It's about time that the focus of the NFL isn't on destroying the Patriots dynasty. That was the story all offseason last year, and has been since the Patriots won it all in 2004. The Patriots lost all these players, yet still they managed to go 12-4 and win two playoff games. It's amazing how they do it. Now, they have over 25 million in cap space to rebuild the team, along with about 10 picks in April's draft (two in the first round). The only significant loss, really, was Vinatieri, and his replacement made over 75% of his kicks, is about 10 yrs younger, and his kickoffs, unlike Vinatieri's, reach the end zone.
Meanwhile, the Colts, fresh off their Super Bowl championship, won't be celebrating for more than a couple of months. Why? Because their team is about to be a shell of what they were in 2006. You think that the run defense in 2006 was horrid? Just wait till the NFL sees what is left of the Colts to try and stop the run in 2007.
According to John Clayton's cap #'s on ESPN.com, virtually every NFL team is in great cap shape right now. The three division rivals of the Colts have a combined $75.25 MILLION of combined cap space. The Colts? A paltry $200,000, less than any team in the NFL.
The Colts have 18 free agents (that's right- 18!!!!!!). This is who they stand to lose over the next few months, and their stats from '06:
QB- Jim Sorgi (no stats)
RB- Dominic Rhodes (641 rush yds and 5 rush TD; 36 catches for 251 yds)
WR- Aaron Moorehead (8 catches, 82 yds, TD)
WR- Terrence Wilkins (1465 return yds, one return TD)
TE- Ben Utecht (37 catches, 377 yds)
Starting Guards Ryan Lilja and Jake Scott, two of the five main blockers for Peyton
DE- Bo Schobel (19 tackles and 1/2 sack)
DE- Josh Thomas (21 tackles, 1 sack)
DE- Dwight Freeney (29 tackles, 5.5 sacks)
DT- Dan Klecko (4 tackles)
LB- Rocky Boiman (20 tackles, 1 INT)
LB- Gilbert Gardner (53 tackles)
LB- Cato June (142 tackles, 1 sack, 3 INT)
LB- Freddy Keiaho (19 tackles)
LB- Rob Morris (55 tackles)
CB- Jason David (55 tackles, 2 INT)
CB- Nick Harper (75 tackles, 3 INT)
Total Defensive #'s of Free Agents To Be: 492 tackles, 8 sacks, 9 INT
There are 9 teams in the AFC alone that have more than 15 million of cap space. They are-
Tennessee 37.0
Buffalo 33.0
New England 26.9
Cleveland 26.2
Jacksonville 21.6
San Diego 21.4
New York Jets 20.8
Cinci 18.7
Houston 16.65
Oh, what a tangled web we weave, when first we practice to achieve. The rest of the AFC will be gunning for you, Indy- let's just hope you're ready.
StatMan ........It'll take a lot more than the cap salary to demolish the team. Many of the so called impending free agents that you've mentioned are already in the process of renegotiationg many of their contracts. It was a process that Polian started not long after their win.
The main reason behind it was that they didn't want a repeat of the problems that scuppered their chances of originally retaining Edgerrin James.
Making and tagging players as franchise players never really helps a team in the long run ! Which many teams have found out to their cost !
Not a Colts fan, but stats mean nothing when it comes to that team. None of the offensive players on that free agent list are starters and most are no better than nikle or dime package guys. and only Freeney, Harper, and June are defensive starters, so where does this guy come up with the Colts beiing in trouble. Their defnese was the worst anyways so its not like its gonna get worse. And i'm sure a lot of team wouldnt mind having tight cap space to have Manning and Harrison and Wayne and a promising Rb in Addai on their team.
Your statements don't make a lot of sense. You said there are no starters that are free agents on offense- there are THREE! (Rhodes and the two starting guards).
Jason David is, too.
The two guards they'll lose are starters.
So on offense, the starters are Rhodes and the two guards.
On defense, it's Freeney, June, and the two corners.
You can't tell me that all seven starters won't be looking for pay raises after a Super Bowl win. That's crazy. With 200K to spend, and all these teams with a lot of cap room, how will it be possible that all these players will stay in Indy? With what are they going to play these players- IOU's?
There's also the draft to consider. They will need cap room to draft players.
Trust me, they're in a lot of trouble. Take a lot at ESPN.com; they have a lot of articles up about it. I'm not the only one who thinks this way.
The team may find a way to somehow keep Freeney, but they will lose June and Rhodes and probably both corners (maybe even to division rivals), and that will hurt a lot.
We'll see come 2007.
Last edited by StatMan on February 16th at 10:42 AM.
StatMan ......If Polian is the supposed 'Genius' many believe him to be.
Then he'll work something to keep the players he feels that'll benefit the franchise in the long run.
He'll probably take a leaf out Pioli's book !
It certainly didn't help when they went off and gave Manning that excessive contract. As that's where lot of the money is tied up.
But they obviously have seen it as an invetsment that's paid off handsomely !
