Colts fielding a cheap team this year...

[jct]

http://www.coltscap.net/salarycap.php

15 Mil under salary cap
17 Mil in cuts and IR

 

[Keegs]

http://www.coltscap.net/salarycap.php

15 Mil under salary cap
17 Mil in cuts and IR

Yeah they need all that extra money to pay off the refs again.

 

[solman]

http://www.coltscap.net/salarycap.php

15 Mil under salary cap
17 Mil in cuts and IR

They need this money to help pay for the future costs of Manning, Harrison and Freeney. I'm sure they will use restructuring and/or LTBE incentives to make nearly all of this money disappear into future years.

Whether by choice or by accident, moving this much money into future years was the right choice for the Colts to make.

 

[He Ban Me]

WAIT! I thought the sky was falling!!

 

[mgteich]

We made the same choice last year.

They need this money to help pay for the future costs of Manning, Harrison and Freeney. I'm sure they will use restructuring and/or LTBE incentives to make nearly all of this money disappear into future years.

Whether by choice or by accident, moving this much money into future years was the right choice for the Colts to make.

 

[Deus Irae]

WAIT! I thought the sky was falling!!

That depends on whether or not your Colts can play defense.

 

[He Ban Me]

That depends on whether or not your Colts can play defense.

We know from last season that they could not. However, they have new blood on the defensive side of the ball. The unit is bigger (hard NOT to get bigger when you replace Jason David). Stronger. Faster. These guys can tackle and hit. League worst in run defense last season, something like 171 ypg. How much will you wager that the Colt defense performs better than that this season?

The sky is falling relates to fans everywhere saying the Colts time is up, that their salary numbers are getting ready to come back and bite them. Well, so far, that has not rang true. Looks like everyone's favorite GM still has it.

BTW, are you impressed with YOUR GM's job in this past offseasons draft? You re-tooled with free agency, and doesn't look like you gained much from the draft. Are the Pats that deep, or were they so-so draft selections?

 

[Brady 2 Moss]

yeah they need all that extra money to pay off the refs again.

:eat3: ...

 

[mgteich]

1) I agree with you regarding the improvement in the Colt's run defense.
2) This is what we ended up with from our draft choices in the first four rounds.

Meriweather
SF #1 pick in 2008
Welker
OAK #3 pick in 2008
Moss
Brown

I'd say that we did pretty well.

3) We didn't do as well with our lower picks. However, several are still with the squad, three on the IR and one the Practice Squad (so far). Plus we signed a couple of UDFA's, one to the 53-man roster, and one to Practice Squad.

BOTTOM LINE
We'll see in three years, but this looks like a pretty good draft.

We know from last season that they could not. However, they have new blood on the defensive side of the ball. The unit is bigger (hard NOT to get bigger when you replace Jason David). Stronger. Faster. These guys can tackle and hit. League worst in run defense last season, something like 171 ypg. How much will you wager that the Colt defense performs better than that this season?

The sky is falling relates to fans everywhere saying the Colts time is up, that their salary numbers are getting ready to come back and bite them. Well, so far, that has not rang true. Looks like everyone's favorite GM still has it.

BTW, are you impressed with YOUR GM's job in this past offseasons draft? You re-tooled with free agency, and doesn't look like you gained much from the draft. Are the Pats that deep, or were they so-so draft selections?

 

[everlong]

BTW, are you impressed with YOUR GM's job in this past offseasons draft? You re-tooled with free agency, and doesn't look like you gained much from the draft. Are the Pats that deep, or were they so-so draft selections?

Moss and Welker were courtesy of the draft not FA and we have two firsts and two thirds next year while you have no firsts. The Patriots deemed it a weak draft for their system and acted accordingly.

For FA you wouldn't take Thomas on your team?

Thanks I'll stick with Pioli.

 

[stinkypete]

We know from last season that they could not. However, they have new blood on the defensive side of the ball. The unit is bigger (hard NOT to get bigger when you replace Jason David). Stronger. Faster. These guys can tackle and hit. League worst in run defense last season, something like 171 ypg. How much will you wager that the Colt defense performs better than that this season?

The Colts defense may have become all that this past offseason, but they also got younger. Much, much younger. I think the inexperience of the defense, plus the loss of Tarik Glenn, will cost the Colts a couple games this year. Player movement and an infusion of youth cost the Pats over the past 2 years. It won't cost them the division, but Indy in my mind will be a peg lower in the AFC pecking order.

The sky is falling relates to fans everywhere saying the Colts time is up, that their salary numbers are getting ready to come back and bite them. Well, so far, that has not rang true. Looks like everyone's favorite GM still has it.

Time will tell. The Colts have been like the bizzaro Patriots the past 5 years, maintaining a winner despite giving mammoth contracts to a handful of players. I don't credit Polian so much as Dungy. Dungy has done a superb job at taking late round and undrafted linebackers and defensive backs and developing them into superb role players.

A guy like Freddie Kiaho could replace Cato June without missing a beat. There's also a chance that he's a total liability. Time will tell. In the meantime, you can't blame people for doubting the unproven.

BTW, are you impressed with YOUR GM's job in this past offseasons draft? You re-tooled with free agency, and doesn't look like you gained much from the draft. Are the Pats that deep, or were they so-so draft selections?

The Pats are that deep, and I am impressed. The Pats knew that in this weak draft class there would be no more than 2-3 rookies capable of making the team. We traded off those picks because making them would be wasteful. We got 2 future picks, a boatload of developmental guys, and potential superstar safety, not to mention Welker and Moss. Even if only Meriweather pans out, it was a superb strategy by the management.

 

[DaBruinz]

http://www.coltscap.net/salarycap.php

15 Mil under salary cap
17 Mil in cuts and IR

I don't believe that site is not correct. They don't mention ANY of the workout bonus money that players get...And I don't see ANY LTBE bonuses and I'd be amazed if they didn't have LTBE bonuses. Also, How is it that the Colts, who were only 5 million or so above the cap just a few weeks ago, now 15 million under the same cap?

Sorry, but the numbers don't jive.

I'll wait for Clayton's numbers later here in the week. Those will be more accurate. And its about the only think that Clayton gets right.

 

[Canada's #1 Pats Fan]

doesn't look like you gained much from the draft. Are the Pats that deep, or were they so-so draft selections?

There was simply not that much to gain. All of us knew on this board that picks from round 5 and on were long shots, at best, to make this team - even though a number of us wanted them to but alas we are not the front office of a team that has won 3 superbowls this decade. I think I'll go with their take on things.

 

[Deus Irae]

We know from last season that they could not. However, they have new blood on the defensive side of the ball. The unit is bigger (hard NOT to get bigger when you replace Jason David). Stronger. Faster. These guys can tackle and hit. League worst in run defense last season, something like 171 ypg. How much will you wager that the Colt defense performs better than that this season?

The sky is falling relates to fans everywhere saying the Colts time is up, that their salary numbers are getting ready to come back and bite them. Well, so far, that has not rang true. Looks like everyone's favorite GM still has it.

BTW, are you impressed with YOUR GM's job in this past offseasons draft? You re-tooled with free agency, and doesn't look like you gained much from the draft. Are the Pats that deep, or were they so-so draft selections?

BB did pretty well, all things considered. This was a very weak draft, so he made moves to avoid that as an issue. Giving up picks for Moss and Welker makes great sense under the circumstances, and pushing that first rounder to next year could be a stroke of genius if Frank Gore goes out for any real time this season.

When you look at the team, it was going to take 1st and 2nd round types of players to make the team at most spots and expect to have real impact. This team got 3 of them if you count the receivers. It's just a matter of this team having all kinds of 'middle class' depth at most positions. Next year could be more interesting, since I think replacements will be needed at LB, CB, WR and a left tackle (to groom for the future) if they can steal one.

 

[Box_O_Rocks]

BTW, are you impressed with YOUR GM's job in this past offseasons draft? You re-tooled with free agency, and doesn't look like you gained much from the draft. Are the Pats that deep, or were they so-so draft selections?

So-so it would seem:

The top two draft picks made the 53-man squad. To date the 5th round pick has been re-signed for the Practice Squad, with one 7th and two 6ths placed on IR. That's 6 of 9 draftees still with the team, including the top three draftees.

One 6th round draft pick was claimed off waivers by Dallas. Crap happens.

As of this moment there remains four Practice Squad spots and 2 draftees are unaccounted for: a 6th and a 7th.

It would seem Pioli and Co. did just fine, especially if you factor in all the trading that landed Randy Moss and Wes Welker on the team (cost: one 2nd, one 4th, one 7th), and two first day draft picks added in 2008.

I do hope this wasn't too technical for such a pleasant troll such as yourself?

 

[He Ban Me]

The Colts defense may have become all that this past offseason, but they also got younger. Much, much younger. I think the inexperience of the defense, plus the loss of Tarik Glenn, will cost the Colts a couple games this year. Player movement and an infusion of youth cost the Pats over the past 2 years. It won't cost them the division, but Indy in my mind will be a peg lower in the AFC pecking order.

Time will tell. The Colts have been like the bizzaro Patriots the past 5 years, maintaining a winner despite giving mammoth contracts to a handful of players. I don't credit Polian so much as Dungy. Dungy has done a superb job at taking late round and undrafted linebackers and defensive backs and developing them into superb role players.

A guy like Freddie Kiaho could replace Cato June without missing a beat. There's also a chance that he's a total liability. Time will tell. In the meantime, you can't blame people for doubting the unproven.



The Pats are that deep, and I am impressed. The Pats knew that in this weak draft class there would be no more than 2-3 rookies capable of making the team. We traded off those picks because making them would be wasteful. We got 2 future picks, a boatload of developmental guys, and potential superstar safety, not to mention Welker and Moss. Even if only Meriweather pans out, it was a superb strategy by the management.

I understand that experience matters, and really, our run D was so poor that we may not realize how bad our secondary truely was. David and Harper were decent, but their replacements will prove to be better physically. Only time will tell if their relative inexperience will hurt them. At this point, the only rookie starter on defense looks to be Ed Johnson. In the end, my point of view is that they really can't get much worse than last season (regular season version). And even then, they ripped off 9 straight to start the season. I don't blame the pundits and fans for slotting us a spot or two lower, doesn't mean anything one way or the other.

You can credit Dungy for developing those guys, but I don't think Bill is just sitting around the FO, waiting for Dungy to tell him who to draft.

Weak draft? Maybe. Colts kept all their picks, but who's to say that wasn't totally out of necessity? Looks to be great picks, but maybe they end up warm bodies.

Looking forward to a fantastic season, with plenty of nailbiting and a heart stopper or two.

 

[He Ban Me]

I don't believe that site is not correct. They don't mention ANY of the workout bonus money that players get... And I don't see ANY LTBE bonuses and I'd be amazed if they didn't have LTBE bonuses. Also, How is it that the Colts, who were only 5 million or so above the cap just a few weeks ago, now 15 million under the same cap?

Sorry, but the numbers don't jive.

I'll wait for Clayton's numbers later here in the week. Those will be more accurate. And its about the only think that Clayton gets right.

Tarik Glenn, Corey Simon, and Freeney all provided cap relief this off season. I don't know all the specifics, but I think they added up to 9-11mil.

 

[He Ban Me]

So-so it would seem:

The top two draft picks made the 53-man squad. To date the 5th round pick has been re-signed for the Practice Squad, with one 7th and two 6ths placed on IR. That's 6 of 9 draftees still with the team, including the top three draftees.

One 6th round draft pick was claimed off waivers by Dallas. Crap happens.

As of this moment there remains four Practice Squad spots and 2 draftees are unaccounted for: a 6th and a 7th.

It would seem Pioli and Co. did just fine, especially if you factor in all the trading that landed Randy Moss and Wes Welker on the team (cost: one 2nd, one 4th, one 7th), and two first day draft picks added in 2008.

I do hope this wasn't too technical for such a pleasant troll such as yourself?

No, not too technical, however, I was intending on viewing the draft in a vacuum. Weak or not, certainly you would hope to select some guys to displace some 2nd or third year career back ups. But hey, I suppose those guys could be that good that the rookies never had a chance, regardless of the selection. Anyone have numbers on how many drafted players actually made their team. What team retained the most, least, etc...

 

[Box_O_Rocks]

No, not too technical, however, I was intending on viewing the draft in a vacuum. Weak or not, certainly you would hope to select some guys to displace some 2nd or third year career back ups. But hey, I suppose those guys could be that good that the rookies never had a chance, regardless of the selection. Anyone have numbers on how many drafted players actually made their team. What team retained the most, least, etc...

In that light:

- Meriweather in - Hawkins out.
- K. Brown replaced the player lost in a jet ski accident.
- Gutierrez was the undrafted rookie who earned the #3 QB slot which wasn't filled in 2006 until late November by Testeverde - he bumped one of the reserves from last season, but hard to pinpoint which one with all the other changes.
- Oldenburg replaces a Practice Squad OT who "retired" last Spring.
- No telling if the kids on IR would have displaced anyone, speculation here had the 6th round CB making a strong bid for the 53.

There's the breakdown.

 

[stinkypete]

Weak draft? Maybe. Colts kept all their picks, but who's to say that wasn't totally out of necessity? Looks to be great picks, but maybe they end up warm bodies.

The Colts were in a better position to utilize their picks. This draft had several defensive players at value positions who seem good fits for the Colts scheme. With the number of offseason losses, there's plenty of roster space for Pit****, Hughes, etc. The Gonzalez pick was a big score. The Pats were said to be hot on him, but with Walker, Moss, Stallworth, it would be a wasted pick.