State of the Indianapolis Colts: Part 1
The Indianapolis Colts just continue to win at a very high level. Over the past decade, the team has been one of the best in the league. In the 2010 season the Colts were 10-6, marking their ninth straight playoff appearance and ninth straight season with ten or more wins. The Colts also won their division, the American Football Conference Southern Division (AFC South), for the seventh time in eight years. Their four-time National Football League (NFL) Most Valuable Player (MVP) and Super Bowl XLI MVP quarterback Peyton Manning also recorded his 450th pass completion, which is a league record.
Manning is one of the reasons that the Colts are doing exceptionally well. But will their 22nd pick in the 2011 NFL Draft be the time that the Colts find Manning’s eventual replacement?
We know the Colts already and know that they stick to their draft board and pick more unconventionally than any other team in the league. But with the 22nd overall pick, it would be hard for them to ignore the other needs on the offensive and defensive sides of the ball. So it is very unlikely that the Colts will use that pick at quarterback, but they could surprise.
They do, however, also hold the 21st pick in the second round of the draft and that is where they could go at quarterback. Now someone who they have worked out, have interest in and could be a perfect fit for their system is Texas Christian University quarterback Andy Dalton. He seems physically like Manning, a big guy with a good arm and is a cerebral type of player that comes from a winning system.
Now will he be available for the Colts’ 21st pick in the second round? That is the interesting question. If they trade up in the second round, they may get him or someone like Colin Kaepernick from the University of Nevada, who they have also worked out privately and seem to have somewhat of an interest in. Otherwise, if they hold on to that pick, they could go in a different direction all together and pick someone later in the draft like the University of Iowa’s quarterback, Ricky Stanzi or quarterback Greg McElroy from the University of Alabama.
At this point, it is hard to imagine that Dalton would even be available in the second round so, backing up to the first round, if the Colts don’t pick a quarterback what position should they pick?
One thing that you have to look at is the offensive line. The University of Wisconsin’s offensive tackle Gabe Carimi could be a really good fit with the Colts. They have been trying to get bigger along the offensive line and we know that Carimi is a big, physical player. He is more of a run blocker that may have to start off on the right side, but the Colts are trying to change their identity a little bit and may play Carimi there, groom him and get him into the type of circuit where he can play tackle on either side.
To see the rest of the article about the state of the Indianapolis Colts, check out the next part of this article.
The views expressed in this article are the writer's own and in no way represent Bettor.com's official editorial policy.
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