Kenny Moore Signs 4-year Deal

[JAFF]

Originally Posted by Chromeburn

Polian believed in a good center and strong tackles. He treated the guards as recyclable and would use low round picks on them. He did not find a tackle to replace Glenn. Poor left tackle play was mitigated by Manning’s quick release. This was also a different time in oline play, teams could practice longer and work on technique. Today many oline attribute the decreased practice time from the CBA as the reason for decreased oline play across the league. Also may be why teams are spending higher picks for oline because they can’t develop them like they used to.

However, I think Polian’s olines were elevated by Manning. For years Manning was the highest hit QB in the league after release. I think it’s what led to his injury and decline. Too many high picks spent on skill positions. But Polian believed in a design of having a big three on offense and a dominant pass rusher on defense.

Yeah he did. He drafted Costanzo. He also drafted Charlie Johnson, who played for the Colts and then they lost him in free agency, cap problems.

https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/J/JohnCh23.htm


Part of it was the cap, part of it was Howard Mudd. He could work with guys like Llija and ________ and make them searvicable. But he drafted Jake Scott and we lost him to free agency. Polian was working with a tighter cap and he made his own problems when he hit on so many players.

https://www.pro-football-reference.com/teams/clt/draft.htm


And remember, all that winning kept putting the Colts at the back end of the draft year after year. He hit on a bunch of late round guys who played long careers. Go look at the list. He had guys who were lost to free agency who played a long time. If there was a "failure", they should have let some guys go sooner than later, and kept the young guys.

[Chromeburn]

Originally Posted by JAFF

Yeah he did. He drafted Costanzo. He also drafted Charlie Johnson, who played for the Colts and then they lost him in free agency, cap problems.

https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/J/JohnCh23.htm


Part of it was the cap, part of it was Howard Mudd. He could work with guys like Llija and ________ and make them searvicable. But he drafted Jake Scott and we lost him to free agency. Polian was working with a tighter cap and he made his own problems when he hit on so many players.

https://www.pro-football-reference.com/teams/clt/draft.htm


And remember, all that winning kept putting the Colts at the back end of the draft year after year. He hit on a bunch of late round guys who played long careers. Go look at the list. He had guys who were lost to free agency who played a long time. If there was a "failure", they should have let some guys go sooner than later, and kept the young guys.

Castonzo was drafted by his son and they were on their way out because they couldn’t fill those talent holes that they used to. Also Castonzo was just ok early in his career, not exactly a pass blocking prodigy. I think he was a poor fit for that system. Johnson was serviceable, and really did little once he moved on. Remember Ugoh beat him out initially for the job, Ugoh actually looked pretty good very early on then declined rapidly. Johnson benefited from Manning’s play, and was really on the field because he was the only one healthy.

As for the other stuff, doesn’t really change anything I said.

[JAFF]

Originally Posted by Chromeburn

Castonzo was drafted by his son and they were on their way out because they couldn’t fill those talent holes that they used to. Also Castonzo was just ok early in his career, not exactly a pass blocking prodigy. I think he was a poor fit for that system. Johnson was serviceable, and really did little once he moved on. Remember Ugoh beat him out initially for the job, Ugoh actually looked pretty good very early on then declined rapidly. Johnson benefited from Manning’s play, and was really on the field because he was the only one healthy.

As for the other stuff, doesn’t really change anything I said.

Polian was in charge, and took the blame.

[Chromeburn]

Originally Posted by JAFF

Polian was in charge, and took the blame.

Sure, he was still getting paid to run the team and the buck stopped with him, but the nepotism is what undid them. Those last drafts were run by his son and they were just not hitting on picks anymore. Of course, a department isn't just one guy when making picks. However, there was a difference in their choices from 2007 on. There were some really bad picks in there. When you use just one method to build your team, you can't have a decline in that area.

Manning propped the team up on his shoulders at the end and it was exposed when he got hurt. People think they sucked for Luck in 2012, not a chance. That team had so little talent. They were really outmatched in games.