Happy Memorial Day weekend everyone. For many the weather will be fare and fun. Enjoy the time with friends, family, and if you are a vegetarian like me, make sure you provide your own veggie options to the BBQ, because lord knows the hosts have completely forgotten about how you don't eat meat. Or, they assume chicken or lamb is ok because that's not really meat.
I can tell you this from years of experience.
Since it is Memorial Day weekend, and since this is really the time that the NFL "goes dark" between now and late-July, I think it is always fun to talk depth charts. Why? Because we ain't got much else to talk about, unless you want my recipe of "fake meat" BBQ seitan. I thought not.
I get the feeling, baring injuries (which none of us can control), that the Colts roster will likely shake out as such:
QB: Some guy named Manning
RB: Joseph Addai, DeDe Dorsey*
WR: Marvin Harrison, Reggie Wayne, Anthony Gonzalez*
TE: Dallas Clark
C: Jeff Saturday
LG: Ryan Lilja
RG: Rick DeMulling
LT: Tarik Glenn
RT: Ryan Diem
DE: Dwight Freeney
DT: Raheem Brock
DT: Booger McFarland, Quinn Pitcock*
DE: Roberth Mathis
WILL: Freddie Keiaho
MIKE: Gary Brackett
SAM: Rob Morris
CB: Marlin Jackson, Daymeion Hughes*
CB: Kelvin Hayden
FS: Antoine Bethea
SS: Bob Sanders, Matt Giordano*
PR: Terrence Wilkins
K: Adam Vinatieri
P: Hunter Smith
LS: Justin Snow
The * next to some players respresents that they will not start, but will log heavy time. Dorsey will fill Rhodes' role from last year. Hughes will win the nickel CB job, which is almost like a starting CB job. It's the job Marlin had the last two years. I think the Colts will re-sign Terrence. They're waiting to see what TJ Rushing will bring in Training Camp.
At first glance, this squad is bigger and faster than last year's club. The questions this off-season will center around how the Colts will handle the new Patriots WR corps dealing with a new set of CBs. The funny thing is these CBs are bigger, faster, and potantially better than the two studs Indy had last year. And "handling" the Patriots WRs is not the story. The Patriots WRs have to prove they are worth a damn, and since we own New England, it is more a case of them trying to get a handle on us.
Lots of money thrown at players during an off-season guarantees jack-figgin'-squat.
Bottom line: If this is the Kickoff Weekend roster, I'm happy. Have a safe, fun, and enjoyable Memorial Weekend folks.