If you go to the Colts.com message board, a member has found a way to access pre-written "fluff" articles written by Colts.com writer John Oehser. Basically, Oehser writes these articles weeks in advance and has them in the site's content bank. It's not an uncommon practice. Heck, many SB Nation writers use a nifty feature we have now with the 2.0 platform that allows us to write stuff and designate a time when it gets published.

That said, it is a bit humorous that Colts.com would actually post many of these articles (dated several weeks in advance) and try to hide them. That's not to say the articles are bad. They're not. Fluffy? Sure, but it's Colts.com. Do you expect them to trash their own players?

Of the articles, there's one on Freddie Keiaho and one on Roy Hall that are interesting. One theme that has come through each and every one of these player profile-like articles is summed up best by Freddie Keiaho:

“The difference in the comfort level between this year and last year is night and day,” Keiaho said during the Colts’ organized training activities, 14 days of onfield workouts that concluded recently at the team’s training facility.

“I’m pretty sure that’s true for everybody across the board.”

We've heard this consistently all throughout the off-season, with players like Brannon Condren, Roy Hall, Ed Johnson, and others saying they went into last season "lost." They didn't know what to do, weren't comfortable, and had to play through it. The result was a 13-3 record, another AFC South title, and a defense ranked #1 in scoring. This year, players say they feel more comfortable; the systems are quicker to grasp; they are in better shape, etc.

Be afraid, opponents. Be very, very afraid.

Players can often make a big leap from year one to year two, which is one reason why I often take shots at Vince Young. Players like Manning, Brady, McNabb, and Palmer all started showing signs they were elite players by year two. Vince is supposed to be in that category. If not, why was he drafted #3 overall in 2006? Rookie to second year jumps are not just common; they're expected. It's why teams sign rookies to two or three year contracts. You've either got it or you don't, and if you don't you can go somewhere else and "develop."

Players like Keiaho, Matt Giordano, Kelvin Hayden, Joseph Addai, and Antoine Bethea made huge strides from year one to year two. This year, the expectation falls on Roy Hall the hardest. Tony Ugoh, Keyunta Dawson, and Quinn Pitcock all showed promise last season. They have high expectations as well, but with Hall the expectation is greatest. He hasn't shown anything. This year, he must justify his roster spot. Bill Polian has been quick to point out Hall's improvement. This is significant as Polian will never compliment someone's improvement unless they actually improve.

After listening to many of you, there are several areas of this team that fans are interested in when training camp opens. While I love 18to88 and the Zombie brothers, they did say something interesting that I take bit of issue with:

With all due respect to the good guys over at Stampedeblue.com (who I enjoy), I'm not interesting in parsing out who will be the 5th receiver. I'm not curious to see who makes the roster. I'm only very mildly interested in who wins the right guard slot. These things are nice distractions, I guess, but they aren't very satisfying. I'm ready for football season.

Now, of course, speculating whether Mike Pollak or Charlie Johnson will win the RG spot is not as satisfying as watching an actual game. However, I don't think most fans share Desmond Zombie's interest (or lack thereof). Many care who the 4th or 5th WR is because tht player is one injury away from starting. If last season told me anything, you absolutely must have solid, starter-like quality depth behind most positions if you want to win a Super Bowl. Teams must be creative and innovative in finding this depth, but it must be there. We can speculate all we want about how losing Dwight Freeney and Marvin cost Indy a chance to repeat, and it did. If Freeney and Marvin were healthy, we'd have a 2007 trophy to go with 2006.

However, the other side to that is Indy should have had someone compitent to step up and take their places. Not dominant. Not all-world. Not Aaron Moorehead and Jeff Charleston. Just good, competent players who know what to do. This year, I get the sense that Indy has that depth. And yes, just like Desmond, I'm ready for the season to start already.

Big Ed Johnson's goal is to get to training camp as a leaner, meaner player. Johnson's playing weight was roughly 300 pounds last season. He wants to play at 290 in 2008. Why?

"I can come in much better shape than I did last year," Johnson said just before the start of the Colts’ organized team activities - 14 days of on-field work that will continue through mid-June at the team’s training facility.

"I can be quicker and faster and do things that personally I know I can do better and have done better in the past that I know I can improve on. I think at the end, by doing that, I would be a much better player, and that would make our defense even better..

Johnson credits Booger McFarland for helping him through last season, which saw Big Ed start all 17 games at DT in Booger's place.

During that time, Johnson said McFarland – a 1999 first-round draft selection acquired by the Colts in a mid-season trade the previous season – helped him significantly.

"I talked to Booger a lot last year," Johnson said. "During the week, I would watch film with him. He would call me and if I had questions, I would call him. He helped me out a lot. He showed me a lot of little things – secret, veteran stuff – learning how to watch film, things to look for, things like that. They were things that made the whole process of being a rookie, playing fast, easier.

"It had a great impact on me. You don’t ever look at it as someone trying to take your place. We’re all teammates and you have the same goal in mind, just like when I was in school and a young guy would come in. I wouldn’t not try to help him because I thought he was trying to take my place.

"You do everything for the good of the team. In the end, I think that’s what it comes down to. It was all about the team. He helped me out a lot and I appreciate it."

Booger still has not signed with another team. It seems he's having trouble coming back from his knee injury, which he suffered during training camp last year. I really miss Booger, and I still say he was one of the most important players Bill Polian ever brought to Indy.

Pro Football Weekly has a theory on why the Colts traded FB Luke Lawton to Philly:

By trading FB Luke Lawton to the Eagles for a conditional 2009 draft pick Friday, the Colts sent a message that they’re reverting to their core spread-offense principles. The Colts experimented with Lawton as a traditional fullback in ’07, but it’s readily apparent that the team will employ two tight ends instead of a fullback when they want to power the football in ’08.

Another reason Lawton might have been traded is the Colts might decide to move TE Gijon Robinson (6'1, 255 pounds) to H-Back or fullback.

Kenton Keith thinks the Baltimore Ravens are the Indianapolis Colts' chief rivals. Sorry, but huh? 

Funny line from 18 to 88:

Tom Brady says he's slow and can't jump. He blames it on his ankle injury. If Peyton Manning had come out with a line like this a couple of months after losing the Super Bowl, everyone in New England would kill him for being a wuss. Soooooo.

Tom Brady is a wuss who makes excuses.

  Over at Behind The Steel Curtain, contributing writer WolfpackSteelersFan has a well researched article up offering a Quantitative Analysis of the Greatest QB in NFL History. Based on his research and analysis, Peyton Manning is the greatest QB in the modern NFL era; better than Terry Bradshaw, Ben Roethlisberger, Tom Brady, Joe Montana, or Mr. John Unitas.

Peyton Manning is still playing, and therefore may drop in production and hurt his rankings. But, up to this point in his career, he has clearly been the most productive QB of the Modern Era, at least in the regular season.

Wolfpack's article is excellent, and coupled with mgrex30's article yesterday comparing Indy to the "Greatest Show on Turf" Rams, that's two excellent stats-driven articles in a row.

Should I apply to take over Will Leitch's spot at Deadspin.com? More importantly, would Gawker hire an SB Nation writer?

Colts fans are no obsessed with Indy's new "mystery" tackle, a guy no one drafted but many are talking about: Eric Foster out of Rutgers. For many of you, you thought Indy should have signed or drafted someone like Howard's Rudolph Hardie, a 6'1, 270 pound DT. Hardie (signed by Detroit) offered speed and pass rushing ability from the DT position, something Indy has not had since Booger McFarland got hurt last year. For you Hardie lovers, I get the feeling you will like the potential Eric Foster offers.

Foster, like Hardie, is roughly 6'1 and 277 pounds and is known as a pass rusher from the DT position.

Not much is written on Hardie in terms of scouting reports. In the draft, he went as "experts" though he would: Undrafted. But Foster signed with a team that likes undersized d-linemen, and will give undrafted rookies a fair chance. The one scouting report I found said this:

Strengths:
Excellent quickness...Is pretty strong...Offers a lot of versatility...Has a terrific first step...Does a nice job in pursuit...Relentless with a non-stop motor...Nice instincts and awareness...Good athleticism...Nice production...A hard worker...Team leader.

The team lader part cannot be over-stated. Foster was the glue that held the 2007 Rutgers team together, and he was a big part of Rutgers' resurgence as a significant college football program. Here's a taste of Foster;s outspoken leadership at Rutgers:

Eric Foster Locker Room Chant (via biglou77)

The familiar "weaknesses" we see applied to players like Foster are he's too small and not bulky enough. However, consider last year's 7th round pick out of Texas A & M: DE Keyunta Dawson. Key was drafted weighing 270 pounds. We all assumed he would play DE, and Dawson was converted to DT and excelled at the position in 2007. Remember this from SB Nation's Texas Tech blogger?

Strengths:  I've always loved Dawson's motor, he is a tireless worker, and understands that you can't take off any plays.  Despite double teams, Dawson was still a very moderately effective pass rusher.  In 2005 Dawson only had 2.5 sacks, but had 62 tackles.  In 2006 Dawson was much more effective where he had 63 tackles, 9.5 tackles for a loss, 6.0 sacks and 11.0 quarterback hurries.  Dawson's 40 time (4.76) is comparable with other defensive ends in this draft:  Gaines Adams ( 4.64), Jamaal Anderson (4.75), Adam Carriker (4.9), Jarvis Moss (4.7), and Anthony Spencer (4.73).  His general quickness in comparison to his size will be his greatest attributes, and would think that the Indy coaching staff would simply allow Dawson to be a rush end in the same mold as Freeney.  Dawson is a better than average athlete which would allow him to make plays, as a defensive end, but maybe not athletic enough to play linebacker.

Amazing how similar Dawson sounds compared to Foster. In college, Foster had 6 sacks in 2006 and 7 in 2007. Foster has impressed Colts coaches at both the rookie and mandatory minicamps, and if he can display his talents at Training Camp, there will be a place on the 53-man roster for him.

Foster (like Ed Johnson, Keyunta Dawson, and Quinn Pitcock) might be another Bill Polian gem at DT.

It's been kind of weird this off-season. For the first time in God knows how long, there are more questions about the Colts offense than about the defense. In fact, of three main areas of the team, the defense is the one that has the fewest questions. Now obviously, this is relative to us Colts fans. The "questions" we have about our team focus on depth and versatility. Let's be honest: We're lucky these are our "problems." Elite teams like New England have serious questions about who will start in their secondary, and San Diego doesn't know if their starting QB or their best playmaker in the passing game (Antonio Gates) are healthy.

With the Colts, in particular their defense, there are no current questions about who will start where. Really, if you think about it, there aren't even any big position battles. The only one on defense I can think of is SAM linebacker Tyjuan Hagler fighting off rookie Philip Wheeler, but since Wheeler is a rookie learning an entirely new system, I doubt Hagler will lose his job to him. Gary Brackett is a lock at MLB, and Freddie Keiaho would have to royally screw up to lose his starting WILL spot to the very solid Clint Session.

This means that, essentially, the entire starting defense from the 2007 season will return. This includes Dwight Freeney, who is ahead of schedule on his lis franc rehab. In fact, the Colts seem to think Freeney could play in pre-season, but are holding him back just to be safe. I realize that the Colts injury report is often a load of crap, but seeing Freeney himself say it reinforces it for me. Also expected back at 100% are Robert Mathis and Raheem Brock. Added to their arsenal of DEs are rookies Marcus Howard and Curtis Johnson; both with demon-like speed off the edge.

The key area that will warrant a close look is the secondary. Marlin Jackson, Kelvin Hayden, Bob Sanders, and Antoine Bethea are all locked in as starters. This group in one of the best secondaries in football; top 5, easily. The depth is the area that warrants attention, and not in a bad way. Third year CB Tim Jennings took over the nickel corner spot last season after then-rookie Dante Hughes went down with an injury. Hughes is now back and recovered, and both he and Jennings will battle it out in camps for the nickel back spot. Also lingering are TJ Rushing, Michael Coe,  and Texas free agent rookie Brandon Foster. I don't think Keiwan Ratliff (currently listed on the roster) will last on the team.

Rushing really stepped up his coverage game in 2007. Drafted primarily as a return specialist, he has grown into a solid nickel or dime coverage DB. Because Rushing can return kicks and cover, he has likely locked down a roster spot. If Hughes is healthy, he could win back his starting nickel spot, leaving Jennings as a potential odd man out. Still, even with Jennings potentially getting lost in the shuffle, this is a very deep secondary. I mean, I haven't even touched on players like reserve safety Matt Giordano, or rookie Jamie Silva. This is a touch, hard-hitting, big play group that will flourish in 2008 if the Colts pass rush can stay healthy.

All this talk about defense, and not one mention about the DTs and the run. What difference a year makes. Last year, we were practically down on our knees, begging God Almighty not to get Booger McFarland hurt. Then, Booger went down in the first week of Training Camp. He was replaced by a group of tough, smart rookies like Ed Johnson, Quinn Pitcock, and Keyunta Dawson. Each played magnificently in 2007, and the Colts run defense improved dramatically. Teams like Jacksonville didn't run all over Indy, and even great backs like LT had a hard time gaining yards. This group is now a year older, a year wiser. With Raheem Brock returning to DT, this is a solid group.

I expect big things from this defense in 2008. They have the reigning Defensive Player of the Year in Bob Sanders and a (hopefully) healthy Dwight Freeney. This group should dominate.

Jamie Silva was a serious playmaker in college. Photo: Scouts.com

I'm taking a break from bashing Mike Florio to actually talk about something important: Free agent rookies!

Now, I know some of you out there are scoffing, making fun of the fact that I care about who the Colts sign as rookie free agents. The truth is rookie free agents as important, if not more important, than the draft. Don't believe me? Ok then, who had a bigger impact on the Colts in 2007: Anthony Gonzalez, or Ed Johnson? You can make a strong argument for both, but I personally think Johnson edges out Gonzo because without big Ed the Colts defense reverts back to the regular season defense we all were tortured with in 2006. Remember when we all stated that the Colts could not afford to lose Booger McFarland, and then two days into training camp they did... for the season! McFarland was quickly replaced by an undrafted, free agent rookie named Ed Johnson. Johnson started every single game at DT for the 2007, and the Colts defense became the #2 defense in football.

So, when I say undrafted free agents are important, I damn well mean it! Oh, and nobody finds diamond-in-the-rough rookies via free agency like Bill Polian. No one.

Today, we'll focus a bit on two gents the Colts signed as rookie free agents: DE Curtis Johnson out of Clark Atlanta and SS Jamie Silva out of BC.

Both Curtis Johnson and Jamie Silva were Scouting Combine invites, and both have very strong scouting reports available at NFL.com. Both fit the bill for a Cover 2-style defense. Both are high character individuals with speed, explosiveness, and a knack for getting the football.

Starting with Silva, NFL.com compares him to Arizona's Corey Chavous:

Few safeties in the professional ranks have the instinctive feel for the ball and knowledge of the action in front of him that Chavous displays. Silva plays with the same field vision, ball anticipation and determination. He is a physical tackler who excels in run support and does a nice job of impeding the ballcarrier's forward progress with his hard-hitting wrap-up tackling skills. He has small, yet natural hands to make the interception and is very good at gaining placement in attempts to reroute the receiver. What he lacks in hip fluidness and explosive second gear, he makes up for with solid tackling skills, taking proper angles and great anticipation skills. Toss in his total disregard for his own well-being, determination to make the play and an added bonus with his kamikaze-style of play on special teams and you have player who is certain to be a fan favorite.

The Colts have some excellent depth at safety with Bob, Antoine, Giordano, and Melvin Bullitt. However, if a player like Bullitt is to retain his job in Indy, he needs to prove that he can become an excellent special teams player. With Silva, he seems to have the speed and ballhawking ability needed to play safety in Dungy's Cover 2, but it is not another safety Indy needs.

Indy needs a special teams ace, and if Silva can play the kind of special teams that the Scouting Combine people think he can play, he could beat out Bullitt. Small side note, Silva could have played college ball at IU, but rejected their offer.

Curtis Johnson Photo: Patsy Collier

With Curtis Johnson, the Colts have another speed rusher off the edge similar to 5th round pick Marcus Howard. Scouts compare Johnson to Joey Porter, who played DE in college, but was transitioned to LBer in the Pittsburgh 3-4 package.

Johnson is not as instinctive as Porter in locating the ball and will need to totally revamp his pass drop and coverage skills, but he has a violent hand punch to overpower big blockers and a good burst off the edge to be a superb edge rusher. His strong hands have seen him have good success dislodging ballcarriers from the ball. With his ability to wreak havoc in the backfield, he will bring instant value in pass-rushing situations. He is also a very capable coverage defender on special teams. The big thing here will be getting Johnson a patient coach. Doing so could unearth a Pro Bowler before long. He was tried at both inside and outside linebacker in postseason all-star action and held up very well on the edge. The mental aspect of playing inside will be too much for him to grasp at this early stage of his possible shift to a stand-up defender from one with his hand on the ground. Look for Johnson to become the first noteworthy CAU product since former NFL fullback Chuck Evans (1993-2000), who was drafted in the 11th round in 1992.

Like with Silva, Johnson could find his niche on the team as a special teams gunner. However, I'm of the mindset that the more pass rushers Indy has, the better. Losing Freeney, Mathis, and Brock killed Indy's chances of repeating last year. I do not want that to happen again, especially with excellent secondary Indy has. Johnson's one problem is his lack of bulk. He's taller than Robert Mathis and Marcus Howard, but weighs less. He will need to add some muscle in order to stay healthy in the NFL. Johnson was considered on of the "best kept secrets" in college football after he impressed many during his last year in college.

If Curtis Johnson displays the same knack at getting to the QB as he did in college, adding him (along with Howard and potentially Rosevelt Colvin) would make Indy's pass rush even more deadly.