Alright, after all the preseason action it's come down to cut day. At some point tonight all players officially on or off of the Colts roster for the start of the season will be notified. Accordingly, it is my last chance to get in my thoughts on who will be on our roster and who I believe should be on our roster. Below you will find both. First, who I believe should be on our roster followed by who I believe will be on our roster. You've already read countless depth chart previews so I don't expect I will bring a great deal to the table you've not already read. Nonetheless, here it is.
WHO SHOULD MAKE THE ROSTER - COLTS 2008-2009
Depth Chart -
WR - Reggie Wayne, Marvin Harrison, Anthony Gonzalez, Devin Aromashodu, Courtney Roby, Pierre Garcon *PS Roy Hall, Onrea Jones
TE - Dallas Clark, Gijon Robinson, Jacob Tamme *PS Tom Santi
RB - Joseph Addai, Dominic Rhodes, Mike Hart
QB - Peyton Manning, Jim Sorgi *PS Jared Lorenzen
LT - Tony Ugoh, Dan Federkeil
LG - Ryan Lilja, Jamey Richard
C - Jeff Saturday, Steve Justice
RG - Mike Pollak, Charlie Johnson
RT - Ryan Diem *PS Michael Toudouze
RE - Dwight Freeney, Marcus Howard *PS Jeff Charleston
LE - Robert Mathis, Curtis Johnson
UT - Raheem Brock, Keyunta Dawson, Eric Foster *PS Dan Davis
NT - Ed Johnson, Collin Ferrell, Darrell Reid
SAM - Clint Session, Tyjuan Hagler
MIKE - Gary Brackett, Philip Wheeler
WILL - Freddie Keiaho, Jordan Senn *PS Kyle Shotwell
CB - Marlin Jackson, Kelvin Hayden, Dante Hughes, Tim Jennings, Keiwan Ratliff
FS - Bob Sanders, Matt Giordano, Melvin Bullitt
SS - Antoine Bethea, Brannon Condren, Jamie Silva
K - Adam Vinatieri
P - Hunter Smith
LS - Justin Snow
Review -
This depth chart includes 53 roster spots and 6 practice squad players. This is based on who I believe should make the roster.
Wide Receiver -
If I'm going into the season I want to have the most value out of the WR spot I can find. At this point, due to Roy Hall's unfortunate hamstring issue during pre-season, I see Garcon and Aromashodu showing the most as back-ups in the pre-season. Onrea Jones and Courtney Roby showed flashes but when it comes down to it... our ST coverage units looked good without Hall... Onrea Jones did not show particular value in ST return units and Courtney Roby did. So there are your two official back-up WRs with a third who also brings immediate KR value (Garcon PR duty I would imagine).
Tight End -
Same as before, Robinson and Tamme have proven themselves. Santi has not. Save him until he can.
Running Back -
I don't see a reason to attempt to store any RB on the practice squad. Unless we want to develop Simpson potentially in the return game... the others really have run their course.
Quarterback -
Sorgi will be the back-up. If Manning truly will start and play a full game against Chicago... there is NO REASON to carry a third QB on the full roster. As such, store one of the two who fought for the spot and Lorenzen gets the nod based upon what I've discussed previously re: pocket presence, comfort in the Colts system.
Defensive End -
With Raheem Brock and Darrell Reid both getting looks to round out DE depth I see no reason to keep any DEs beyond Freeney, Mathis, Howard and Johnson. Want a safety valve with some pass rush value? Fine... keep Charleston on the PS.
Defensive Tackle -
With Brock and Reid, along with Dawson to be realistic, as tweener DL we should keep Ferrell and Foster to compose the heart of the rotation... much like we had hoped to complete with Pitcock behind Brock/Johnson last year.
Linebacker -
It kills me to push Shotwell back to the PS because I think he's really talented but Senn, overall, put out more than Shotwell in the big picture during the preseason. And, all you Guzman lovers will argue but, I'm sorry... he can't play as good as either of these kids. I don't know why you have such an infatuation with him... after all... Guzman was an undrafted free agent pick up last year. Why so surprising that undrafted free agents could outplay him for a spot this year?
Cornerback -
Rushing goes down... Ratliff steps in. I hope that's what happens because I think this kid can play.
Safety -
If we don't waste a spot on a 3rd QB or on having 10 OL, there is no reason we can't keep Silva. I think we should.
Punter -
Clearly the coaches didn't see it my way but Crossett was a gem and really could be something for the future. However, he's been cut already and I don't see them securing a PS spot for a guy who a team will pursue when he's needed anyway.
Final Thoughts -
In my opinion, for the strongest team talent-wise we can put on a 53 man roster from what I've seen this preseason. This should be the roster. However, realistically, I highly doubt Dungy and Co. nor many of you will see it my way. So... below is the roster I believe you can expect to see at the close of the moves Saturday night.
WHO WILL PROBABLY MAKE THE ROSTER - COLTS 2008-2009
WR - Reggie Wayne, Marvin Harrison, Anthony Gonzalez, Roy Hall, Pierre Garcon, Courtney Roby *PS Devin Aromashodu, Onrea Jones
TE - Dallas Clark, Gijon Robinson, Jacob Tamme *PS Tom Santi
RB - Joseph Addai, Dominic Rhodes, Mike Hart
QB - Peyton Manning, Jim Sorgi, Quinn Gray
LT - Tony Ugoh, Dan Federkeil
LG - Ryan Lilja, Jamey Richard
C - Jeff Saturday, Steve Justice
RG -Mike Pollak, Charlie Johnson
RT - Ryan Diem
RE - Dwight Freeney, Marcus Howard
LE - Robert Mathis, Curtis Johnson, Raheem Brock
NT - Ed Johnson, Collin Ferrell
UT - Keyunta Dawson, Eric Foster, Darrell Reid
SAM - Tyjuan Hagler, Ramon Guzman
MIKE - Gary Brackett, Phillip Wheeler
WILL - Freddie Keiaho, Clint Session *PS Kyle Shotwell, Jordan Senn
CB - Marlin Jackson, Kelvin Hayden, Dante Hughes, Tim Jennings, Keiwan Ratliff
FS - Antoine Bethea, Brannon Condren, Melvin Bullitt
SS - Bob Sanders, Matt Giordano *PS Jamie Silva
K - Adam Vinatieri
P - Hunter Smith
LS - Justin Snow