http://www.yardbarker.com/content/player/1343 Recent articles about Gary Brackett en-us The Colts lost by 14 to the Washington Redskins.  If this was October, that would be a major problem.  However, in October with 4 All-Pro players missing, this was a great game.  The Colts were tied going into the fourth quarter with mostly backups playing the entire game.  Some players really stood out.  Here are my top 10 players from the game. 10. Roy Hall, WR: Hall was very good last night.  He gained a fair amount of yards on the screen pass, and he caught a tough pass after it hit off of his hands.  They didn't test him on deep plays, so we still don't know how good his receiver skills are.  However, as a 4th receiver, he's more than qualified. 9. Eric Foster, DT: Quinn who?  Foster had the Freeney spin and gave the Colts a good pass rush even though it didn't result in incompletions.  The linebackers were pretty weak.  Foster is a good pass rushing defensive tackle.  This team will get a lot of sacks. 8. Marcus Howard, DE: Sometimes 40 times don't lie.  Marcus Howard is extremely fast.  He was blowing by the tackles and getting into the backfield.  He was giving Todd Collins hell all night long.  The play that stands out the most for me was his sack when he was being held.  He is small, but he has good strength.  He definitely will get playing time this year.  I don't consider him a project.  He's ready to take the league by storm. 7. Brannon Condren, S: I didn't know much about him.  I knew he was pretty good at special teams, but as a safety, I assumed that he wasn't a big hitter and more of a ball-hawking safety.  I was wrong.  He was hitting hard last night.  He played like Matt Giordano, which is good for a player that will be a special teamer. 6. Gijon Robinson, TE: Robinson's first catch made my jaw drop.  Sorgi was looking to sacrifice him by throwing the ball over his head, but Robinson made the leap and held onto the ball even though a safety clocked him.  He had 3 other catches that resulted in a fair amount of yards.  I see him making the roster as well. 5. Pierre Garcon, WR: Garcon was the most impressive receiver to me.  Whenever a pass was off target, he was able to adjust and get a hand on it.  He was running his routes perfectly.  He impressed me on special teams as well.  On his only kick return, he got it to midfield, and if he would have tried to get pass the kicker, he could have scored. 4. Jamey Richard, C: Sure, he had that bad snap, but he had the bad luck of the Colts being inside their own 10 when he made that snap.  If that was at midfield, Gray would have picked it up and threw it away.  After that, Richard became unstoppable.  He was pancaking defensive tackle, lead blocking for Mike Hart, and giving The Hefty Lefty time to make a crappy throw.  This was a great 7th round pick. 3. Jordan Senn, LB: I haven't heard people talk about him, but he was great.  It seemed like he was involved on every tackle no matter where the ball was.  He definitely has the speed that the Tampa-2 requires.  Right now, I'd say he is a practice squad player, but that can change very quickly. 2. Quinn Gray, QB: Gray locked up the backup QB spot so far.  It would take a collapse of epic proportions to make him lose the job.  He can scramble.  He's got a great arm.  When he scrambles, he is able to throw an accurate pass, which gave us around 80 yards that we would have lost if Lorenzen or Sorgi was throwing on the run, which would have been an incompletion or thrown away.  Gray looked better than a few starting QBs in this league. 1. Mike Hart, RB: There isn't enough to say about this guy.  He proved why 40 times are useless.  He looked faster than any other Colts back out there.  He fought for the extra yards, which is huge for a back that will be used in short yardage situations.  The play where he lost his helmet but still gained another 3 yards showed why he will make this team.  He's like a stronger and faster James Mungro. All of these guys minus Senn will make the roster, and all but Gray will be in the rotation.  Here are some players that did not impress. Jared Lorenzen aka The Hefty Lefty and The Pillsbury Throwboy, QB: Not only does he look like a lineman or competitive eater, he throws like one.  He was double clutching and shotputting his throws.  This guy should stick to the donuts and leave football alone.  He is not an NFL QB.  Plain and simple.  Good thing Eli Manning never got hurt or else the Patriots would have been 19-0. Clifton Dawson, RB: Mike Hart is better in pads, and Dawson is better on the practice field.  Dawson went down after the first hit, and he didn't have a reception.  He's got a Havard degree.  He'll be better off as a lawyer than a backup running back. Freddie Keiaho, Victor Worsley, and Brandon Archer: Worsley and Archer aren't anything special, but the starting WILL linebacker being so bad in pass coverage is concerning.  He needs to improve or else we could see Philip Wheeler or Clint Session playing on the weak side. So with all of this, here is the updated roster.  I love making these. QB #18 Peyton Manning: Obviously. #5 Quinn Gray: After this game, I am more confindent in our backup QB than ever. RB #29 Joseph Addai: Obvious again. #38 Dominic Rhodes: He had some great runs last night. #32 Mike Hart: Even though he is a Michigan grad, I can't get enough of this guy. WR #87 Reggie Wayne: Shocker, I know #88 Marvin Harrison: Duh #11 Anthony Gonzalez: Not a lot of second year former first round picks get cut #83 Roy Hall: Amazing potential #85 Pierre Garcon: Division III needs some love too. #80 Devin Aromashodu: He played pretty well last night. TE #44 Dallas Clark: A few years ago, Austin Croshere wore number 44 for the Pacers.  Indianapolis had two white guys named after cities in Texas wearing number 44. #47 Gijon Robinson: The stumpy H-back was impressive last night. #84 Jacob Tamme: Tamme is bigger than I thought he was.  I want to see him get some throws from Gray and Sorgi, not BBQ (Bad & Bulky Quarterback, not Big & Beautiful). #86 Tom Santi: Santi should make the roster even though he is hurt. LT #67 Tony Ugoh: Underrated tackle. #76 Dan Federkiel: The only Canuck on the team on this roster prediction. LG #65 Ryan Lilja: Underrated guard. #53 Steve Justice: I didn't notice him last night. C #63 Jeff Saturday: The Indy Star did a piece on future Colts Hall of Famers, and Saturday wasn't mentioned even though players like Bob Sanders and Dwight Freeney were.  Saturday has been just as dominant as any current modern-era centers. #61 Jamey Richard: Richard was great last night.  He's very, very fast, and the bad snap was a major fluke. RG #78 Mike Pollak: Pollak played well last night. #74 Charlie Johnson: A "Meh"-worthy performance last night.  Didn't see anything great out of him. RT #71 Ryan Diem: Often goes unnoticed, but I notice when he isn't playing. #75 Michael Toudouze: We've got some depth at offensive line.  Toudouze is good for a backup right tackle. LE #79 Raheem Brock: He had some good pass rushing last night.  He will play UT on passing situations. #98 Robert Mathis: I prefer him as a pass rush specialist.  His best seasons were behind Brock. #60 Curtis Johnson: Johnson surprised me last night with some good run defense. RE #93 Dwight Freeney: If you don't double team him, he will get a sack.  It's as simple as that. #92 Marcus Howard: I shall call him "Mini-Freeney". #90 Jeff Charleston: Josh Thomas is still as slow as hell. NT #99 Ed Johnson: Big Eddy didn't see too many snaps last night, but he is the best run-stopping player on this team. #95 Darrell Reid: Special teamer who may see some time at defensive tackle this season. UT #96 Keyunta Dawson: The last couple of drafts have been absolutely amazing.  In Polian We Trust. #68 Eric Foster: He's been the MVP of training camp so far.  Let's see if he can carry that momentum into September. SLB #55 Clint Session: I don't like him being hurt.  Being a Colts linebacker, you will probably get hurt and not get resigned. #56 Tyjuan Hagler: Hagler's injury may have cost him a starting job. MLB #58 Gary Brackett: He'll make the Pro Bowl this year.  The snub will motivate him. #50 Philip Wheeler: Knees are slightly behind the Patriots as the Colts biggest enemy. WLB #54 Freddie Keiaho: He better improve at pass coverage. #52 Ramon Guzman: Special teamer. CB #28 Marlin Jackson: He can hit and cover well.  Speed isn't a big factor in the Tampa-2. #26 Kelvin Hayden: See Marlin Jackson. #20 Dante Hughes: He dropped because of his 40 time.  40 times are so frickin' overrated! #23 Tim Jennings: Jennings has done well enough in training camp to keep this job. #34 TJ Rushing: Garcon and him will make a great returning duo. FS #41 Antoine Bethea: He could make the Pro Bowl the old fashion way (not by being an alternate) this year. #42 Brannon Condren: He won me over. SS #21 Bob Sanders: Bob Sanders likes his New England Patriots the same way he likes his ice.  Crushed. #43 Matt Giordano: He hits so hard his hair fell out.  Or at least that's what John Madden says. K #4 Adam Vinatieri: One for the thumb. P #17 Hunter Smith: Being the Colts punter is the easiest job you can have. LS #48 Justin Snow: Long snapper needs to become an official position. Reserve PUP/IR: #25 Michael Coe: Another knee injury… Practice Squad RB Chad Simpson WR Sam Giguere WR Onrea Jones OL Darren Marquez DL Collin Ferrell LB Jordan Senn LB Kyle Shotwell DB Jamie Silva 10 to Keep In Touch With QB Jim Sorgi RB Kenton Keith WR Courtney Roby OL Corey Hilliard DL Josh Thomas DL Joe Bradley LB Brandon Archer LB Victor Worsley DB Melvin Bullitt DB Keiwan Ratliff Mon, 04 Aug 2008 12:39:58 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/300628 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/300628 Quinn Pitcock has retired from professional football.  I guess he pulled a Ricky Williams.  Indy still hold his rights, so if he would change is mind like Brett Favre, he would have to play for the Colts.  Good thing that this happened at arguably our deepest position.  I'm sure some of the other defensive tackles can make this whole ordeal be forgotten.  Eric Foster, Keyunta Dawson, Darrell Reid, and Ed Johnson should do the trick. Since Pitcock quit, and I have read some info about who's been looking good and who hasn't, I think it is time for another roster prediction. QB #18 Peyton Manning: Do I even have to say anything? #12 Jim Sorgi: He's leading the competition right now, but The Pillsbury Throwboy (aka Jared Lorenzen) is sneaking up on him. RB #29 Joseph Addai: Another Pro Bowler. #38 Dominic Rhodes: I thought he got #33 back.  I guess it doesn't really matter. #32 Mike Hart: Freddy Keiaho nailed him, and Keiaho got some lip from Dungy.  Hart hasn't been as impressive as I thought he would be. FB #30 Clift Dawson: I've heard he has been impressive in camp, so why not give him a shot on the roster?  We've got some room. WR #87 Reggie Wayne: Pro Bowler, again. #88 Marvin Harrison: Future Hall of Famer back from an injury and looking great in practice. #11 Anthony Gonzalez: After what I saw from him last year, I like the future of our receivers. #83 Roy Hall: The freakish potential of Hall should get him on the field no matter what he looks like in practice (moot point since he's looked fine). #80 Devin Aromashodu: I've never been a big fan, but if he's looked good in practice, he should be on the roster. #85 Pierre Garcon: He could be our kick returner as well, but I am giving that to another receiver.  I think Garcon could surprise me.  If he runs his routes like Marvin (which I've heard), then he should get a fair amount of playing time this year. TE #44 Dallas Clark: Great redzone target. #84 Jacob Tamme: Wide receiver stuck in a tight end's body.  I like! #86 Tom Santi: Santi has a bursa sac infection like Peyton.  Maybe they can compare how bulbous and gross their knees looked. LT #67 Tony Ugoh: The potential is scary for this tackle. #75 Michael Toudouze: Toudouze and Federkiel are as equal as you can get. LG #65 Ryan Lilja: Lilja stayed with the team while Jake Scott went to the Colts Trashcan (aka Tennessee).  Let's see if he can continue being the great linemen he has been. #61 Jamey Richard: 2nd day pick on the line.  We don't need a high draft pick to find a quality lineman. C #63 Jeff Saturday: Pro Bowler.  Future Hall of Famer.  Not too uncommon on this team. #53 Steve Justice: One of the rookie interior linemen.  Not a lot is known about these guys. RG #78 Mike Pollak: Pollak has competition, but he should be the starter. #74 Charlie Johnson: Johnson better improve or else he'll struggle to make the roster. RT #71 Ryan Diem: Always goes unnoticed.  Diem has been on this line since the Mora era. RDE #93 Dwight Freeney: He'll be back and better than ever. #92 Marcus Howard: Howard could end up being the steal of the draft.  He's the fastest defensive end we've seen in a long time. #91 Josh Thomas: This wasn't meant to go numerically.  It just happened like that. Over Tackle #99 Ed Johnson: Big Ed could have a sophomore breakout year.  He's a first round talent that fell for legal reasons. #95 Darrell Reid: I guess he will have to temporarily replace Pitcock. UT #96 Keyunta Dawson: With Brock changing positions, Dawson will be the starting under tackle. #68 Eric Foster: Foster could end up being the gem of this class.  He is a natural leader and has a great work ethic. LDE #79 Raheem Brock: Brock has been moved to defensive end, and this will only help the run defense and the pass rush. #98 Robert Mathis: Mathis became a great defensive end when he wasn't a starter.  He should become another pass rush threat on third down. #60 Curtis Johnson: This undrafted free agent could end up being a star pass rusher. SAM #55 Clint Session: Even when Hagler gets back, I think Session will be the starter. #56 Tyjuan Hagler: His injury problem may cost him a starting job. MIKE #58 Gary Brackett: His snub from the Pro Bowl last year was a major mistake by the players, coaches, and fans. #50 Philip Wheeler: My prediction: Wheeler will be a Pro Bowler before 2011.  He's perfect for this system. WILL #54 Freddy Keiaho: Keiaho should be a great linebacker if he is healthy. #52 Ramon Guzman: Guzman is making this team because of special teams.  And that only. RCB #28 Marlin Jackson: What can you say about him?  He's a great Cover 2 corner. #20 Dante Hughes: Hughes at nickelback could make this team impossible to pass on. #23 Tim Jennings: Jennings has one more chance to prove his worth. LCB #26 Kelvin Hayden: He is becoming a budding star in the Cover 2. #34 TJ Rushing: Rushing has surprised me and became a quality corner. #25 Michael Coe: Special teams for him. FS #41 Antoine Bethea: Another Pro Bowler here. SS #21 Bob Sanders: Bob Sanders tackled the inner-city violence problem…for a four-yard loss. #43 Matt Giordano: Giordano is a hard-hitting safety, just like the starter. K #4 Adam Vinatieri: Another future Hall of Famer. P #17 Hunter Smith: Go Irish!!! LS #48 Justin Snow: Long-snappers need some love too. RS #14 Sam Giguere: Canada has a player represented on this team even though Federkiel didn't make the cut. Practice Squad RB: #35 Chad Simpson FB: #47 Gijon Robinson OL: #76 Dan Federkiel DL: #90 Jeff Charleston DL: #61 Colin Ferrell LB: #51 Victor Worsley DB: #40 Jamie Silva DB: #42 Brannon Condren 5 Who Should Keep In Touch RB Kenton Keith WR Courtney Roby OL Darren Marquez LB Jordan Senn DB Brandon Foster Thu, 31 Jul 2008 01:50:17 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/298484 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/298484 Players report on Thursday, so this is one of the last days to do a roster prediction.  It feels like now is the best time for one, so here it goes.  53 players make it on the roster, 8 on the practice squad, and I will put 10 that should keep in touch if injuries take their toll. 53 Man Roster QB #18 Peyton Manning-I bet I caught you off guard with this one. #12 Jim Sorgi-Sorgi will get a chance to prove himself this upcoming year.  He better not blow it.  Adam Tafralis and Josh Betts are creeping up on him. RB #29 Joseph Addai-Another shocker. #33 Dominic Rhodes-Rhodes will be a change of pace back who should get somewhere between 100 to 150 carries per game.  He should prosper without all the pressure on him. #32 Mike Hart-I consider Hart a running back, although it seems like he will be used as a fullback/short yardage back. FB #47 Gijon Robinson-Robinson is a fantastic blocker, and he will also be able to catch the ball, as he is "officially" a tight end.  Look for him in the goal line. WR #87 Reggie Wayne-As long as he doesn't hurt himself in a meaningless basketball game, he will be Peyton's number one target, at least until Manning and Harrison get their connection back. #88 Marvin Harrison-Hopefully he can recover quickly and maybe get a few plays in a preseason game so he isn't too rusty. #11 Anthony Gonzalez-Gonzalez could have a breakout year.  Or at least I hope so.  He's on my fantasy team. #83 Roy Hall-Hall will be a surprise player and will be a major difference maker this year.  Mark that down. #14 Sam Giguere-Giguere could never make an impact in the NFL.  He could also be the biggest star wide receiver we've seen in a long time.  We know he has the talent, but can he produce on the field?  Let's give him a shot. TE #44 Dallas Clark-Clark should still be a redzone target even with the Rhodes signing and Marvin's injury recovery. #84 Jacob Tamme-Tamme is an athletic tight end who should help the passing game become even more prolific. #86 Tom Santi-It's all about blocking here.  Someone needs to take Utecht's place. LT #67 Tony Ugoh-If Ugoh would have stayed healthy last year, Joe Thomas may not have been named the unanimous best rookie lineman in the league.  Ugoh replaced a Pro Bowler, and most people would not have noticed Tarik Glenn left. #75 Michael Toudouze-We need some fillers on the offensive line after last year.  Toudouze is a fair lineman when called upon, but he shouldn't start. LG #65 Ryan Lilja-Kansas City made a bad move by waiving Lilja.  He's an unheralded star on this team who is versatile and tough at the same time. #61 Jamey Richard-Not much should be expected out of a seventh round pick.  Richard will see some action in the rotation, but he won't be a difference maker this year. C #63 Jeff Saturday-I hope we can find some legal medicine that can make him play forever.  He's the leader of the offensive line. #53 Steve Justice-In Polian We Trust.  I'm sure he had a plan when he took so many interior linemen. RG #78 Mike Pollak-I'll give him the nod right now, but maybe Charlie Johnson can be a better guard than a tackle (which shouldn't be TOO hard). #74 Charlie Johnson-I was disappointed in his play last year.  We won in spite of him.  He was hapless as a tackle.  Let's see if he can improve as a guard. RT #71 Ryan Diem-Diem needs to stay healthy so Addai and the rest of the backs can get positive yards. #76 Dan Federkiel-Like Toudouze, Federkiel is an insurance lineman. DE #93 Dwight Freeney-Freeney should recover well from his foot surgery and be drawing the usual double and triple teams play in and play out. #91 Josh Thomas-I'm not a big fan, but he can stop the run.  His pass rush is very weak, however. UT #79 Raheem Brock-Brock is unnoticed when he plays, but you know he's missing when you see mediocre backs running up through the middle and QBs having all day in the pocket.  Hopefully he can stay healthy. #96 Keyunta Dawson-Dawson is another 2nd year player who should make a big impact at defensive tackle.  He is now listed as a defensive tackle on Colts.com, so there is no doubt on where he will line up next year. #68 Eric Foster-Last year it was Ed Johnson.  This year it will be Eric Foster.  Foster was made for the Tampa 2. NT #99 Ed Johnson-Big Eddy was a magnificent signing by Polian last year.  Sexual assault, schmexual schmassault.  Ed Johnson can stop the run. #97 Quinn Pitcock-The young players run the nose tackle position.  Pitcock is ridiculously strong, and he played well last season when the offensive line was plagued with injuries. #95 Darrell Reid-This man was the last thing Chris Henry saw before his life flashed before his eyes. DE #98 Robert Mathis-With Freeney back, Mathis should return to his double-digit sack season shortly. #92 Marcus Howard-No he is not a linebacker.  And if he does well, no he is not a surprise.  I expect him to do great along with many other Colts fans. SLB #55 Clint Session-I was stuck between Keiaho and Session here, but Session is bigger and could be a better run stopper.  We've all seen what he can do in the passing game. #56 Tyjuan Hagler-He's hurt, but it won't cost him a roster spot. MLB #58 Gary Brackett-Brackett was up there with the Pro Bowl snubs last year.  He was the leader of a top-5 defense, and he will only get better. #50 Philip Wheeler-Wheeler can play anywhere at linebacker.  I expect him to be a starter in 2009.  It depends on how Session and Keiaho do this upcoming season. WLB #54 Freddy Keiaho-To be perfectly honest, I have no idea how anyone can pass on us this year.  The linebackers are all ballhawkers, and the secondary is one of the best in the league.  Keiaho is a great example of a prototypical Tampa 2 linebacker. #52 Ramon Guzman-He's here for special teams and special teams only. CB #28 Marlin Jackson-Like all Tampa 2 corners, Jackson is way underrated.  He can shut the passing lane for any QB on any team. #34 TJ Rushing-Rushing will not be a returner, but he is good enough to be a dime cornerback. FS #41 Antoine Bethea-Bethea is a breakout player who will contend for another Pro Bowl spot this upcoming year. #40 Jamie Silva-The team of dark horses and surprise players strike again with Silva.  Boston College has some good players in the pros. SS #21 Bob Sanders-70% of the Earth is covered by water.  The rest is covered by Bob Sanders. #43 Matt Giordano-After Giordano lacerated Bo Scaife's liver, John Madden had a funny quip.  "[Giordano] just knocked all of his [own] hair off!" CB #26 Kelvin Hayden-He's the same corner as Marlin Jackson.  I would love to see him get a long-term contract. #20 Dante Hughes-Hughes is expected to be a standout at nickel back.  Also, it's Dante, not Daymeion. #25 Michael Coe-Fitting that one of the fastest players on the team shares the same number as Rocket Ismail, my favorite football player of all-time. K #4 Adam Vinatieri-His leg will be better, and his accuracy will be as well. P #17 Hunter Smith-Not a big surprise he's over Adam Crossett right now. LS #48 Justin Snow-Longsnappers normally do not get any attention.  For obvious reasons. RS #35 Chad Simpson-Simpson is just the kind of player the Colts need at returner.  Someone who is extremely fast and may take a chance and not call a fair catch. Practice Squad QB Adam Tafralis RB Clifton Dawson WR Devin Aromashodu OL Corey Hilliard DL Colin Ferrell DL Curtis Johnson LB Jordan Senn DB Brannon Condren 10 Who Should Keep In Touch RB Kenton Keith WR Courtney Roby WR Pierre Garcon OL Mike Elgin OL Darren Marquez DL Jeff Charleston LB Victor Worsley DB Tim Jennings DB Brandon Foster RS Rudy Burgess Mon, 21 Jul 2008 19:16:56 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/293513 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/293513 IGN released the ratings for every player on every team in the league, so we now know what the boys at EA Sports think about the Colts.  Here are the notable player ratings. Best & Worst Player: Peyton Manning (99), Jamey Richard (64) Best & Worst Morale: Hunter Smith, Adam Vinatieri, and Peyton Manning (99), Gary Brackett (85, only player under 90) Fastest & Slowest Player: Tim Jennings (96), Corey Hilliard and Michael Toudouze (50) Best & Worst Acceleration: Bob Sanders (97), Corey Hilliard (54) Strongest & Weakest Player: Ryan Diem (94), Adam Vinatieri and Tim Jennings (40) Best & Worst Agility: Kelvin Hayden & Bob Sanders (94), Corey Hilliard (48) Best & Worst Awareness: Peyton Manning (100), Pierre Garcon (35) Best & Worst Catching: Reggie Wayne & Marvin Harrison (97), Ryan Lilja (7) Best & Worst Carrier: Joseph Addai (90), Multiple Players (40) Best & Worst Tackler: Gary Brackett (94), Jim Sorgi (11) Best & Worst Jumper: Pierre Garcon (95), Jeff Saturday & Hunter Smith (29) Best & Worst Kick Returner: Tim Jennings (87), A Bunch of Guys (10) Best Celebrator: Marlin Jackson (88) My Thoughts: Wow we are fast.  The defensive backs all have acceleration of 89 or higher.  Peyton Manning is amazing as always.  Manning, Saturday, Bethea, Addai, Vinatieri, Mathis, Lilja, Brackett, Freeney, Diem, Sanders, Clark, Harrison, and Wayne all have ratings of 90 or higher.  Pollak is rated higher than Charlie Johnson, so he is the presumable starter.  The most underrated players are Anthony Gonzalez (80) and Clint Session (70).  Overall, this will be a fun team to play with.  A lot of interceptions will be returned to the house with this secondary. Sun, 29 Jun 2008 12:07:56 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/283829 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/283829 Long title, short blog.  In some lucky news, Rosevelt Colvin passed on the Indianapolis Colts to sign with the Houston Texans.  This surprised me, as Indianapolis is his home town.  He even has a house in the area.  The money was almost certainly the deciding factor.  My guess is the Colts offered him a veterans minimum contract while the Texans offered one of a much higher value.  I'm glad he passed on the Colts.  With all of the injuries the Colts had last season, adding an injury prone player seems like a bad move, especially since it could keep someone like Curtis Johnson, a good UDFA, off of the roster. To cut the roster down to 80, the Colts waived running back Justice Hairston, defensive lineman Dan Davis, kicker Shane Andrus, and center Pat Ross.  Coach Dungy was a fan of Hairston, so that is the only surprise.  The rest all played at positions that are incredibly deep and/or strong.  The Colts had to get it cut down to 80, and there was no big news here. Here's an updated roster prediction after the loss of Colvin, trade of Lawton, and the cuts. 53-man Roster QB: Peyton Manning, Jim Sorgi RB: Joseph Addai, Dominic Rhodes, Mike Hart WR: Marvin Harrison, Roy Hall, Sam Giguere WR: Reggie Wayne, Anthony Gonzalez TE: Dallas Clark, Jacob Tamme (H-back), Tom Santi, Gijon Robinson LT: Tony Ugoh, Dan Federkiel LG: Ryan Lilja, Jamey Richard C: Jeff Saturday, Steve Justice RG: Mike Pollak, Charlie Johnson RT: Ryan Diem DE: Dwight Freeney, Josh Thomas, Curtis Johnson DE: Robert Mathis, Marcus Howard, Keyunta Dawson (also plays UT) DT: Ed Johnson, Quinn Pitcock, Darrell Reid UT: Raheem Brock, Eric Foster, Colin Ferrell SLB: Tyjuan Hagler, Ramon Guzman MLB: Gary Brackett, Philip Wheeler WLB: Freddy Keiaho, Clint Session CB: Marlin Jackson, Kelvin Hayden, Dante Hughes (NB), Tim Jennings, Michael Coe FS: Antoine Bethea, Brannon Condren SS: Bob Sanders, Matt Giordano K: Adam Vinatieri P: Hunter Smith LS: Justin Snow Practice Squad QB Adam Tafralis RB Chad Simpson WR Courtney Roby OT Michael Toudouze OG Mike Elgin DL Jeff Charleston LB Jordan Senn DB Melvin Bullitt 4 Who Should Keep In Touch RB Kenton Keith WR Devin Aromashodu WR Pierre Garcon DB Brandon Foster Mon, 16 Jun 2008 17:26:53 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/278582 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/278582 Outside of his radio show, Bill Polian very rarely does anything with the media.  However, Football Outsiders was able to get an interview with the genius himself.  Polian didn't give the longest answers, so it is tough to get that much info out of it.  Here's some of the stuff I thought was interesting. FO: Your defense ranked third in our DVOA metrics this season. More than half of the starters were drafted after the fourth round or not at all. What is the key to getting such productivity out of lesser prospects? What attributes are you most looking for with these late-round and rookie free agent pick-ups? What did you see in Ed Johnson that everyone else missed? Bill Polian: See the previous answer. We know what criteria are important to succeed in our defense and look for them in every round of the draft. In Ed's case we saw athletic ability and heard from Coach Paterno that he had "grown up and was ready to become a contributor." People have made a big deal about Ed Johnson's previous history with the law.  I'm one who provokes those comments.  I always refer to the Indiana Pacers as a thug team, and I believe all Colts players are qualified for sainthood.  When I see on the previews for the local news that there has been a murder, I think, "Tinsley must have broken his probation.  What a shame."  Whenever a Pacers apologist hears something along those lines, they come back with the Ed Johnson story.  Paterno's quote really helps clear things up on why the Colts would take a chance on someone with a criminal record. FO: Since Dungy, a Minnesota grad, was hired, almost half of your Day 1 picks have been on Big Ten players. Is that a coincidence, or do you have a better feel for people who play college football in the Midwest? Along those lines, how are your college scouts assigned, by region, by conference, or something else? Bill Polian: Our college scouts are assigned by region. I go all over the country as do our other scouting supervisors. I think the rough tough style of play in the Big Ten may produce players more suited to our style. In the end it's more coincidence than anything else. This is something I've always noticed.  For those who don't know, there are many Colts starters who are from the Big Ten.  Those are Marlin Jackson (Michigan), Kelvin Hayden (Illinois), Bob Sanders (Iowa), Ed Johnson (Penn State), Anthony Gonzalez (Ohio State), and Dallas Clark (Iowa).  27% of the starters come from the Big Ten, so that's a good chunk of the team.  The "Three Yards And A Cloud Of Dust" style is the obvious reason.  Ed Johnson and the secondary players from the Big Ten live and breath that style. FO: What player improved the most, on any of your teams, compared to how good he was when you first acquired him? Bill Polian: On our team here in Indianapolis, I would say cornerback Kelvin Hayden. On our team in Carolina, I would say running back Anthony Johnson and wide receiver Mushin Muhammad. On our team in Buffalo, I would say future Hall of Famer Andre Reed. The Hayden one really surprised me.  Hayden would not have come to mind.  Reggie Wayne, Jeff Saturday, and Gary Brackett would have been my guesses.  However, Hayden has become a premier cornerback in the league.  I can't disagree with what Polian said. If you live in Indiana, you know the love for Polian.  I'm pretty sure behind Christianity, Polianism is the largest religion in the area.  Who can blame us?  Polian has to be a psychic.  He's made some great moves over the years, and he will go into the Hall of Fame when he retires.  5 Super Bowl teams and more to come in Indy.  It's good to hear from the man, the myth, the legend, Bill Polian. Fri, 06 Jun 2008 21:21:16 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/275456 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/275456 Includes a scouting report on the Colts, matchups to watch, keys for the Titans and a prediction... Fri, 28 Dec 2007 02:01:21 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/54338 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/54338 I've asked Christine Traylor, one of MVN's writers on Colts Couch Crew, four questions about the Colts regarding Tennessee's game at Indianapolis this Sunday. The questions and Christine's answers follow... Wed, 26 Dec 2007 21:17:31 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/53379 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/53379 Friday's FIO weekly fantasy football columns deals with those leagues that implement Individual Defensive Players (IDP) - co-founder & editor Matt Hinzpeter discusses some of the key defensive players to keep an eye on in Week 13. Check this article each and every week on Fridays. NOTE: Included in this week's installment of the FIO IDP Report is a look back at the loss of Redskin's safety Sean Taylor. Fri, 30 Nov 2007 14:10:53 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/39660 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/39660 Friday's FIO weekly fantasy football columns deals with those leagues that implement Individual Defensive Players (IDP) - co-founder & editor Matt Hinzpeter discusses some of the key defensive players to keep an eye on in Week 11. Check this article each and every week on Fridays. Fri, 16 Nov 2007 16:46:38 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/36418 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/36418 Here is my list of the 20 best backers in the league: 1. Brian Urlacher 2. Shawne Merriman 3. Ray Lewis 4. DeMarcus Ware 5. Adalius Thomas 6. Takeo Spikes 7. Mike Peterson 8. D.J. Williams 9. DeMeco Ryans 10. Lance Briggs 11. Lofa Tatupu 12. A.J. Hawk 13. Jonathan Vilma 14. Joey Porter 15. Zach Thomas 16. Derrick Brooks 17. Ernie Sims 18. Antonio Pierce 19. Julian Peterson 20. Cato June Honorable Mentions: Jeremiah Trotter, London Fletcher, Ian Gold, Nick Barnett, Keith Brooking, and Gary Brackett Sun, 12 Aug 2007 15:43:47 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/23278 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/23278