Indy's miserable preseason is over, and if you listened to Colts Friday Night, you received a very rare, very genuine apology from Colts President Bill Polian. Why did he apologize?

Because the preseason sucked, especially on the offensive side of the ball.

Polian apologized to the fans for the dreadful showing of the offense in preseason, saying it was a direct result of the Colts playing five preseason games. He stated, in no uncertain terms, that the Colts will not agree to five preseason games ever again as long as he is president. Polian also praised Indy fans for turning out during preseason (despite the horrid display by the team).

As grumpy and prickly Polian sometimes is, he does genuinely care about fans. And he cares about the product on the field.

What we measure Bill Polian by is his ability to develop the Colts roster into a contender, and throughout his tenure with Indy, he has excelled at that. This year, our blog community had some serious questions about the roster heading into training camp and the preseason. Now that both camp and preseason are over, we now have answers to those questions (flip over for more).

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So, with Colvin signing with Houston, we now have a fairly good idea what the Colts roster will likely look like heading into training camp. Oh, and why did Colvin sign with Hosuton? Was it the team? The chance to win? Nope, it was money. We also have some news and links about many players who folks have been asking about:

• I’m starting to really like Pro Football Weekly. More great stuff from their The Way We Hear It section:

  Word out of Indianapolis is that super-sized WR Roy Hall appears poised to finally make an impact. Injuries and poor fundamentals kept him from so much as catching a pass during his rookie year, but a team insider noted to PFW that he has finally learned how to catch the ball with his hands instead of trapping it against his body and looks markedly more natural on the field. At 6-3 and 240 pounds, he’s always had the body. The insider also noted that undrafted rookie WR Sam Giguere out of Canada has been a revelation. Nonetheless, he faces an uphill battle to earn a roster spot.

  I did an interview with The Football Guys last week, and they asked me specifically about Roy Hall. Bottom line, if Roy Hall shows up to camp and displays dramatic improvement, this offense will continue to send chills down my spine. Add to this the "revelation" that is Samuel "Guns" Giguere. Unlike last year, we might actually have some back-up WRs who can catch the friggin ball. Oh, and if Giguere and Hall are legit, Devon Aromashodu is out of a job.
• More from PFW (not PFT, the armpit of Internet football news):

  The Colts harbored high expectations for second-round rookie OG Mike Pollak entering the team’s offseason program. The way we hear it, it hasn’t taken him long to justify the coaches’ hopes. Pollak has adjusted well enough to the NFL and a relatively new position — he played the bulk of his Arizona State collegiate career at center after switching from guard — that he’s not only penciled in as the starting right guard but has impressed the coaches to the point that they felt comfortable cutting veteran Dylan Gandy. Gandy and Pollak were initially expected to stage one of the team’s bigger position battles. OL coach Howard Mudd isn’t averse to throwing rookies right into the fray, with the latest example of a first-year pro thriving under his tutelage being the solid play of OLT Tony Ugoh last season. That being said, a source close to the club said that converted OT Charlie Johnson cannot be overlooked. Although not quick enough to handle speed rushers on the outside, Johnson possesses the raw power to be a solid interior lineman. It still figures to be Pollak’s position to lose, but if he struggles when thrown the entirety of the playbook in training camp, Johnson could certainly emerge atop the depth chart.

  This is good news. I’m glad they are allowing Johnson and Pollak to compete for the same job, but Pollak should win this thing hands down. If he doesn’t, Polian wasted his 2nd round pick. It’s just that simple. I like Charlie Johnson, and I think he adds a vital piece to this team. The guy can play four offensive line positions (though he kind of sucks playing LT). But Pollak was drafted specifically to play OG right now, replacing Jake Scott. If Pollak can’t do that right now, we got problems. But, articles like PFW’s tell me Pollak is on his way to winning the job.
• Surprise! We are now in week 7 and no chargers against Marvin Harrison. He’s still not even a suspect. Heck, the case barely has enough evidence to continue. We’re also still not sure the gun used was even Marvin Harrison’s despite news outlets reporting that it was. This was a colossal screw up by ESPN, WIP Radio, Deadspin, AOL, Yahoo, and just about anyone else who flamed the fans of this non-story. The prize winner for hack buffoonery on this is still Mike Florio of PFT. I still love his legal analysis piece he did for The Sporting News. Again folks, if ever you are in trouble with the law, do not let Mike Florio represent you. He is a clueless moron who knows as much about the law as I do about the latest women’s handbag trends. Why these supposed journalists and football fans would want to tear down the greatest WR not named Jerry Rice I don’t know.
• Tragically, former Colts Jonathan Goddard passed away recently. He was 27. Thoughts and prayers to his family and friends.

The Colts reduced their roster today due to the new NFL rules that require 80-man team roster limit. Indy cut P Chad Stanley, DT Dan Davis, K Shane Andrus, C Pat Ross, and RB Justise Hairston. Of the group, Hairston is a surprise seeing as Dungy raved about him at mini camps. Don't be surprised if he's re-signed.

In other news, it looks like Rosevelt Colvin is heading to the Texans, a team that employs a defense that does not blitz with its linebackers (tip to Matic). Colvin is a blitzing linebacker. He can't cover to save his life. Why he signed with Houston, I don't know. He would have been a much better fit in Indy, padding his sack numbers which he then could have used to get a bigger payday later on. And, he'd be on a contender. Oh well.

With Luke Lawton traded and the possibility of Rosevelt Colvin getting signed, here's my updated guess as to what the 2008 Colts roster will look like:

QBs: (2) - Peyton Manning, Jim Sorgi

RBs: (3) - Joseph Addai, Dominic Rhodes, Kenton Keith

FBs: (1) - Mike Hart

This is more of a goal-line specialist position than a true fullback.

WRs: (6) - Marvin Harrison, Reggie Wayne, Anthony Gonzalez, Devin Aromashodu, Roy Hall, Pierre Garcon

TEs: (4) - Dallas Clark, Tom Santi, Jacob Tamme, Justin Snow

OL: (9) - Tony Ugoh, Jeff Saturday, Ryan Diem, Ryan Lilja, Mike Pollak, Charlie Johnson, Michael Toudouze, Daniel Federkeil, Steve Justice

DT: (5) - Ed Johnson, Quinn Pitcock, Keyunta Dawson, Darrell Reid, Eric Foster

DE: (5) - Dwight Freeney, Robert Mathis, Marcus Howard, Raheem Brock, Josh Thomas, Rosevelt Colvin

Colvin added to the pass rushing mix here.

OLB: (4) - Freddie Keiaho, Tyjuan Hagler, Clint Session, Ramon Guzman

ILB: (2) - Gary Brackett, Philip Wheeler

CBs: (6) - Marlin Jackson, Kelvin Hayden, Dante Hughes, Michael Coe, TJ Rushing

Tim Jennings gets cut to make room for Colvin. The Colts seem more obsessed with pass rushers this season than depth in the secondary. Likely, Indy will retain one or two DBs on the practice squad.

FS/SS: (4) - Bob Sanders, Antoine Bethea, Matt Giordano, Brandon Condren

Specialists: (2) - Adam Vinatieri, Hunter Smith

Other 2008 Colts roster guessess:

Shake'n'Baken

Naptown's Finest

Adam Shefter of NFL.com (tip to DoTheMathis98) says that two teams are vying for Rosevelt Colvin's services: the Colts and the Texans. With the Texans, Colvin has a chance to start because, well, aside from DeMeco Ryans the Texans LBers stink. If Colvin wants to up his sack totals and play for a contender, he'll pick the Colts. Realistically, Colvin will sign and play for the team that offers him the most

via adeli.files.wordpress.com

However, for Colvin, neither the Colts nor the Texans are going to break the bank on him. Let's face it, Colvin has been hurt a lot in his career, and is coming off a foot injury this off-season. He has not been durable enough to start in the NFL, and the best place for him is to play down on the line as a third down pass rusher. For the Colts, he's ideally suited for this at 6'2, 250 pounds. With a healthy Freeney on the other side, Colvin could really cash in on the sacks.

Of course, this is not to say he would suck in Houston. the Texans are a good up-and-coming team, but not contenders. Not yet. The Colts are, and if money is not the issue, then winning should be.

So please, Rosy, come to your sense and pick your hometown team. Because if you don't, our QB will kick your ass twice a year and enjoy doing it.

via Washington Post

It's always fun to speculate which team has done the most to unseat the Colts overlords of the AFC South. The reason it's fun is because the Titans, Jaguars, and Texans often go to such lengths to strengthen their teams each and every year only to get smacked down again and again by the Indy machine. As a result of their efforts, the Colts have gotten better and the collective improvement has made the AFC South the best division in football. Yes, I know the Giants won the Super Bowl and Dallas was 13-3 in 2007. Dallas also hasn't won a playoff game in 15 years, and the other NFC East playoff team (Washington) would get smoked by anyone in the AFC South, including a Sage Rosenfels-led Texans team. So please, spare me the NFC East talk. Yes, it's a good division; a GREAT division. It isn't the South.

Even with the South being so strong in 2007, I personally think most of the AFC South teams got better this off-season, with the exception of the Titans (more on them later). Aside from the AFC South having some of the best teams in football, they also have the best team bloggers in football. I'll freely admit that I am the agitator in our blogger division. Rarely do you see Jimmy writing articles about how Bob Sanders can't stay healthy, or Tim typing stories about how Indy's special teams play sucks. However, you are sure to see me writing a post either insulting Vince Young or criticizing the stupid draft moves of Gary Kubiak. I wouldn't do this if I didn't feel that guys like Tim, Chris, and Jimmy would not immediately call me "idiot" are debunk my claims with intelligent points with just a pinch of homerism. This is why we do what we do.

This is team blogging.

In this case, I think the Texans and Jaguars have bettered themselves since last season, with the Titans noticeably getting worse in the talent department. However, despite the changes (good or bad), none of these teams have done enough to unseat the Colts, who themselves have made great moves to shore up their weaknesses.

The off-season fad is to say the Jaguars have finally done enough to unseat Indy. Even AOL has found a writer who thinks the additions of WR Jerry Porter, CB Drayton Florence, WR Troy Williamson, and draft day additions like DE Derrick Harvey and Quentin Groves are enough to knock off a Colts team that has beaten the Jaguars 5 of the last 6 times. Indeed, even the football guru himself, John Clayton, thought the Jaguars had an impressive run in free agency.

Did getting Drayton Florence (#29) help push the Jags over the Colts?

Photo via www.nctimes.com

While the Jaguars are much improved, it is important to note that so are the Colts. New Era Scouting's Dave Gardner has an article up talking about how the Colts are, quietly (per usual), shaping into the best team in football talent-wise.

The Colts could have kept the same roster from last season and still made it to the playoffs. With all the skill positions in place on offense (they’ll be fine with or without Marvin Harrison), and an excellent back seven on defense, they were in place to win at least ten games. However, as they prepare for the first season in a new stadium, it should be ready to host more than just the eight regular season games.

Not long ago, I wrote about how the Jaguars do not have a single area of their team that is better than Indy's. Chris at Big Cat responded, disagreeing with my take and offering little rebuttal in terms of substance.

I'll grant Quarterback, I'll even concede the offensive line and Tight Ends.  But to say that the Colts have better Linebackers, Defensive Line, and Secondary than the Jaguars is an ignorant statement.  The Jaguars use their linebackers a little differently than the Colts do in the "Dungy 2", and really can't be compared directly.  The combination of Durrant, Ingram, Peterson, and Smith give the Jaguars three guys who can play every combination of linebacker spots, the speed to play sideline to sideline, and a nasty hard hitting attitude.  I'd take our bench linebacker over any of the Colts starters.  Remember, the biggest knock on the Jaguars pass rushers is that they're young.  None of our guys are coming off of a Lis Franc, like Mr. Freeney.

I'm happy Chris thinks so much of his new secondary, but when the Jaguars have a Defensive Player of the Year-type guy in their defensive backfield, they can say their secondary is better than Indy's. Maybe. Bob Sanders and Antoine Bethea are the best safety tandem in football. Sanders won the DPOY and Bethea went to the Pro Bowl (and unlike other Pro Bowl safeties, Bethea is pretty good). And the corners, Marlin Jackson and Kelvin Hayden, started every single game last season.

The result? The Colts had the #2 pass defense in football, allowing an average of 5.9 yards per competition with 16 TDs and 22 INTs. QB had an average rating of 73 against Indy. This entire DB unit will be back in 2008, and with the added depth of second year man Dante Hughes. Until the Jags have a secondary that produces like this, saying they are better is nonsense. Utter nonsense.

And they can say whatever they want about their LBers, but the fact is the Colts LBers define speed and hard hitting. They also have tremendous depth. 2007 rookie Clint Session was amazing, and with all three starting LBers coming back this unit is better than Jacksonville's. We also have yet to see what Philip Wheeler will bring to the equation. Indy's linebackers do an excellent job dropping into zones and making plays, and are very active in stopping the run.

The DE argument is silly. Freeney is recovering extremely well from his foot surgery and Robert Mathis is better than both Harvey and Groves. The younger guys may one day develop into great rushers, but we're not talking about two or three years from now. We're talking 2008, and the Colts will get even better in that area if they sign Rosevelt Colvin. Indy also drafted Marcus Howard, who is faster than both Freeney and Mathis.

So, I see little change in the AFC South. The Colts are still the most talented team in the division with the best coaches and front office personnel. I recognize that AFC South teams like the Jags have made significant moves to get better, and better they are. But it isn't enough. The Colts did not just sit ideally by. I realize this is boring to media hacks who are desperate for a story line, but the bottom line is Indy is still great, and the other AFC South teams still have not caught up.

Hope everyone had a fun and enjoyable Memorial Day weekend. I know I needed a break. I wish I could say I spent the time catching up on Colts news, but the truth is I spent most of the three-day weekend doing absolutely nothing... and it was GREAT!

And speaking of Colts news, we've got a healthy share for you today:

• Thanks to metal_militia for posting the story that the Colts brought former Patriots linebacker Rosevelt Colvin in for a physical recently, and that he passed. I sounds like Dungy wants Colvin on the roster, and both Colvin and his agent are looking to either iron out details with Polian, or shop around a bit before finally "settling" on Indy. Regardless, if Colvin is on this roster, the Colts have stated he will be here as a pass rushing DE. This is ideal for Colvin, who is not an every down player.


• Speaking of DEs,  Pro Football Weekly has some interesting news regarding rookie Marcus Howard:

Word out of Indianapolis is that the Colts plan on undersized (6-0, 237) rookie DE Marcus Howard alleviating some of the pass-rushing burden from Dwight Freeney, who will make his return from a season-ending foot injury. Howard is incredibly raw, but we’re told the coaches will be looking for him to be nothing more than a pass rusher, a role in which the Georgia product could excel with his blistering speed. Strictly from a speed and quickness perspective, Howard may even be superior to Freeney.



• Pro Football Weekly (again, this is PFW, not PFT) also has some news on rookie TE Jacob Tamme:

  With the uncertainty surrounding Colts WR Marvin Harrison — both in terms of his rehabilitation from the knee injury that sidelined him for most of ’07 and his possible connection to a Philadelphia gunfire case — we’re hearing that the Colts are planning on expanding the already significant role of their tight ends in the passing game. Currently one of the most dangerous tight ends in the game today, Dallas Clark will continue to line up throughout the formation to exploit his size-speed gifts. But it won’t be just Clark who will be asked to shoulder a receiving load at the TE spot. Word out of Indianapolis is that the team has big plans for rookie Jacob Tamme. An intelligent, wiry player with great hands and poor blocking ability, Tamme won’t provide much help to the running game as Clark’s bookend in the twin-TE sets, but the coaches are scheming ways to utilize his natural receiving abilities. With a dearth of legitimate WR depth, look for Clark and Tamme to act as de facto wideouts in a good number of offensive sets.

  I can understand talking about Marvin's status in terms of his rehab, but this insistence on bringing up this Philadelphia thing when He. Is. Not. Even. A. Suspect. in the incident (let alone getting charged with anything illegal) is now beyond the point of stupid.


• One minute, AOL Fanhouse is bashing the city of Indianapolis for getting the Super Bowl in 2012. The next, they are praising Indy, and bashing those who bash the Hoosier capital. Here, The Sportz Assassin takes a shot at ESPN resident idiot Gene Wojciechowski:

  Boo-hoo. The Super Bowl won't be held in Miami, New Orleans, Phoenix, Houston or Southern California. Places that the surrounding madness of the game loves to go. Media guys and fans long for taking a vacation doing their job in the best possible weather and to hell with everyone else. Indianapolis, a beautiful city, can't have the game because the people covering it will miss out on the sunny games.
  
  Oh, and spare me the "experience of a lifetime" for fans blast. Real fans can't go to the Super Bowl. It's about you, the media guy and the business partners that populate Super Bowl cities like locusts.

  Curious how Sportz Assassin did not reference a writer in his own network (Ryan Wilson) who had bemoaned Indy getting a Super Bowl site bid.


• And finally, for those of you that care, Dominic Rhodes and Melvin Bullitt have switched numbers, at least according to Colts.com's roster chart. Dom has #33. Bullitt has #38. Melvin better have gotten some serious bread from Dominic for giving up that number.

Later today, look for me to take a few shots at our favorite punching bag in Tennessee, Vince Young. He said something recently that pretty much sums up why he is a total bust of a QB, and why the Titans need to cut his fat, sorry butt if they want any chance of winning a Super Bowl in the next 10 years.

The Indy Star made is official: Colts sign Rhodes to a one year, $605,000 contract. This means Dom must show up and have a great camp, because this contract is nothing. Look for Dom to work on having a stellar year. I think he wants a longer term contract, and he wants it with the Colts.

Next up: Rosy Colvin, then minicamp, and then we gear up for a 2008 team that looks much more improved over the 2007 one.

Photo: NY Daily News

With Dominic Rhodes likely back in the fold, the next step is to sign former Patriots LBer Rosevelt Colvin. After Indy released Bryan Fletcher and Dylan Gandy last week, it was really only a matter of time before they started reaching out to veterans like Dom and Colvin.

We discussed the benefit both these players could add, but it's important to remember that simply getting signed means nothing when the 53 man roster is selected. Last year, Indy brought back OG Rick DeMulling only to cut him at the end of pre-season. However, I find it very hard to believe that Rhodes will get cut.

Despite what some think, Rhodes can still play and it was moronic on the part of the Oakland Raiders to draft RB Darren McFadden when they had Rhodes, Justin Fargas, and Michael Bush on the team. Rhodes saw extensive action during the last four games of Oakland's 2007 season after Justin Fargas went down with injury. Rhodes rushed for 279 yards and a TD, averaging 4.3 a rush. Rhodes also caught 10 passes for 60 yards during that stretch. Just so people can compare, Kenton Keith caught a total of 13 passes for 77 yards and 0 TDs for the 2007 regular season. (Note: Keith had a receiving TD in the playoffs though). He also dropped a ton of balls thrown at him, with one resulting in a turnover in the San Diego playoff game.

So, there is no question Rhodes is an upgrade over Keith, but even Kenton has his uses. K2 was very good as a short yardage, goal-line runner in 2007. He also ran for 4.4 yards per carry behind a very beaten up o-line, and notched 3 rushing TDs. The key to K2 keeping his job is how willing he is to play play special teams and how much he can add to the short yardage package over rookie Mike Hart.

Hart is clearly a fan favorite both because of his college career and his personality. When you read about Hart, it is hard not to like him:

The hand stuck out. Suddenly, to Mike Hart, the NFL was no longer a distant dream.

The hand belonged to Colts quarterback Peyton Manning.

“I said, ‘I’m Mike,’’’ Hart said.

Manning’s reply: “I’m Peyton.”

“I was like, ‘I know who you are,’’’ Hart said, recalling the story with a smile.

And because the hand was a real hand – because it wasn’t on television and because it wasn’t animated – Hart said it took a moment to realize the reality of the moment.

“I grew up watching Peyton,” said Hart, a running back from the University of Michigan and a sixth-round selection in this past weekend’s 2008 NFL Draft.

“When I saw Peyton, I was like, ‘I’m not playing with him on a video game. I just shook his hand.’ “It’s nice. I’m definitely a little in awe.”

Bill Polian has often compared Mike Hart to James Mungro, a RB whose career was ended by a knee injury during pre-season in 2006. If Kenton Keith wants to stay a Colt, he has to beat out Hart for that roll. I have a very hard time imagining the Colts keeping 4 RBs on the active roster. Another possible RB prosect is rookie free agent Chad Simpson of Morgan State. He's a fast player who has kickoff return ability.

The more you look at it, the more it seems that Kenton Keith has a big mountain to climb to keep his job.

Rosevelt Colvin would add more depth to the d-line, if he is healthy. Photo: via www.projo.com

Even though the Colts spent much of Saturday and Sunday adding excellent depth to the roster, that does not mean the Colts should turn a blind eye to cheap, talented, free agent talent especially when that talent is proven. I understand people think Dom Rhodes might have "character issues," but the reality is he was a pretty stand up guy when he played in Indy for years. Yes, he had his run-ins with the law. No, Dom Rhodes is not a saint. However, unlike Kenton Keith, Dom Rhodes is a proven RB. When Kenton Keith runs for 113 yards and a TD with only 21 carries in the Super Bowl, then I'll call him proven. When Kenton Keith decimates the best defense in football (Baltimore) in their house (Baltimore) keeping the football away from their offense for over 7 minutes to seal an amazing and improbable playoff game (Baltimore, Baltimore, Baltimore!) then I will call him proven.

My own personal annoyance with Kenton Keith has more to do with his on-the-field screw-ups that have cost us games rather than his one run-in with local police. The police thing was an annoying screw-up that just adds more to fans not liking him. I have ZERO tolerance for anyone who has trouble catching friggin' screen passes, dump offs, or check downs. This is not rocket science. Catch. The. F&%king. Ball. Even worse, K2 lets it get batted in the air against the Chargers, and you've got another turnover.

Now, is Dom guilty of doing similar things? Yes. Remember Tedy Bruschi ripping the football from him in the 2004 playoff game? Remember Dom fumbling in the 2006 AFC Championship Game near the goal line? Jeff Saturday did recover it for a TD, but Dom did fumble in crunch time. Remember my post about Dom not playing hard in 2005? Dom is no saint, but, unlike Kenton Keith, Dom is proven.

And, quite frankly, Dom is just better.

Unlike Keith, Dom can actually catch the ball. He is an excellent blocker. I personally think that the more RBs you have, the better; especially if they can produce for you and not kill your cap. Add to this mix a solid draft pick like Mike Hart, and the Colts would have four excellent RB options, including Keith (who Indy should really keep because he is so good punching it in along the goal line). Again, the more the merrier.

The same holds true for DEs. Freeney is recovering from foot surgery and Robert Mathis has knee problems last year. Both are expected back 100%, but that doesn't comfort me. Drafting Marcus Howard was smart, but if the Colts can add a healthy Rosey Colvin to the mix (and play him down on the line as a DE), it just adds more depth and more options to level opposing QBs. Tom Brady was killed in the Super Bowl because the Giants never let up, and the reason the Patriots beat Indy in the regular season last year is because the Colts did.

The reason? Indy ran out of healthy bodies. New York didn't.

Both Colvin and Rhodes will likely not cost much. Colvin is injury prone, and is looking to prove he can still play. Dom was just cut by the Raiders, which is like wearing a scarlet letter on your forehead. I mean, if the friggin' Raiders think he suck, you must really be at the bottom of the talent barrel. Dom recently spoke about the wacky goings on in Raiders Land (from AOL Fanhouse):

I don't see the reason why the Raiders needed to draft a running back, you know what I'm saying? I mean, we have a stable full of running backs, that ran for 100 yards every one of them. And then we went and drafted a guy -- he's a great runner, don't get me wrong -- but, I don't understand the logic, everybody wanted to do this or that; it was never saying, "Okay, we're all going to do this together." I mean, there were just a whole bunch of fires everywhere, and ... then they seemed to blaze out of control.

I don't really think Lane Kiffin wanted to take a running back in the first round, let's just put it like that ... he has to deal with it now, but I don't think that's what he wanted to do.

The point of all this is we know Dom can still play, and if he can it is so obvious the Colts should sign him it isn't even funny. And if Colvin is healthy, he should get signed as well. Even though he has acted like a jerk as a Patriot, the guy used to sell concessions at the RCA Dome when he was a kid. He grew up a Colts fan. I'm sure it is a dream of his to play for the Colts before he retires.