Our system will likely be close to what Pagano ran in Baltimore which has one OLB lined up on the line most of the time. This will be Freeney. They also ran good amount of pure four man fronts in nickel and dime sets which again will fit Freeney. When you also take into account the amount of time Freeney gets breathers, when Hughes etc can come in and play a more pure 3-4, there will be no problems fitting Freeney into the hybrid 3-4 that Baltimore runs.

I am going to keep saying this over and over until people drop their misconceptions about Pagano’s defense and the abilities of Freeney and Mathis.

Jason Heyward wins at baseball.

by bbxxj on Feb 16, 2012 8:50 AM EST up reply actions