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Top 50 Indianapolis-Baltimore Colts Players All-Time

2013-06-19T16:32:18Z

As Pro Football Talk announces their Mount Rushmore for all-time greatest Colts players, we thought it was appropriate and timely to post our list of the Top 50 greatest Colts, ever.

This is a list composed of players from both Indianapolis and Baltimore. Considering the franchise has almost been in Indianapolis (29 years) as it was in Baltimore (31 years), I think we are now at the point where Indianapolis fans need to start embracing and acknowledging the legacy of the old Baltimore Colts.

If you want to know how I came up with this list, here were my criteria:

Anyone with a number or jersey retired is on the list. Period.
Franchise leaders in key categories, such as rushing years, interceptions, touchdowns, etc.
Players who, in my personal opinion, made a positive impact on the franchise. This can sometimes be a good player on a bad team.
Players who had memorable performances in critical games.
Players who have played at a high or consistently good level for at least three seasons. So, don't look for Andrew Luck on this list. Gotta do more than have one good season, rookie!

If you see anyone missing from this list, please note that it doesn't mean they "suck." The 60 years that the Colts have been in existence have produced some truly great players. It ended up having 24 players from Indianapolis and 26 from Baltimore.

I hope you enjoy the list.

* Denotes Baltimore Colts players

1) Peyton Manning, QB

Reason: He owns every significant passing stat in franchise history. He started 208 consecutive games before a career-threatening neck injury made him sit out the entire 2011 season. Still, despite spinal fusion surgery and weakened arm strength, Manning returned in 2012 with a new team, a new coach, in a new town... and all he did was put forth an MVP-type performance. Manning is an athlete that has transcended his sport. When people look back on his era, they will view him as the ideal quarterback. He takes a franchise, places it on his shoulders, and instantly turns it into a title contender.

2) John Unitas, QB*

Reason: Unitas entered the NFL in 1956, and when he made his way to Baltimore he wasn't viewed as anything other than a potentially competent back-up. He threw his last pass in 1972, and between '56 and '72, Unitas invented what we refer to today as "modern quarterbacking." Go look and his stats. No, seriously, go look. The man put up numbers that would impress in today's pass-happy league. Unitas played during a time when passing was viewed as a last resort, a tactic for teams too "soft" to run the ball. Timing throws. Rhythm passing. Throwing on first down. That's all Unitas. He threw 287 touchdown passes in his career and gained 14.2 yards-per-completion. The man was a legend. I give Manning the nod over Unitas because of what Manning has achieved throughout his entire career, but when I read morons who place Tom Brady or Joe Montana over Unitas, I want to strangle their pets.

3) Marvin Harrison, WR

Reason: Harrison should be a first ballot Hall of Famer. Apologies to anyone who disagrees, but if you don't think he's a first ballot guy, you simply don't know football. He caught 14,580 yards worth of passes. He had 1102 receptions in a 13-year career. He scored 128 touchdowns and averaged (AVERAGED!) 13.2 yards-per-catch. In terms of NFL history, he's No. 6 all-time in receiving yards, No. 3 all-time in receptions, and he holds an NFL record for most catches in a single season (143 in 2002). Outside of Jerry Rice, Harrison is one of the most dominant wide receivers ever. If you disagree, sorry, but you're allowing some sort of bias to interfere with your objectivity. The numbers speak for themselves.

4) Raymond Berry, WR *

Reason: When you read Mark Bowden's book The Greatest Game Ever, you gain a true appreciation for just how magnificent Berry was as a football player. For all the Type-A personality traits that people praise Peyton Manning for, I don't think Manning comes close to Berry. Berry's meticulous attention to detail, his exactness in running every route, is the type of work ethic we, sadly, do not often see anymore in professional sports. Yeah, I know that last sentence sounds a little old fashioned, but it's true. Few players today spend as much time honing their craft as Berry did. The man was obsessive. It's the reason why he is a Hall of Famer.

5) Gino Marchetti, DE *

Reason: Marchetti stuck fear into opposing offenses. He played during a time when sacking the quarterback wasn't tracked as a stat, a football factoid that I still shake my head at. How can such an important play in a game (stopping the quarterback from advancing the ball) not be tracked? Marchetti played his entire 14-year career with the franchise, and was even with them before they moved from Baltimore! He was selected to the Pro Bowl 11 times in those 14 years, and First-Team All-Pro team 7 times. The Colts have never had a defensive player as dominant as Marchetti was.

6) John Mackey, TE *

Reason: The greatest tight end in franchise history. Period. Even though he wasn't on the famous 1958 team that won the NFL Championship over the NY Giants at Yankee Stadium, he did play a critical roll for Don Shula's Colts during the Super Bowl era. In the 1968 season, the year Baltimore won its only Super Bowl with the Colts, Mackey had 45 catches for 644 yards and 5 touchdowns. From 1965 to 1970, Mackey had 224 receptions for 3,851 yards and 28 touchdowns. For a tight end at that period, those numbers are insane! Quite simply, he redefined the tight end position.

7) Reggie Wayne, WR

Reason: For much of his career, Wayne is seen as the "other wide receiver" opposite Marvin Harrison. However, since Harrison's retirement, Wayne has steadily redefined himself. His 106 catches for 1,355 yards and 5 touchdowns for the 2012 season separated him from Harrison's shadow, somewhat. Wayne's numbers don't compare to Harrison's, but what Wayne has done much more consistently than his former teammate is deliver big-time performances in playoff games. He had 10 catches for 221 yards and 2 TDs against the Broncos in 2004 and a 53-yard TD against the Bears in Super Bowl XLI. When his career is over, Wayne's numbers might rival Harrison's. For now, he's still not as good, but he's absolutely one of the Top 10 all-time Colts ever.

8) Edgerrin James, RB

Reason: James leads the franchise in rushing (9226 yards), touchdowns (62), and yards-per-game (96.1). He's the No. 11 all-time leading rusher in NFL history with 12,246 yards, just behind another former Colt, Marshall Faulk. However, unlike the perpetually whiny Faulk and the team-killing nuance that was Eric Dickerson, James was the ultimate team player. Yet, he still maintained a fun, unique persona that many described as "Edge being Edge." It was hard not to like him. His presence alone made a team better. Factor in his talent, his toughness, and his work ethic (few backs have ever dedicated themselves to the game as Edgerrin did), and he was a franchise-defining running back.

9) Dwight Freeney, DE

Reason: When Baltimore Ravens left tackle Jonathan Ogden poses for his bust in Canton this summer, I'm going to laugh. Yes, Ogden absolutely deserved his gold jacket and his place in NFL history. However, this is the same Jonathan Ogden that Colts defensive end Dwight Freeney used to eat for lunch on a consistent basis whenenver the Ravens and Colts played. And it wasn't just Ogden. Seahawks great Walter Jones was also made to look foolish at Freeney's expense. No. 93 for the Colts had a way of doing that. His spin move will always be considered his signature play. In 11 seasons, he's compiled 107.5 sacks and forced 43 fumbles.

10) Lenny Moore, RB *

Reason: For whatever reason, Moore seems to be a forgotten Colts great for many of my generation. The man was a 7-time Pro Bowler and a 5-time First-Team All-Pro. In the championship season of 1958, Moore averaged 7.3 yards-per-carry. In fact, he averaged over 7 yards-a-carry three times in his brilliant career (1956, 1958, and 1961). He also scored 63 rushing touchdowns and 48 receiving touchdowns in his 12-year career, all with the Colts. No back has scored more in franchise history than Mr. Lenny Moore. Never forget his name or his accomplishments. That man was an absolute stud.

11) Robert Mathis, DE
12) Art Donovan, OG *
13) Jim Parker, FB *
14) Jeff Saturday, OC
15) Bert Jones, QB *
16) Jim Harbaugh, QB
17) Alan Ameche, RB *
18) Adam Vinatieri, K
19) Tarik Glenn, OT
20) Gary Brackett, LB

21) Chris Hinton, OG
22) Bob Sanders, SS
23) Mike Curtis, LB-FB *
24) Bobby Vogel, OT *
25) Dallas Clark, TE
26) Ray Donaldson, OC
27) Rohn Stark, P
28) Mike Barnes, DE *
29) Gene Lipscomb, DT *
30) Bubba Smith, DE *

31) Bobby Boyd, DB *
32) Marshall Faulk, RB
33) Buddy Young, FB *
34) John Dutton, DT-DE *
35) Clarence Verdin, KR
36) Mike Vanderjagt, K
37) Rick Volk, DB *
38) George Konze, OT *
39) Bert Rechichar, DB, LB, RB *
40) Eric Dickerson, RB

41) Dick Szymanski, OC-LB *
42) Ted Hendricks, LB *
43) Jerry Logan, DB *
44) Willie Richardson, WR *
45) Antoine Bethea, FS
46) Fred Miller, DT *
47) Will Wolford, OT
48) Duane Bickett, LB

49) Tom Matte, RB *
50) Dominic Rhodes, RB

Colts First Practice of Training Camp is July 28

2013-06-18T23:27:25Z

We're getting there, Colts fans. Slowly but surely, we're getting there.

We're just about five and a half weeks away from the beginning of training camp. You can make it!!!

Anyways, we have known that the Colts will report to training camp at Anderson University on Saturday, July 27. That date is also the earliest possible date they can report to training camp under the new CBA rules, according to Pro Football Talk. Players can only report at most 15 days before their first preseason game, and the Colts open against the Buffalo Bills on Sunday, August 11.

According to Jim Irsay, the team will officially start practicing a day after reporting, on July 28:

OPENING PRACTICE OF 2013 COLTS TRAINING CAMP---1:50pm, Sunday, July 28, beautiful Anderson University in Anderson, IN!!!
— Jim Irsay (@JimIrsay) June 18, 2013

So there you have it. Sunday, July 28, at 1:50 p.m. at Anderson University, the Colts will hold their first practice of training camp 2013.

The team returns to Anderson, a small Christian college about an hour northeast of Indianapolis, for the fourth straight year. Check out the Colts training camp page on Anderson's website for more on camp stuff. The full practice schedule has yet to be released.

We'll have the full schedule once it is released, but for now what we have is the start date: July 28. Mark your calendars! How many of you plan to get out to camp this year? I know for sure that I'll be there (I'll figure out for sure when once the schedule is released).

Less than 40 days, Colts fans. Less than 40 days! You can make it!!!!!

2013 Colts Positional Preview: Quarterback

2013-06-18T12:00:06Z

Andrew Luck. Andrew Luck. Andrew Luck.

Well, that's about it for the preview of the quarterback position. Thanks for reading!

Ok, I kid, I kid - but only because of this minimum word count I need to reach.

Seriously, though, no position on the entire Colts roster is more set than the quarterback position, and no player on the entire Colts roster is better than the starter at the quarterback position, Andrew Luck.

As a rookie in 2012, Luck put together one of the best quarterbacked seasons that I have seen in the NFL in a long time.* He made the pro bowl (albeit as an alternate), led a bad Colts team to 11 wins and a playoff berth, and posted very impressive individual numbers (including rookie passing records) while enduring an insane amount of pressure due to a terrible offensive line.

In 2012, Luck completed 54.1% of his 627 passes for 4,374 yards, 23 touchdowns, and 18 interceptions while averaging 7.0 yards per attempt. He also added 255 yards and 5 scores on the ground rushing. Perhaps the most impressive part of Luck's game last year was in the final minutes, where the rookie quarterback quickly established himself as one of the best (if not the best) in the league. He led 7 game winning drives and 4 fourth quarter comebacks, constantly pulling a win out in the final minutes of a close game.

There's no reason to think that he won't be better in 2013. Equipped with a new but familiar offense, a retooled offensive line, and better receiving threats, Luck could take the league by storm. Perhaps it is unfair to say this about a guy entering his second year, but I fully expect him to emerge as one of the NFL's best signal callers and I expect him to enter into the MVP race in 2013. Yes, I'm serious. This guy is as good of a young quarterback as I have ever seen - in fact, I have never seen a guy have a more impressive rookie season than Luck did. His numbers absolutely will improve in 2013 and his play will too. He will be the unquestioned leader of a team with playoff expectations from fans and Super Bowl expectations from themselves. Some (like me) think they will win the AFC South. All of these expectations revolve around one player, and that one player is Andrew Luck.

If you think this is way too high of expectations for a second year quarterback, you are absolutely right. But if you look at Andrew Luck and take away his experience factor, he has all the makings of a quarterback ready to burst onto the scene even more than he did last year.

Ok, my love fest on Andrew Luck is over. The team has two other quarterbacks on their roster, both of whom are very intriguing options. Despite having two capable backups, there is zero percent of a competition for the number two spot. None. Zilch. Zero.

Matt Hasselbeck has the overwhelming hold on the number two quarterback spot. I mean, when you're paying your backup quarterback close to $4 million a year, he should be! And Hasselbeck will indeed be the number two guy. The Colts signed him this offseason, and though it was surprising, it was still a good move. As I outlined in my free agent profile on Hasselbeck, there is three ways that this move will help the Colts:

It will help Andrew Luck learn the ins and outs of being a successful NFL quarterback and gives him a tremendous mentor everyday in the meeting room - someone who has played well and won at this level. Hasselbeck will be a great influence on Luck and will be a key figure, albeit behind the scenes, to Luck's continued development as a signal caller.
It will help Chandler Harnish, the team's other quarterback. Harnish is also entering his second year, and Hasselbeck will likely be even a bigger help to Harnish than he will be to Luck. If Harnish wants to make it as a quarterback in the NFL, he would be very smart to be paying very close attention to Hasselbeck. The opportunity to learn from a good veteran will be huge and is key to Harnish developing into the quarterback I think he could be.
It will help the team in the awful scenario that Andrew Luck gets injured. The Colts tried to sign Hasselbeck before the 2011 season as an insurance policy in case Peyton Manning missed games, but he choose the Titans instead. The Colts went with Kerry Collins, and that set in motion the terrible season of 2011 that led to Andrew Luck coming to Indianapolis. While things worked out last time, they wouldn't should it happen again. Having Hasselbeck as the backup ensures that, should the worst happen, the Colts' 2013 wouldn't be over. They could still win some games and be competitive.

The only real question when it comes to the roster is whether Harnish will make the final 53-man roster or whether he will be on the practice squad. I think that, barring a ton of injuries in the preseason that require roster spots to be left open, Chandler Harnish will start the season on the 53-man roster. Brad Wells' recent projection of the final rosteragreed. That said, he will be the first to go should a roster spot be needed. I don't expect him to last long on the roster, unless the team really wants to keep him and is afraid other teams will sign him off of their practice squad. While I wouldn't think that would happen, it is certainly a possibility. I think he will make the final roster out of preseason, but that soon after he will be demoted to the practice squad to make room for someone else.

Bottom line is that there isn't a position more set than quarterback. There aren't many starting quarterbacks in the NFL than Andrew Luck. There isn't a better backup quarterback than Matt Hasselbeck in the entire NFL. And not many teams have a third string guy better than Chandler Harnish.

Andrew Luck will determine just how successful the Colts' 2013 season will be. And that should be an incredibly encouraging thing for Colts fans. August can't get here soon enough!

*Now, just to let you know, the area I analyze the most and my "expertise," if you want to call it that, is with quarterbacks. That is largely because of Peyton Manning, and I analyzed and analyzed and analyzed his every game. I became one of the biggest Peyton defenders there was (and I still am one of them) and as a result I have as much knowledge on Peyton's career as anyone. Part of defending Peyton also requires extensive knowledge of other great quarterbacks in NFL history, so when I say that about Luck's season, don't take it lightly.

2013 Colts Offseason Has Been A Success

2013-06-17T20:04:44Z

In years past, the Washington Redskins would usually get the nod as the team who "won" the offseason, making free agent moves, trades, and entertaining draft selections that - despite their silliness in terms of logic and execution - would provide excitement-generating fodder for the ever-evolving NFL news cycle.

This year, I think it's safe to say that the Indianapolis Colts are the winners of the 2013 offseason.

No team signed more free agents in 2013 than Indianapolis has. 13 veterans were brought into the franchise via free agency or via trade. And that's not counting corner Darius Butler, who played for the Colts last year but was re-signed after the new league year began.

Add in rookie free agents like Josh McNary, Sheldon Price, Dan Moore, and others, and the 2013 Colts are almost as unrecognizable from the 2012 version as the 2012 team was from the 2011 one.

As many as nine new starters could emerge from the free agent additions, and if rookies Hugh Thornton or Khaled Holmes make an impact along the Colts offensive line during training camp and preseason, that number could grow to 11.

11 new starters! That's nearly half the starting lineups for both offense and defense!

However, just like last year, every decision that involved bringing in a new player was done with the mindset of getting the team better. Overall, I think it's safe to say that the goal was accomplished.

From a talent standpoint, the 2013 Indianapolis Colts are much better than the 2012 version. In fact, you can make an argument that they are one of the more talented teams in the NFL. On paper, they rival the Broncos, Ravens, Patriots, and Texans.

Note: If papers champions meant anything, the Redskins would have 20 Super Bowl trophies by now.

Still, that's not meant to demean and diminish the great work second-year general manager Ryan Grigson and his front office have done this offseason.

Real quick, take a look at this article I wrote back in January. I outlined five critical need positions heading into the offseason: Running back, offensive line, defensive end, outside linebacker, and safety. Using just free agency alone, Grigson upgraded each position grouping.

Running back: Ahmad Bradshaw

Offensive line: Gosder Cherilus, Donald Thomas

Defensive end: Ricky Jean Francois

Outside linebacker: Erik Walden

Safety: LaRon Landry

Then, during the 2013 NFL Draft, Grigson reinforced these positions:

Running back: Kerwynn Williams (7th round)

Offensive line: Hugh Thornton (3rd round), Khaled Holmes (4th round)

Defensive end: Montori Hughes (5th round)

Outside linebacker: Bjoern Werner (1st round)

Safety: John Boyett (6th round)

If that's not attacking your needs, I don't know what is!

Grigson also addressed second tier need positions - such as corner, back-up quarterback, nose tackle, and wide receiver - by inking free agents Greg Toler, Matt Hasselbeck, Aubrayo Franklin, and Darrius Heyward-Bey.

Finally, he cut away the dead weight, shipping 2010 draft bust Jerry Hughes off to Buffalo in exchange for inside linebacker Kelvin Sheppard. Per reports from minicamp, Sheppard has already begun to make an impact, working with the starting unit along with 2012 gem, Jerrell Freeman.

In fact, when you step back and look at who was brought in to play this year, and who they are replacing from last year, it really is amazing just how much improved this 2013 roster is.

Back-up Quarterback

Last year: Drew Stanton

This year: Matt Hasselbeck

Analysis: Stanton is a quality veteran, but Hasselbeck is a former starter with significant, distinguished experience running an NFL team. Significant upgrade.

Running Back

Last year: Donald Brown

This year: Ahmad Bradshaw

Analysis: Brown is one of the worst backs in football at pass blocking. Bradshaw is one of the best. Significant upgrade.

Wide Receiver

Last year: Donnie Avery

This year: Darrius Heyward-Bey

Analysis: Avery rejuvenated his career in Indianapolis last year, but Heyward-Bey is a bigger, faster, stronger player who can stretch the field more. Moderate upgrade.

Offensive Line

Last year: Seth Olsen and Winston Justice

This year: Donald Thomas and Gosder Cherilus

Analysis: Olsen was a truly terrible guard, and while Justice was quite good playing right tackle last season, he was injury prone (and he's been his whole career). Thomas has been a solid player his whole career, and Cherilus has started 71 of a possible 75 games over 5 seasons. SUPREME upgrade.

Nose Tackle

Last year: Antonio Johnson

This year: Aubrayo Franklin

Analysis: Mookie Johnson played like a warrior in 2012, but he isn't a true nose tackle in a 3-4. Franklin is a very good nose tackle who is familiar with the defensive scheme Chuck Pagano and Greg Manusky want to run. Significant upgrade.

Defensive End

Last year: Fili Moala

This year: Ricky Jean Francois

Analysis: Moala is another bust holdover from the Polian Regime. Though he played better in 2012, he isn't a quality starter. Jean Francois has experience working in Greg Manusky's system. Plus, Moala has started 39 games and only earned 40 tackles and 2 sacks. Jean Francois has started just 5 games, but has 33 tackles and 3 sacks. Significant upgrade.

Outside Linebacker

Last year: Dwight Freeney

This year: Bjoern Werner

Analysis: I think Werner will eventually earn the starting OLB spot over free agent acquisition Erik Walden. Freeney is one of the greatest pass rushers in NFL history. A potential Hall of Famer. However, he didn't fit Manusky's system. Werner does. Slight downgrade.

Corner

Last year: Darius Butler

This year: Greg Toler

Analysis: Butler proved he can play in this league, but he's best suited as a slot corner. Toler is a big, long-armed, physical corner who, when healthy, can be a playmaker. Moderate upgrade.

Safety

Last year: Tom Zbikowski

This year: LaRon Landy

Analysis: Tommy Z is a tough guy, but he isn't a particularly good safety. Landry's game tape last year is striking. The man was a wrecking ball in the secondary for the Jets, and, during minicamp this year for the Colts, he made a few "wow" plays. SUPREME upgrade.

Again, outside of the loss of Freeney, if you look up and down this roster, you seen nothing but position upgrade after position upgrade.

Based on this, let me make it plain and clear that I truly believe that the Colts front office did a fantastic job this offseason. In fact, please use this article as a reference should the Colts struggle in 2013. Outside of catastrophic injury, I don't see how they will struggle. Sure, things like team chemistry will factor into the team's success in 2013. One doesn't just plop 11 new players into a team mixture and expect them to know how to play together.

However, that's why the coaches are paid the money they are paid. Let them figure that out.

The bottom line is the team is better. Significantly better, and with a better team come higher expectations. All this spending wasn't done just so that Colts can maybe make the post-season. The playoffs are expected. Winning in the playoffs is now expected.

Getting a ring is now the goal, and with the talent they now have, Indianapolis can achieve that in 2013.

Colts Head Coach Chuck Pagano Selected As PFWA's 2013 George Halas Award Winner

2013-06-17T18:53:39Z

The Pro Football Writers of America announced today that Indianapolis Colts Head Coach Chuck Pagano has been awarded the 2013 George Halas Award. This award is given to an NFL player, coach, or staff member who overcomes the most adversity to succeed.

According to Colts.com, Pagano is the the third head coach and fourth member of the Colts organization to receive the award. Tony Dungy also won this award in 2006. Jim Harbaugh was selected in 1997 when he was still quarterbacking the Colts.

Pagano's cancer diagnosis in late-September of 2012 forced him to take a leave of absence from the team while he underwent treatments. Replacing him as head coach was now-former offensive coordinator Bruce Arians. Despite the treatments, Pagano remained in contact with Arians, his assistants, and the players. He also made a very emotional return to Lucas Oil Stadium in Week 9, giving his now-famous "I've got circumstances" speech after the Colts defeated the Dolphins 23-20.

Bruce Arians guided the Colts to a 9-3 record before handing the reigns back to Pagano for the Colts' Week 17 match-up against the Texans, a game the Colts won 28-16.

Ryan Grigson: Colts Have Had 'Nose To Grindstone' Since Playoff Loss To Ravens

2013-06-17T17:07:42Z

Second-year Colts G.M. Ryan Grigson had one goal this offseason: Make the 2013 Colts better than the 2012 version

For now, I think it's safe to say that the Indianapolis Colts front office did a fantastic job upgrading the roster.

Sure, there have been mistakes. They overpaid for Erik Walden and Gosder Cherilus. They stupidly traded A.Q. Shipley. They kept Samson Satele's unnecessary contract.

However, when you step back and look at what this team was in January - coming home from a bad playoff loss in Baltimore - and where they are now, they are simply more talented today. In the end, that is the goal of any front office: Make the squad next year better than the one last year.

Never stagnate. Never regress. If you do, it'll probably cost you your job.

Grigson seems please with what he and his staff have done, and he conveyed that to Indianapolis radio station WFNI last week:

We've had our nose to the grindstone since we came back from Baltimore. Just everyday, really simply, just get better every day. Trying to plug any type of holes. Just trying to get better.

Grigson also spoke glowingly about recent free agent acquisition Ahmad Bradshaw.

He knows how to carry the rock. He's got really good instincts and natural vision.

The think I like best about him, the first time you mention his name to anyone, even just through the process of acquiring him, doing our due diligence, was warrior. The guy plays like a warrior. He has the mindset of a warrior. He runs angry.

When the offseason began, we targeted the offensive line and the running backs as two areas that this team needed to get better in if they were to take the next step. Fast forward five months, and the Colts have added Bradshaw, Cherilus, and Donald Thomas via free agency.

Like us, Grigson also saw the offensive line as the biggest priority:

We knew we needed to have, an excellent offensive - it only makes good football sense - to have an excellent offensive line around Andrew.

There are lots of reasons to like Grigson, and we have said from the very beginning that he strikes us as someone you'd have to try not to like. Personally, I think his best trait as a G.M. is his objectivity. He is able to look at his roster, identify problem areas, and make moves to fix them.

His predecessor had difficulty doing those three things, especially in the later years of his career in Indianapolis.

The Colts organization has never brought in this many veteran free agents, ever. The closest year comparable to this was 1999, when Bill Polian used the offseason to sign from Carolina many of the players he'd drafted there prior to him getting traded to Indianapolis.

Yes, that's right. Bill Polian was traded to the Colts from the Panthers. Use that tidbit on trivia night at your local bar.

Indianapolis has inked eleven veteran free agents and made trades for two more, bringing the total to thirteen new, veteran NFL players. Of those thirteen, ten are projected starters:

RB Ahmad Bradshaw
WR Darrius Heyward-Bey
RT Gosder Cherilus
LG Donald Thomas
DE Ricky Jean-Francois
NT Aubrayo Franklin
OLB Erik Walden
ILB Kevin Sheppard
SS LaRon Landry
CB Greg Toler

Of course, what I truly mean by spewing all this praise is that I want Ryan Grigson fired. He's awful and terrible and deserves to be tarred and feathered.

Pagano: No One Has Faced More Adversity Than OG Ben Ijalana

2013-06-17T14:53:39Z

To the objective outside eye, Ben Ijalana's career in Indianapolis looks to be finished.

Or, is it?

Last year, he was placed on waivers during training camp after he sustained another knee injury. No one claimed him, and he spent the 2012 campaign on Injured Reserve. During the 2013 offseason, the Colts spent $10 million in guaranteed money on two offensive linemen who play positions Ben Ijalana is best suited for: OG Donald Thomas and OT Gosder Cherilus. They also used their 3rd and 4th round picks on OG Hugh Thornton and OC Khaled Holmes, respectively.

That's four new offensive line. Four new expensive offensive linemen. Four new linemen to go with established veterans like Jeff Linkenbach, Samson Satele, and Mike McGlynn.

With all this money being spent, it was simply logical to conclude that, yeah, Ijalana is good as gone.

Maybe.

During mandatory minicamp last week, Colts head coach Pagano was asked specifically about Ijalana's status with the team. His answer was somewhat surprising:

Ben's just got to stay healthy. Poor kid's just been snake-bitten. He's got talent. He's big and hes athletic. We all know the measurable He's been snake bit. He's just got to take healthy. Nobody has faced more adversity than Ben. He's handled it like a pro and like a champ. He's come back and he's kept that ax swinging. As long as you don't drop that ax and keep that ax going, that tree will eventually fall. So, he'll show up to raining camp, be healthy, hopefully stay healthy, and have an opportunity to show everybody what he can do. We're eager to see that. I'm eager to see that.

When asked a follow-up question as to whether Ijalana will have a chance to show what he can do on a Colts roster that was just infused with big money free agents, Pagano said Ijalana would have "plenty of opportunities," but quantified that by saying they would come as the result of likely injuries to players ahead of him on the depth chart.

Even though that doesn't sound that the most ringing of endorsements, I personally see it as a small ray of hope for Ijalana. At the end of the day, if he is healthy, it only makes the team better if they have a 6'4, 317 pound linemen who can play four positions, including back-up left tackle.

It would also be great if the "source" who told ESPN analyst Dan Dakich that "Ijalana can't play dead" turned out to be dead wrong.

2013 Colts Free Agent Profile: WR Darrius Heyward-Bey

2013-06-14T12:00:14Z

Remember back when Colts' owner Jim Irsay tweeted about the "whopper" wide receiver the team was going after? Well, regardless of who they were originally going after, the player they did sign was former Raiders wideout Darrius Heyward-Bey, which addressed a big need at the wide receiver position after the departure of Donnie Avery.

Darrius Heyward-Bey, or DHB for short, was drafted by the Oakland Raiders with the 7th overall pick of the 2009 NFL Draft. At the 2009 NFL Combine, he ran a 4.3 40 yard dash - making him the perfect fit for the speed-crazy Raiders. In four years in Oakland, DHB played in 56 games and started 53, and he caught 140 passes for 2,071 yards and 11 touchdowns while also adding 8 carries for 83 yards. Last season, he played in 15 games (starting 14) and caught 41 passes for 606 yards and a career-high 5 touchdowns.

The first year in Oakland, however, was rough for the 6-2, 216 pound receiver - with a drop rate at an insanely bad 35.7%, per Pro Football Focus. To put that in perspective, Colts fans remember how bad Donnie Avery was in the area of drops last year, right? His drop rate was 16.7%. DHB's was 19% worse than that his rookie year. Now, to his credit, Heyward-Bey improved greatly (how could he not?) and by 2011 his drop rate was down to just 8.6%. Last year it was at 12.8% - still high - but better than Avery last year and certainly not awful. More concerning than that is probably the fact that he has been targeted 75 times 20 or more yards down the field and he has 11 stinking catches. 11. That's a catch rate of 14.6, and there's no other way of saying it but that the number absolutely must improve. In Indy, that can happen.

All of that said, however, let me offer this advice about Darrius Heyward-Bey: don't look too much into his numbers. He had no consistency at quarterback, other than the fact that they all sucked. In just four years there, DHB played with seven different starting quarterbacks: Jamarcus Russell, Charlie Frye, Bruce Gradkowski, Jason Campbell, Kyle Boller, Carson Palmer, and Terrelle Pryor. Heck, I'd take the Colts' third string quarterback (Chandler Harnish) over most of those guys. And throw in the fact that the inconsistency at the spot prevented DHB from developing chemistry with his quarterback.

In Indianapolis, he will be able to. There aren't any excuses anymore, really. He will have consistency at the quarterback spot. He will have great play at the quarterback spot. He will have a veteran, future hall of fame wide receiver on the other side of the field in Reggie Wayne. There aren't excuses anymore. We can chalk his career in Oakland up to several different circumstances that got in the way of the first-rounder reaching his potential. In Indy, there won't be.

He will likely be asked to take the top off the defense for the Colts. And he will bring the speed that will allow him to both burn defenses before he catches the ball and burn defenses after he catches the ball. It will be interesting to see how the team uses him and gets him the ball.

After the Colts released Donnie Avery, the wide receiver position needed to be addressed. It was by signing Darrius Heyward-Bey. The real question that remains is whether this is a short-term fix or a long-term one. At only 26 years old, he could be a good receiver for Andrew Luck for a while. Though he is only signed on a one year deal, a good year this year could mean that the Colts sign him to an extended contract after that. Either way, this year is a big test for DHB and it was a signing that the Colts made, confident that Heyward-Bey can live up to his pre-draft hype. If he reaches that potential - and what better situation to reach it in than with the Colts this year - then this signing really could be a "wopper," even though right now it may not seem like it.