2010-11 Colts Preview: DT

[GoBigBlue88]

NOTE: This is part of a series of positional previews I will be doing for the Colts' 2010-11 roster. Look for more in the coming days.

DT Player Pool (projected camp depth)

Daniel Muir
Antonio Johnson
Eric Foster
Fili Moala
Mitch King
Ricardo Mathews
Marlon Favorite

Roles/Projections

• Muir: Muir was one of the bigger surprises in 2009. A lot of Colts fans groaned when the Colts cut Ed Johnson and replaced him with Muir. But there's a reason coaches make these decisions, and we saw why within a few weeks: Muir is a strong, athletic tackle who can anchor the line and also knife into the backfield to make plays. By far, he was the best player on the interior line last year, lightyears beyond Ed Johnson. Muir still needs to hone his interior rush skills, but has already proven himself a staple on the Colts' line. Look for him to lead the DTs heading into 2010.
• Johnson: In 2008, Johnson was picked up essentially as an emergency fat-ass. The Colts had no girth on the line whatsoever, so they plucked Mookie off the Titans' PS. He made an immediate impact, denying the Steelers' run game several times in his first appearance. Antonio Johnson has been one of the hardest workers on the Colts' roster since he joined, and it seems like he's expanded his athleticism (and consequentially, his game) since joining the team two years ago. He's not as skilled as Muir, but he doesn't have to be...Johnson's primary job is to prevent OL from getting a push. It's not a glorified position, but he plays it reasonably well. Still, he's just an above-average DT. He'll be a starter, and he'll probably continue to improve, but don't look for Johnson to show up much on the stat sheet. It's the little things he does well that help the DL.
• Foster: Drastically undersized for a DT, Foster still manages to be a terror at times. He's not as consistent as you would like, nor is he exceptional at any one thing. He is, however, disruptive, and mostly disruptive coming off the edge either as a power DE or via DL stunts. A player like Foster is perfect for a Coyer defense, as he allows a certain amount of versatility from the position. Better as a pass-rusher than a run defender, Foster has shown that he can get to the QB and provide problems for the OL. He isn't a likely candidate for a breakout game anytime soon, but Foster is a valuable part of the rotation that can take advantage of blockers' occupation with other pass-rushers and steer himself toward the QB.
• Moala: Fili Moala's rookie season was entirely forgettable, and really quite awful. Zero push, zero rush, zero anything. For a guy supposed to be both big and athletic, he looked to have neither trait. Moala was often pushed around as a rookie, and by his own admission, was often lost out there, thinking instead of playing. Hopefully that changes this year, because the Colts need Moala to develop into an athletic interior presence, a player who can take advantage of the QB stepping up into the pocket to avoid the edge rush. If Moala can even half-deliver on his potential, he should walk into a handful of sacks. Freeney and Mathis practically deliver pass-rushing DTs quarterbacks...all Moala has to do is shed a block or two and bowl the QB over. If, and it's still a fairly big if, Moala can realize this potential, the Colts' pass rush would be entirely complete. Interior rush combined with three speed rushers - two of which are Pro Bowl players - would make the defense virtually unbeatable a la 2005. A lot hinges on Moala's play in 2010...hopefully he finds a way to deliver after an awful rookie year.
• King: I get the feeling that [correction: I need to do more research.] King seems like a player who was always meant for the Colts: a relentless guy with a high motor. King will certainly get a look at power DE, but will probably also be tested in an Eric Foster role as an interior player who can stunt outside or generally take advantage of QBs stepping up into the pocket. King isn't big enough to hold his own during any kind of power run play, thus he must be used sparingly, but he has the build and athleticism of an ideal power DE in this system and will probably find a home there. Of course, he'll face a lot of competition from...
• Mathews: Ricardo Mathews was specifically drafted, according to Polian, to play power DE. I know I've talked about this position a lot in the DE and DT previews - so what exactly is it? Well, Brock played some power DE last year, and it's more or less an unglorified anchor position, a position that tasks a player with holding the line and preventing RBs from using their blockers to bounce directional run plays to the outside. A power DE will face a couple blockers looking to push him off the edge - wide and out of the running lane - and thus the player must hold his ground and prevent those blockers from moving him, thus slowing the RB and preventing the line from setting the edge. Once the RB is slowed or made to either cut back or bounce wider, the speed of the Colts' defense will allow for players to swarm to that indecisive back and stop him for minimal gain. Mathews, then, seems - like King - designed for this role. He'll probably never hold his own as a pure DT, but is big and athletic enough to prevent the OL from setting the edge on his side. My power DE competition more or less comes down to King and Mathews, and honestly I could draw names out of a hat there, without either having shown anything in camp/preseason yet. I'll give the edge to King right now, based on the fact he's been in a camp already and has had longer to learn the Colts' playbook, but it could just as easily be Mathews. If Mathews does in fact get beat out for the power DE position, I look for him to spend some time on the PS and probably be the first player called up in event of injury.
• Favorite: Some guys are called in that never really have much of a chance, and barring something incredible, Favorite is one of those guys. I wouldn't be surprised to see him be one of the first cuts. Favorite has a Johnson-esque build (6-1, 317 vs 6-3 310), but is an NFL PS journeyman. When a guy can't even stick on a PS, there's usually a good reason. The Titans regret losing Johnson and tried to keep him on their PS...nobody, I'm guessing, shed a tear when Favorite joined the Colts. Best of luck to him, and I'm all about players proving me wrong (who thought Lacey stood a chance heading into last camp?), but I just don't see a roster spot in the cards for Favorite.

My Projected Keepers

Daniel Muir
Antonio Johnson
Eric Foster
Fili Moala
Mitch King
Ricardo Mathews (PS)

Position Analysis

The DT position isn't particularly impressive, but will get the job done in 2010-11.

Muir and Johnson are solid run-stuffing starters, unheralded guys who will never make Pro Bowls or see ratings higher than 80 on Madden, but guys who do the dirty work so the rest of the defense can flow to the ball and make plays. Each is coming off a solid 2009 campaign, but each needs to continue to improve, notably in the area of pushing the pocket back and preventing easy three-step drops to avoid the outside rush.

After those two is a deluge of players with varied, but valuable traits. Foster will see a healthy amount of snaps in the rotation, primarily as a pass-rushing DT that loops outside as a DE loops inside. Moala - who saw some time at power DE during the first day of camp - will, for now, see most snaps on the goal-line, but should hope to develop into a viable interior rush threat to pair opposite one of the big boys on passing downs. King or Mathews will hold primary honors as the power DE on obvious run downs, preventing opposing OLs from setting the edge and providing their RB with an easy path into the endzone.

Gone are the days where Colts fans should worry about the interior line. However, that doesn't mean that we should be content with what we have. An interior pass rush is mandatory, given what the edge rushers force. Someone needs to step up, and step up in the pocket into the QB's facemask. Hopefully that's Moala, but if it's not, the Colts need to find someone, or they will always be vulnerable to those three-step drops.

[FatDT]

I think King will beat out Moala and Matthews. I was very high on him in 09. Though I disagree about the Colts wanting to draft him, since no one drafted him. He picked the Titans out of all the offers he got, Indy included. I agree though that he is a Colts type of player.

It would be nice to have a Kevin Williams at DT but those are hard to come by. I feel fairly confident in the DT play this year. Hopefully the easy completions from a QB stepping up in the pocket are gone this year.

[GoBigBlue88]

Originally Posted by FatDT

I think King will beat out Moala and Matthews. I was very high on him in 09. Though I disagree about the Colts wanting to draft him, since no one drafted him. He picked the Titans out of all the offers he got, Indy included. I agree though that he is a Colts type of player.

It would be nice to have a Kevin Williams at DT but those are hard to come by. I feel fairly confident in the DT play this year. Hopefully the easy completions from a QB stepping up in the pocket are gone this year.

D'oh! Thought he was a third-rounder for some reason. My bad.

[gino]

[quote=GoBigBlue88;253064]
After those two is a deluge of players with varied, but valuable traits. Foster will see a healthy amount of snaps in the rotation, primarily as a pass-rushing DT that loops outside as a DE loops inside. Moala - who saw some time at power DE during the first day of camp - will, for now, see most snaps on the goal-line, but should hope to develop into a viable interior rush threat to pair opposite one of the big boys on passing downs.

.[/quote) dont mean to nit pick, but the colts dont do the loop thing that often, so i doubt it can be said that foster will used primarily as a DE that loops outside. i agree that he willl be a DT in passing situations.

if johnson and muir are run stuffers, why would you think moala, who got blown off the ball would see time in goalline situations? i agree he needs to step up and take a lot of those snaps in the rotation.

we need a bigger body to rotate with johnson and muir, someone like ed johnson. we dont need more foster/king types. if muir and or johnson go down we are extremely vulnerable.

I have never heard of a "power DE" until training camp started and moala was seen at DE. with hughes at DE i think that we wont be seeing as much of the brock type role as we did last year.

lets hope moala emerges as a major contributor on dline. we need that badly

[DwinsChampionships]

Favorite never really got a chance with any team that picked him up last yr. so quite frankly I don't know how anybody can draw any conclusions on him. Im also tired of everybody throwing Moala under the bus(not nessasarily you, just saying) He is going into his 2nd yr. for crying out loud. It takes a while for DT's to adjust to the pro game. Also as far as im concerned King and Foster can hit the road. Im sick of people talking up Foster, when in reality, he has no business playing DT in the NFL. Just cause a guy has made 2 or 3 good plays in 2 yrs. don't make him a keeper. The fact that he has stuck around speaks volumes to just how bad our DT's have been. King may be worth keeping at a DE posistion if it would mean they would finally get rid of Dawson(perhaps the worst player to ever make an NFL roster).