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The annual NFL Scouting Combine has come to a conclusion for 2015, and after a week spent in Indianapolis teams are returning home to discuss and further look into what they saw and learned at the Combine. We know not to put too much stock into the on-field drills, but they do serve a purpose when in their proper place and the interviews and medical examinations are very important.
The Colts certainly learned a lot more than just these three things that we'll look at, but here are three things that we learned that could potentially relate to the Indianapolis Colts as the Draft inches closer.
Combine Results
Of course, we can't ignore the results of the drills and on-field work. While some are more important than others and it largely depends on the position for which drills those are, there's no doubt that they do serve a purpose. Here's a nifty chart that has all of the Combine results in one place, so you can head there to check out how a certain player or position did. The Colts and the other NFL teams now have at least an idea about these players, and without a doubt there were players that either impressed or disappointed each team, including the Colts, that will now be reevaluated.
Meetings with Prospects
There is no way that we can know all of the meetings that the Colts conducted this week, because teams get sixty interviews with prospects and we only have a handful of them reported. The number of interviews reported for the Colts is noticeably lower than the list we have for most teams, but either way we do have a list of eleven players that the Colts met with this week. Keep in mind that there are many, many more players that the Colts actually met with and just because they meet with a player doesn't mean that they plan on drafting him, but with that said, here's the list:
Preston Smith, edge rusher, Mississippi State
Direction Colts are Heading
One other thing that we learned this week was more about which direction the Colts will be heading this offseason. Both general manager Ryan Grigson and head coach Chuck Pagano talked with the media on Thursday, and while they didn't give much information, we could glean a few nuggets from what they said to get a better idea of where the Colts are heading this offseason. Firstly, it sounds like both Grigson and Pagano fully expect safety Mike Adams, who will be a free agent this offseason, to be back in Indy next season - meaning the team is very likely to re-sign him. The team also hasn't given up on running back Vick Ballard despite back-to-back seasons that ended on IR for the back. And perhaps most significantly in terms of where they're heading, it was clear that pass rush will be an area that the Colts want to address this offseason, at least more than initially thought. Also, Ryan Grigson stated that the team will be aggressive this offseason, though at the same time being smart. With the Colts projected to have upwards of $40 million in cap room to spend, it seems clear that the Colts are setting up to make a number of moves in an effort to position themselves to win a Super Bowl. According to Grigson, they'll be aggressive in doing so.