Yardbarker: Dallas Clark

Fantasy Football Tight End Ranking Breakdown: 1-10

Thu, 24 Jul 2008 08:07:29 -0500

It's come down to this – the ten best fantasy tight ends in the league. These are the guys you want on your roster, the guys that you plug in and forget about the position for the rest of the season (except on bye weeks, of course). So when the fourth or fifth round comes up, instead of picking up that second wideout, or grabbing a mid-tier QB, maybe start thinking about one of these guys. A good TE can make a lot of difference. So let's check out the ten best, after a short recap of 11-30.

Final Pre-Training Camp Colts Roster Prediction

Mon, 21 Jul 2008 19:16:56 -0500

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

War Room Scouts: Ranking the top 20 NFL tight ends

Thu, 17 Jul 2008 13:18:05 -0500

The modern NFL tight end can no longer get away with be a plodding, one-dimensional, nice-sized blocker and expect to stay on the field often for his team. Instead, the position has evolved as one for premier, basketball-style athletes whose teams hope they can change the entire dynamics of their passing offense. It's all about an impressive combination of size and speed that's hard to stop in both close quarters and on intermediate routes: 1. Antonio Gates, San Diego Chargers. Gates is the best receiving tight end in the business. He is a physical specimen who creates mismatches all over the field. 2. Jason Witten, Dallas Cowboys. Became a certified superstar in 2007 with an awesome 96-reception season. He's a vertical threat and also Tony Romo's favorite target underneath, but Witten also has become a very effective blocker, which aids the Cowboys' running game. 3. Kellen Winslow, Cleveland Browns. With 171 receptions over the past two seasons, Winslow has finally become the star everyone projected him to be. His rare combination of size, speed, and athleticism makes him a matchup nightmare, and his ability to align just about anywhere on the field opens up several options for the Browns' offense. 4. Tony Gonzalez, Chiefs. Gonzalez is called upon to do more blocking in the latter stage of his career as the Chiefs' current offensive line is a shell of its former self. So while that curbs his statistics, he remains a consummate pro who can still change a game with his receiving skills when given the chance and is as good as most offensive tackles in taking on run-blocking assignments. 5. Jeremy Shockey, New York Giants. Shockey's greatest weaknesses are his head and his mouth. If he would just stop complaining long enough, he would be recognized for the outstanding receiving threat he is. He is also a better blocker than most think -- he just doesn't like to block. 6. Dallas Clark, Indianapolis Colts. Clark, an athletic pass-catcher, owns the middle of the field because of his ability to outrun linebackers and outmuscle safeties, and his football IQ allows him to excel in the Colts' read option system. Clark can stretch the seam and does enough as a blocker to allow the team to keep him in any game situation. 7. Heath Miller, Pittsburgh Steelers. The Steelers' change to a more pass-oriented attack in the red zone has created more opportunities for Miller. He is a top-flight end zone target, creates mismatches with his size in short and intermediate zones, and uses his body well to shield defenders. And because he plays for the Steelers, it's a given he excels as a run blocker. 8. Todd Heap, Baltimore Ravens. Injuries have gotten the better of Heap in two of the past four seasons. While he can't help the team from the sidelines, the fact that the Ravens already meager passing attack falls apart without him speaks volumes of his talents. Hands, speed, route-running, field vision -- he has it all. If Heap can somehow remain more durable, Cam Cameron's offense will be a boon for him. 9. Chris Cooley, Washington Redskins. More H-back than traditional tight end, Cooley is great around the ball, showing soft hands and the ability to find open field in zone coverage. He has deceptive speed, gets on defenders quickly and is underestimated as a deep threat. Cooley also blocks best in t he open field, as he lacks the strength and bulk to hold up as a physical inline blocker. 10. Alge Crumpler, Tennessee Titans. Crumpler comes to the Titans with some injury history and hasn't been an impact player with anyone other than Michael Vick under center. However, he has great size and can make plays in the open field. In the confines of the red zone, he also shows strength and power as a blocker. Vince Young relies heavily on his tight end, which could signal a needed rejuvenation for Crumpler. Winslow has finally become a star. 11. Randy McMichael, St. Louis Rams. McMichael is a big target in the middle of the field with great hands and enough speed to get behind linebackers in coverage. He is a strong blocker when aligned next to the tackle, but he is better sealing off linebackers in open field. Look for a bigger role for him in '08 as the Rams' wideout corps isn't what it used to be. 12. Benjamin Watson, New England Patriots. The arrival of wide receiver Wes Welker in the Patriots' spread sets has stolen some of Watson's thunder, but he remains a dangerous receiving threat in the middle of the field. 13. Desmond Clark, Chicago Bears. Clark's strength is his ability to read coverage and either find open field against zones or take routes deep on seams. He has all the tools to be a dangerous red zone threat and moves remarkably well for a 250-pounder. Greg Olsen is the Bears' heir apparent, and Clark needs a better QB, but he's still worthy of this ranking. 14. Owen Daniels, Houston Texans. Daniels is all pass catcher, capable of making plays both on deep balls to the perimeter and intermediate routes over the middle. He has great hands with which to make tough catches, but his blocking struggles and limited after-the-catch prowess keeps him in the middle of the pack. 15. Vernon Davis, San Francisco 49ers. An unbelievable athlete and an absolute physical stud who passes the eyeball test with flying colors. He has top-tier speed as a receiver, capable of stretching the field vertically. He also has an understanding of coverage beyond his years. He wins most one-on-one matchups, and is a strong inline blocker who has enough strength to set the edge in the running game. If Davis can stay healthy, he will break into the elite ranks. 16. L.J. Smith, Philadelphia Eagles. Smith was a top passing option for Donovan McNabb prior to '07 -- when he was healthy. He makes his home in the middle of the field and uses a soft pair of hands to catch most balls thrown his way. Smith isn't strong in traffic and lacks power as a blocker, but he is adequate in both areas. 17. Chris Baker, New York Jets. Baker has proved himself as both a receiver and a blocker in his time with the Jets, but his battle with team management and the arrivals of rookie Dustin Keller and former Packer Bubba Franks signal an end is near. Baker can still be a solid starter elsewhere. 18. Zach Miller, Oakland Raiders. There is little question about Miller's receiving skills, and his speed and quickness allow him to find openings in coverage unavailable to lesser athletes at his position. He's a 'tweener, however -- he can be an effective blocker only in open field. 19. Alex Smith, Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Smith is full of potential and natural physical tools for the position, but despite his blocking abilities, both in close quarters and at linebackers, his athleticism has not been on display in the passing game. 20. Michael Gaines, Detroit Lions. Is equal parts blocker and receiver, though he doesn't excel at either. The former Panther and Bill could flourish in the Lions' more balanced offensive scheme in '08. Maybe next year? The top breakout candidate to crack the top 20 for '09: Ben Utecht, Cincinnati Bengals. Utecht brings his knowledge and experience of working in multiple tight end sets to the Queen City. Critics say a viable receiving threat at the position has been something Carson Palmer has sorely missed. Talking to Palmer recently, he raved about what Utecht can do for the Bengals' offense and the opportunities he will help open up for the their talented perimeter receivers. If Palmer has reason to be excited, so do we.

tcbailey24's Top 20 Tight Ends

Wed, 02 Jul 2008 16:48:36 -0500

With the 4th of my 7 part NFL series, I will give you my top 20 tight ends today. Tight end is a very unique position in today's NFL, as they are now a huge part of the offense in both blocking and receiving. Some are mainly blocking oriented, some are receiver oriented, and some can do both. Anyway, tight ends can really improve an offense immensely. 1.Antonio Gates, Chargers: Gates has been a premier TE in the game for a few years now, and he shows why every Sunday. His combination of size and athleticism make him very hard to cover and tackle, and therefore he records many TD's. 2.Jason Witten, Cowboys: Witten is a physical TE who puts up receiver-like numbers. His size helps him plow through defenders and his toughness does the rest. 3.Kellen Winslow, Browns: Winslow had a breakout year last season with Derek Anderson at the helm. He posted career bests in yards and TD's. He is also a pretty good blocker. kellen is also a soldier. 4.Dallas Clark, Colts: As usual, Clark had another solid year with the Colts, and caught 11 touchdown passes. He seems to do everything a TE is suppose to do well. 5.Tony Gonzalez, Chiefs: What can you say about Gonzo? He has achieved everything a tight end can hope for and still is playing at a high level today, even though he will enter his 12th season in two months. 6.Todd Heap, Ravens: Heap could probably be the definition of "solid." Even though he was out for a lot of the season last year, he was on pace for another good season. 7.Chris Cooley, Redskins: Cooley has a well-rounded game and has real good numbers for only being in the league for four years. 8.Heath Miller, Steelers: Miller is a young, physical tight end who can block well, and also be solid on the receiving end. 9.Tony Scheffler, Broncos: Tony has exceeded expectations in his first two years with the Broncos. Yes, he was supposed to be a decent pass catching TE, but he has flourished into a really good young talent. 10.Owen Daniels, Texans: Average sized tight end that has played much better than average in his first two seasons with Houston. I think we'll be poised for an even bigger season this year as the Texans make a run at their first playoff appearance in their history. 11.Ben Watson, Patriots: Watson doesn't have the best numbers due to Randy Moss and Wes Welker, but he is a tight end that can get it done when given the opportunity. He has some decent speed as well. 12.Jeremy Shockey, Giants: Shockey has always been a tough player who could throw a good block. His receiving skills are solid as well, but we will see how he comes off his injury. 13.Daniel Graham, Broncos: Graham is possibly the best, if not the best, blocking TE in the league. He fits well in Denver as he poses as an extra blocker for Denver running backs in the zone blocking system. He can also catch a few passes. 14.Vernon Davis, 49ers: Davis, like Gates, is an extremely athletic end and has improved in both seasons in the NFL, which is saying something when you don't have a decent QB throwing to you. 15.Greg Olsen, Bears: Olsen was a good performer for the Bears as a rook last season, and should get a bigger role this year, as he will be the Bears best pass catcher. 16.Zach Miller, Raiders: Miller was strong at the end of the year last season and I expect it to carry over to this season. If JaMarcus Russell can get him the ball, things for the Raiders O will improve all around. 17.L.J. Smith, Eagles: Smith has some good talent, and if he can become a better pass catcher, Smith could be a top 10 TE by the end of the season. 18.Marcedes Lewis, Jaguars: Lewis has good size and is able spread the D, and I think he could play a bigger role this year as the Jags try and make a run at the Super Bowl. 19.Kevin Boss, Giants: Boss has good upside and filled in for Jeremy Shockey very well last season when Shockey was injured. He also came up big in the Giants Super Bowl victory. 20.Alge Crumpler, Titans: Crumpler is a very dependable TE, who has good blocking size and is a decent receiver.

Fbkid's fantasy football top ten tight ends

Thu, 26 Jun 2008 12:49:49 -0500

In fantasy football, the tight end position is the deciding factor in many games. For instance, if your regular tight end is on a bye week and you are trailing by 4 points with your tight end playing on Monday Night. He only gets you 20 yards and you lose the game which could end up costing you a playoff birth. Tight end is a position that you can get good value in the 9th round but to get one of the elite like these guys, you will need to keep them in mind as they will start going off the board in the 4th or 5th round. If you don't get one of them there is no need to worry, but it will be hard finding other tight ends who could put up similar numbers. 1. Antonio Gates Chargers: Gates didn't have the numbers that were expected of him last year but he is still the number one fantasy tight end. With his great size, Gates if healthy is a lock for 8 touchdowns. Plus he catches around 75 passes a year. With those numbers, why wouldn't he be number one? Expect around 900 yards and 10 touchdowns. 2. Jason Witten Cowboys: Witten was the best fantasy tight end last year as he had over 95 catches for over 1100 yards to go along with 7 touchdowns. He should have another good year but it will be hard to repeat last year's numbers. Witten should be picked in the 5th or 6th round but could get picked higher by an owner who is listening to the Cowboys hype. Expect around 900 yards and 7 touchdowns. 3. Kellen Winslow Browns: Winslow has been very productive the last few seasons as he has had over 170 catches for almost 2000 yards and 8 touchdowns. The scary part is Winslow isn't even fully healthy. Last year he played with two bad knees and had a bad shoulder. If fully healthy, Winslow could become the best tight end in fantasy football. The only problem is he only scored 5 touchdowns. But if he gets another 80 catches for over 1000 yards, his owners won't be disappointed. Expect around 900 yards and 6 touchdowns. 4. Chris Cooley Redskins: Cooley is one of the most consistent tight ends in all of fantasy football as he is always good for at least 60 catches 700 yards and 6 touchdowns. Now Cooley is in the west coast offense and should have another big year as the Redskins aren't that strong at receiver. He is one of the most underrated fantasy tight ends and for that reason should be picked around the 8th round. Expect around 800 yards and 6 touchdowns. 5. Tony Gonzalez Chiefs: Gonzalez is one of the best tight ends of all time and should have another very good season. Due to the quarterback situation in Kansas City, many people expected Gonzalez to drop off last year. But he ended up with 99 catches for 1172 yards and 5 touchdowns. Gonzalez may not get many touchdowns this year, but is still among the league's elite at the position and should be highly coveted in leagues that you get points for receptions. Expect around 1000 yards and 4 touchdowns. 6. Dallas Clark Colts: On any other team, if Clark put up the numbers he did last year, he would be the number one tight end on fantasy football. But when you are on a team like the Colts, with loads of offensive weapons, you end up here. Clark is one of Manning's favorite targets, but with Reggie Wayne, Joseph Addai, Marvin Harrison and a developing Anthony Gonzalez, Clark won't have as many balls to go his way. That won't stop him from putting up good numbers though. Expect around 600 yards and 8 touchdowns. 7. Tony Sheffler Broncos: Even though he was recovering from a broken foot, Sheffler had a solid sophomore campaign as he had 549 yards for 5 touchdowns. He should improve this year though as he has a great connection with Jay Cutler. Plus, with the developing Brandon Marshall situation, Sheffler could be Cutler's number one option for a few games which would make him even more valuable. Expect around 700 yards and 5 touchdowns. 8. Todd Heap Ravens: If healthy Heap is one of the best tight ends in the league. The only problem is, that's a big if. Heap last year only played 6 games but in the process had 23 catches for 239 yards and a touchdown. Now his offensive coordinator is Cam Cameron who with the Chargers turned Antonio Gates into a star. Heap could be undervalued in most drafts and if he stays healthy, he will be a major steal. Expect around 700 yards and 4 touchdowns. 9. Heath Miller Steelers: Miller had a career season last year with 566 yards and 7 touchdowns. But why isn't he higher on the list? That's because he's very inconsistent. Miller will either get you 40 yards and a touchdown or one catch for 6 yards. Miller has loads of potential and if he gets more consistent could be higher on the list next year. Expect around 600 yards and 6 touchdowns. 10. Vernon Davis 49ers: So far Davis hasn't had the career many people expected. With great size and 4.4 speed, Davis was expected to come in right away and be an elite tight end. But with injury problems and the lack of quarterback play in San Francisco, his Under Armour ads are more memorable than his stat line. But Davis started to turn it around last year and with the way Mike Martz loves to pass, could have the year that people were expecting from the beginning. Davis could be among the top 5 tight ends on this list next year if he stays healthy. Expect around 600 yards and 5 touchdowns.

Fantasy Football Notes - Indianapolis Colts

Fri, 20 Jun 2008 17:26:25 -0500

Indianapolis, Indiana. Headquarters of the NCAA, state of the movie Hoosiers, and home to one of the most potent offenses of the last 5 years, the Indianapolis Colts. 2007 somewhat saw the passing of the torch. For years we've waited for the decline of Marvin Harrison and the "breakout" of Reggie Wayne. Those banking on 2007 being the year of Wayne's movement from elite WR2 to elite WR1 were handsomely rewarded with a season of 102 receptions, 1510 yards, and ten touchdowns. Harrison, on the other hand, suffered through a lingering knee injury that frustrated fantasy owners for the majority of the season, finishing with a line of 20 receptions, 247 yards, and a whopping one touchdown. 2007 was also the emergence of Joseph Addai as a fantasy asset, though he likely disappointed some owners. Entering his first year as a featured ball carrier, the LSU product battled nagging injuries all year, and experienced a late season fade as he finished with fewer than 75 rushing yards in each of his last eight games. Still, despite that fade and missing his week 5 matchup, Addai totaled 1072 rushing yards and 15 total touchdowns. Point-per-reception leagues also enjoyed his 41 receptions for 364 yards. Dallas Clark also became a hot commodity as the loss of Harrison resulted in the former Hawkeye nearly doubling his reception total from 2006. Finishing with 58 catches for 616 yards, Clark led the Colts in receiving touchdowns with 11. Peyton Manning was Peyton Manning, and despite everyone's infatuation with golden boy Tom Brady (who disgusts me by the way), Manning garnered 4040 yards, 34 total touchdowns, and every endorsement on the planet.

Rosey Passes on Indy, 4 Waived, and An Updated Roster Preview

Mon, 16 Jun 2008 17:26:53 -0500

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

Polian Speaks

Fri, 06 Jun 2008 21:21:16 -0500

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.

The Story That Just Won’t Die

Wed, 04 Jun 2008 12:37:02 -0500

No I am not referring to the Derek Anderson - Brady Quinn saga, that is. Nope it's the good old Kellen Winslow contract dispute rumors. Phil Savage, at an event, was asked about the possibly of reworking Kellen's deal. Winslow and his camp want a deal similar to Indianapolis Colts TE Dallas Clark (6 years - $42 million). The most Savage would say though was, that at this current time the Browns do not have too much cap room, and that he feels good about Kellen showing up to camp on time. Another piece to pass along, LeCharles Bentley will undergo a physical on Monday, to see how his knee has healed. So hopefully there is a possibility that we could finally see him suited up on the sidelines in '08, even in a backup role.

Ultimate FF Strategy's 2008 Tight End Rankings

Thu, 29 May 2008 10:21:52 -0500

Ultimate FF Strategy's 2008 Quaterback Rankings are now available. They include projections, a reward and a risk grade which are all used to make the rankings. Witten, Gates, Winslow and Gonzalez are the obvious top 4 but you will likely be surprised at who completes our top 5... You can find our Non-PPR rankings here: http://www.ultimateffstrategy.com/Rankings/te_noppr.htm

Bengals ink Utecht.

Sat, 22 Mar 2008 15:45:30 -0500

Former Indianapolis Colt's TE Ben Utecht will be joining the Cincinnati Bengals. His contract calls for him to make $9 million over 3 seasons. The Colts did have a chance to keep the undrafted free agent but decided to let him walk. The Colts tagged him with the low-level tender which gave them the right to match any offers made by another team. Interesting enough the Colts never even responded to the Bengals offered. They just quietly let the deadline come and go like it was never there.

True or False?? Free agent class lacks excitement

Wed, 27 Feb 2008 08:56:46 -0500

Here's a small bit of advice for those fans who are intrigued by free agency in the NFL this time every year. Don't blink, you might miss it all. OPINIONS on this? CLICK the link to read the whole article!!

Fantasy Football Weekend News Roundup

Fri, 22 Feb 2008 19:46:47 -0500

Free agency is quickly approaching in the NFL and teams have been scrambling this week to place the franchise tag on marquee players, negotiate last-minute contract extensions, and begin to navigate the murky waters of the off-season. For fantasy football managers, there's a lot at stake. Let's take a look at the headlines of a busy week in the NFL:

Colts Agree to Terms with Dallas Clark

Thu, 21 Feb 2008 12:35:14 -0500

To Bill Polian: Attaboy on Clark and Lilja - Cut Losses With Booger and Morris

NFL Thursday: Dallas Clark Highest Paid TE in League

Thu, 21 Feb 2008 01:05:01 -0500

Colts make Dallas Clark highest paid TE in league, Dwight Smith and Bubba Franks cut, Haynesworth and Asomugha franchised, Spygate and much more NFL news for Thursday, February 21, 2008.