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Indianapolis Colts News & Rumors

Colts Sign 15 Undrafted Free Agents

May 4th, 2015 at 1:31pm CST by Luke Adams

The Colts have announced their undrafted free agent class of 2015, and Kevin Bowen of Colts.com has the details on the 15 players the team added to its roster following the draft. Here are the names of Indianapolis’ new UDFAs:

  • Bryan Bennett, QB, Southeastern Louisiana
  • Quan Bray, WR, Auburn ($5K bonus, per Aaron Wilson)
  • Donald Celiscar, CB, Western Michigan
  • Cody Galea, LB, San Diego Stat
  • Terrell Hartsfield, DE, Cincinnati
  • Zach Hodges, LB, Harvard
  • Joshua Mitchell, CB, Nebraska
  • Ezell Ruffin, WR, San Diego State
  • Al-Hajj Shabazz, CB, West Chester
  • Jean Sifrin, TE, Massachusetts
  • Justin Sinz, TE, Purdue
  • Robert Smith, S, Clemson
  • Junior Sylvestre, LB, Toledo
  • Tyler Varga, RB, Yale
  • Brandon Vitabile, C, Northwestern

Some Colts Not Happy With Dorsett Pick

May 4th, 2015 at 9:33am CST by Luke Adams

Multiple Colts players aren’t thrilled that the team used its first-round pick on wide receiver Phillip Dorsett, a league source tells Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk. According to Florio, the preference among those players was for the club to take a safety like Landon Collins, or a tackle on either side of the ball.

By selecting Dorsett, general manager Ryan Grigson and the Colts were presumably drafting the best player available on their board. However, the former Miami Hurricane will join a crowded receiving corps in Indianapolis — T.Y. Hilton and Donte Moncrief are still ascending, and Andre Johnson, who should still have plenty left in the tank, was also added to the mix earlier in the offseason.

As Florio observes, the Colts could’ve opted instead to select a wide receiver later in the draft, in which case there’d be less of a presumption that that rookie wideout would see plenty of playing time and plenty of targets. In Dorsett’s case, his pedigree suggests that he’ll see the field early and often.

Of course, Dorsett should contribute in the return game as well, as the Colts signaled when they released veteran return specialist Josh Cribbs less than 24 hours after making their first-round pick. But there are several other holes on the roster the team could have addressed with that No. 29 overall pick, and based on Florio’s report, it sounds like at least a few Colts players would’ve preferred to address those holes.

AFC Links: Collins, Dorsett, Timmons

May 3rd, 2015 at 10:32pm CST by Sam Robinson

One of the highest-regarded undrafted free agents in history, La’el Collins figures to be a premier topic in May as he attempts to begin a now-unorthodox career.

The Titans, however, won’t be among the teams pursuing the ex-LSU lineman that was a surefire first-round pick as recently as earlier this week, according to The Tennesseean’s Jim Wyatt on Twitter. The team remains in need of a right tackle but did add two interior linemen in the draft — guard Jeremiah Poutasi and center Andy Gallik in the third and sixth rounds, respectively.

Here is some additional news from around the AFC.

  • The Colts‘ draft puzzled Indianapolis Star columnist Gregg Doyel, with the team adding players in key spots that may not be able to contribute much this season — one with immense expectations. Doyel argues the team did not address needs of defensive tackle and safety early enough, with one of each added on Day 3. Indianapolis ranked 18th in run defense last season. Part-time players last year, Josh Chapman and Montori Hughes, are the Colts’ top two nose tackle options.
  • The crux of Doyel’s argument, first-round pick Phillip Dorsett, could also find himself a key player in the Colts’ offense from the start, writes the Indianapolis Star’s Stephen Holder. Dorsett, CFL import Duron Carter and former All-Pro Andre Johnson add to a loaded wideout corps that was at times slowed by descending veterans Reggie Wayne and Hakeem Nicks last year. Holder wonders if the 34-year-old Johnson will give way to Dorsett in some three-wide sets or when the Colts deploy the two-tight end look they often do.
  • One of now four linebackers with first-round pedigrees in Pittsburgh, Lawrence Timmons is in line for a contract extension come 2016, reports Mark Kaboly of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review. The Steelers’ second-highest-paid player and NFL’s best-compensated inside linebacker’s current deal that pays him $12.6MM this season and $11.8MM next year runs through ’16.
  • With just two starters locked in for this season up front, the Broncos are positioning their offensive line youngsters less than three days after acquiring them. Second-round choice Ty Sambrailo will open his career at right tackle, where the Broncos have a glaring need after using three players there last year, while versatile fourth-rounder Max Garcia will begin work behind Louis Vasquez at right guard, according to Troy Renck of the Denver Post. Last year’s third-rounder, Michael Schofield, didn’t suit up for a game as a rookie despite the Broncos’ right tackle issues and is now playing behind Ryan Clady at left tackle.
  • Mel Kiper Jr. envisions Ravens second-round pick Maxx Williams as an offensive rookie of the year candidate, writes Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun. The ESPN draft veteran also opined Breshad Perriman will be a better player than Torrey Smith.

Colts Acquire No. 151 Pick From 49ers

May 2nd, 2015 at 1:31pm CST by Rob DiRe

The Colts have traded up in the fifth round to No. 151, trading with the 49ers according to the team’s official Twitter account. The Colts will give up their fifth-round pick (No. 165) and a seventh-round pick (No. 244) in order to move up to that spot.

The Colts make the trade in order to select Stanford defensive tackle David Parry, reports Mike Chappell of IndySportsCentral.com (via Twitter).

The team has made an effort to rebuild their defensive line this offseason by signing Kendall Langford. They also drafted Parry’s teammate on the defensive line Henry Anderson yesterday in round three. After losing in the AFC Championship game to a Patriots’ team that was able to run all over them, becoming more stout in the front seven was a priority for general manager Ryan Grigson.

AFC Notes: Steelers, Ravens, Chargers

May 1st, 2015 at 11:01pm CST by Connor J. Byrne

Before drafting Mississippi cornerback Senquez Golson with the 56th overall pick, the Steelers tried to move up and take Minnesota tight end Maxx Williams, tweets Mark Kaboly of the Pittsburgh-Tribune Review. The Steelers were unable to pull it off, however, and Williams ended up going 55th to the AFC North rival Ravens, who traded up to get ahead of Pittsburgh. Not surprisingly, that displeased the Steelers, according to Kaboly.

While the Steelers may not have been happy to see their division rivals land Williams, Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com (Twitter link) doesn’t think they were going to take the tight end themselves in that spot — according to La Canfora, Pittsburgh was “locked in” on Golson at No. 56.

Here are a few more draft-related leftovers from day two, from around the AFC…

  • Speaking of the Ravens, they’re eyeing some of the draft’s remaining cornerbacks, per Jeff Zrebiec of the Baltimore Sun (Twitter).
  • The Chargers had discussions with multiple teams about moving down in the second round, but they decided to stay put because they wanted Miami linebacker Denzel Perryman, Michael Gehlken of the San Diego Union-Tribune tweets. The Bolts took Perryman 48th overall.
  • Broncos general manager John Elway didn’t consider taking a quarterback in the third round, tweets Troy Renck of the Denver Post. The Broncos instead used the 92nd overall pick on Ohio State tight end Jeff Heuerman.
  • Discussing the teams’ day two draft picks, Texans GM Rick Smith said linebacker Benardrick McKinney was the highest-rated player on the club’s board when the second round began, and added that Jaelen Strong‘s injured wrist was medically cleared by the Texans’ staff prior to the draft (Twitter links via Brian T. Smith of the Houston Chronicle).
  • Josh Cribbs became expendable for the Colts when the team drafted Phillip Dorsett in the first round, and Indianapolis released Cribbs earlier today. According to GM Ryan Grigson, the club wanted to give the veteran returner a chance to find “greener pastures,” tweets Mike Chappell of RTV6.

Buccaneers Acquire 61st Pick From Colts

May 1st, 2015 at 8:15pm CST by Connor J. Byrne

The Buccaneers have acquired the 61st pick from the Colts in exchange for No. 65, according to Mike Chappell of Fox59 (Twitter link), and Rick Stroud of the Tampa Bay Times tweets that the Bucs will select Hobart guard Ali Marpet. Stroud also reports (Twitter) that the teams will swap fourth-round picks, Indy receiving the 109th choice and Tampa getting No. 128.

Colts Release Josh Cribbs

May 1st, 2015 at 5:03pm CST by Luke Adams

The Colts have released return specialist Josh Cribbs, the team announced today in a press release. Because he’s a 10-year veteran, Cribbs won’t be subjected to waivers, and will immediately be free to sign with another team.

Cribbs, 31, was one of the most explosive punt and kick returners in the league earlier in his career, tallying 11 total return touchdowns — three on punts and eight more on kicks. After joining the Colts last year, the Kent State product didn’t make an impact on 19 punt returns, averaging just 6.6 yards, but his kick return average was an impressive 32.0 yards per return on 19 attempts.

The Colts drafted wide receiver Phillip Dorsett out of Miami last night, and I expect the first-round rookie to take over most – if not all – of the Colts’ return duties.

Draft Rumors: Gregory, Falcons, Bills, Saints

April 29th, 2015 at 3:11pm CST by Luke Adams

While Randy Gregory‘s failed drug test at the combine might not be enough to push him too far down draft boards on its own, there’s concern about the pass rusher’s ability to “handle the mental rigors of professional football,” according to Ian Rapoport and Albert Breer of NFL.com. As Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk observes, the NFL.com report is quite vague and short on specifics, but Rapoport and Breer suggest that multiple teams have removed Gregory from their draft boards entirely. According to the duo, Gregory’s issues might be manageable, but not fixable, which makes it crucial that he lands in the right situation.

“It all depends on the organization, and what they have in place for him,” said one NFC personnel executive. “There are quite a few players that have issues. It’s where you place football character over the things he can’t control. That’s the big thing to me.”

Appearing on The Dan Patrick Show, Jay Glazer of Fox Sports indicated earlier today that he wouldn’t touch Gregory, alluding to the Nebraska defender’s “other issues” (Twitter link). Meanwhile, Jason Cole of Bleacher Report tweets that those “issues” are a combination of mental health concerns and recreational drug use.

With players like Josh Gordon and Dion Jordan set to serve season-long suspensions, it makes sense that teams would be wary of a player like Gregory, who could potentially run into similar off-field trouble. It’ll be interesting to see which club eventually takes a chance on a player who has top-10 talent, and when exactly that happens.

Here are a few more draft updates:

  • As rumors swirl suggesting that the Falcons could trade up from No. 8 for a top pass rusher, Rapoport tweets that most of the teams he has spoken to believe Atlanta will actually trade back and select an offensive lineman.
  • According to Rapoport (via Twitter), Bills owner Terry Pegula initially planned to make the trip to Texas this week for the club’s meeting with Baylor quarterback Bryce Petty. It ultimately didn’t work out, but it could be a sign that Buffalo is serious about Petty.
  • Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com identifies the Rams, Saints, Bengals, Cowboys, Colts, Patriots, and Seahawks as teams that may be willing to roll the dice on some of the prospects in this year’s draft class who have red flags related to character and/or off-field incidents.
  • While the Saints earned a mention in La Canfora’s list, GM Mickey Loomis did say today that some players will be off New Orleans’ draft board because of character issues, tweets Brett Martel of The Associated Press. Still, Loomis noted that in many cases he’s more concerned about a player’s judgment than the incident itself, and said it’s important to be careful about labeling a player based on one incident (Twitter links).
  • Loomis also said today that the Saints are unlikely to trade picks, but will listen to opportunities to move up or down. The overarching goal for the draft, according to the GM, is to make the team better “right now” (Twitter links via Martel).
  • Penn State tight end Jesse James, a probable mid-round pick, worked out for the Ravens, sources tell Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun.

Draft Notes: Williams, Fowler, DGB

April 27th, 2015 at 6:41pm CST by Zachary Links

There are only five can’t-miss players in the 2015 NFL Draft, Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com writes. La Canfora writes that he initially set out to identify the top ten players in this crop, but one scout that he respect immensely insists that there’s an upper crust of five prospects, followed by a major drop off in talent between them and the next tier. Those five can’t miss prospects, execs tell La Canfora, are Leonard Williams, Dante Fowler Jr., Shane Ray, Kevin White, and Amari Cooper. Here’s more draft news..

  • Multiple coaches in the NFL are pushing to draft receiver Dorial Green-Beckham in the first round, but owners are not sold on him, according to Matt Miller of Bleacher Report (video link). There are teams that could stretch for him in round one, but it’ll only happen in a case where the owner has a supreme level of trust in their coach. Miller speculates that the Ravens at No. 26 are the most likely to take DGB since GM Ozzie Newsome has so much trust from ownership. On the other hand, the Ray Rice situation might scare the Ravens away from taking someone with clear off-the-field issues.
  • NBC’s Cris Collinsworth told Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk that the wide receiver class this year features “up to eleven or 12, quality wise, who in any other year you would say, ‘That’s a first-round talent’.” That’s not to say that a dozen receivers will go in the first round, but there are a number of talented players at the position.
  • Northwestern safety Ibraheim Campbell told SiriusXM NFL Radio (via Twitter) that he had visits with the Colts, Buccaneers, Texans, Bears, and Patriots.

Draft Rumors: Falcons, Gurley, Cowboys

April 27th, 2015 at 10:16am CST by Luke Adams

The Falcons have long coveted a standout pass rusher, and the club could get the opportunity to draft one this year. The team currently has the No. 8 pick, but according to D. Orlando Ledbetter of the Atlanta Journal Constitution, GM Thomas Dimitroff will consider the possibility of moving up a few spots to land Florida edge rusher Dante Fowler Jr. It would cost Atlanta an extra pick or two to trade up for Fowler, who is widely considered the top pass rusher in the draft, but the club hasn’t hesitated to make that sort of move in the past, most notably moving up to snag Julio Jones in 2011.

Here are a few more notes and rumors from around the NFL, as draft night approaches:

  • With his ACL healing well, Todd Gurley now appears likely to be a top-20 pick, tweets Albert Breer of the NFL Network. According to Breer, when he called around this weekend, the Browns (Nos. 12, 19), Dolphins (No. 14), and Chargers (No. 17) were all linked to the Georgia running back.
  • The Browns may be considering Gurley with one of their two first-round picks, but the team figures to take a long look at receivers as well. Per Pro Football Talk (Twitter link), UCF wideout Breshad Perriman dined last night with Cleveland GM Ray Farmer and other team executives.
  • While a consensus is forming for a few picks near the top of the draft, it’s not clear where USC defensive lineman Leonard Williams – viewed by many as 2015’s best prospect – will land, writes Michael David Smith of Pro Football Talk. As badly as the Raiders may need a wide receiver, I’d be surprised if Oakland passed on Williams at No. 4, assuming he’s available there.
  • The Cowboys will have a hard time passing up Washington’s Marcus Peters or Wake Forest’s Kevin Johnson in the first round if either cornerback is still on the board at No. 27, says Tony Pauline of DraftInsider.net (via Twitter).
  • Colts owner Jim Irsay isn’t ruling out any possibility for his team on Thursday, suggesting that the Colts could easily trade up or down from No. 29, writes Stephen Holder of the Indianapolis Star.
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