NFL: Indianapolis Colts (WORLD CHAMPIONS) news...

The_Dude · Post by **The_Dude** » Mon Mar 05, 2007 10:38 am

via Yahoo! Sports:

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) -- Brandon Stokley became an unaffordable luxury item for Indianapolis, so the Colts resorted to cost-cutting.

Stokley, who was due a $500,000 roster bonus, and defensive tackle Montae Reagor, due about a $1 million roster bonus, became the first players to leave the Super Bowl champions after being cut Friday.

"It's a business," said Rick Smith, Stokley's agent. "Is he happy? No. Will he be fine down the road? Sure. But what are you going to do? It's a business."

The moves came as free-agency opened and the Super Bowl champions faced a host of potential changes.

They've already lost two assistant coaches -- Leslie Frazier and Diron Reynolds -- to other teams and now face a significant wave of roster changes, too, including the possible loss of three starters.

Former Pro Bowl linebacker Cato June, starting cornerback Nick Harper and running back Dominic Rhodes -- all key contributors in the Colts' postseason run -- became unrestricted free agents at midnight.

Rhodes was scheduled to visit the New York Giants, a team looking for a different style back than the bulky Brandon Jacobs. They're also looking for someone to replace the retired Tiki Barber and Rhodes is adept at splitting carries, as he would with Jacobs.

Rhodes finished the season with a 113-yard performance against Chicago in last month's Super Bowl. But his market value may have dropped following an arrest for drunken driving on Feb. 20.

June is the latest Colts linebacker to find himself looking for a big payday. In recent seasons, team president Bill Polian has allowed three starters -- Mike Peterson, David Thornton and Marcus Washington -- to sign with other teams. Peterson, with Jacksonville, and Thornton, with Tennessee, even stayed in the Colts division, the AFC South.

Late last season, with the Colts run defense ranked last in the NFL, Polian acknowledged he made a mistake by letting Thornton go. The question now is whether June, small by NFL standards, will find another team willing to pay him big dollars and whether the Colts could match that offer.

Harper's agent, Ian Greengross, indicated Thursday it might be difficult for the Colts to match the money Harper could get. Some consider Harper the second best cornerback on the market behind Buffalo's Nate Clements.

The Colts freed up nearly $8 million of salary cap space by releasing Stokley and Reagor, two players who did not finish the season because of injuries. The league's salary cap is $109 million.

Reagor, who started and played well during his four seasons in Indy, sustained facial injuries when another driver hit his SUV and it flipped over in October. Reagor was not wearing a seat belt and was eventually placed on the non-football injury list ending his season.

Stokley was the Colts' No. 3 receiver, behind Pro Bowlers Marvin Harrison and Reggie Wayne, and was part of the first receiving trio in league history to top 1,000 yards and 10 touchdowns in the same season. He did that in 2004.

Last season, injuries ruined his season. Stokley played just four games, catching eight passes for 85 yards and one touchdown. He missed time early in the season with ankle and knee injuries, then sustained a season-ending ruptured his right Achilles tendon in December at Jacksonville.

His base salary next season was to be $2.1 million.

Apparently, however, the injury has not scared off suitors.

Smith said he has already had "significant interest" from other teams although he declined to name the them or cite how many have called.

"He's doing fine," Smith said. "An Achilles' is a bad injury, but you fix it and you're better. It's not something that lingers and I think he'll be ready by June or July."

Stokley caught 139 passes for 1,916 and 15 touchdowns with the Colts.

Reagor started 45 games in three seasons, recording 12 sacks.

The_Dude · Post by **The_Dude** » Mon Mar 05, 2007 10:39 am

via Yahoo! Sports:

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) -- Rod Perry, defensive backfield coach for the Carolina Panthers the past five years, was hired Friday in the same capacity for the Indianapolis Colts.

Perrya two-time Pro Bowl defensive back with the Rams, previously coached at Seattle, Los Angeles, Houston and San Diego.

During his time with Carolina, the Panthers ranked among the NFL's top defenses with 96 interceptions.

The_Dude · Post by **The_Dude** » Tue Mar 06, 2007 10:53 am

via Yahoo! Sports:

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) -- The Indianapolis Colts re-signed veteran linebacker Rob Morris, who was moved into the starting lineup for the playoffs as the team's defense helped spark a run to the Super Bowl championship.

Team president Bill Polian said keeping Morris was one of the team's top priorities and that he expects the converted middle linebacker to continue to start on the strong side, where he excelled in the playoffs. Terms of the contract were not immediately disclosed.

"It's in line with our philosophy that you re-sign your own," Polian said in a phone interview late Monday. "We felt Rob played awfully well for us down the stretch and it gives us some security knowing we've got a starting linebacker."

Morris' agent, Ethan Lock, did not immediately return a phone message.

Morris was expected to anchor the Colts' defense when Indianapolis selected him with the 28th overall pick in the 2000 draft.

But his development as a rookie was stunted by a lengthy contract holdout, and his season ended after just seven games when he ruptured the quadriceps in his right leg.

Over the next four years, Morris piled up the tackles but eventually lost his starting job to undrafted free agent Gary Brackett in 2004. Morris had re-signed with the Colts long after he became a free agent each of the last two years.

When Morris replaced Gilbert Gardner as the starter at outside linebacker in December -- the only lineup change coach Tony Dungy made to a struggling unit -- the Colts' run defense went from the league's worst during the regular season to one of the best in the playoffs.

Morris' ability to adapt to a position he had never played, and his performance in the playoffs, made him a more valuable to the Colts.

The 6-foot-2, 240-pound Morris, 32, had 48 tackles during the 2006 regular season and then had 21 tackles, including 17 solo tackles, during the Colts' four playoff victories.

Morris had more than 100 tackles each season from 2001-03, and now has 531 career tackles.

"He made it clear he wanted to come back and we wanted him back," Polian said. "For us the issue was that we have a guy we really covet and he wanted to be a part of it."

It's the first major signing the Colts have made since beating Chicago 29-17 in the Super Bowl although they have tendered all their restricted free agents, including starting guards Ryan Lilja and Jake Scott.

But some questions remain.

Former Pro Bowl linebacker Cato June, starting cornerback Nick Harper and running back Dominic Rhodes are all unrestricted free agents.

Polian said the team doesn't have the salary cap room to sign a big-name player, but he would like to keep at least some of Indy's key players if the team can afford it.

Rhodes, who was arrested last month after being accused of drunken driving, has already visited with the New York Giants. Polian did not have any additional updates on Harper or June.

"I have nothing to tell you on that, I don't know anything other than Dominic visited the New York Giants," Polian said.

WBOB · Post by **WBOB** » Tue May 22, 2007 2:12 pm

Indy passed over for 2011 Super Bowl Host to Bazillionaire
Jerry Jones.. in Dallas

http://www.wane.com/Global/story.asp?S=6551970

bassjones · Post by **bassjones** » Tue May 22, 2007 3:05 pm

I would have done the same if I were in charge. Who wants to go to Indianapolis in February???

The_Dude · Post by **The_Dude** » Tue May 22, 2007 3:12 pm

bassjones wrote:I would have done the same if I were in charge. Who wants to go to Indianapolis in February???

Word.

WBOB · Post by **WBOB** » Fri Sep 07, 2007 10:00 am

...Either the Saints were exposed as not as good as
they were advertised.....

....or the Colts were just that much better.....

....or this is just one game

Next week: Titans

Post by **cwallace** » Fri Sep 07, 2007 10:34 am

I think late in the second they just started to click and it was over for the saints...

You can really see when the colts are 'getting it'...they wern't getting it early..but yeah...right before the half...game over...Freeney got through on once play and Brees was finished...

We will of course see...it is the first game.

Chris

WBOB · Post by **WBOB** » Tue Oct 23, 2007 11:41 am

They pretty much man-handled the Jaquars.

This is setting up the proverbial showdown with the Pat-sies

conley · Post by **conley** » Tue Oct 23, 2007 2:45 pm

I actually think the Colts are more balanced than New England........I've not seen much of a running game from the Pats this year; though they haven't needed it thus-far - that may be a problem on down the road.

Post by **cwallace** » Tue Oct 23, 2007 4:51 pm

conley wrote:I actually think the Colts are more balanced than New England........I've not seen much of a running game from the Pats this year; though they haven't needed it thus-far - that may be a problem on down the road.

Agreed...Wait til the cold weather hits and Brady can't throw as well...he will HAVE to run the ball...

Chris

deek · Post by **deek** » Wed Oct 24, 2007 4:31 pm

conley wrote:I actually think the Colts are more balanced than New England........I've not seen much of a running game from the Pats this year; though they haven't needed it thus-far - that may be a problem on down the road.

I've got a 150 yard ground performance from backup Sammy Morris that says otherwise:)

I'm not a Pats or Colts fan, but both teams look good, but I'd say the edge has to go with New England.

Post by **cwallace** » Wed Oct 24, 2007 4:36 pm

deek wrote:I'd say the edge has to go with New England.

I liked it better when you weren't around...lol...

Chris

The_Dude · Post by **The_Dude** » Wed Oct 24, 2007 4:41 pm

f**k New England.

deek · Post by **deek** » Wed Oct 24, 2007 4:56 pm

Ha!!!

I'm a Dolphins fan, so I really have no room to talk about anything until we can get a win, or until the last undefeated team is beat and I can reminisce about the '72 undefeated season:)

I'm rooting for the colts, as I have manning on my fantasy squad! Granted, I do also have wes welker, but I am still trying to believe he is a 'phin:)