2011 Draft Profiles: OT – Anthony Castonzo
Feb 28th
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Anthony Castonzo
College: Boston College
Age: 22 years old
Experience: Senior (4 years)
Starts at LT: 39 games
Starts at RT: 14 games
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Height: 6 feet 7 inches
Weight: 311 lbs.
Arm Length: 34.5 inches
Hand Width: 10.63 inches
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Projection: Left Tackle
Projected Round: 1st Round
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In the Dark about Concussions
Feb 27th
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Austin Collie lies motionless on the ground after being hit in the second quarter of an NFL football game against the Jacksonville Jaguars. (AJ Mast | AP Photo)
One year ago today, Sidney Crosby was scoring the Golden Goal, leading the Canadian Men’s Olympic Hockey team to a 3-2 victory over the United States in overtime. Two months ago today, Sidney Crosby was in the midst of the most prolific season in the modern NHL. Fifty-seven days ago today, Sidney Crosby laid prone on the ice, having suffered a blindside hit to the head.
Today, Crosby is sitting in his house. No lights, no television, no workouts, and certainly no hockey. A season that started off so well that Crosby, who has missed the past two months of the season, is still in the top-10 in all statistical categories will end with questions of when the player deemed to be “The Next One” will take the ice.
Four months ago today, Austin Collie was one of the league leaders in all receiving categories. He was Peyton Manning’s most trusted weapon, and was a stabilizing force on an offense that was suffering from a rash of injuries and inconsistent play. Ninety-one days ago today, Austin Collie laid motionless on the turf after taking a blow to the head while being tackled.
Today, Collie, who is only 25 years old, is not spending his off-season running routes and restoring his timing with Manning. He is not worrying about the impending labor troubles that may shorten the 2011-2012 NFL Season. Instead, the concern with Collie is whether he will ever take the field again. More >
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Colts List of Combine Invitees to Watch
Feb 25th
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For anyone wishing to keep track of the prospects making an appearance, NFL.com will offer live streaming of the trials starting at 9:00 am on Saturday morning. As riveting as watching varying degrees of athletic guys run the 40 yard dash is, it will be interesting to keep track of the results of some of our favorite prospects. Some things like the weigh in for offensive linemen will be particularly interesting and could dictate to a big degree where they end up falling out. For other prospects, their combine results will mean very little, but it will give us something to talk about. For now, here is a list of some of the main prospects that we here at Coltzilla are keeping an eye on (at least for right now)…
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Colts Fans Discuss Steroid Use in the NFL: Part II
Feb 23rd
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In Part I of the Colts fans’ discussion on steroid use in the NFL, I took a look at players who have either tested positive for steroid use (Shawne Merriman), have tested positive for substances banned under the NFL’s steroid policy, or are suspected of potentially using performance enhancing substances by fans around the league (Bob Sanders). Unfortunately, Part I by itself does not do a complete job of getting to what should be most important to football fans.
The most important part of this discussion is not the he said, she said situation surrounding all those suspected of using steroids, nor about placing blame, fault, or making accusations. What is important is that football fans take some real time to figure out how they really feel about the use of performance enhancers, specifically those banned substances like steroids, by the players who provide the entertainment and on-field product that make the NFL the most competitive, exciting, and watched sport in America. More >
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Former Colts Safety Sanders: Fan Discussions Continue Following Departure
Feb 22nd
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AJ Macht | Colts.com
Recently released strong safety, Bob Sanders may not be in Indianapolis anymore (for now at least), but there are misconceptions about his departure. While the CBA negotiations continue, it seems safe to assume that it will include a new salary cap. As covered in an earlier story discussing Sanders’ contract, he would have been due nearly $16 million over the next two years. While the Colts are no longer footing the bill for that amount, the perception that the Colts have “cleared cap space” in 2011 by cutting Sanders is wrong.
Sanders would have been paid roughly $5 million in actual salary for the coming season, but he was already due nearly $4 million in signing bonuses in 2011 and 2012. Now that the Colts have cut him, the team will eat the full $4 million this year, including a cap hit for that full amount — assuming there is a cap.
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Colts Fans Discuss Steroid Use in the NFL: Part I
Feb 15th
Shawne Merriman works out before a game with the Chicago Bears in 2010. (Stephen Dunn | Getty Images)
One of the most prevalent issues for the Indianapolis Colts in 2010 was the unprecedented number of injuries the team’s players incurred at almost every position on the team. The Colts were not alone — the World Champion Green Bay Packers were the second most injured team in the league. The frequency and severity of injuries has become one of the most discussed topics in all of football for players, owners, the NFL Competition Committee, and NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell.
In 2005, Major League Baseball had to address an unrelated matter that could have some correlation with the number of injuries some NFL teams have experienced over the last few years. Players like Roger Clemens, Barry Bonds, Mark McGwire, Jose Conseco, Alex Rodriguez and others were all either questioned or openly discussed the use of performance enhancing drugs like steroids. The issue was so important that Congress saw fit to have hearings regarding the use of illegal performance enhancers in professional sports.
Shortly after Congress expressed open concerns with the use of steroids in professional sports, the NFL instituted a crack down of its own, increasing the penalties for use and the frequency of tests to catch violators of their substance abuse policies. As with any change in policy, words on paper or an agreement reached between players and the NFL are meaningless unless those words and the agreement is enforced. It took the league approximately one year to start getting some results by instituting penalties, suspensions, and making good on their word to be diligent with the use of steroids. More >
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Looking Ahead: Colts Running Backs in 2011
Feb 14th
Donald Brown breaks downfield for a 49-yard gain against the Jacksonville Jaguars in 2010. (Michael Conroy | AP Photo)
2010 was about as rough on Colts running backs as it was on the team’s safeties.
The opening depth chart included fourth string rusher and kick returner Devin Moore, who went down for the year with a shoulder injury in the Week 4 match-up with the Jacksonville Jaguars. Second-string back, and 2009 First Round pick, Donald Brown missed weeks 4-6 with a hamstring injury. Third-string back, Mike Hart missed weeks 9-12 and 13-17 with an ankle injury. Starter, Joseph Addai missed eight weeks with a shoulder injury.
Fifth-string back, Javarris James played a significant role in four of the Colts 2010 games — which included six rushing touchdowns. Even Dominic Rhodes, former starter behind Edgerrin James, made his way back onto the roster following a full season with the Florida Tuskers of the UFL — he shattered the UFL records for rushing yards, rushing touchdowns, and all purpose yards. Rhodes played significantly in weeks 15-17.
In total, the Colts had six different rushers and tallied 32 missed games between the four who started the season on the depth chart. More >
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Colts Flying Under the Radar: Blair White
Feb 11th
Blair White Scores a Touchdown against the Chargers in Week 12. (Michael Conroy | AP Photo)
Blair White is a prime example of a player who spent considerable time on the field but, in many ways, “flew under the radar.” Including the Wild Card playoff loss to the New York Jets, Blair White was on the field with the Colts offense for 539 out of 1138 snaps.
While he is more of a typical wideout, White found himself replacing Austin Collie in the slot — in a year where Collie was having one of the most impressive partial seasons in recent memory. While Collie may deserve numerous stories this off-season lauding his greatness, the undrafted rookie behind him should not be overlooked.
Add to Collie’s rather large shadow that White was the team’s fifth string receiver, did not put up gaudy yardage totals, and made a couple of glaring mistakes, and it is easy to end up with the perception that White is a lackluster receiver.
What makes White good enough to be on this list? More >
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Looking Ahead: Colts Tight Ends in 2011
Feb 10th
Jacob Clark... err, Tamme catches a touchdown pass against the Houston Texans in 2010. (AJ Mast | AP Photo)
The Indianapolis Colts’ pinnacle at tight end was in 2001 when Ken Dilger and Marcus Pollard were on the roster — they offered the best combination of blocking and pass-catching the team has ever had on the field at one time. When the Colts drafted Dallas Clark in 2003, Indy took a step closer to having two of the leagues best tight ends but Clark was only a rookie and both he and Pollard were better suited as receivers than they were adept as blockers. When Ben Utecht joined the team in 2005, Pollard was not retained. So, when Utecht also failed to become the kind of big-bodied blocker with soft hands the Colts hoped for — primarily due to injuries — it was back to the drawing board.
Indianapolis was without a legitimate partner for Clark in the two tight end sets the Colts loved to run when Peyton Manning entered the league in 1998. The team was able to get by because Clark quickly became one of the league’s top pass-catching tight ends and gave Manning a reliable outlet — who also happened to be a game-changer who could dictate defensive schemes and play-calls. As Clark’s importance continued to grow, Bill Polian, Jim Irsay, and Tony Dungy recognized how important it was to find another option to compliment him. More >
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