This is my final guess as to the 53-man roster for the 2011 Indianapolis Colts. Reminder: This is the roster I believe the Colts will field Week One, not the one that will get 'finalized' after the first series of cutdowns. This roster also represents the 53 players I think should be kept, not the ones who might be kept. I'm not going to waste time guessing whatever stupid roster moves Bill Polian and his sons will do. People seem resigned to the notion that Curtis Painter will be kept even though there is absolutely no reason on earth to do so.
It's impossible, and ultimately futile, to guess the decisions of someone who thinks Curtis Painter is a NFL quarterback. So, I'm not even going to try.
Thus, here are my picks for the 53 man roster.
QB: Peyton Manning, Kerry Collins
RB: Joseph Addai, Delone Carter, Javarris James, Chad Spann
WR: Reggie Wayne, Pierre Garcon, Austin Collie, Veteran Player, Veteran Player
TE: Dallas Clark, Jacob Tamme, Brody Eldridge, Justin Snow
LT: Anthony Castonzo, Michael Toudouze
LG: Joe Reitz, Jacques McClendon
OC: Jeff Saturday, Jake Kirkpatrick
RG: Ryan Diem, Kyle DeVan
RT: Jeff Linkenbach, Ben Ijalana
Defense after jump...
RE: Dwight Freeney, John Chick, Tyler Brayton
NT: Antonio Johnson, Ollie Ogbu
UT: Fili Moala, Drake Nevis, Tommie Harris
LE: Robert Mathis, Jamaal Anderson
WILL: Ernie Sims, Kavell Conner
MIKE: Gary Brackett, Adrian Moten
SAM: Pat Angerer, Philip Wheeler
CB: Jerraud Powers, Kevin Thomas, Chris Rucker
CB: Justin Tryon, Jacob Lacey, Brandon King
FS: Antoine Bethea, Veteran Player
SS: Melvin Bullitt, Joe Lefeged
P: Pat McAfee
Kick returns are Joe Lefegend. Punt returns are Justin Tryon.
Notes:
- David Gilreath didn't do enough last night to warrant a roster spot as a WR. He's a decent returner, but not worth wasting a roster spot on. Colts need veteran WRs, not rookies.
- No, Taj Smith does not count as a quality WR. The guy can't catch consistently enough.
- Anthony Gonzalez will be cut.
- Donald Brown and Jerry Hughes have done nothing to warrant roster spots. Hughes was so bad last night against the Bengals that, when asked about the sack he'd earned last night after pushing a QB out of bounds, he didn't even know he'd registered it. Phil Wilson is already saying people don't think Hughes will develop into a meaningful player. I personally don't buy into this horsesh*t of 'It's too early to cut him.' Players either have it, or they don't. They have to show something worth developing. Hughes has shown nothing. Absolutely nothing. No speed. No intelligence. No desire. No toughness. Nothing. It is one thing to see something worth developing and another to hope there is something there worth developing. Most people saying Hughes should be retained are in the hope category. They aren't seeing anything worth a damn. They are just hoping something is there because, if there isn't, it's another busted first rounder for Bill Polian, and busted first rounders set back the organization.
- Example of a rookie showing something: Drake Nevis. He might not be completely refined as a player, but he shows a glimmer of something worth developing.
- Colts are dangerously thin at safety. Joe Lefeged is a nice pick-up, but after him it is... well, it's nothing. No one stood out this preseason. Colts need to sign a veteran.
- I think Ollie Ogbu showed more than Ricardo Mathews. Ogbu seems to have more potential as well.
- I don't think I've ever had Eric Foster on the final 53. He's done nothing, and he serves no purpose anymore.
- I say keep Brayton and Anderson because the 'run line' works very well. Freeney and Mathis simply aren't that good against teams who bash the ball down Indy's throat. Anderson and Brayton are good against the run.
- Practice squad will have Gilreath, John Gill, Mike McNeill, and Chris Brooks.
Thoughts? Ideas? Suggestions?