[The General]

It’s official. Jim Sorgi will return to the Colts next season.
Sorgi, the Colts’ backup quarterback since 2004, signed a tender offer to remain with the team, the Colts announced Friday afternoon. Sorgi became a restricted free agent following this past season.

Sorgi, who has played in 10 games for the Colts as a backup to two-time NFL Most Valuable Player Peyton Manning, has completed 59 of 90 passes for 619 yards and five touchdowns with one interception in three NFL seasons.

After playing extensively in at least one game in each of his first two seasons, Sorgi saw limited action last season, playing in just one game – the Colts’ 43-24 victory over Houston in September in the RCA Dome.

He did not throw a pass in that game.

Sorgi, a 2004 sixth-round draft selection from the University of Wisconsin, has a career passer rating of 99.3.

Under NFL rules, restricted free agents are players who have completed three accrued seasons of service and whose contracts have expired. They have received qualifying offers from their old clubs and are free to negotiate with any club until April 20, at which time their rights revert to their original club.

If a player accepts an offer from a new club, the old club will have the right to match the offer and retain the player. If the old club elects not to match the offer, it may receive draft-choice compensation depending on the level of the qualifying offer made to the player.

--Colts.com

[The General]

Colts Veterans Return for Off-Season Conditioning Program


They gathered again Monday at the Colts’ complex, smiling, shaking hands and exchanging hugs.

But mostly, they worked.

Because when the Colts gathered on Monday morning, they did so for the first day of the 2007 off-season conditioning program, which made it unofficially the first day of the upcoming season.

And while handshakes and hugs were nice, and while their gathering was their first as defending Super Bowl champions, the past was not paramount on Monday.

Instead, the focus was on the future.

“That was last year,” veteran right tackle Ryan Diem said as many Colts players reported for the first of 14 weeks of voluntary workouts.

“I think you’ll hear that from a lot of guys. It’s a new season, new team. You’ve got some new faces that are going to be around here in a few weeks.

“It’s just time to get back to work and prepare ourselves for the ’07 season.”

Monday’s starting date, April 16, was later than the Colts normally begin their off-season program, with Colts Head Coach Tony Dungy delaying the start because of last season’s postseason run.

“It’s fun coming back,” veteran defensive tackle Dan Klecko said. “It’s fun to see everyone and see guys you haven’t seen for a couple of months. You walk in and everybody’s hugging each other, so it’s nice.”

Typically, the Colts have started the off-season program in March, but in recent seasons – with the Colts making the playoffs each of the past five seasons – the conditioning period generally has begun a few weeks later.

The Colts played four extra games last season and practiced five more weeks than teams that didn’t make the playoffs. A postseason team each of the past five seasons, the Colts have practiced 13 extra weeks during that span.

That’s a big reason for the added off-season time off, Dungy said, but players on Monday mostly said they were ready to return.

“I’m ready to start,” Colts third-year cornerback Kelvin Hayden said. “Everybody’s going to be hunting for us. That’s the great thing. Week in and week out, you have to bring your ‘A Game,’ because everybody’s going to be bring their ‘A Game’ for us.

“You’ve got to wait a couple of months, but I’m ready to see what happens.”

Not that the break seemed particularly long to all Colts players.

As of Monday, 10 weeks had passed since the Victory Celebration the day after the Colts’ 29-17 victory in Super Bowl XLI.

“The off-season was so quick – it went by that fast,” Colts second-year running back Joseph Addai said, snapping his fingers. “I understand it’s a job, so I’m not really mad about it. I don’t look at it like I didn’t have any time. I still have a lot of time.”

Dungy long has believed that NFL players make their biggest jump in performance level from Year One to Year Two, and that the reason is a chance to be involved year-round in conditioning and preparation.

He said last week that made the coming weeks important for players such as cornerback Tim Jennings, cornerback T.J. Rushing, and even Addai, who led all NFL rookies in rushing last season with 1,081 yards and seven touchdowns.

“I want to start getting ready and start looking forward to the new season,” Addai said. “To me, it’s going to be everybody looking at me now, because I had a decent season last year. I’ve got to come in and just get on the same page with everybody.

“I’m still a young player, but I can still get help from the older guys. Like (Colts quarterback) Peyton (Manning), he’s still working out. It’s just trying to understand what he’s thinking in a game, or in practice – how his mind’s thinking or how his mind-frame is.”

The conditioning program is a key part of an extensive off-season.

Under NFL rules, teams may hold a voluntary off-season conditioning program, and also hold 14 on-field training activity days – or OTAs. The Colts’ OTAs are scheduled to begin in late May after the team’s lone mandatory mini-camp, which is scheduled for May 18-20.

The NFL Draft will be held April 28-29, and a rookie mini-camp is scheduled for the following weekend, May 4-6.

While on-field coaching sessions – sessions in which position groups may go on the field as groups, but not in multiple groups – are typically a part of the conditioning program, Dungy said fewer such sessions likely will be held this season.

But the focus on off-season conditioning will remain, and players said it will remain critical to on-field success.

“It’s paramount,” Diem said. “This is where you get strong. This is where you get in shape. This is what gets you through the long season like we had last year. That was key – that we were in pretty good shape.

“We maintained ourselves throughout the year and we were ready to go the distance. There are a lot of people who just break down. There are 24 weeks including preseason. It’s a long year.”

Said Hayden, “Everybody’s upbeat. Everybody’s happy to see each other. That’s always crazy. You haven’t seen these guys in a while. Most of these guys haven’t seen each other since the parade. It’s great to see guys, ask how their off-season went and stuff like that. At the same time, everybody knows everybody’s back now, so it means it’s time to go back to work.

“It’s great that everybody’s back and everybody knows we’re on a mission to repeat. We’re ready to go.”

BACK WHERE HE WANTS TO BE: Klecko said he’s not only happy to be back with the Colts, he’s happy to be back in a familiar number.

After wearing No. 61 last season, Klecko this season will wear No. 90.

That number was worn the last four seasons by defensive tackle Montae Reagor, a starter from 2002-2006 who recently signed with the Philadelphia Eagles.

Klecko, who re-signed with the Colts after becoming an unrestricted free agent in the off-season, wore No. 90 during his first three NFL seasons with the New England Patriots.

“It’s nice to be back in the 90s, and to have my number back, that is nice,” Klecko said.

Klecko, who played as a reserve defensive tackle and part-time fullback last season, said being in the off-season program may be a benefit.

He joined the Colts last season just before the first game of the regular season, shortly after his release from New England.

“It’s something I missed last year,” Klecko said. “I think that hurt me a little bit, coming in and kind of getting my feet wet the first week of the season. That’s tough. It really is. I had seen other guys go through it and I finally went through it to see how tough it really is.

“This will be nice to kind of ease into it and get to see everybody the whole year. It will be a lot better.”

FAMILIAR FACE: When guard Rick DeMulling re-signed with the Colts several weeks ago, few Colts players were happier than Diem.

The Colts drafted both players in 2001, and they were starters on the line from 2002-2004. They are also best friends.

DeMulling signed with the Detroit Lions as an unrestricted free agent in 2004, but re-signed with the Colts early this month.

“It’s been great,” Diem said. “He’s a great friend of mine. It was a little lonely around here while he was gone, but it has been fun to have him back already. He fell right back into place, like he was never gone. It’s cool.

“He’ll be a good asset to our offensive line. He’s given us some depth.”

Diem said he and the rest of the line began working out at the Colts’ complex a few weeks ago.

“We’ve had a lot of the linemen early – (guard Ryan) Lilja, (center) Jeff (Saturday), (left tackle) Tarik (Glenn), myself – we’ve been around a few weeks,” Diem said.

Added Diem, laughing, “It’s good to see other faces (from other positions) around. You get sick of those guys.”


The Official Website of the Indianapolis Colts

[The General]

FULL 2007 SCHEDULE for the COLTS.

2007 PRESEASON

WK	DATE	OPPONENT
1	8/9	@ Dallas Cowboys	8:00 PM
2	8/20	CHICAGO BEARS	8:00 PM
3	8/25	DETROIT LIONS	7:00 PM
4	8/31	@ Cincinnati Bengals	7:30 PM

2007 REGULAR SEASON

WK	DATE	OPPONENT
1	9/6	NEW ORLEANS SAINTS	8:30 PM
2	9/16	@ Tennessee Titans	1:00 PM
3	9/23	@ Houston Texans	1:00 PM
4	9/30	DENVER BRONCOS	4:15 PM
5	10/7	TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS	4:05 PM
6	10/14	BYE	-
7	10/22	@ Jacksonville Jaguars	8:30 PM
8	10/28	@ Carolina Panthers	1:00 PM
9	11/4	NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS	4:15 PM
10	11/11	@ San Diego Chargers	8:15 PM
11	11/18	KANSAS CITY CHIEFS	1:00 PM
12	11/22	@ Atlanta Falcons	8:15 PM
13	12/2	JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS	1:00 PM
14	12/9	@ Baltimore Ravens	8:15 PM
15	12/16	@ Oakland Raiders	4:05 PM
16	12/23	HOUSTON TEXANS	1:00 PM
17	12/30	TENNESSEE TITANS	1:00 PM

[The General]

Jake Scott, Veteran Offensive Guard Re-Signs With Colts.





Jake Scott has been one of the Colts’ most consistent and productive offensive players the past three seasons.
This week, the Colts and Scott took a step to ensure that will continue.

Scott, a fourth-year veteran offensive guard who became a restricted free agent following this past season, has re-signed with the Colts, the club announced Friday.

Duration and terms were not disclosed.

Scott, a fifth-round selection in the 2004 NFL Draft from the University of Idaho, started nine of 12 games as a rookie, and has played in the Colts’ last 44 regular-season games, including the last 39 as a starter.

Scott was one of three Colts offensive linemen to start all 16 games last season, with the others being Pro Bowl left tackle Tarik Glenn and Pro Bowl center Jeff Saturday. Scott also started 16 games in 2005 and the last seven in 2004, helping the Colts produce at least 5,000 yards total offense in each of those three seasons.

The Colts also have allowed the fewest sacks in the NFL each of the last seasons.

Scott also started all four postseason games last season, a span during which the Colts out-rushed each of their opponents en route to a 29-17 victory over the Chicago Bears in Super Bowl XLI.

--Colts.com

[The General]

The Colts do have a great team with the O line, lots of friendship I believe and the passion to get it done. We don't need any injuries. We're probably going to see the Colts do ok with 16 wins or 11 wins and then lose in playoffs as the repeat is so hard. We're going to find out soon enough. And, the team is doing voluntary workouts right now getting mean I reckon.

[The General]

Cornerback David signs offer sheet with New Orleans

Colts have 1 week to match the proposal; Indy would get 4th-rounder from Saints

The Indianapolis Colts face the prospect of losing both starting cornerbacks from their Super Bowl team.

Jason David, a restricted free agent and the team's starting right corner the past three seasons, has signed a four-year offer sheet with the New Orleans Saints. The Colts have seven days to match it, or receive a fourth-round draft pick in the April 28-29 NFL draft from the Saints as compensation.

The Colts lost their other starting cornerback last month when Nick Harper, an unrestricted free agent, signed with AFC South rival Tennessee.

The financial details of the Saints' offer sheet are unknown, but it likely is front-loaded -- a larger salary cap number in 2007. That might make it difficult for the Colts to match. They have less than $4 million of room under the league's $109 million salary cap.

David, 24, has started 43 regular-season games and six more in the playoffs since being selected in the fourth round of the 2004 draft.
Despite David being a fixture on defense, the Colts tendered him at the lowest level last month: one-year, $850,000. If he signed an offer sheet with another team that they chose not to match, the compensation would be a fourth-round pick. That made David an attractive restricted free agent.

[The General]

Colts looking for defense in draft


Tony Dungy's short offseason consisted of the usual victory laps. A parade in Indianapolis, the Lombardi Trophy tour, speaking engagements and Monday's trip to the White House.

Somehow, Dungy still managed to get some work accomplished. His task: catching up on the draft so he can put the pieces in place to defend a Super Bowl title.

"I'm a little behind," Dungy said recently of his prep work. "We're going to try and add depth and develop players."

It's become an annual tradition for Super Bowl champions in the salary-cap age. Win on the field, lose in free agency, reload through the draft.

Since beating the Chicago Bears in February to win the NFL title, the Colts have lost two assistant coaches and three starters -- cornerback Nick Harper, linebacker Cato June and running back Dominic Rhodes. Indy could lose another starter, cornerback Jason David, if it doesn't match New Orleans' four-year offer sheet this week.

There's more.

Defensive tackle Montae Reagor and third receiver Brandon Stokley were released in cost-cutting moves, and the Colts still haven't decided what to do with former Pro Bowl defensive tackle Corey Simon. Still looming are negotiations with three-time Pro Bowl defensive end Dwight Freeney, who wants a long-term deal after being given the franchise tag in February.

They've overcome the losses before. Remember Edgerrin James last year?

But in the Dungy era, they've never faced such a wide-ranging exodus. That makes this weekend the most critical of the offseason for the Super Bowl champs.

Fortunately for Indy, it still has the steady hand of team president Bill Polian, a master of finding bargains near the end of the first round. Since 2001, Polian has added Pro Bowl receiver Reggie Wayne and former Pro Bowl safety Bob Sanders; starting tight end Dallas Clark; and starting running back Joseph Addai. Nne of the picks came higher than 24th.

So what does Polian intend to do at No. 32?

Probably try to solidify a defense that ranked last in the NFL against the run during the regular season and has been decimated by free agency. Dungy doesn't think the choice is that clear cut.

"We lost more on defense than we did on offense," Dungy said. "But the key is to continue to get good players, whether they're on offense or defense."

The conventional wisdom until last week was that the Colts would try to plug holes at linebacker, where they struggled badly during the '06 regular season. Some believed Polian's first choice was Penn State's Paul Posluszny, who has been compared to another Polian favorite, Shane Conlan. But Posluszny almost certainly won't be around that late.

Another possibility is Miami's Jon Beason, whose smallish frame and speed would fit perfectly into Dungy's defense.

The problem is Indy does not usually put a premium on linebackers, letting four starters -- Mike Peterson, Marcus Washington, David Thornton and now June -- walk away since the end of 2002.

Others think the best value would come along the defensive line with ends Anthony Spencer of Purdue and LaMarr Woodley of Michigan and tackle Justin Harrell of Tennessee expected to be available.

If David leaves, though, things could change.

Without either of their starting cornerbacks from the Super Bowl, the Colts may look to Aaron Ross of Texas, Chris Houston of Arkansas or Eric Wright of UNLV. Polian has shown a propensity to take players from BCS conferences and schools that have consistently been successful. But the Colts haven't taken a cornerback in the first round since 1984.

Polian could also pull a surprise by looking for a receiver, such as Southern Cal's Dwayne Jarrett or Steve Smith, to replace Stokley.

But with so many holes to fill and no second-round pick, Polian could do just what Dungy suggests and take the most talented player available, regardless of position.

"You won't know how things are going to go, but Bill always does a good job," Dungy said. "We've gotten a lot of good players when we've picked down there before, and that's what we need to do this year, too."

SportingNews.com - NFL - Colts looking for defense in draft

[The General]

Josh Thomas has been one of the Colts’ most reliable, productive reserves the past three seasons.
On Tuesday, Thomas and the Colts ensured that will remain so.

Thomas, a fourth-year veteran defensive end who became a restricted free agent following this past season, has re-signed with the Colts, the club announced on Tuesday afternoon.

Duration and terms were not disclosed.

Thomas, who signed with the Colts as a free agent shortly after the 2004 NFL Draft from Syracuse University, has played in 37 games the past three seasons, including two during the 2005 season as a starter.

He played in 11 games as a rookie in 2004, registering one sack, before missing the last five regular-season games and the postseason with a torn anterior cruciate ligament. Thomas returned the following season to play 12 games, registering a career-high three sacks.

This past season, Thomas played 14 games and made a career-high 35 tackles with one sack. He also played in all four postseason games, registering two tackles and a sack.


--colts.com

[The General]

EMBRACING HIS HERITAGE

First-Round Pick Gonzalez Embraces Cuban Background

INDIANAPOLIS – A week ago, he knew little about Indianapolis.

Anthony Gonzalez, a wide receiver from Ohio State University, knew the city had an NFL team for which he very much wanted to play.

But he didn’t know much else, and he particularly didn’t know the city had a growing Hispanic community.

But know this about Gonzalez:

Now that he does know, he’s happy about it.

Gonzalez’s father, Eduardo, is from Cuba, and Cuban heritage, tradition and language has been a huge part of Anthony Gonzalez’s life since he can remember.

And he said he sure won’t ignore it. Far from it.

“It’s been a part of my family,” Gonzalez, the Colts’ first-round selection in last weekend’s 2007 NFL Draft, said this weekend during the Colts’ 2007 rookie mini-camp, which will continue through Sunday at the team’s practice facility.

“It’s who I am. I don’t want to hide the fact that I’m Cuban or turn away from it. I want to embrace it. That’s how I’ve been brought up. . . .

“I talk about it when I’m asked. It’s something that’s a part of me.”

Minutes after the Colts made him the 32nd overall selection in the draft, Gonzalez was asked specifically about his heritage, and his new town’s growing Hispanic community.

“I didn't know that about Indianapolis, but that's something that’s very exciting to me,' Gonzalez said. “My Hispanic background, my Cuban roots, are something that's very important to me. If you walked into my house and smelled the food, you couldn't mistake it for any other nationality but Cuban.”

This past October, during Hispanic Heritage month, ESPN.com featured Gonzalez on its website with a story detailing Gonzalez’s story. How he is the son of a Cuban immigrant. How his grandfather went to school with Fidel Castro, and helped overthrow Fulgencio Batista. How in Gonzalez’s house, Spanish was spoken when relatives visited.

How he cooks Cuban food from a cookbook. How he hopes for the fall of the Castro regime soon so his grandmother can visit her homeland. How he plans someday to move to a Spanish-speaking country so he can learn the language.

And while Gonzalez’s focus this weekend is very much on football, he said he considers it an honor when and if people of Hispanic heritage identify with him.

“I’m not sure to what level it does happen, but to whatever level it is the case, it’s something I’m proud of and I’m excited about,” he said.

What Gonzalez said he is most excited about this weekend is being with the Colts, the team for which he said he most wanted to play before the draft.

His primary focus this weekend:

Learning the Colts’ way of doing things, particularly an offensive scheme that is not only one of the NFL’s most innovative, but most productive, too.

The toughest thing about the early days of the NFL?

“Just getting your steps down within the concept of the scheme,” Gonzalez said. “You run a particular offense for four years in college, you get very used to it.

“You know what steps you’re making your breaks on and what depth to insert yourself into. In a new offense, it takes a little bit of time just to get that feel.”

Colts Head Coach Tony Dungy and President Bill Polian each have stressed the rookie class that the rookie camp is about getting oriented, and that no evaluation will take place until the preseason. But after one practice Friday, Dungy said he likes what he saw from Gonzalez.

“He’s what we thought he was going to be,” Dungy said. “No question. He’s a good player. He can run and catch the ball. He works hard – all the things we thought when we drafted him.

“I think he’s going to fit in, like a lot of the guys in this class.”

The process of fitting in this weekend, Gonzalez said, has been about adapting what he learned at Ohio State to college. “There are only so many things you can do on the football field,” he said. “It’s not like your putting a 12th guy out there. A lot of things are similar. They’re just called different things.”

A lot of this weekend, he said, is about getting used to the subtle difference between college and the NFL.

“You have to speed everything up, you have to be a little more efficient,” he said. “You even have to get used to if your knee hits the ground you can still run. It’s just a little bit different – different enough to keep you one your toes for a while, but similar enough where you’re not completely awkward.”

Gonzalez, who caught 87 passes for 1,286 yards and 13 touchdowns at Ohio State, said he worked extensively in the slot-receiver position during Friday’s practice. That’s where he mostly played at Ohio State, and it’s a position that has been played in Indianapolis the past four seasons by veteran wide receiver Brandon Stokley.

The Colts released Stokley in a salary-cap move earlier this off-season. He signed with the Denver Broncos. During the draft last weekend, Dungy and Polian each spoke of Gonzalez as a perfect replacement for the productive veteran.

“It’s kind of a non-issue for me, really,” Gonzalez said of the pressure replacing Stokley. “The expectations that I place on myself are such that as long as my teammates and coaches are pleased with my contributions, that’s all I really care about. Being that that’s the case, my work is centered around making them happy.”

The same, he said, is true of fitting into an offense that includes five Pro Bowl players, including two receivers – Marvin Harrison and Reggie Wayne.

“I don’t think there are any cons to that – I really don’t,” Gonzalez said. “When I got into this situation, this was honestly – and I’m not talking just to say it – but this is honestly the team I wanted to go to, because of the veteran presence and the winning tradition that’s set here. . . .

“It’s certainly an honor to play alongside two great receivers, two of the best in the game. It’s one of a million reasons why I’m so pleased with the situation I’m in, the fact that I’ll get to work with these guys.”

Gonzalez, after his first Colts practice, was surrounded by reporters wanting to hear from the first-round selection of the defending Super Bowl champions.

Was it unusual, he was asked, being the center of attention?

“Once the vets get here, I don’t think you guys will be talking to me,” he said with a laugh. “It will be business as usual.”

It’s a business Gonzalez said he has waited his whole life to begin, and now that it is here, “to finally have the opportunity, to finally be here, is very rewarding,” he said.

“My goal is to win a Super Bowl, and to contribute to the best of my ability in whatever capacity I’m able to contribute,” he said. “I’ve never been a statistics guy. In all honesty, I don’t even know what my stats were in college. To me, what’s important is whether or nor your teammates appreciate your contributions. . . .

“So as far as outside pressure goes, I don’t think I’ll really feel much of it. It’s not something I’ve ever paid attention to.”


The Official Website of the Indianapolis Colts

[The General]

Rookies Make Good First Impression at Mini-Camp, Dungy Says


The first impressions have been made.

And although this past weekend’s 2007 Colts rookie mini-camp was very much a time for orientation and just as much not about evaluation, the Super Bowl XLI Champion’s rookie class did practice three times in three at the team’s complex.

The position coaches watched.

The personnel officials did, too, along with Colts President Bill Polian and Head Coach Tony Dungy, all getting a first feel for the 2007 Draft class.

The early impressions? So far, so good.

“I thought it was very good,” Dungy said after the rookie camp, which concluded with a Sunday morning practice at the practice facility.

Dungy said while it was far too early to make serious judgments about individual draft selections or collegiate free agents, he got an impression of a group that is fast – not only on the field, but off of it, too.

Dungy said when watching rookies, he watches for their ability to fit in quickly and adjust to their surroundings, something he said the rookies at the complex this weekend did well.

“We’ve got a group that takes in information and they’re serious about things,” said Dungy, now in his sixth season with the team.

“You always feel like they’re talented enough athletically, but this group really did a good job handling the schedule and the information.”

All nine members of the Colts’ rookie class, including first-round selection Anthony Gonzalez – a wide receiver from Ohio State University – attended the mini-camp, as did about 15 rookie collegiate free agents.

The rest of the draft class is as follows:

Offensive tackle Tony Ugoh (second round, Arkansas), cornerback Dameyion Hughes (third round, California), defensive tackle Quinn Pitcock (third round, Ohio State), safety Brannon Condren (fourth round, Troy), linebacker Clint Session (fourth round, Pittsburgh), wide receiver Roy Hall (fifth round, Ohio State), cornerback Michael Coe (fifth round, Alabama State) and defensive end Keyunta Dawson (seventh round, Texas Tech).

The rookies left Indianapolis shortly after Sunday’s late-morning practice, and most will return in mid-May, shortly before the Colts’ mandatory veteran/rookie mini-camp at the practice facility May 16-18. Rookies from schools that have yet to complete spring semesters may not return until after the school’s final examination period.

“The biggest thing we want to see (upon the rookies’ return) is just the recall, and being able to take what they got and go home and work on it, and come back and not start again from Square One,” Dungy said. “Most of them have the impression that they’ll take their notebooks with them and work on the things we worked on.

“We want to just build on this and if we do, we’ll be in good shape.”

The Colts, who typically under Dungy have drafted with an emphasis on speed, did so again during the 2007 draft, he said. That was particularly true on defense, where the Colts used six of their nine selections.

“We have some speed at a number of positions – at defensive end and linebacker,” Dungy said. “We have some receivers who can run, and (offensive tackle) Tony Ugoh. The athleticism is something we like. We’ll generally sacrifice a little size to get that. It is going to be a fast group.”

The draft and this past free-agency period continued an inevitable trend that has been ongoing since Dungy’s 2002 arrival – the departure of players who predated Dungy and the arrival of players, particularly on defense, drafted to play in his system.

Rob Morris, the Colts’ first-round selection in the 2000 NFL Draft who started at strong side linebacker throughout the playoffs, is now the only player on defense who predates Dungy. With the exception of defensive tackle Anthony “Booger” McFarland, acquired in a trade from Tampa Bay last season, the other Colts’ defensive starters next season all likely will be players drafted or acquired by the Colts as rookies since Dungy’s arrival.

“You really feel like Bill (Polian) and his group have done a good job of understanding what we’re looking for and incorporating that,” Dungy said. “The guys we’re picking really seem like they fit what we do.

“Rob does feel kind of like the lone wolf out there, but it is right now guys who have been tailored to our system.”


The Official Website of the Indianapolis Colts

[The General]

Third-Round Selection Daymeion Hughes Has Made Plays Wherever He Has Played.


Since he can remember, Daymeion Hughes has heard it.

And since he can remember, it has been how others have defined his future potential as a football player.

Yes, Hughes – a cornerback and one of the Colts’ two third-round selections in the 2007 NFL Draft – started wherever he played. And yes, he always made big plays. And as was the case when he was a senior at the University of California-Berkeley, he typically was among the best players in his league.

But always, there was the question of speed.

So, Hughes said he wasn’t surprised when scouts and analysts questioned his speed entering the draft. And he wasn’t particularly surprised when those questions caused him to slip during the draft’s first day.

But as for all of those teams that passed on Hughes?

He figures he may have a surprise for them – that he can play cornerback in the NFL, and that he can do so at a big-time level.

“I’ve kind of been hearing it all my life,” Hughes said during the Colts’ recent rookie mini-camp, which concluded this past Sunday at the team’s practice facility.

“People have always told me I’m too slow to play and all that stuff. I never really ran track. I hated running just for fun.

“I was always good playing football, so it really didn’t matter.”

Hughes (5-feet-10, 190 pounds) was good enough at California to start 41 of 51 games, good enough to be the Pac 10 Defensive Player of the Year as a senior – and to win the Ronnie Lott Trophy the same year – and good enough to intercept 15 passes in four seasons for 244 return yards and four touchdowns.

All three totals rank second in school history.

The Colts, under President Bill Polian and Head Coach Tony Dungy, typically favor how a player plays on the field over “measurables” such as size and speed when it comes to draft evaluation. Hughes, Dungy said, is such a case.

“There’s something to be said for that,” Dungy said. “Guys who make plays on one level, many times that transfers over. That’s what we’re hoping for. “They (Hughes and rookie cornerback Michael Coe) are very confident guys.

“They understand what defensive football is all about.”

Hughes, the 95th overall selection in the draft, originally was projected by many as a first- or second-round selection, and some publications – as well as ESPN draft analyst Mel Kiper, Jr. –

ranked him the second-highest rated corner early in the pre-draft process.

But at the NFL Scouting Combine, Hughes ran with a hamstring issue and was timed at 4.74 seconds in the 40-yard dash. At Cal’s Pro Day, he ran a 4.56.

“I’ve never been a real good tester or anything like that,” Hughes said. “I’ve never had ridiculous numbers on paper, but when you turn on the film, I’m going to perform. That (film) is probably where they (the Colts) saw it (what they liked in Hughes).

“I was actually talking to one of the scouts after the combine. I was kind of down. He told me, ‘Some teams don’t look at the numbers or time and grade you.’

“So, it has been a good situation for me, coming here.”

Not only are the Colts the defending Super Bowl champions, their starting cornerbacks from last season – Nick Harper and Jason David – signed as free agents in the off-season with Tennessee and New Orleans, respectively. Hughes said that may mean opportunity.

“It was a little nerve-wracking at the time, just waiting all day, but once I got drafted, it was like a weight had been lifted off my shoulders,” Hughes said. “I was happy to be in a place like Indy, because it’s a high-caliber team and I might get a chance to contribute early with the loss of the two cornerbacks from last year.

“I feel like this is the best fit for me. As long as it’s the best fit, I can’t be upset.”

Hughes, when discussing the draft this past weekend at rookie camp, spoke of being selected in the third round matter-of-factly. He emphasized that he believed he was drafted into the best situation, and said for that reason, he wasn’t bitter over where he was selected.

“I would have been mad whether I was drafted first round or fifth round,” Hughes said. Either way, he said, “I was going to come in and do what I had to do to play. I don’t think it’s about having a chip on your shoulder or nothing. It’s just about being a ballplayer. You have to handle yourself as a professional, on and off the field, and take it as it comes.”

Which is how Hughes said he always has approached football. Cal defensive coordinator Bob Gregory recently told the San Francisco Chronicle he hadn’t expected Hughes to make an immediate impact. But Hughes proved him wrong, playing extensively as a freshman, starting five games that season and 11 as a sophomore. He then started every game his junior and senior, intercepting eight passes as a senior – the second-highest total in school history.

And although Hughes said he prefers playing man-to-man coverage – “I can control the situation a little better,” he said – Cal also extensively played Cover 2, the sort of coverage that is often employed by the Colts. Which is one reason Hughes said he believes many believe he is a good fit for the Colts.

“Probably because I make a lot of plays on the ball in short-area zone situations,” he said. “I had a lot of picks in my career playing Cover 2. I had a lot of picks playing man, too, but that’s probably why they say that – or they think I’m not fast enough to play man.”

But Hughes said as far he is concerned, the questions about his speed are questions for another time, a time that’s in the past. He said he is where he wants to be, with a team that wanted him, and for now, his primary concern is simple.

“Whatever the team needs me to do,” he said. “I’m willing to play special teams – whatever it takes, as long as we can get back to the Super Bowl. I felt like this was the best situation for me, to get a chance to play for a high-caliber team, and possibly get a chance to play early. I felt like this was the best fit for me.”


The Official Website of the Indianapolis Colts

[The General]

if the HORSE can field a top 11-15 league wide defense in 2007 with weekly consistency, they have all the ingredients needed to repeat as champions no matter how tough a task that is. Maybe wishful thinking on my part as a fan but with a good team returning (The offense is still the best for now), winning breeds winning. My gut says Jax will be trouble for us moreso than before.

[The General]

DRAFT TRACKER

RD SEL NAME - School POS 1 32 Anthony Gonzalez - Ohio St WR 2 42 Tony Ugoh - ARK OT 3 95 Daymeion Hughes - CAL CB 3 98 Quinn Pitcock - Ohio St DT 4 131 Brannon Condren - Troy S 4 136 Clint Session - Pitt OLB 5 169 Roy Hall - Ohio St WR 5 173 Michael Coe - Alabama St CB 7 242 Keyunta Dawson - Texas Tech DE

The Official Website of the Indianapolis Colts

[The General]

Colts Waive Linebacker Gilbert Gardner, Three Others


Gilbert Gardner started 12 regular-season games for the Colts en route to the Super Bowl XLI championship.

Gardner, a third-round selection by the Colts in the 2004 NFL Draft, was one of four players waived by the team this week, the club announced Tuesday afternoon. The others were linebacker Mike Labinjo, linebacker Brandon Hoyte and defensive back Trevis Coley.

The Colts also signed veteran tight end Mike Seidman as a free agent, and also have added rookie tight end Matt Farbotko as a free agent.

Seidman (6-feet-4, 261 pounds), a four-year NFL veteran from UCLA, caught 19 passes over the last four seasons for 158 yards and two touchdowns while playing for the Carolina Panthers.

Farbotko (6-6, 245), a collegiate free agent, played at Harvard, starting five of 18 career games and catching 21 passes for 289 yards and two touchdowns.

Gardner, who started 12 of the Colts’ first 13 games last season, started 15 of 37 games in three seasons, including starts in the last three games of the 2005 season. He made 97 tackles in three seasons, 50 solos, and defensed three passes with one interception.

With Gardner’s release, the Colts have five veteran linebackers with NFL experience on the roster – outside/middle backer Rob Morris (eighth NFL season); middle backer Gary Brackett (fifth NFL season), middle/outside backer Tyjuan Hagler (second NFL season), outside backer Freddy Keiaho (second NFL season) and outside backer Rocky Boiman (sixth NFL season).

Morris, who replaced Gardner at strong-side backer in mid-December last season, started throughout the playoffs, and Brackett started each of the past two seasons in the middle. Colts President Bill Polian and Head Coach Tony Dungy have each said Keiaho is expected to begin training camp as the starter at weakside backer.

Cato June, a starter the past three seasons on the weakside, signed as a free agent with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers during the off-season.

In the recent NFL Draft, the Colts selected Clint Session from Pittsburgh in the fourth round. They also signed four linebackers in collegiate free agency – Brandon Archer of Kansas State, Ramon Guzman of Buffalo, KaMichael Hall of Georgia Tech and Victor Worsley of North Carolina.

Labinjo, a three-year NFL veteran, signed with the Colts as a free agent on March 8 of this year. He previously spent time on the active roster with Philadelphia in 2004 and 2005 and with Indianapolis in 2005. He spent last season on Miami’s practice squad.

Hoyte, who originally signed with the Colts as a collegiate free agent after the 2006 NFL Draft, was waived by the Colts just before the 2006 season. He then re-signed with Indianapolis in January.

Coley signed as a free agent with the Colts in January.


The Official Website of the Indianapolis Colts

[The General]

Third-Round Pick Quinn Pitcock Likes Blue-Collar Image

INDIANAPOLIS – Quinn Pitcock has heard what observers say.
Whenever anyone discusses the former Ohio State University defensive tackle, it seems the words are relatively the same.

A hard worker.

A big body.

A force in the middle.

And then there’s the phrase nearly always associated with the player the Colts selected with the second of their two third-round selections in the recent 2007 NFL Draft:

A lunch-pail guy.

Pitcock, asked about the description at the Colts’ recent rookie camp – held this past weekend at the team’s practice facility – smiled. Yes, he said, he has heard it.

And he really doesn’t mind it.

“I bring it all,” Pitcock said at the mini-camp, which concluded Sunday. “As far as the lunch pail, I take out double-teams. I have the ability to free up the pass rusher. I’m probably going to lose a little bit of weight here, get a little faster, with stronger moves. . . .

“Wherever they think I can fit the best – I just want to play hard every down.”

That was Pitcock’s reputation for the Buckeyes, as a player who worked hard all the time, who made sacrifices for the team when necessary.

Pitcock (6-feet-2, 299 pounds), a three-year starter at Ohio State who started 34 of 49 games, made 133 tackles in college, with 65 solos, and 27.5 tackles for losses and 14 sacks. An All-Big 10 Conference selection and a consensus All-America selection as a senior, he was a big reason the Buckeyes spent last season ranked No. 1 in the nation before a BCS Championship Game loss to the University of Florida.

Pitcock missed the mini-camp with a hamstring issue, but Colts Head Coach Tony Dungy said, “We think Quinn is going to be an excellent addition for us.”

“What we saw on tape in terms of a guy with quickness and an ability to play the run – I think that’s going to really help us,” Dungy said. “We’re going to look to develop a little more of the pass rush (from Pitcock) and I think playing our system is going to help him.

“He’s very smart. He’s a tough, hard-working guy with the quickness and strength you look for, so we’re excited to have him.”

At nearly 300 pounds, Pitcock is slightly heavier than many Colts defensive tackles. Raheem Brock, a starting defensive tackle, is listed at 274 pounds and veteran reserve Dan Klecko is listed at 275. Veteran starter Anthony “Booger” McFarland is listed at 300 pounds, the only veteran defensive lineman on the Colts at 300 pounds or more.

“Everybody has been screaming for us to add a big tackle since we got here, and here he is,” Polian said.

Dungy said the addition of Pitcock doesn’t mark a significant change in defensive-line philosophy.