Miguel said:
Please name these eight starters, especially the MLB and G2.
FWIW - the Patriots have lost 7 starters from SB39. They are Givens, Branch, Adam, Willie, Andruzzi, Gorin, and Phifer. The first 5 of them could be considered losses due to the cap.
Please tell us how you know that the Colts decided not to retain the eight starters for cap reasons??
Especially Vanderjagt.
and DeMulling who is now a backup for the Lions.
and Pollard who is now a backup for the Lions.
How many of the eight did the Colts really want to keep??
Over the past two years each and every team in the NFL has lost starters. Roster turnover is part of the business in the NFL. So how can anyone pinpoint Peyton's contract as the reason for the Colts' free agent losses?? IMO, only with wishful thinking. It is only with wishful thinking that anyone could think that the cap was the reason that Vanderjagt is not a Colt today. It is only with wishful thinking that Tripplett could be considered a starter over Reagor. It is only with wishful thinking that anyone could think that the Colts lost two starting guards over the past two seasons. It is only with wishful thinking that anyone can think that the Colts should have matched the Lions' offers to Pollard and DeMulling. It is only with wishful thinking that anyone can now still think that the Colts should have matched the Cardinals' offer to James.
How much are the Colts under the cap??
Let's say that they are $6 million under. I have no idea if I am correct. But I doubt that you do, either. But let's say that I am in the neighborhood, how then is Peyton's contract the reason for the so-called lack of depth on the Colts??
I agree here.
It's a myth that the Colts have had major personnel loses over the past two seasons.
2004 Starters (Starts):
QB - Manning (16)
RB - James (16)
WR - Harrison (16)
WR - Wayne (16)
TE - Pollard (13)
TE - Clark (13)
LT - Glenn (16)
LG - DeMulling (11)
C - Saturday (14)
RG - Scott (9)
RT - Diem (16)
(Peko had 8 starts)
DE - Freeney (16)
DT - Reagor (16)
DT - J. Williams (15)
DE - Brock (16)
(Mathis had 1 start, Tripplett had ZERO)
SLB - Thornton (15)
MLB - Morris (14)
WLB - June (16)
(Brackett had 1 start, Nelson had 1)
CB - Harper (14)
CB - David (11)
FS - Bashir (13)
SS - Doss (9)
(Sanders had 4 starts, Bird had 4, Strickland had 4, Jefferson had 3)
K - Vanderjagt (N/A)
P - H. Smith (N/A)
LS - Snow (N/A)
2004/5 Offseason Losses:
TE - Pollard to DET (16 starts in 2005)
LG - DeMulling to DET (5 starts in 2005)
FS - Bashir to CAR (0 starts in 2005)
(Peko to FA, Bird to FA, Strickland to PHI (0 starts), Nelson to BAL (0 starts)
2005 Starters (Starts):
QB - Manning (16)
RB - James (15)
WR - Harrison (15)
WR - Wayne (16)
TE - Clark (14)
TE - Fletcher (12)
LT - Glenn (16)
LG - Lilja (16)
C - Saturday (16)
RG - Scott (16)
RT - Diem (14)
DE - Freeney (13)
DT - Reagor (12)
DT - Simon (13)
DE - Brock (16)
(Mathis had 0 starts, Tripplett had 4)
SLB - Thornton (16)
MLB - Brackett (16)
WLB - June (12)
(Morris had 0, Gardner had 3)
CB - Harper (14)
CB - David (16)
FS - Sanders (14)
SS - Doss (15)
(Jackson had 1, Sapp had 2, Jefferson had 2)
K - Vanderjagt (N/A)
P - H. Smith (N/A)
LS - Snow (N/A)
2005/6 Offseason Losses:
RB James to ARZ
SLB Thornton to TEN
K Vanderjagt to DAL
(Tripplett to BUF, Sapp to BAL, Jefferson to FA)
................
Observations:
--The only Colts LB lost was Thornton. At MLB, Brackett simply leapfrogged Morris, but the duo has been Indy's MLBs since 2003.
--The Colts have only lost Bashir in their secondary, but have drafted 6 DBs in the past 2 years.
--The Colts' overall depth has dwindled slightly.
--The Colts drafted Keiaho in 2006 and Hagler in 2005 to replace Thornton
--The Colts drafted Gandy in 2005 to replace DeMulling
--The Colts drafted Addai in 2006 to replace James
--The Colts signed Vinatieri in 2006 to replace Vanderjagt
