Today, all players under contract for the Indianapolis Colts are required to report to Rose Hulman Institute for the start of mandatory training camp for the 2008 season. Nearly 48 hours after Bill Polian said he "didn't care" if his draft picks were signed in time for camp, a flurry of activity has seen Indy signed top pick Mike Pollak; 6th round picks Mike Hart and Pierre Garcon; TE Jacob Tamme; and DE Marcus Howard. One interesting note out of the rookie signings: Howard got a 4 year deal. Not sure the terms, but it is a tad unusual for a 5th round pick to get a 4 year deal. Maybe Indy really sees something in Howard.

The Colts also made some moves in (gasp!) free agency! I nearly fell out of my chair when I saw the position the moves the moves for: Quarterback.

Rotoworld has picked up a story floated by the Internet's resident Joan Rivers (Mike Florio) that the Colts have signed former Jags QB Quinn Gray and former Giants QB Jared "I'm really fat" Lorenzen (tip to farris6659). Of course, in usual Florio style, rather than report the news he simply starts making stuff up, speculating the moves are a sign that Peyton Manning will not be ready for the regular season. Gee, thanks Mike. I'm sure it has nothing to do with Indy trying to upgrade its back-up QB position, which for the last few years has been manned by the immortal Jim Sorgi.

Quinn Gray, Indy's new back-up QB?

Photo via cache.daylife.com

Or, maybe Indy signed Gray so they could get the inside dirt on the Jaguars new offense, which (with WR Jerry Porter out all pre-season with a hamstring injury) looks surprising similar to the Jaguars offense the Colts swept last season.

Starting training camp on the Physically Unable to Perform (or PUP) list are DE Dwight Freeney, OG Ryan Lilja, SS Bob Sanders, and QB Peyton Manning. When he gets signed, rookie TE Tom Santi will also join these men on the PUP. Because of this injury to Santi, in my mind Jacob Tamme is now the front runner to replace Ben Utecht as the starting #2 TE. Tamme will have a leg up on learning the offense, working with the QBs, and he'll have a chance to prove he can block at the pro level. There is also Gijon Robinson, who already knows the offense.

I'll try posting my training camp depth chart list later today. We will also be getting updates from site reader Matic. For a complete schedule of training camp, click here. If you have the chance to drive to Terre Haute and attend camp, I strongly suggest you do so. It is a lot of fun. And when you are done, log in here and post your thoughts on players, coaches, and other training camp news.

Can you smell it in the air, folks? I can.

IT'S FOOTBALL! GO COLTS!

The Terre Haute's Tribune Star has their training camp preview up, and (shockingly) it is far more detailed, thoughtful, and interesting than any preview I've ever read at the Indianapolis Star. And unlike the horrid NFL.com camp preview we trashed last week, the TH preview seems to know what its talking about and validates many of off-season themes we've discussed since March.

Good God. Was March really just  months ago?

The preview's author, Tom James, starts off (after going through the usual who's hurt and why stuff) by naming the Players to Watch: Roy Hall, Mike Pollak, and Philip Wheeler. All three were impressive during the two minicamps and the off0season programs. We've written often about Pollak and Hall, so I found this nugget about Wheeler intriguing:

Slated to be the top reserve behind starter Gary Brackett at middle linebacker as a rookie, he may get a chance to prove what he can do as the team’s strong side linebacker.

Hagler’s pectoral injury could force a move to the outside for the hard-hitting linebacker from Georgia Tech. Wheeler might be in the mix as a replacement when the team reports for training camp. His ability to quickly diagnose a play, combined with his speed and quickness, should serve him well if given the opportunity.

Tyjuan Hagler better heal up quick, because I'm starting to think that Wheeler will win his job as strongside LBer when the pre-season closes.

Some other interesting notes are the possibility of second year player Clifton Dawson transitioning to a lead blocker on short yardage. This is the first I've heard of this, and definitely something I will look at when I get to camp. Other sleepers they mentioned for camp were WR Devin Aromashodu, WR Courtney Roby, WR Pierre Garcon, WR Sam Giguere, WR Charles Dillon, WR Rudy Burgess, TE Gijon Robinson, RB Chad Simpson, DE Ben Ishola, DE Curtis Johnson, DT Colin Ferrell, DT Eric Foster DT Joe Bradley, LB Jordan Senn, LB Kyle Shotwell, CB Brandon Foster, CB Antonio Smith, and SS Jamie Silva. James also says the free agent rookie Sam Giguere is a "Wes Welker clone."

Is Clifton Dawson Indy's new fullback?

via cache.viewimages.com

Tom James put emphasis on players like Eric Foster and Devin Aromashodu:

Aromashodu got the attention of his teammates last year as he filled in on a limited basis for Harrison.

...

Foster is a definitely possibility to earn a spot on the team at the end of training camp.

The article also suggests that kick returning duties will get shared between Dom Rhodes, Dillon, Burgess, Mike Hart, and Simpson. James does not mention TJ Rushing returning kicks, which is interesting to say the least. He did say this about Rushing:

Rushing was drafted to be the team’s kick and punt returner but has proved to be a pretty good cornerback when given the chance to play.

Perhaps Rushing's ability to play CB made him too much of a commodity to just throw out there as a returner. Again, we will pay close attention to see if Rushing is still returning kicks and punts in camp.

Finally, James names his up-and-coming players that could come out of camp and pre-season ready to make an immediate positive impact on the team during the regular season:

In addition to Hall, Pollak and Wheeler, other key players figure to be tight ends Jacob Tamme and Tom Santi; defensive end Marcus Howard; outside linebackers Clint Session and Ramon Guzman; cornerbacks Dante Hughes, Micheal Coe, and Tim Jennings; safeties Melvin Bullitt and Brannon Condren.

Indianapolis’ break out performers could very well be Tamme, Howard, Session, Hughes, Jennings and Bullitt.

This is what football previews are supposed to give you, boys and girls. This article has me fired up big time for training camp, which starts in just four days!

It comes with just a touch of irony that quite possibly the worst team preview I've ever read resides on NFL.com. Nothing against the writer (Aron Angel, who I'm sure is a good person), but this preview is fraught with factual errors and just plain ole bad writing. To put it mildly, it reads as if Aron has no idea what he's writing about.

Here are the highlights:

Another playoff exit: With 13 wins in 2007, the Colts enjoyed their sixth straight season with 12 or more victories and a playoff berth. But playing against a Chargers team without the likes of LaDainian Tomlinson and Philip Rivers in the fourth quarter, the Colts came up short of the Super Bowl for the fifth time in the last six seasons.

Uh, gee. Thanks Aron. You make it sound like it was a waste to get there at all. And for the rest of you keeping score, the Pittsburgh Steelers and NY Giants are also teams that have only won one Super Bowl in the last five years. 28 other football teams have won ZERO Super Bowls the last five years. The only team to win multiple Super Bowls the last five years? The Patriots. But, they cheated to win them, so their 2 Super Bowls in 5 years don't really count.

NEXT!

LB Tyjuan Hagler -- One of Dungy's success stories as a first-time starter last season -- is expected to miss camp with a torn bicep, opening the door for the likes of Clint Session and Rocky Boiman to take on a larger role.

Psst. Aron. Uh, sorry to inform you, but Rocky Boiman was not re-signed by the Colts this off-season. He signed with Philly way back in March. For a full list of Indy's depth chart, might I recommend visiting their official website. Also, NFL.com (you know, the site you work for) has a transactions area. Might want to check it out once and awhile, especially if you are doing, you know, team previews and such. Just a suggestion.

Oh, and Hagler tore his pectoral muscle, not his bicep. The details of his injury were first reports by (you guessed it) NFL.com.

NEXT!

Rookie spotlight

OLB Marcus Howard: Howard was an undersized DE at Georgia, but the Colts are hoping to convert him to play OLB. With the loss of LB Rob Morris and the injury to Hagler, Howard could see a lot of action early on. He will be a critical piece to a front seven that makes up for its lack of size with speed and versatility.

When I first read this I was like Wow! Aron must know something the rest of us don't. Sadly, Aron doesn't. This is yet another factual error. The Colts haven no plans to move Howard to LBer, especially at strongside LBer. He was drafted to become a speed rushing DE in the mold of Robert Mathis. That's what everyone wrote about when he was drafted, and it's how the Colts used him during minicamps. Once again Aron, a quick glance over to the Colts official website would show you the Colts list Marcus Howard as a DE. He's even wearing #92, a number typically used by DEs. From Colts.com:

NEXT!

Marvin Harrison has historically been Peyton Manning's most reliable target, but he's heading into his 13th season and coming off a knee injury that kept him out of all but five games last season. Add to that Harrison's yet to be resolved legal issues stemming from an incident outside a bar he owns in Philadelphia, and the situation is ripe for Gonzalez, a second-year receiver to fill a potential void.

Sigh! Yet another writer still doesn't get it. Marvin Harrison isn't even a suspect in the bar shooting in Philly reported several months ago. When one is not a suspect,  let alone charged with anything, it kinda goes without saying that the issue is pretty much dead and gone. Until something actually happens, it's stupid for writers to keep bringing this up. If you want to see real WR incidents with the law, visit Matt Jones in Jacksonville.

Obviously, not everything Aron Angel writes in this preview is bad, but the fact that this is an NFL.com article makes the amateurish errors in this piece stand out even more. It looks really bad when the NFL's own site has crappy team previews. 75% of the contributors here could have written a better Colts preview.

Look, we all make mistakes. I'm probably the worst speller on the Internet, but I bust my butt to proof my articles as best I can. I have no copy editor. But with NFL.com, I expect a better standard than this team preview. Next time NFL.com, it might help to actually have writers who know the team (and its players) before asking them to script a season preview about them.

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.

Minicamp concludes today, and I have to give Colts.com some credit. They did a fine job reporting what's been going on. I wasn't happy with their nearly invisible coverage of their rookie minicamp, especially no pictures. But with this minicamp, they've done a good job; lots of articles and videos. Here's what we've learned:

• Peyton Manning spelled it out in no uncertain terms: The reason the Colts did not draft a wide receiver in the early rounds of the draft is because they expect Marvin Harrison back 100%. Peyton says Harrison looks fine, and can still get it done. We'll see.
• When interviewed regarding Marvin Harrison's ability to still play football, Dominic Rhodes said people better "look out" because Harrison is out to prove people wrong. He also says most NFL DBs are "scared" of Harrison.
  
• Reggie Wayne has looked very impressive at camp. Dungy heaped a ton of praise on him.
• In the future (long term), Reggie Wayne would like to be a football coach.
  
• Interesting tidbit from Pro Football Weekly:

  It seems almost humorous that a team as stacked as the Colts would heap such praise on an undrafted rookie, but team sources tell us the Colts are genuinely excited about what DT Eric Foster brings to the table. A third-team Associated Press All-American in 2006, the Rutgers product had a stellar collegiate career, but his small size (6-1, 273 pounds) scared off teams from drafting him. Quick, undersized tackles have a long history of thriving in coach Tony Dungy’s defense, which is predicated upon getting a strong pass rush from the front four, and Foster has a chance to be the next in line.

  If Foster pans out, the Colts will have five quality DTs heading into the 2008 season, and most of them young. I'm not even counting Darrell Reid, who is a decent reserve DT and excellent special teams player. DT went from a position of "Oh please oh please don't get hurt, Booger" to arguably the deepest position on the team in the span of one year.
• Roy Hall has taken a big step, and has looked good at camp. He says the game has slowed down for him, and Dungy has been impressed with his work ethic.
• The injury that has held Marcus Howard out of this minicamp is a rib injury. He got it during the rookie camp last week.
• Dom Rhodes is trying to get his old number back from safety Melvin Bullitt. Unless Bullitt is cut, he isn't giving the number up; nor should he:

  The number has sentimental value to Bullitt. That's the number his father, Jerry, wore at Texas A&M. After wearing No. 18 through his junior season at Texas A&M, Bullitt switched to No. 33 as a senior to honor his father. "I kind of feel like when I'm wearing (No. 33), a piece of my dad is with me when I'm on the field,'' Bullitt said.

• Dungy calls Rhodes' number 38 "an ugly number for a running back." Dungy also advised Bullitt not to give his current #33 up to Rhodes unless he is well compensated.
  
• Tony Ugoh looks like he's ready to take the next step and become a premiere LT. Last season, prior to getting hurt, he was the best rookie playing football not named Adrian Peterson.
  
• Because the Colts are the only team holding mandatory Minicamp this weekend, there are a ton of video clips up on NFL.com.
• NFL Network's Marshall Faulk says the Colts might be the team to beat in the AFC. Marshall Faulk is also a big, big, BIG Mike Hart fan.
• From an NFL.com article by Thomas George:

  Dungy expects the battle for right guard to be ''one of the things that heats up all summer.'
  

  Other than rookie Mike Pollak, who else is battling for the starting RG spot now that Dylan Gandy is in Denver?

The more Minicamp info we get, the more we will print. So far, looks like a very productive and positive camp. Guys like Hall, Gonzo, Pitcock, and Ugoh have impressed, showing they can make that all important leap from first to second year. No info on Mike Hart, but we'll probably get a better idea about him once Training Camp starts.

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.

I will never understand Peter King. I mean really! I just don't get it. Peter will surprise me with excellent nuggets like this:

I've got to see Philip Rivers perform at a high level consistently to think this is a Super Bowl winner, particularly in a conference as tough as the top-heavy AFC.

And this:

I want to like Vince Young, and his improvement from 52 to 62 percent in accuracy from his rookie year to his second season helps a little. But this is the year he's got to start being consistent if the Titans are going to make the playoffs again and again. He threw nine touchdowns and 17 interceptions last year.

But then, he'll go a say something stupid, like rank the Patriots ahead of the Colts going into 2008.

Peter cites the Patriots doing nothing as a sign they will be fine in 2008. This is funny compared to last year, when the Colts did nothing and the Patriots went on a shopping spree, prompting people like Peter King to say had gotten better than Indy. Now, with New England bleeding players and doing little to stop it, while the Colts retain theirs and beef up weaknesses... the Patriots are still better? Huh?

Is it so much to ask for a little consistency with one's logic?

Even New England's draft did not address their offensive line (which was overpowered in the Super Bowl), their defense (which is still old, and allowed Eli Manning to burn them in the 4th quarter), or their running game (which is always hurt). Add to this the fact that New England lost virtually their entire secondary (including Pro Bowler Asante Samuel) to free agency. Meanwhile, Tedy Bruschi and Junior Seau are still old and slow, and Mike Vrabel is getting there. Jerod Mayo will help, but a rookie playing in this defensive system is too much to ask for.

Needless to say, New England's defense was not very good in the playoffs last year, in particular the Super Bowl. This puts extra pressure on the offense, which is a pass happy unit that struggles running the ball. Not a good formula for success.

Meanwhile, the Colts are getting Dwight Freeney and Marvin Harrison back. They beefed up their o-line, drafted Mike Hart, and found another speed rusher in Marcus Howard. Their entire starting defense is returning, a top 5 unit that is both young and fast.

So, how is New England considered better?

Speaking of rookie DE Marcus Howard, Tony Dungy really likes his speed.

  Michael Hobson is the biggest fan of the Indianapolis Colts. i believe I saw him at Training Camp last year. Michael goes all out.

If you want to learn more about rookie free agent acquisition Samuel Giguere, click here. However, you might need to brush up on your French. This is the second year in a row the Colts have imported a free agent from Canada. Hopefully, unlike last year's import, Giguere can catch the friggin' football.

AP Photo/Phil Coale

Right after the Colts made Philip Wheeler their 3rd round draft choice, I received this email from David Halprin, head writer over at Blogging the Boys telling me that the Colts had "drafted his guy." David is a huge Philip Wheeler fan, and I got the sense he was hoping Dallas might have a shot at him. And why not? At 6'2, 245 pounds, Wheeler made his name in college football as a devastating blitzing LBer. This kind of backer is perfect for the Cowboys, Browns, or even the Patriots.

So, why did a team like Indy, who NEVER blitzes their LBers, draft Philip Wheeler?

At first, I thought they drafted Wheeler with the intention to play him down on the line, like they are doing with Marcus Howard. However, when Bill Polian did his press conference after the draft, he made it clear that Wheeler is staying at LBer. Translation: Tyjuan Hagler better have a monster camp to keep his job.

Leading up to the draft, I did profiles on LBers I thought would fit the Colts' scheme. These were guys who tackled well, played well in zone coverage, hit hard, and had ball hawking skills. Players like Gary Brackett, Freddie Keiaho, and Hagler fit this mold. With Wheeler, when you look at his Scouting Combine report, it's as if Polian totally broke away from the mold:

Adequate worker in the offseason and needs to be monitored in the weight room...Although he can make plays on passes he has a shot at, he lacks natural ball skills or hands...Poor playmaker in zone coverage...

Wheeler is not the second coming of Keith Brooking. He is an efficient blitzer who does a nice job of keeping plays in front of him, but he is too inconsistent in reading keys and his penetration skills might be better suited for the outside. However, he lacks the range to make plays in long pursuit, is a bit stiff in his hips and can be exposed when he comes out of his backpedal. He has some decent value forcing the run, but he fails to use good punch or hand placement vs. tight ends and is marginal in coverage. If some team can be happy with a two-down player, Wheeler might fit their needs, but he's not an every-down contributor based on his play in 2007.

When you read this, you have to wonder if Polian did not accidentally draft the wrong guy. This does not sound like a Cover 2 LBer at all. Yet, the Colts make no bones about it: Wheeler is playing LBer, and, as a 3rd round pick, Wheeler better be starting a LBer soon. Otherwise, this was a wasted pick; pure and simple.

Now, saying all that, there must have been something in Wheeler the Colts saw that led them to think he can play LBer in Indy's Tampa 2 scheme. Wheeler will certainly be the biggest LBer Indy had, but his issues playing in zone coverage better get corrected. Wheeler is an explosive hitter and a dynamic force as a tackler. Maybe, with certain defensive packages, Indy will use Wheeler as a surprise blitz backer.

We will see. Colts.com has good article up on Wheeler here.

I'm doing an ongoing series over at Mocking the Draft on which teams improved themselves enough in the draft to move up to the top or stay on top, and which teams didn't. Here's what I said about the Colts and Titans:

AFC South

Yin:

  Indianapolis Colts

Yeah, yeah, yeah. Go ahead and say it. The Colts blogger gives his favorite team props. Oh, who didn't see that coming. I'm sure some of you think that, but if you take the tin foil hat off for a sec you'll notice that many people thought the Colts did well with this draft. OG Mike Pollak, OC Steve Justice, and OL Jamey Richard give them excellent depth on the o-line. DE Marcus Howard will spell Freeney and Mathis as a pass rusher, and RB Mike Hart will help spell Joseph Addai. Colts addressed all their off-season needs in one draft. Solid, all around.

Yang:

  Tennessee Titans

The Titans reached big time for RB Chris Johnson in the 1st round despite having significant holes in their secondary and at DE. Jason Jones helps but he is not enough to stem the loses of both Antwan Odom and Travis LaBoy to free agency. They didn't draft a DB until round 7 despite having horrid safeties and an aging Nick Harper.