What to Expect: Ray Fisher

On Wednesday the Colts were able to ink former Indiana cornerback, Ray Fisher, to a a four-year contract. Although Fisher is not expected to make his presence felt on the defensive side of the ball, he is expected to compete for the role of return specialist for the Colts. Along with fellow rookie, Brandon James, Fisher will be given every opportunity to earn the spot as returner for this team, and if he is able to translate his success of return kicks in college to the NFL, he will have no trouble making the team.

If Fisher is able to play his way onto the field through his returning ability, he will give the Colts something they have not received in a long time, great field position. The Colts have struggled to find a high-quality kick returner capable of breaking a return for a huge gain or a touchdown. With Fisher and James now in the fold, the Colts should have no problem returning a kick or two per game to at least their own 40 yard line. Just imagine how effective Peyton Manning and company can be if they are given 20 extra yards of room to work with.

Special teams have been anything but stellar for the Colts in season’s past, but it appears they are beginning to focus more on the little things. By adding players, such as, Pat Angerer, Fisher, and James, the Colts were able to add three rookies who could potentially be explosive weapons in specials teams in their rookie season’s. Although Angerer is a linebacker, he will see a lot of time on the special teams units, and players with his heart and aggression often do very well in the role of special teams ace. Should Fisher win the job, look for the former Hoosier to give the Colts a much needed spark from the special teams.

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Long Awaited

After eight seasons in the NFL, Dallas Clark was finally named to his first Pro Bowl following his stellar 2009-10 season. Over his career Clark has racked up 4,188 receiving yards and 41 touchdowns on 356 receptions. However, after being stuck in the AFC with the likes of Tony Gonzalez and Antonio Gates, Clark was unable to crack into the Pro Bowl lineup because of the logjam at tight end. After finally earning his first invitation, Clark continues to finally receive his well-deserved respect. Clark has been named Grand Marshall for Sunday’s Brickyard 400, and the honor could not have been given to a better person.

This year Clark will look to improve on his 1,100 yard, 10 touchdown season, and there is no reason to think he won’t. Although the Colts have a plethora of weapons for Manning to play with, Clark remains one of, if not the top weapon of choice for Manning. Along with Wayne, Clark is still the Colts top redzone threat, and unless he goes down with an injury he should get close to replicating his 10 touchdown performance. Clark will be the beneficiary from being Manning’s number one guy throughout the offseason. While Reggie Wayne was holding out from OTA’s, Clark was working with Manning and perfecting his timing with the hall of fame quarterback.

Clark will once again be one of the best receiving tight ends in the league, and expect him to once again put up Pro Bowl caliber numbers. Clark is finally receiving the attention that he deserves, and the only thing left for the veteran is to take his game to an even higher level.

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Not So Fast My Friend

As training camp inches closer and closer, many fans are getting more and more edgy about the possible holdout situation of Reggie Wayne. The uncertainty surrounding number 87 has caused many fans to vent and voice their opinion regarding his possible holdout. As is human nature, fans seem to be jumping to conclusions and making unfair assumptions about Wayne, who doesn’t deserve near the amount of criticism that he is receiving. Unlike other professional sports, the NFL is much tougher on its players both physically and financially, and although players can receive a huge payday, they can also have their contracts ripped up at anytime. However, before you jump on Wayne, consider what he has meant to this team.

Many people believe that Wayne has simply been the beneficiary of Peyton Manning’s enormous coattails. Granted, Wayne isn’t playing for the Buffalo Bills or Oakland Raiders, he is playing for one of the best offenses in the NFL, but he is one of the main reasons why the Colts are one of the best offenses in the NFL. After viewing the slow demise of former standout, Marvin Harrison, Colts fans were still able to see Manning throw to a number one receiver in Wayne. Manning has never been without one of the better receivers in the league, and although he certainly elevates the level of play of those around him, the same can be said for the players around him elevating his game.

As fans we are quick to assume that Manning is the reason for the Colts success, but in reality just as much praise can be payed to the front office as is paid to Manning. It is not a coincidence that the Colts consistently have young, talented receivers waiting in the wings, and Polian and company have mastered the art of drafting the receiver position. Harrison, Wayne, Brandon Stokley, Anthony Gonzalez, Austin Collie, and Pierre Garcon were all receivers that had the ability to have success on the NFL level. Manning has elevated the play of all of these players throughout his career, but without these quality receivers Manning would not be where he is today. For years the media would discuss the fact that Tom Brady could still win without top notch receivers, and that Manning couldn’t even beat Brady with weapons, such as, Harrison, Wayne, and Clark. Brady was never able to put up the numbers that Manning did until the Patriots added Randy Moss and Wes Welker to Brady’s arsenal. Both of these receivers were good elsewhere, but when paired with Brady they were able to elevate their games even more. The same can be said with the Colts’ weapons. Should Wayne leave the Colts there is no doubt that he would not be as effective, however, he would still be one of the better and more effective receivers in the league.

Fans want to jump on players the second they start demanding more money, and when people are struggling to make a decent living while athletes are making millions of dollars, people have the right to complain. However, keep in mind that these players have spent their whole lives training to be in the position they are in now, and even worse is the fact that the fans have paved this road of greed that most players now find themselves on. The fans have dumped billions of dollars into the NFL, and players choose their path knowing the costs and benefits. So before you criticize Wayne, realize that he is not simply riding the coattails of Manning. The Colts do not have a true number one receiving threat outside of Wayne, and although they have nice up and coming receivers, none of them are ready to take on the role of the number one guy.

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Manning in a Big Market?

Indianapolis Colts fans are incredibly fortunate to have Peyton Manning as their starting quarterback. Not only is he one of the the best players of all-time, but he is also an incredibly likeable guy. From a plethora of commercials to comedic skits during the ESPY’s and Saturday Night Live, Manning comes off as a guy that people just gravitate towards. However, as popular as Manning is in today’s sports and entertainment world, could he be even bigger?

Manning appears to be set on being a Colt for life, and Indianapolis fans couldn’t be happier. However, let’s imagine that Peyton were to trade places with his brother Eli Manning. Although Eli has won a Super Bowl for the Giants, he is not a “face” of the NFL. In a large market such as New York it would seem almost natural for Eli to become a big name star, especially after winning a Super Bowl. Both Peyton and Eli are good quarterbacks (Peyton obviously being better), and each of them has a ring. However, Peyton draws in fans on and off the field. In a big market like New York, Peyton would be the king of the town. Assuming he was drafted by the Giants, he could literally be bigger than Alex Rodriguez or even Derek Jeter. He would always have the Giants in contention for a Super Bowl, and even if he was in New York he would probably still have the same appeal across the nation. Similar to Joe Namath when he played for the Jets, Peyton would become one of the most prominent faces of the city and the entertainment world. 

Unlike other super stars in today’s culture, Manning puts on the field goals ahead of the off the field ones. Yes, he does receive a large amount of money from deals with Gatorade and Nike, but he doesn’t need to promote himself through his brand. Peyton’s on the field performance leads to his off the field popularity, and his great personality leads to ever growing legacy. However, if Peyton did play for a large market team, he would surely be ambushed by the likes of Nike and Adidas in attempts to create his own brand. Similar to Ladainian Tomlinson, Michael Jordan, or Tiger Woods, Peyton would be asked to create a product for the brand that his face was attached to. Although football is not a worldwide sport yet, Peyton’s popularity would grow immensely if he were in a city, such as, Chicago, New York, or Los Angeles.

Although most Colts fans could not think of the blue and white without Manning, it is a reality that is quickly approaching. Green Bay Packers fans never thought that they would see the day when Favre left the Packers, especially for another team, but reality set in harshly for that fanbase. Colts fans should be thankful for the quarterback they have, because one day he will no longer be under center.

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How Much Value?

With NFL players demanding trades left and right, the market for disgruntled players is certainly a buyers market. This trend of players demanding new contracts or new situations is becoming even more common, and after seeing players, such as, Brandon Marshall successful get themselves out of town, more and more players seem to be picking up on the act. Two current Colts players are threatening to holdout for more money, and there is uncertainty as to whether these two will actually stand by their guns and skip out on training camp. Robert Mathis and Reggie Wayne are currently in the midst of contracts that they signed to play for the Colts, and neither player is happy with the contract that they signed. Thus, if these two are serious about skipping camp, and if the Colts are serious about playing hardball with these two, then you could see a one or the other get traded. However, if the Colts were to trade either Mathis or Wayne, both quality players with a lot of production left in the tank, what would the Colts be able to get in this market?

Although Mathis will be 30 years old by the end of next season, he has shown that he is just as productive as ever. NFL teams have to be able to get pressure on opposing quarterbacks, and Mathis has proven that he has the ability to create havoc for offensive lines. Not every team in the NFL would be jumping at the idea of adding Mathis, knowing that they would have to sign him to a new deal, but there is no question that a few teams would have serious interest. Teams looking for the final piece of the puzzle could take Mathis knowing that he is a great complimentary end, and with the uncertainty of the cap, high-spending teams may be willing to take him on even with a new contract. The Colts could probably secure a third or fourth round pick for Mathis, and that might be enticing enough to pull the trigger and forget about the headaches. However, if the Colts can bring Mathis into camp his production on the field for this year and next, would seemingly be much more than anything a mid round pick could bring to the table in his rookie season.

Unlike Mathis, Wayne is the type of player that teams around the NFL would kill for. With so many teams devoid of legitimate number one receiving threats, Wayne is the perfect option for a team that needs a receiver. Although he will be 32 this coming season, he still has a number of years left in him, and with the type of skill-set that Wayne offers, he could be around longer than the average number one receiver. However, his age will scare some teams off, and because of that he will probally not garner a first round pick, but I would expect nothing lesss than a second round pick. A few seasons ago when Tony Gonzalez wanted out of Kansas City, the Falcons were able to grab the future hall-of-fame tight end for a second round pick. Although Gonzalez still had a few seasons left of first round draft production, his age caused the price to fall to a second round pick. The Colts would be faced with the same dilema as the Chiefs were, and consider whether a top-notch receiving threat was worth getting rid of for a second round pick.

If the Colts were to move Mathis for a third round pick, most would consider that an average deal. The selection of Jerry Hughes makes Mathis less of key piece to this defense, and although it would certainly be better to have Freeney, Hughes, and Mathis, the Colts may not be willing to spend that much money on one position. However, the loss of Wayne would be devastating to this team. Although they have depth at receiver with Anthony Gonzalez, Pierre Garcon, and Austin Collie, none of those three have the ability to replace Wayne as the number one receiver, at least not yet. The loss of Wayne would leave Manning without a true number one receiver, and drop the Colts back from AFC favorites to around third or fourth in the conference. Wayne is still a crucial member of this team, and the Colts must find a way to bring him into camp.

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It’s Not Just the Colts

So far this offseason, the dominate issue surrounding the Indianapolis Colts is the multiple contract disputes that the team is dealing with. First with Antoine Bethea and now to Peyton Manning, Reggie Wayne, and Robert Mathis, the Colts have had a number of players looking for new contracts. However, this seems to be a very common theme around the NFL, specifically for two teams that are rivals with the Colts. The New England Patriots are having disagreements with star-offensive guard, Logan Mankins, and future hall-of-fame quarterback, Tom Brady. Moving a little farther south and you will find Colts’ division rival, the Tennessee Titans, in a dispute with running back, Chris Johnson, over his contract. For the Colts, Wayne and Mathis headline the possible holdouts for training camp, but don’t think that this is a problem being experienced only by the Colts.

The Patriots have been known to let veteran players walk away from the team to get paid elsewhere, and the team appears to be willing to do so with one of its best players. Mankins has proven himself as one of the best guards in the NFL, and he wants to get paid like one. The Patriots and Mankins are currently not even negotiating a contract, and the two sides appear to be at a standstill. On the other hand, the Patriots seem to be willing to bring Brady back on a new contract, however, the two sides are certainly not seeing eye to eye. Not only does Brady want to get paid, but he wants to see his fellow veterans get paid. Players, such as, Mankins, are customarily discarded by the Patriots when their time comes for a big pay day, and the constant flow of young players has taken the Patriots out of the driver’s seat for Super Bowl favorite. If Brady goes back to the Patriots he wants to be sure that he is not signing up for a constant rebuilding process, and that the team is serious about competing with the best players, and not simply looking for the cheap way out.

For the Titans, Chris Johnson’s contract dispute is a rather different one. Johnson, who is only going into the third year of a five year deal, has been calling for a larger contract for a long time now, but has not even fulfilled half of his current one. It has been reported that the Patriots will be happy to give him a new one, that is once he has played through at least three years of his current one. Johnson wants to get paid as the top back in the NFL, and although he might be, the Titans want to make sure that they don’t sign him to a massive deal only to see his production fall early in his career. The Titans want to get something done, but currently they own Johnson’s contract, and it is one of the best contracts in the NFL, especially for the caliber of the player. Johnson has stated that he will holdout if need be, and it appears that the dynamic back is completely serious.

Although the Colts appear to have a huge contract dispute that is headlining their offseason, keep in mind that a number of NFL teams around the NFL are dealing with the same problem. Part of it is due to the uncertainty with the collective bargaining agreement and part of it is due to the uncapped year, and until the NFL can straighten out these problems, it is not looking good for us fans.

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What to Expect: Jerry Hughes

In the first round of the 2010 NFL Draft, the Indianapolis Colts selected defensive end, Jerry Hughes. A high motor,  athletic end with plenty of upside, Hughes has all the qualities that the Colts have come to look for in their defensive lineman. However, with Dwight Freeney and Robert Mathis in place to start this coming season at the two end positions, Hughes will not receive as much time on the field as fellow rookie defensive ends, such as, Brandon Graham. Although he is not penciled in to start for the Colts, Hughes’ contribution on the field may determine how successful this defense can truly be.

The Colts have made it clear that having depth and talent at the defensive end position is one of the most important factors for this team. Getting pressure on the quarterback is a crucial part of the success this defense, and without it the Colts have struggled mightily in the past. The addition of Hughes will give the Colts a solid rotation of three ends that can all get pressure on the quarterback on any play. Hughes has drawn many comparisons to Freeney, and deservedly so. Hughes has such good athleticism that he was projected to play outside linebacker in a 3-4 scheme, but the Colts had other ideas for the former TCU standout.

With Mathis’ availability in question because of his current holdout, Hughes may receive more time in the rotation then originally thought. Although I expect Mathis to return by training camp, there is still the chance that he decides to sit out, which would force the Colts to throw Hughes in the fire right away. However, assuming Mathis returns and is ready to go by camp, I expect Hughes to be a heavily relied upon rotational end, who is called upon mostly in passing downs. Although he will not have a huge rookie season, he will surprise a lot of people with his ability to make an impact from day one. Look for Hughes to position himself as the defensive end of the future for this team, and one day fill the shoes left by Dwight Freeney.

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Manning or Lebron

With all of the recent talk about NBA Free Agency and Lebron James, a tough question popped into my mind. If I were starting a professional sports team and had the opportunity to either acquire an NBA team with Lebron James or an NFL team with Peyton Manning, who would I choose? Putting financials aside and pretending that each player is in his prime, the decision is based strictly on which player will win more championships for the organization.

Although neither of the two players has a room full of championship or Super Bowl trophies, each consistenly has their team in the converstation as serious contenders. Peyton gains the edge in terms of rings, having one to Lebron’s none, but both are winners. Lebron led the Cavs to the best record in the league last season, but could not get his team past the second round. Peyton had similar success, leading the Colts to the best record in the NFL and to a Super Bowl appearance. However, he was unable to get his second ring with the Colts, falling to the New Orleans Saints. In regards to regular season success, Peyton and Lebron are two of the best in the game, and consistently have their teams in the running for best record in the league. However, neither has had the postseason success to match that of the regular season. In terms of hardware other than rings, both of these players have an excess of trophies. The most notable of the trophies for these two are their MVP trophies. Lebron has two MVP trophies in the NBA and Peyton has three in the NFL.

Although both of these players would instantly make any team a contender, the leagues that each plays in has a heavy influence on the decision. In football it is much harder to have success with only one Hall of Fame player. NFL teams must rely on so many players, that it is almost impossible for teams to win with just one player. In the NBA teams can have much more success with one Hall of Famer and roll players around them. Thus, it would seem that adding Lebron would place a team in the best position to win right away. However, in my opinion Peyton can do just as much for a football team as Lebron can do for a basketball team. Peyton has shown that he can consistently put his team in a position to win and compete for a Super Bowl, and he has the ring to prove it. Lebron is going into his eighth season in the NBA, and still has no championship. Also Peyton seems to be less of an off the court problem, and Lebron’s recent media indulgence has turned many people off to him and his brand. Thus, I would go with Peyton, and although I may be a bit biased, I can assure you this is a decision made with the mind.

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What to Expect: Pat Angerer

This offseason the Indianapolis Colts resigned veteran middle linebacker, Gary Brackett. This move ensured that the Colts would be able to hold onto one of the key pieces of this defense. Although they have three solid starters at the linebacker positions, the Colts also elected to use their second round pick on middle linebacker, Pat Angerer. At 6-0 and 235 pounds, Angerer is not a physical freak on the football field, but he is certainly a player more than capable of getting the job done.

This season the Colts will ask Angerer to spend much of his time on the field playing special teams. With Brackett firmly cemented in his role as starting middle linebacker, Angerer will not receive much time at that position unless the Colts are forced to put him into action. However, with his football intelligence and versatility, Angerer should also be able to step-in and play the other two linebacker positions when he is needed. Although he will not start from day one, this former Hawkeye will benefit from learning under one of the better 4-3 middle linebackers in the NFL.

The Colts elected to use a rather high pick on Angerer, which suggests that they intend for him to contribute from day one. However, his contributions will be felt more on the special team then on the starting defense, and that is still saying a lot. The Colts have had their struggles with special team play in the past, and by adding a workaholic, such as, Angerer, the Colts will be able to add some fire to this aspect of the game. Just as the Colts elected to select Jerry Hughes in the first round, the Colts selected Angerer to add depth and youth to an aging defense. Look for Angerer to get most of his playing time on the special teams this season, but keep an eye on him next offseason, as he could very well be pushing for a starting position on this defense.

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Better Chance to Succeed

The Colts have two young, talented wide receivers, who are still trying to carve out their spot on this team. Austin Collie and Pierre Garcon emerged last season as two viable options to step-in and play the”Robin” role to Reggie Wayne’s “Batman.” Although the Colts have Wayne and Dallas Clark, it is crucial that this team has one more receiver capable of giving Peyton Manning another legitimate option. Both Collie and Garcon have the ability and potential to have long careers in this league, but when all is said and done who will be better?

Each of these receivers brings a unique set of skills to the table, and each set can be just as effective. Garcon brings explosive speed, talent, and athleticism, and with his tools he can burn defenders at any moment. Collie offers steady heads and precise routes, a move the chains kind of receiver. Although both showed the ability to excel last season, I believe Garcon has the best chance at turning into a Pro Bowl caliber receiver with the Colts. Garcon’s potential and upside appears to be better than Collie’s, and if he continues to develop as he has, the sky is the limit for this young man.

Brandon Stokley, Anthony Gonzalez, and now Austin Collie all seem to fit the same mold, reliable, move the chain receivers. With as many “reliable” receivers that the Colts have had over the years, it appears that it is just as much the system as the player. None of the three are likely to reach Pro Bowl levels in the NFL, but all will certainly be able to find a job. However, even more telling is the fact that the Colts seem to replace this position on their roster very easily. When Stokley left, Gonzalez stepped-in, and when Gonzalez went down, Collie stepped-in. Thus, in the end Garcon has the potential to succeed with this team for the short term, and thrive in this league in the long term.

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