We are one week into free agency and the Colts still have not lost a player. I get the feeling this is going to end…very soon. Before they lose their first player I thought I would share my thoughts on their Unrestricted Free Agents.
1) Rocky Boiman: LB, Backup and special teamer. No real opinion on this guy.
2) Mike Doss, DB: Don’t really need him with Bethea on board. Had a very up and down career with the Colts.
3) Nick Harper, DB: Great player. Integral to the improvement of the D over the last five years. Too old at 32 to pay the money it would take to keep him.
4) Cato June, LB: This one kills. Is he really going to go somewhere else and make an impact? Maybe not, but someone will pay him. Can’t wisely keep both him and Freeney.
5) Dan Klecko, DT: Useful on multiple fronts. He should be back.
6) Aaron Moorehead, WR: It would suck to lose him just when he’s becoming useful. Other than hosting his radio show on ESPN950, he’s done very little until the end of 2006. Pay to keep him.
7) James Mungro, RB: Edgerrin and Rhodes both blew out their knees and came back to play well after rehabbing. Not sure how much Mungro can really help less than a year after the injury.
8) Ricky Proehl, WR: Retired.
9) Dominic Rhodes, RB: Definitely gone. If they didn’t keep Edge they definitely won’t be keeping a guy who averaged 3.4 yds per carry in the regular season. You just can’t pay RBs big money, when you can draft one with fresh legs.
10) Terrence Wilkins, WR: Overlooked element to the Colts’ success this year. Had a quietly excellent Super Bowl. He was an improvement in both kickoff and punt returns over the Rhodes/Troy Walters combo in past years. Getting older though.
The interesting thing about this list is that there are really only two critical players on here: Harper and June. I think the defensive backfield will be fine. If the colts can draft a good LB and a decent DT they should field a very similar defensive team to the 2006 squad. Will this be good enough to repeat as AFC South champions? Yes. Super Bowl champions? Hard to say. Polian better do one heck of a job with his first and third round picks. As I have said before I see Polian signing Freeney to a big contract. Otherwise what was the point in letting Edge walk last year? You have to pay either June or Freeney, right?
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