2. Jerry Hughes may have to be patient – and the fans will, too. The more you’re around the Colts this off-season, the more clear this becomes. They like Hughes, a first-round selection in the 2010 NFL Draft. They like him a lot. He has ability. He has the tools to be a big-time pass rusher in the NFL. All of it’s true, but it’s just as true that almost all great pass rushers have an adjustment period before they become great NFL pass rushers. Sometimes, as was the case with Colts five-time Pro Bowl defensive end Dwight Freeney in 2002, the adjustment takes a half season. Sometimes, it takes more, even for great players. Hughes is a worker and he has talent, but it’s unfair to expect double-digit sacks this season. More likely, he will show flashes and some fans may become impatient. He may be effective in spots, but it may be 2011 before Hughes shows his full potential as an NFL rusher. That’s not a negative, nor does it make it a bad pick. It’s just the reality of the position in the NFL.
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