Way Too Early Look at 53-man roster

[sherck]

First week of Training Camp is in the books and we are still in the “excitement” era of the season where anything can happen and Luck’s arm has not fallen off yet. Let’s get to it.

QB: Andrew Luck, Jacoby Brissett (2)
Cuts: Phillip Walker, Brad Kaaya
Notes: Not much question here. About the only change to this all season is if Luck or Brissett get injured or if some QB needy team comes to us before the trade deadline and offers STUPID compensation for Brissett assuming Luck is healthy up to that point.

RB: Marlon Mack, Nyheim Hines, Jordan Wilkins, Robert Turbin (4)
Cuts: Christine Michael, Josh Ferguson
Notes: With the 4 games suspension, I expect Michael to be on the roster for those games and then a choice will be made between Turbin or Michael (I expect Turbin to win). Not much surprise here as Ferguson has never made much of an impression and it really comes down to which veteran to they retain in Turbin or Michael. Turbin has the clear advantage.

WR: T.Y Hilton, Chester Rogers, Ryan Grant, Dion Cain, Reece Fountain (5)
Cuts: Kasen Williams, Steve Ishmael, James Wright, Dres Anderson, K.J. Brent, Krishawn Hogan, Seantavius Jones
Notes: Wow, big position group but between draft choices and free agent acquisitions, it is pretty easy to group the top five. It is certainly possible that the Colts end up continuing the youth movement and taking one of the undrafted guys over Grant but I would not expect it. 1 or 2 of the young kids will get stashed on the Practice Squad to retain for the future.

TE: Jack Doyle, Eric Ebron, Erik Swoope, Darrell Daniels (4)
Cuts: Ross Travis, Mo Alie-Cox
Notes: It sort of depends on what they want for the #4 TE slot; a blocker or a “move” receiving TE. I think they will go for the blocker and pick Daniels but if they wanted another “move” guy like Ebron and Swoope then they will go with Travis or Alie-Cox. All these kids have talent so a good guy will be getting cut.

OT: Anthony Castonzo, Austin Howard, Denzelle Good, La’Raven Clark (4)
Cuts: Tyreek Burwell, J’Marcus Webb
Notes: As long as Howard can play at the same level that he has over the past couple of seasons, he will be the starter at RT and Good and Clark (along with Haeg) will be the depth. That is one of the best OT groups that we have had in quite a while.

OG: Quinton Nelson, Matt Slauson, Braden Smith (3)
Cuts: Nick Callender, Mark Glowinksi, Jeremy Vujnovich
Notes: While is sucks that Jack Mewhort is retiring due to bad knees, the OG positions are still in good shape due to our 3 acquisitions this year in Nelson, Slauson and Smith. Depth behind these three will be provided by the ever popular depth of Haeg, Good and Clark so, again, not bad.

OC: Ryan Kelly, Joe Haeg (2)
Cuts: Deyshawn Bond
Notes: Not much of a surprise here other than Swiss Army Knife Haeg being asked to be depth at ALL the O-line positions (going to be depth at TE next?). That gives us five starters (Castonzo, Nelson, Kelly, Slauson, Howard) along with depth of Haeg (OT/OG/OC), Good (OT/OG), Clark (OT/OG) and Smith (OG) all of which can play multiple positions. Deepest O-Line we have had in AGES.

PK: Adam Vinatieri (1)
Cuts: Mike Badgley
Notes: Adam should break the all-time scoring record sometime around games 6 – 8. I hope he does so at a home game. Keep paying the man as long as he keeps hitting the FGs.

P: Rigoberto Sanchez (1)
Cuts: None.
Notes: One of the best rookie seasons on record for a punter and he comes back in year two trying to be more consistent. A worthy successor to the Boomstick.

LS: Luke Rhodes (1)
Cuts: None
Notes: Never noticed him last year so all is good!

NT: Al Woods, Grover Stewart (2)
Cuts: None
Notes: Both fatties (330 pound range) had pretty good seasons last year as run stuffers which will be their primary purpose in the new defense as well. Both are quick enough first steps to plug gaps and stout enough to collapse double teams. We need them to shine.

UT: Denico Autry, Rakeem Nunez-Roches, Hassan Ridgeway (3)
Cuts: Tomasi Laulile, Margus Hunt, Caraun Reid
Notes: This position is rough to project because there has been good word on Hunt during Training Camp and Lewis keeps dropping in to play the 3-tech UT position. Autry and Lewis are about 20 pounds light for the spot but playing in waves will wear the OGs down so that they cannot get their bulk on them. I think Autry and Nunez-Roches make it for sure but the 3rd slot could be a lot of different folks.

DE: Jabaal Sheard, John Simon, Terrell Basham, Kemoko Turay, Tyquan Lewis (5)
Cuts: Chris McCain, Anthony Johnson
Notes: Going solely on past performance and draft status. The two veterans have looked good in camp (Sheard, Simon) and the three high round rookies are being counted on to live up to their potential; and there is a lot of potential there.

WSLB: Darius Leonard, Zaire Franklin (2)
MLB: Anthony Walker, Skai Moore (2)
SSLB: Najee Goode, Matthew Adams (2)
Cuts: Antonio Morrison, Jeremiah George, Tyrell Adams, William Ossai
Notes: Seriously rolling the Magic 8 ball on this one. Other than Leonard, Walker and Goode being the front runners to start at their respective slots, I have no idea what to think about any of the other Linebackers. Moore has been getting first team reps with Walker out and appears to be liked. Franklin and M Adams are draft picks and everyone else is not (other than Morrison and he is just dirt slow). This is, BY FAR, the least educated position groups to try and figure out who will stay and who will go.

SS: Clayton Geathers, Matthias Farley (2)
FS: Malik Hooker, T.J. Green, Shamarko Thomas (3)
Cuts: George Odum, Chris Cooper, Ronald Martin,
Notes: The top 4 safeties should not be a surprise and I threw Thomas in as the 5th safety due totally to years in the league. I could be anyone for 5th safety honestly.

CB: Quincy Wilson, Pierre Desir, Kenny Moore II, Nate Hairston, Chris Milton (5)
Cuts: Henre Toliver, Robert Jackson, Lashard Durr, D.J. White
Notes: Not a surprise here but I am picking the guys who were on the active roster last season. There is a reason that by the end of the year, those guys were the ones playing every week. 3 2nd year guys, 1 3rd year guy and 1 5th year guy; young, young, young.

Thoughts?

Walk Worthy,

[JAFF]

You are right,its way too early

[YDFL Commish]

La'Raven Clark does not make the team and Travis makes the team over Daniels.

[Coltsalr]

Antonio Morrison being cut would make me happy.

[Chromeburn]

I think we keep Bond, and maybe six WR. Have a hard time seeing 4 RBs on the roster.

[YDFL Commish]

Originally Posted by Chromeburn

I think we keep Bond, and maybe six WR. Have a hard time seeing 4 RBs on the roster.

I agree, that we will keep only 3 RB's on the roster until Turbin returns.

[GoBigBlue88]

I don't disagree with much yet. I'd find a way to keep Bond; I don't trust Kelly to stay healthy.

Also still think Chris McCain can play as a rotational pass-rush piece, but he needs to prove it in preseason.

[1965southpaw]

Originally Posted by YDFL Commish

La'Raven Clark does not make the team and Travis makes the team over Daniels.

Big Joe thinks that Vagisill likely makes the team now that Mewhort has retired.

[VeveJones007]

Originally Posted by GoBigBlue88

I don't disagree with much yet. I'd find a way to keep Bond; I don't trust Kelly to stay healthy.

Also still think Chris McCain can play as a rotational pass-rush piece, but he needs to prove it in preseason.

I think they'll end up doing that. Hard to justify a 4th TE over Bond.

[YDFL Commish]

Originally Posted by 1965southpaw

Big Joe thinks that Vagisill likely makes the team now that Mewhort has retired.

Fuck no!