Posts tagged Charlie Johnson
2011 Draft Profiles: OG – Clint Boling
Apr 13th
Clint Boling
College: Georgia
Age: 21 Years Old
Experience: Senior (4 years)
Starts at LG: 2 games
Starts at RG: 17 games
Starts at LT: 19 games
Starts at RT: 9 games
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Height: 6 feet 4 inches
Weight: 308 lbs.
Arm Length: 33.50 inches
Hand Width: 9.25 inches
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Projection: Offensive Guard/Tackle
Projected Round: 3rd Round More >
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Flying Under the Radar: Brody Eldridge
Apr 12th
Brody Eldridge at Training Camp 2010 | Robert Scheer/The Star
Eldridge was the Colts 2010 fifth round draft pick. It is doubtful any offensive player taken in the fifth round by the Colts has ever carried the kind of expectations Eldridge absorbed, though. Not only was Eldridge the second-half of an extremely potent tight end combination in college, he also was a pure blocking tight end that had experience as an offensive lineman.
That alone was not what sparked expectations for him, though. It was the understanding that some of the most dominant offensive seasons during the Peyton Manning-era came out of a strong two tight end formation with competent blocking tight ends. While no one was going to usurp Dallas Clark, Eldridge took over the starting spot formerly held by the perennially “just good enough and healthy enough to stay on the roster” Gijon Robinson.
Needless to say, expectations for Eldridge were pretty high to start off the year. With the return of Anthony Gonzalez to the field, visions of an unstoppable offense able to react and adapt to any defensive scheme imaginable ran wild. While there isn’t a major cry that he was “bad” or a “bust,” there really isn’t any affirmation for him out there either, and that’s where I step in. More >
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Examining the Top 5 OTs in the 2011 NFL Draft: A Colts Perspective
Apr 11th
For most avid Colts fans, it is a no-brainer that the team will try to pick up a franchise left tackle in the first round of the NFL draft. There is no other position in such need of new blood to warrant a first round pick — outside of a one-tech defensive tackle (i.e. Stephen Paea). As it stands, there are between three and six offensive tackles who could be selected in the first round of the NFL Draft. This story will provide a brief overview of the top five guys and how they stack up in terms of potential, current draft stock, and how they fit with the scheme.
Coltzilla will have a short series coming out in the next few days breaking down the game film available for these players as well — a number of the things discussed in this post are the result of some preliminary looks into the game film. Feel free to add your own thoughts in the comments. More >
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Assessing Positional Value for the Colts 2011 NFL Draft: Guard
Apr 10th
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Since Jake Scott and Ryan Lilja both departed Indianapolis, the Colts have been searching to find some consistency at the guard position. In 2008, Vice Chairman Bill Polian brought in three offensive linemen, all who played center in college, hoping to develop them into NFL caliber players who would become successor to five-time Pro Bowl center Jeff Saturday. To this point, Jamey Richard, Mike Pollak, and Steve Justice have disappointed in their own ways.
Justice failed to stay on the roster in 2009. Richard spent time at center when Saturday was injured in 2009, and moved to guard in 2010 only to be replaced. Former second round pick Pollak has won the starting job at right guard two seasons in a row only to lose it at some point during the season. Undrafted free agent acquisition, and former Arena II league center, Kyle DeVan was acquired in 2009 and has become one of the team’s most steady contributors at guard. Still, many believe that while DeVan is steady and not necessarily a liability, he is not dominant in any one phase of the game and is lighter than ideal. More >
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Assessing Positional Value for the Colts 2011 NFL Draft: Offensive Tackle
Apr 9th
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No position has been more heavily discussed, debated, and recruited by the Colts organization — or its fan base — during the 2011 off-season. The benefit of adding a legitimate, starting-caliber, left or right tackle early in the 2011 NFL Draft could drastically affect Indy’s offensive effectiveness and production, particularly running the football. To get an idea where the team stands, it is appropriate to look at the tackle depth already on the Colts roster.
First, assuming the new CBA does not make it impossible to keep key free agents, left tackle Charlie Johnson is the best offensive tackle on the current roster. The problem with this statement is that Johnson is much better suited to play guard in the NFL, or at most right tackle. This means that stalwart right tackle Ryan Diem’s value and production has dropped significantly in the last two or three seasons, increasing the need to replace him with younger talent. Diem had by far the worst year of any of the Colts offensive linemen in 2010 and is getting a salary that his play no longer justifies. More >
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2011 Draft Profiles: C – Stefen Wisniewski
Mar 30th
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Stefen Wisniewski
College: Penn State
Age: 22 Years Old
Experience: Senior (4 years)
Starts at C: 13 games
Starts at RG: 24 games
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Height: 6 feet 3 inches
Weight: 313 lbs.
Arm Length: 33.00 inches
Hand Width: 10.38 inches
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Projection: Center
Projected Round: 1st – 2nd Rounds
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Lack of Respect for Bill Polian and Colts Roster Unreasonable
Mar 27th
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With so little going on in the NFL world, the analysts at ESPN are left only to speculate about each of the league’s 32 teams’ needs prior to the 2011 NFL Draft. In the segment discussing the Colts, Mel Kiper, Trent Dilfer, Chris Mortensen, and Mike Tirico dropped a bomb on the Indianapolis fan base when they collectively agreed that without quarterback Peyton Manning, the Indianapolis Colts would be cellar dwellers as one of the league’s worst franchises. Such words suggest that the talent on the Colts roster starts and ends with Peyton Manning.
Unfortunately, some fans and team analysts have bought into the claims. They have used the claims as ammunition to attack Vice Chairman Bill Polian as leaving the team high and dry if not for the 1998 Draft. Dilfer suggested that the team needs a philosophical adjustment to larger, stronger players, and that without it the team will continue to struggle. This analysis is popular, and even shared by a big portion of the Colts fan base but it does not tell the whole story. More >
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Coltzilla Colts “Mock” Draft
Mar 22nd
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In following with the observations made in the 2011 Draft Class Could Benefit the Colts story, this mock draft will consider what players the Colts could select that should substantially bolster the team’s primary weaknesses and provide security at a couple of positions that have legitimate question-marks behind starters.
I did my best to not reach for any players and to be realistic about players who would be available when the Colts go on the board for each of their six picks. I also did not consider trades, although there is a good chance Polian would entertain a trade down if a partner with desirable compensation was interested. A later mock draft will consider those options. Opinions, observations, and suggestions are welcome. More >
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Combination of Lockout and 2011 Draft Class Could Benefit Colts
Mar 22nd
2011 is one of the busiest and potentially difficult off-seasons for the Indianapolis Colts in Peyton Manning’s career. To this point, the team has had to part ways with veteran safety Bob Sanders, has been unable to nail down a deal with franchise quarterback Peyton Manning, and has numerous questions regarding the future contracts of many steady contributors over the last two seasons.
Some of the questions may be answered — assuming a new CBA gets worked out that does not nullify the moves the franchise has already made — as the Colts have issued tenders to players like starting running back Joseph Addai, veteran linebacker Clint Session, defensive tackles Eric Foster and Daniel Muir, and assumed starting strong safety Melvin Bullitt. This still leaves the team’s sole nose tackle, Antonio Johnson in limbo, and kicker Adam Vinatieri floating around with an uncertain future. More >
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