Posts tagged Justin Tryon
Colts’ Strategies During CBA Uncertainty, Part 2
Mar 3rd
In January, Bill Polian indicated that the Colts had developed strategies to address each of four possible outcomes pending the CBA negotiations. Yesterday’s post explored what the Colts’ team-building strategy might look like should a CBA agreement be reached before tonight’s deadline. This post looks at the next possibility – that the NFL and NFLPA reach an agreement in relatively short order after the current CBA expires, say 2-4 months. In this scenario, the only thing that is certain is that the draft will take place April 28-30 as planned. Current players will be prevented from entering team facilities or attending meetings beginning Friday, March 4. If there is no CBA for only 2-4 months, then it is likely that a shortened free agency period will still happen, but it would take place after the draft. In my opinion, this is the worst case scenario for the Colts.
Under this scenario, the Colts must predict as best as possible what the market value will be for their own pending free agents, determine what they (the Colts) are willing to offer them, then adjust their draft board accordingly. It means they will probably need to rely more on rookies to replenish at positions where they stand to lose players to free agency or age/retirement, with the offensive line, safety and running back positions being particularly vulnerable. It also means they must be near spot on with their free agent value assessments, lest they offer too much to retain a free agent, or worse, lose someone they thought they could retain and not have enough talent waiting in the wings. It also means they have to guess which free agents from other teams will be available, and plan to have the space (roster spot and salary cap-wise, assuming the cap returns) to sign someone, should they target him. More >
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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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Addressing the Colts Cornerback Roster in 2011
Jan 27th
Kelvin Hayden ponders the Colts struggles in a 36-14 loss to the San Diego Chargers. (Darron Cummings | AP Photo)
Entering the 2010 season, the Indianapolis Colts faced uncertainty at cornerback.
-2010 third round draft pick Kevin Thomas suffered a season-ending knee-injury during rookie camp.
-Veteran Tim Jennings departed the team and ended up in Chicago.
-The only options behind starters Kelvin Hayden and Jerraud Powers were aging veteran DeShea Townsend (first year in the Colts system), second-year veteran Jacob Lacey, and undrafted free agents Brandon King, Jordan Hemby, and Thad Turner.
As soon as preseason ended, Colts President Bill Polian traded a draft pick to the Washington Redskins for young veteran Justin Tryon. Tryon ended up starting Week 1, and filled in as the most reliable backup corner on the Colts roster for the remainder of the season. More >
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Did Injuries Affect the 2010 Colts?
Jan 19th
Colts fans are stuck in limbo. The Super Bowl is still two weeks away, so talking about the off-season seems premature. Before fans get to that point, it is worthwhile to take a look back at 2010 to gauge where the Colts franchise will be when the draft and summer activities roll around.
One of the biggest impacts on Indianapolis in 2010 was the unprecedented number of injuries the team had to play through. The Colts placed 18 players on Injured Reserve, and two others on the injured/waived list — including Taj Smith, who rejoined the Colts. This number does not include injured players who missed multiple games throughout the year, but still managed to hold onto a roster spot.
Below are three ways to examine Indy’s injuries in 2010.
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Jets v. Colts: After Review (Wild Card Weekend)
Jan 10th
Colts kicker Adam Vinatieri celebrates after he hits a would-be game winning 50-yard field goal. (Andy Lyons | Getty Images)
After a painful sixteen game regular season — rife with injuries, frustrating slumps, and a lack of identity — the Colts 2010 effort officially ended Saturday night after a last minute drive that was capped by a Jets field goal. What makes the loss difficult to take — even though most fans realized the team’s playoff berth was an admirable accomplishment in its own right — is that the Colts should have won.
The initial fan reaction to the game has been all over the board, with fingers pointing in different directions. Some argue that the defense is responsible for the loss because they allowed the Jets to keep the ball for a vast majority of the second half, and yielded over 150 yards on the ground.
Others blame the Indianapolis special teams units for making costly mistakes and allowing long returns, specifically Antonio Cromartie’s long return on the final drive of the game that allowed the Jets to have a short field for a field goal try.
Still others insist that Coach Caldwell is primarily responsible for calling an ill-advised timeout with less than 30 seconds to go, which allowed the Jets offense to get their heads together for a back-breaking first down play that made shaky place kicker Nick Folk’s job much easier.
The reality is, all of these fans are right to a degree, but none of them — even taken together — completely explain how the Colts managed to let this game slip away. More >
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Quick Reaction: Jets 17, Colts 16
Jan 8th
Justin Tryon with an interception... what a great pickup this year by Polian!
Highlights:
- I never expected the game to be the defensive battle that it turned out to be, but I did expect the outcome that resulted.
- While I think Caldwell did a nice job keeping the team focused throughout the season, he made some terrible coaching decisions in this one.
- Pierre Garcon had one great game, atoning for many bad games in my opinion.
- The 2010 season has been an incredible season, made even more incredible by the fact that they made it to the playoffs at all. If they had even survived the game, I don’t think they could have challenged the Steelers.
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Navigating the Colts 2011 Off-Season
Jan 7th
Quarterback Peyton Manning watches as running back Joseph Addai carries the football in Denver. (Doug Pensinger | Getty Images)
Although the Colts are heading into the playoffs and will not have to worry about new contracts, free agency, and draft planning until after their playoff run ends, once it does things will start happening fast. With all of the players who have contracts ending this season, it will be important to make good choices in order to keep a very talented football team intact.
One thing about any off-season is the chance that difficult decisions will have to be made about players for whom fans have a great deal of loyalty. That is the unfortunate nature of the business of football and those kinds of decisions and observations will be included in what this writer believes is the best direction for the Colts leading up to the 2011 season.
The most important thing to do to start this process is to identify which players require new contracts in order to play football in 2011, and which players currently have contracts that are not reflective of their value to the team.
The players who will need new contracts in order to return to the Colts in 2011 are listed below, by position. More >
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A Fan Salute to the 2010 Indianapolis Colts
Jan 5th
A true Colts fan salute. (Andy Lyons | Getty Images)
With a win against the Titans, the Colts managed to overcome unprecedented team injuries and their worst five game series since 2002 for a NFL record (tie) ninth consecutive playoff berth, and their seventh AFC South Championship in the last eight years. Peyton Manning was able to get through his toughest stretch of games since his rookie year and somehow Indy has managed to enter January with the three seed in the AFC.
It is extremely important for Colts fans to step back and think about the gravity of this accomplishment. Frankly, this team had no business overcoming all of the adversity it has faced in a sixteen game season. More >
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Quick Reaction: Colts 23, Titans 20
Jan 2nd
INDIANAPOLIS - JANUARY 02: Reggie Wayne #87 of the Indianapolis Colts runs for a touchdown during NFL game against the Tennessee Titans at Lucas Oil Stadium on January 2, 2011 in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images)
My thoughts on today’s game:
- On a day when (I thought) the Colts needed to make a statement, they whimpered. They won, but it took a mistake on a snap exchange and some solid defense to do it. I hate to say this when Peyton Manning is involved, but the Colts’ offense sputtered.
- The defense continues to play well, and Justin Tryon was a great pickup by Polian.
- Vinny is 23 for 25 on field goals this year, and yet I still clench my jaw every time he lines up. Tonight he showed why he continues to be money, clutch, or whatever other purse-related metaphor you care to use.
- Dominic Rhodes has been incredible for this team, but you cannot fumble the ball on the potential game-winning drive.
- After having a string of great games, Pierre Garcon once again contracted a case of the dropsies. He absolutely needs to shake it off during the playoffs or the Colts have little chance.
- S Mike Newton, who has been solid on special teams, left with an injury and did not return. We’ll see this week if the injury is long-term.
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