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Colts
2009 Schedule
June 9, 2009 Colts Re-Sign Andrus Although the Indianapolis Colts have expressed confidence that Adam Vinatieri will recover in time for the regular season from surgery on his right hip, they are taking precautions just in case the veteran kicker is sidelined for longer than anticipated The Colts have re-signed kicker Shane Andrus. Andrus has prior stints with the Colts during the preseason in 2007 and 2006. However, the 28-year-old former Murray State kicker hasn't kicked during the regular season.
Sunday, June 7, 2009 Gonzalez misses practice with right leg injury Colts receiver Anthony Gonzalez missed the team’s practice Sunday because of an injured right leg. Coach Jim Caldwell didn’t give details about the injury, which occurred during Saturday’s mini-camp practice at Franklin College. Gonzalez stayed on the field after hurting his leg, but spent the rest of practice stretching it out. Caldwell said Gonzalez, who’s expected to replace Marvin Harrison in the Colts’ lineup, could return to the field Tuesday or Wednesday when Indianapolis finishes its scheduled offseason workouts. Gonzalez is yet another addition to Indy’s growing list of injured players. On Sunday, the Colts announced offensive lineman Steve Justice and receiver Sam Giguere are recovering from injuries, too. Justice had back surgery this past week, while Giguere has been out since breaking a bone in his leg during practice last month. The Colts didn’t say which leg Giguere hurt, but he’s expected to be ready for the start of training camp in August. He’s competing with Pierre Garcon, Roy Hall and Austin Collie to be Indy’s No. 3 receiver. Justice is the second Colts player to have surgery this past week, joining kicker Adam Vinatieri, who had his right hip repaired earlier in the week. Justice is expected to return when training camp opens, while Vinatieri is expected to be ready for the start of the regular season. Two other offensive linemen, left tackle Tony Ugoh and guard Ryan Lilja, said they also had offseason surgery. Ugoh had arthroscopic surgery to clean out his right knee and has been practicing. For Lilja, it was the third surgery he’s had for a knee injury that kept him out all of last season. Moore, Mudd to return to Colts on Aug. 1 ESPN.com news services Indianapolis Colts owner Jim Irsay said Saturday night that former coaches Tom Moore and Howard Mudd will begin their roles as team consultants on Aug. 1, according to the Indianapolis Star. While Moore, the former offensive coordinator, and Mudd, the former offensive line coach, won't work under those titles any more, Irsay said they will perform similar duties to those they'd done since 1998. "They're coming back," Irsay said to the Star. "They're coming back as consultants and they're going to be involved big time. Jim Caldwell will determine what that will be." The two retired last month because of concerns with changes to the NFL's pension program. June 6, 2009 Vinatieri undergoes hip surgery Associated Press Indianapolis Colts kicker Adam Vinatieri had surgery on his right hip this week and is expected to be ready for the regular season.
Vinatieri, one of the NFL's great
clutch kickers, was treated by Dr. Marc Phillipon, who operated on
Yankees star Alex Rodriguez. The Colts said Vinatieri had discomfort in his hip for more than a year and the pain had become more bothersome. Team president Bill Polian said Vinatieri was in Vail, Colo., where he had the surgery. Vinatieri made the winning kick in two of New England's Super Bowl victories and made the tying and winning kick against Oakland in a blizzard during the Patriots' first Super Bowl run. Vinatieri has four Super Bowl rings in 13 NFL seasons. In other Colts medical news . . . cornerback Marlin Jackson participated in drills and is ahead of schedule after anterior cruciate ligament surgery in December. Running back Mike Hart also is expected to be ready for the regular season after ACL surgery.
Former Pro Bowl running back Joseph
Addai has missed offseason workouts because of arthroscopic knee surgery. May 20, 2009 Former Packer Winters joins Colts staff
Longtime Packers center Frank
Winters has joined the Indianapolis Colts coaching staff as an
offensive line intern. Moore, Mudd retained as Colts' consultants Retired assistant coaches Tom Moore and Howard Mudd will be returning to the Indianapolis Colts for the 2009 season, but only on a part-time basis, according to a report on cbssports.com. Colts owner Jim Irsay has agreed to bring both Moore and Mudd back as team consultants. "I've talked to them and know they would like to come back and do it and be part of it. They're going year to year [as far as their futures], but they want to be part of it, and I'm for that," Irsay told Clark Judge, the web site's National Football League writer, during a break at the league's spring meetings in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. "If I really felt they didn't want to coach or if I really didn't think they were ready to get after it I wouldn't have done this. But they are. They are passionate about coming back this year." Moore, 70, and Mudd, 67, had announced their retirements last week. They both cited a recent decision by NFL owners that allowed teams to opt out of the league's pension plan as the reasons for their surprise announcements. "This thing [the pension controversy] has thrown them for a loop, but I told them, 'Look, guys, I don't care about 2008 and 2010. This is all about [2009], and we're really focused about getting after this thing. As an owner, you're not going to have a chance like this - I mean, with this group of guys - every year. The gods of fate determine injuries, but going in with the draft we had - with [first-round draft pick] Donald Brown and the [defensive] tackles we got - and with the players we already have, I really like this football team," Irsay told Judge. "I like [first-year head coach] Jim Caldwell, too, and his leadership and what he's bringing. Tony isn't around, because it's Jim's team now, but Tony is around in the sense that his influence and his leadership are with all of us and with the players on the team. So it's about as ideal as you can get." It's been quite an off-season of change for a Colts franchise that has posted six straight 12-win seasons and seven consecutive 10-plus win seasons. "We anticipated losing Tony and [Pro Bowl wide receiver] Marvin [Harrison], but in terms of a transitional year we know the big thing is Tony. You know your head coach, but history says there's always that carry-over aspect when your head coach leaves. With how much we think of Jim Caldwell and how much he's close to Tony and how much he's prepared for this job and how he has Peyton there. We think we'll be OK," Irsay said. "But it's not just Peyton. We have [Dwight] Freeney and [Robert] Mathis and [Bob] Sanders &ldots; Reggie Wayne, Jeff Saturday, Joseph Addai, Anthony Gonzalez, Dallas Clark. We've got a lot of guys on this roster, and we have a lot of leaders, too. Our team is pretty close, but it comes down to: Do you have a quarterback and do you have those eight blue [chip] players? People feel you probably need eight, and I'm talking about Pro Bowlers in their primes who can contribute. If you have greatness at quarterback, you might not need eight, but we have the Mathises, the Freeneys, the Waynes and the Sanders." League rules mandate that a coach who retires isn't allowed to become a consultant for six months from the day his papers were initially filed. That means that Moore and Mudd won't be available until sometime in November. "They're longtime friends," said Irsay. "I told them, 'It's business, but be rational. No one is trying to stick it to you. Don't make it 'us against the world' and the big-bad owners. That's not the case. There is uncertainty, but that's life. I'm not going to let anything happen to you that's unjust.'"
May 15, 2009 Colts name offensive coordinator, O-line coach
By Mike Chappell The Indianapolis Colts have moved quickly to fill the voids created by the retirement of offensive coordinator Tom Moore and offensive line coach Howard Mudd. During a morning interview with 1070-The Fan, team president Bill Polian said Clyde Christensen has taken over the coordinator's duties and Pete Metzelaars assumed full-time offensive line responsibilities. Christensen had held the dual role of receivers coach and assistant head coach while Metzelaars was Mudd's assistant. It's uncertain how the team will replace Christensen, who has been receivers coach since 2002. "The main cogs in terms of operating the program are in place, have been in place and were prepared to do this,'' Polian said. "It's just a transition that we would rather not have made, but we knew full well that it's likely we were going to have to.'' May 15, 2009
Colts' offense takes hit: Offensive coordinator, line coach could possibly return as consultants
By Mike Chappell Two integral components of the Indianapolis Colts offense have officially left the team. But coordinator Tom Moore and line coach Howard Mudd may not be gone for good. Owner Jim Irsay confirmed Thursday afternoon his two longtime assistant coaches have filed their retirement papers. Each chose to retire after more than 30 years in the NFL because of a recent change in the league's pension plan. Neither Moore, 70, nor Mudd, 67, could be reached for comment Thursday. Although Moore and Mudd are no longer part of coach Jim Caldwell's official staff, either or both could possibly return as consultants by the start of training camp, pending pension guidelines. Players report to Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology in Terre Haute on Aug. 2. The Moore and Mudd departures are part of a massive staff overhaul since the end of the 2008 season: Tony Dungy retired in January after seven seasons as coach and was succeeded by Caldwell. Shortly thereafter, Larry Coyer replaced Ron Meeks as defensive coordinator. Ray Rychleski was named to replace Russ Purnell as special teams coach. Frank Reich assumed Caldwell's duties as quarterbacks coach. "We've made it through a number of transitions in the past and we'll make it through this one," Irsay said. "As an organization, we've always responded well to challenges. "I like the continuity we've been able to maintain combined with the new blood. The new blood has energized us." Additional Facts Coaching turnover In the seven seasons from 2002-08, the Colts had the same faces at head coach, offensive coordinator, defensive coordinator, offensive line coach, special teams coach and quarterbacks coach. In 2009, all will be different. A look:
2002-08 o Head coach: Tony Dungy o Offensive coordinator: Tom Moore o Defensive coordinator: Ron Meeks o Offensive line coach: Howard Mudd o Special teams coach: Russ Purnell o Quarterbacks coach: Jim Caldwell
2009 o Head coach: Jim Caldwell o Offensive coordinator: TBD o Defensive coordinator: Larry Coyer o Offensive line coach: TBD o Special teams coach: Ray Rychleski o Quarterbacks coach: Frank Reich
Note: Dungy, Moore, Mudd, Meeks and Purnell combined for 136 years of NFL coaching experience through last season. This will be the first NFL coaching season for Rychleski, the second for Reich and the 11th for Coyer. It will be Caldwell's ninth year but first as head coach.
Colts cut job of longtime personnel adviser A longtime player personnel official for the Indianapolis Colts has left the team in a front-office restructuring. The team says the jobs held by 71-year-old Dom Anile (AH-neel-ee) and several others in the scouting department have been eliminated Anile was director of football operations for the Colts from 1998 to 2003, then was assistant general manager for scouting in 2004 and 2005. Since then, he had been a consultant for player personnel. Team president Bill Polian has often cited Anile as a key to the team's successful drafts and considers Anile one of his closest friends. It's another major change in an offseason that has already included the retirement of coach Tony Dungy. Colts assistant coaches Mudd and Moore may retire Changes in NFL's retirement benefits package said to be reason The changes seem to just keeping coming for the Indianapolis Colts. According to various media and Internet reports, longtime offensive line Howard Mudd has decided to retire from his coaching position with the team. And veteran offensive coordinator Tom Moore may also decide to hang up his headphones as well. Mudd, who has worked 11 seasons with the Colts and has been a National Football League assistant for 35 years, apparently made his decision after learning of planned changes in the NFL's retirement benefits package. League owners approved a change in the pension program for non-playing personnel in meetings two months ago. ESPN.com writer Chris Mortensen indicated Wednesday that the 67-year old native of Midland, Mich., feels as if he has to take his entire lump-sum pension payment now because if he does not exercise that right at 65 under the revised plan, he will be allowed only to accept annuity payments upon retirement that will be reduced to 50 percent value for his immediate survivors if he dies. Mudd has already maximized his pension because he has surpassed the formula that requires a coach's age and league tenure to equal 75. He has been an NFL assistant for 36 consecutive seasons. A league source told Mortensen that there were several factors that motivated owners to change the pension program, including a loophole that enabled a tenured assistant coach who hit the 75 formula to retire and take a lump sum only to return to a team as a high-paid consultant. While the Colts have yet to make an official announcement concerning Mudd's fate, the executive director of the NFL's Coaches Association said Wednesday that the former San Francisco 49ers offensive guard has already filed the necessary paperwork that preceded a retirement. "Howard gave me his permission to talk about this because he doesn't want to and won't," Larry Kennan told the Indianapolis Star. "He doesn't want to jeopardize what he already believes is a tenuous position. I know [team president] Bill Polian and [Colts owner] Jim Irsay are trying to work things out so he can continue coaching, but right now it doesn't look like it's going to happen." Keenan added that Moore, who is 70 and has been an NFL assistant coach for 32 years, is also contemplating walking away for the same reasons. Should Mudd step away, assistant offensive line coach (and former Wabash College standout) Pete Metzelaars would most likely take over. Metzelaars, who played tight end with several NFL teams, was the Colts' interim offensive line coach for several weeks last season while Mudd was recovering from knee replacement surgery. A replacement for Moore, should he decide to retire, could come from within the current coaching staff with assistant head coach/wide receivers coach Clyde Christensen a possibility. Christensen previously served as the offensive coordinator for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2001. "We have the highest personal affection and professional regard for Howard and it would be inappropriate for us to speculate at this time about any decisions he might eventually reach," Pollian said in a statement that was released by the team on Wednesday.
Colts sign Ed Johnson May 5, 2009 In a surprise move, the Colts have decided to re-sign DT Ed Johnson according to a release from the team today. Johnson (6-2, 296) joins the Colts after starting 16 games in 2007 and one game in 2008 for the club. Johnson, who has 73 career tackles, originally was signed as a free agent by the Colts on May 5, 2007. He had 63 stops, 49 solo, with one sack and one forced fumble in 2007, filling in for injured defensive tackle Booger McFarland. Johnson had 10 tackles against Chicago in the 2008 season opener. He was waived September 11, 2008. "We are giving Ed Johnson another opportunity to play for the Indianapolis Colts. We dismissed Ed last year because he knowingly violated a team rule in the area of personal conduct. We consider every violation of a team rule or NFL policy on an individual case-by-case basis, and we evaluate a possible return to the team on that same basis. Ed understands our team rules and our mandate that players represent themselves as professionals at all times. We feel the lessons Ed has learned will allow him to be what we demand from our players," said Colts Head Coach Jim Caldwell. "I would like to thank the Colts, especially Jim Irsay, for this second privilege to join the team. I apologize to everyone for the situation I created last year. I have learned valuable lessons from my mistake, and I want to re-gain the trust of the organization, my teammates and our fans," said Johnson.
Colts sign 2 undrafted rookies Associated Press - May 4, 2009 The Indianapolis Colts have signed quarterback Chris Crane of Boston College and linebacker Mike Tauiliili (taw-EE'-lee-EE'-lee) of Duke, both undrafted free agents. The Colts also waived linebacker Rufus Alexander and punter Mike Dragosavich. Alexander signed as a free agent with Indianapolis in December off the Minnesota Vikings' practice squad and was inactive in three
April 30, 2009 As expected, Edgerrin James was recently released by the Arizona Cardinals. Nearing 31, James' best days are behind him April 29, 2009 Colts Re-Sign Linebacker Freddy Keiaho The Indianapolis Colts have re-signed linebacker Freddy Keiaho, according to his agent. A starter the past two seasons, Keiaho became an unrestricted free agent in February. Keiaho, 26, was a 2006 third-round draft pick who appeared in 39 games, 25 as a starter, the past three seasons.
April 25, 2009
The Indianapolis Colts Donald Brown, Connecticut, 5-10, 210 Great character player who reminds some scouts of Tiki Barber in size and running style. Started 23 of 37 games at Connecticut, carrying 698 times for 3,800 yards (5.44 avg.) and 33 touchdowns, adding 276 yards and two scores on 48 receptions (5.75 avg.), 210 yards on nine kickoff returns (23.3 avg.) and 4,286 all-purpose yards while scoring 210 points. April 26, 2009 A day after taking UConn running back Donald Brown with the No. 27 overall selection in the draft and trading up to address defensive tackle with Fili Moala of Southern California, the Colts moved throughout the roster, adding depth and addressing need with six second-day draft selections:
Third round, No. 92 overall: Jerraud Powers (5-10, 192), cornerback, Auburn University. Powers' Statistics: A starter his final two seasons at Auburn, he finished his career with six interceptions, playing in 36 games after redshirting as a junior. Powers: I just want to come in and try to make an impact wherever I'm needed - corner, special teams, wherever I'm needed. I just want to make an impact and show them I can play. . . . I've been chasing this dream since I was five. For it to happen today, it's a blessing.
Fourth round, No, 127 overall: Austin Collie (6-1, 200), wide receiver, Brigham Young. Collie's Statistics: Caught 215 passes for 3,255 yards in three seasons at BYU, declaring for the NFL Draft following his junior season. He caught 106 passes for 1,538 yards and 15 touchdowns this past season. Collie: I couldn't be happier. I just wanted to get picked up by a team that I thought would be the best fit. I think that's what I got. It's a dream come true and a blessing to go to a team you've always grown up watching.
Fourth round, No. 136 overall: Terrance Taylor (6-0, 319), defensive tackle, Michigan. Taylor's Statistics: Taylor started three seasons at nose tackle for Michigan, starting 36 games and registering 17.5 tackles for loss and six sacks. He had four tackles for loss and 1.5 sacks this past season as a senior. Taylor: I'm a physical player, explosive. I'm a playmaker, a run-stopper. The Indianapolis Colts got a great player. Picking me was one of the best things they could have done.
Sixth round, No. 201 overall: Curtis Painter (6-4, 230), quarterback, Purdue. Painter's Statistics: sixth round (No. 201 overall). Painter completed 987 of 1,648 passes for 11,163 yards and 67 touchdowns with 46 interceptions in four seasons. He started 41 career games for the Boilermakers, completing 227 of 379 passes for 2,400 yards and 13 touchdowns with 11 interceptions as a senior. Painter: I'm extremely excited. It's an organization close to home. The opportunity to come in and work behind a couple of great quarterbacks - it's kind of hard to explain. I don't think you can ask for a better situation as far as getting in there and learning behind some great guys. When I came to Purdue, it was a similar situation in that Kyle Orton was here. I was a freshman and I really learned a lot from mimicking him and seeing the kinds of things he did. It's a great situation to mimic that same scenario.
Seventh round, No. 222 overall: Pat McAfee (6-1, 220), punter/kicker, West Virginia. McAfee Statistics: He handled punt, kickoff, extra point and field goal duties, setting the school record for games played (51), points (384) and extra points made (210). He also finished second in school history in punting average.
Seventh round, No. 236 overall: Jaimie Thomas (6-4, 322), guard, Maryland. Thomas: A two-year starter at left guard, Thomas played in 45 career games, starting 23.
April 24, 2009 Colts will return to Rose-Hulman for training camp The Indianapolis Colts now know where they're headed this summer: Back to Rose-Hulman Institution of Technology. During a news conference Friday, team president Bill Polian announced the Colts will hold camp in Terre Haute, Ind., for the 11th straight year and will hold an open mini-camp practice at Franklin College in June. But Polian refused to drop hints about the more pressing issue - who Indy would take with the 27th pick in Saturday's draft. "It's not the first I've heard of it, obviously I live on the planet," Polian said when asked about numerous mock drafts that have Indy selecting Mississippi defensive tackle Peria Jerry. "But I'm not going to say if he's on the list. And don't read anything into that." Polian is generally cryptic about the Colts' plans. True to form, he was relatively quiet Friday about what the Colts would do this weekend. He said the team has about six players they're looking at in the first round, and believes at least one of them will be there when the Colts pick Saturday evening. "You can never have enough quality depth," he said. "You look for people who can come in and contribute and win, that's what the draft process is all about." The training camp site was another issue. In March, Anderson city officials publicly said the Colts would announce they were moving back to the city that hosted Indy's training camps from 1984-98. Indy contended those officials were speaking prematurely. Apparently they were, though Polian indicated the team would continue to review other sites each year. "If it's economically feasible and the schedule that the league dictates work out, we'd like to go there (Rose-Hulman)," Polian said. "There's lots of talk about the schedule changing, we have an 80-man roster now and all of those things impact training camp and cost certainly impacts training camp. So that is going to change over time." He also said Indy will hold a full-squad mini-camp practice June 6 at Franklin College, a Division III school that is about 20 miles south of the city. Tickets will cost $10 and all of the money, Polian said, will go to the university to help defray costs. It's the second time since 2004 that the Colts have held an offseason workout on a college campus. In April 2004, the Colts went to Ball State's campus in Muncie, a practice that drew a huge crowd. "We did this at Ball State, and it was a rousing success," Polian said. "We think it will be great for our team and great for our fans. Outreach is an important thing for us, it's always an important thing but it's even more important at this time of year and in this kind of economy."
Keiwan Ratliff signed with Steelers The Steelers, despite being right up against the salary cap ($440,000) the day before the NFL draft, have just signed Keiwan Ratliff, CB most recently of the Indianapolis Colts. The terms of the contract are undisclosed, so no way of knowing exactly what his cap number would be. The Colts Salary Cap is at $7.10 million right now. Apr 23, 2009 Colts restructure Wayne's contract to get room under cap Pro Bowl receiver Reggie Wayne has agreed to a restructured contract, which will give the Colts more room under this year's salary cap. Wayne's agent, Joby Branion, confirmed the deal was completed but did not provide details about how much Indianapolis would save. Players frequently restructure contracts by accepting bonuses after agreeing to lower their annual salaries. The bonuses are then prorated over the remaining length of the deal, in Wayne's case three years, to lower the team's salary cap number in the first year. Wayne has been the Colts' primary receiver the past two seasons and is expected to play a more prominent role this year after Marvin Harrison, the franchise's career receiving leader, was released in February. In 2007, Wayne had a career-high 104 receptions for a league-leading 1,510 yards and 10 touchdowns. Last season, Wayne caught 84 passes for 1,145 yards with six TDs. He ranks third all-time on the Colts' career list for receptions (576), yards receiving (8,129) and touchdown receptions (53), trailing only Harrison and Hall of Famer Raymond Berry in each category. Only Harrison has more 100-yard games in franchise history than Wayne's 26, and Wayne has played in the last three Pro Bowls.
Redskins Agree To Terms With Punter Hunter Smith The Redskins are expected to sign Pro Bowl punter Hunter Smith tomorrow, a league source said Thursday, and Smith will join the team for minicamp May 1-3. He has agreed to terms on a one-year deal. The Redskins hope that Smith, a three-time Pro Bowler in 10 seasons with the Indianapolis Colts, will help them address their poor performance on special teams last season, and the team has not been settled at the punter spot since the 2004 season. The team signed veteran Dirk Johnson to compete for punting duties in training camp, but he is likely to be released to make room for Smith on the active roster, while the Redskins still have young punter Zac Atterberry under contract. Smith, who has never missed a game in his career, had a 38.8-yard net average last season. He also also an accomplished holder on field goals - another area of concern - and serves as an emergency quarterback for the Colts, who drafted him in the 7th round in 1999 Apr 23, 2009 Indianapolis Colts Sign Blizzard Offensive Lineman Green Bay Blizzard offensive lineman, Brandon Barnes, will be playing in the NFL next season after signing with the Indianapolis Colts this week. The 6'2, 315 pound offen- sive lineman was playing his frst season in the arenafootball2 (af2) league and was seeing great improvement in the frst couple games so far this season. Barnes spent a short period of time with the Baltimore Ravens in 2008 before coming to Green Bay and playing for the Blizzard this season. Head Coach Bob Landsee discussed the signing of Barnes, "The signing of Brandon Barnes by the Indianapolis Colts is an exciting time for our organization as well as the league as a whole. This is the type of opportunity the af2, and specifcally this team, are looking to provide our players. We are very happy for Brandon and know that he is a great example of what we are trying to accomplish here." Being able to play football, develop their skills and get exposure to NFL teams is exact- ly the outcome players want when playing in the af2. The organization wishes Barnes the best of luck with his opportunity to play in the NFL with the Indianapolis Colts. In hopes of replacing Barnes down in the trenches, former Blizzard Aqua Etefa will return to the roster. Etefa received af2 frst team honors while playing for the Blizzard last season and was expecting to play in the AFL this season.
Colts Sign Arena Football C Kyle DeVan To A 2-Year Deal Boise Burn center Kyle DeVan has signed a 2-year contract with the Indianapolis Colts, Burn officials confirmed Tuesday. DeVan left Boise for a tryout Monday, after the Burn's Saturday night loss to Spokane, and was signed Tuesday. DeVan spent part of the 2008 season on the Jets practice squad. Monday, April 20, 2009 Colts Re-Sign Giordano The Indianapolis Colts have re-signed safety Matt Giordano to a one-year, $670,000 contract. Giordano, a special teams Maven, He has appeared in 55 games, six as a starter, since being selected in the fourth round of the 2005 draft.
Dominic Rhodes Signs With Buffalo Apr 17, 2009 The Buffalo Bills added some depth to their backfield on Friday, agreeing to a two-year deal with running back Dominic Rhodes, according to NFL.com. Rhodes, a nine-year veteran out of Midwestern State, spent the 2008 season as a member of the Indianapolis Colts -- his second stint with the team -- after spending one season with the Oakland Raiders. He rushed for 538 yards on 152 carries, while scoring six touchdowns. According to Steve Wyche, the contract is loaded with incentives, while Rhodes should have an opportunity to open the season as Buffalo's starting running back thanks to the three-game suspension issued to Marshawn Lynch, and the fact his backup, Fred Jackson, is currently a no-show for the team's offseason conditioning drills. Speaking of which, Mark Gaughan of the Buffalo News penned an article in Friday's edition of the Buffalo News outlining Jackson's frustration, which stems from the fact he wants the team to reward character guys after their recent comments about placing an emphasis on character (this emphasis must begin next offseason). Here's what Jackson's agent, Jerry Douglas, had to say, via Gaughan's article: "We find the organization's comments regarding the importance of character very interesting given their position on Fred Jackson," said Douglas, who is based in New Jersey. "I think it's a fair statement to say that during his three years with the Bills, Fred has demonstrated his high character and that he is second to none in that department, to say nothing of his on-the-field contributions. Yet the organization is not making a concerted effort to lock in Fred as part of the team's long-term future. Public statements are great as long as you mean what you say." Jackson might have a point, seeing as how the team had three players arrested this offseason, signed Terrell Owens, and now add Rhodes who was arrested on suspicion of drunk driving in February, 2007. I'm not trying to pile on Rhodes here two years after the fact, just pointing out the the Bills' recent comments on placing an importance on character and their offseason moves that seem to fly in the face of such comments. Jackson, meanwhile, has rushed for 871 yards on 188 carries in his two years as a member of the Bills, while scoring three touchdowns. April 16, 2009 Rehab of right knee going smoothly for Jackson Marlin Jackson uses the offseason to sharpen his body and hone his skills. But this year has been like no other for the Indianapolis Colts' starting cornerback. Jackson's trusted timetable was rendered moot Oct. 29 when he tore two ligaments in his right knee during practice. "I had to start working a lot harder and a lot earlier," Jackson said in a phone interview from Tempe, Ariz., where he spent the past three months rehabilitating after two procedures on his knee. "It's been real in-depth and the intensity has been very high, but I had to really get after it right from the get-go." The process will continue when Jackson returns to Indianapolis this weekend. The results, so far, have been encouraging. "I'm pretty far ahead of schedule," he said this week. "Originally, the things (doctors) were telling me were devastating to hear. Now, I know I'll be ready for training camp. No doubt." Jackson put his faith in Dr. James Andrews, a renowned orthopedic surgeon who addressed Jackson's torn anterior cruciate ligament by using a graft from Jackson's right patellar tendon. "It's simple to know to go to him because he's the best in the business," Jackson said. "You don't want to take a chance. You've got to get it fixed right." The rehabilitation process began under Andrews' supervision in Birmingham, Ala., and continued with the Colts' medical staff in Indy before Jackson returned to Athletes' Performance in Tempe, Ariz. That's where he prepared for the 2005 draft -- the Colts selected him with the 29th overall pick -- and where he worked out last offseason. Jackson's most recent stint at the training facility required incorporating knee rehab with his usual routine. On the former, he has regained strength in his right knee and is able to run straight ahead at full speed. He is able to accelerate, decelerate, hop and pull a sled. He's attacking drills that focus on lateral movement, but only in controlled situations. Jennifer Lewis, one of Jackson's physical therapists at Athletes' Performance, described his progress as "impeccable. He's so far ahead of everything. "He has a discipline and a focus that's unmatched in any of the athletes I've worked with. Marlin's focus right now is past the knee. He's really focusing on the future as to how much better he's going to be coming off of this." Jackson's contract with the Colts expires at the end of the 2009 season. Additional Facts Marlin Jackson timeline
April 10, 2009 Daniels Prefers CIB Solution Not Include Downtown Casino April 8, 2009 Colts re-sign free agent LB Hagler The Indianapolis Colts have re-signed linebacker Tyjuan Hagler, leaving the team with five unrestricted free agents. Terms of the deal were not immediately disclosed. Hagler spent his first four NFL seasons with the Colts, starting seven games in 2007 when he had career-highs in tackles (60), solo tackles (34) and sacks (one). He also forced one fumble and recorded another. But he injured his pectoral muscle last summer and missed the first seven games. He wound up starting three games and finishing with 21 tackles and one forced fumble. The Colts earlier signed linebacker Adam Seward, a five-year veteran who also was an unrestricted free agent. The others still unsigned are S Matt Giordano, CB Keiwan Ratliff, RB Dominic Rhodes, P Hunter Smith and DE Josh Thomas. April 4, 2009
Colts set dates for OTAs
First-year coach Jim Caldwell will put the
Indianapolis Colts through their organized team activities (OTAs)
beginning May 19 at the team's West 56th Street complex. Although the
NFL allows teams a maximum of 14 OTA sessions as part of their
offseason conditioning program, Caldwell has scheduled only 10,
according to the league: Colts waive Buster Davis The Indianapolis Colts abruptly cut middle linebacker Buster Davis on Monday. The move is somewhat surprising considering Davis was re-signed by the Colts just earlier this month. Plus, Davis started last season when starting middle linebacker Gary Brackett was sidelined toward the end of the season with injuries. According to NFL.com, Davis recorded 24 tackles in three starts out of six games last season.
A former Arizona Cardinals third-round draft pick from
Florida State, Davis is an undersized, stocky linebacker at 5'9,”
239 pounds.
Colts let LB Keiaho become free agent February 27, 2009 Indianapolis Colts linebacker Freddy Keiaho is a free agent after the team did not make him a contract offer. Keiaho started 25 games in three seasons with the Colts and voided the final year of his contract. He was second on the team with 114 tackles last year. Had the Colts offered the lowest one-year tender, $1.01 million, and Keiaho signed with another team, the Colts would have received a third-round pick in April's draft as compensation. The Colts did offer one-year tenders to offensive lineman Dan Federkeil and linebacker Buster Davis, who are exclusive rights free agents and cannot sign with another team.
Brett Favre swears this is the real deal -- no more last-minute comebacks. The 39-year-old quarterback retired again Wednesday and insisted he won't look back. Well, at least for now. "I have no reason to wonder why you would be so skeptical," Favre said Wednesday with a slight chuckle after announcing that he was leaving the game after 18 record-setting seasons. Favre, who retired last March but returned a few months later, kept this goodbye simple -- no tearful farewell or jam-packed news conference. He spoke to the New York Jets on Wednesday morning, telling team owner Woody Johnson, general manager Mike Tannenbaum and new head coach Rex Ryan that he was calling it a career. "I have family and friends who are like, 'All right, Brett. Is this the real deal?"' Favre said during a conference call. "To me, it is. It is. Believe me. It's been a wonderful career, I couldn't ask for anything more. It was worth a shot for me to go to New York. I wish I could've played better down the stretch. I didn't. "It's time to leave." The Jets placed Favre on the reserve-retired list, meaning the quarterback's retirement paperwork had been filed with the NFL -- something he didn't do last winter with the Green Bay Packers. "Emotionally, I'm OK with it," said Favre, who spent the day on his bulldozer and doing yard work on the grounds at his home in Kiln, Miss. "I really felt like it was time. Obviously, the circumstances last year were a lot different. Physically, if I felt better, we may not be having this conversation, but I think that's more than anything the writing on the wall." Favre's decision came six weeks after his only season with the Jets ended in disappointment as New York went 1-4 down the stretch and failed to make the playoffs. A major reason for the collapse was Favre, who threw nine interceptions in those five games. He said he played with a torn biceps tendon in his right arm that got worse later in the season and needed a cortisone injection after the team's Week 14 game at San Francisco. "It's something that obviously I was able to play with," Favre said. "I don't think I was nearly as productive as the season progressed, but it very well could be fine next year. I'm well aware of that. But then again, it could linger and bother me throughout the year, and I just felt like it was time. I think that, to me more than anything, was a wakeup call." Favre insisted that even if he felt better next season, he's still done with playing. "It's nothing I would second-guess, no," he said. If this is indeed it for Favre, he leaves the game with a slew of NFL records, including career touchdown passes (464), completions (5,720), passing yards (65,127), regular-season wins (169) and interceptions (310). "With Brett, there was always the possibility that he wouldn't play the second year," Johnson said. "We were hoping to get one good year out of Brett Favre. We picked him based on, in our opinion, his giving us the best chance to win last season. We were disappointed not to have made the Super Bowl, but we did some very good things with Brett." The Jets improved from 4-12 in 2007 to 9-7, but the late-season woes cost head coach Eric Mangini his job -- and perhaps tarnished Favre's legacy a bit. "I honestly believe I did everything I could do," Favre said. "I'm proud of everything I've done." New York hired Ryan to replace Mangini, and he, along with Johnson and Tannenbaum, repeatedly said they wanted Favre to return. Instead, Favre spent several weeks after the season at home -- at the suggestion of Tannenbaum -- away from football before deciding to retire. "It would've been fantastic to be coaching Brett," Ryan said. "It's a sad day to see him leave, to see him retiring." The Jets now will move forward with a new quarterback, whether that will be Kellen Clemens, Brett Ratliff or Erik Ainge. "I think it's going to be a great competition between those three," Ryan said. "And if something else comes along, so be it." The Jets could look to sign a veteran free agent such as Jeff Garcia, Kerry Collins, Byron Leftwich or Rex Grossman, or target a quarterback with their first pick -- No. 17 overall -- in April's draft. Clemens was competing with Chad Pennington for the Jets' starting job last summer before Favre came to town. "Jets fans, the Jets coaches and my teammates, even, have not seen the best of what I have to offer yet," said Clemens, who started eight games in 2007. Favre had two years left on his contract and was due $13 million for next season, clearing a chunk of salary-cap space for the Jets. The three-time NFL MVP holds the mark among quarterbacks with 291 consecutive starts, including the playoffs, despite playing through several injuries throughout his career. "The longevity of his career and his love for the game is truly inspiring," All-Pro kick returner-running back Leon Washington told The Associated Press. "I'm privileged to have played with not only a Hall of Fame QB but also a great role model." After the Jets' season-ending 24-17 loss to the Miami Dolphins, Favre said he felt discomfort in his arm "for quite a while." It turned out to be a torn biceps tendon, and he opted not to have surgery. Favre said he began to realize the end might be near when he consistently underthrew his receivers during a Week 16 game at Seattle. "I threw it, and it didn't end up where I wanted it to," he said. "That, to me, was an eye-opener." It wasn't all bad with the Jets for Favre. He threw a career-high six touchdown passes, tying Joe Namath's team record, "in a 56-35 victory over the Arizona Cardinals in Week 4. Favre also helped rejuvenate the franchise, drawing thousands of fans to training-camp practices. Favre finished with 3,472 passing yards and 22 touchdowns, but his 22 interceptions were his most in three seasons. Taken by the Atlanta Falcons in the second round of the 1991 draft, Favre was traded after the season to the Packers for a first-round pick. During his 16 years with Green Bay, he helped lead the team to consecutive Super Bowls, including a victory over the New England Patriots in Super Bowl XXXI in the 1996 season. "Congratulations to Brett on a remarkable career," the Packers said in a statement. "The Packers organization wishes him and his family well. Brett always will hold a special place in Green Bay Packers history, and we remain committed to retiring his number at an appropriate time in the future."
By Mike Chappell February 12, 2009 The Indianapolis Colts' top priority in addressing their 10 pending free agents is retaining starting cornerback Kelvin Hayden, President Bill Polian said today. "You start with Kelvin and work your way down,'' Polian said. And there's ample work to be done, which might include the team using the expensive franchise tag to keep Hayden on the roster. Polian said initial contract discussions with Fletcher Smith, Hayden's agent, are "not going well. That's probably a charitable way to categorize it. There's still a long way to go, but I'm not optimistic at this point.'' Hayden and nine other Colts become unrestricted free agents, and free to negotiate with other teams, on Feb. 27. If the team is unable to reach an agreement with Hayden on a multi-year contract, Polian said he likely would use the one-year franchise designation on the fifth-year player. The one-year franchise tag for a cornerback is $9.957 million. "If we had to use the tag,'' Polian said, "I think we would use it. We're not going to let a good player go out of here because an agent decides that he's not going to be reasonable, and reasonable is relative term.'' Polian said the manner with which the Hayden situation is resolved -- a long-term contract would probably carry a lower salary-cap figure -- will effect how the team deals with its other free agents. That list includes three-time Pro Bowl center Jeff Saturday, running back Dominic Rhodes and punter Hunter Smith. Polian also said no decision has been made on the status of Marvin Harrison. The team could free up $6 million in cap space by terminating the contract of its career receiving leader. "It's entirely possible (he'll return in 2009),'' Polian said. A decision probably will be made by the end of the month. Harrison will be 37 at the start of the '09 season and is coming off one of his least productive years: 60 receptions, 636 yards and five touchdowns.
UPDATE Feb. 11, 2009 Colts defensive tackle Darrell Reid apologized Wednesday for an incident outside an Indianapolis bar over the weekend. Reid was arrested early Sunday morning at the Oxygen Lounge on the north side. Metro officers working security turned Reid away because the lounge had reached capacity. Officers say Reid refused to go, saying he was a Colts player. Police arrested him for disorderly conduct and criminal trespass. However, prosecutors say there's no evidence of misconduct to file charges. "I appreciate that the Marion County Prosecutor's office did their due diligence and decided not to file charges against me. I believe it was the right and just decision to make. This was an unfortunate misunderstanding and I am sorry that this incident occurred. I will continue to strive to be the best person and player I can be. I appreciate the support of the Colts organization, my teammates, friends, family, fans and the community who all believe in me," Reid said in a statement issued Wednesday. 02/08/2009 Indianapolis Colts defensive tackle Darrell Reid was arrested for disorderly conduct at a city nightclub early Sunday morning. Reid was arrested at about 1:30 a.m. at Club Oxygen, according to police reports. An off-duty police officer who was working security at the club and assisting on traffic control said Reid was attempting to re-enter the club as it was closing. Another report indicates, Officers working security had stopped people from going into the club after the crowd reached the fire code capacity. Police say Reid insisted on entering, saying he was a Colts player and had to get into the club. After being told several times to leave, Reid refused and was arrrested. Driving a Dodge Charger with several people inside, Reid asked to cut into the traffic, saying he knew the owner. When he was told by the officer to return in an hour, Reid backed up his vehicle and almost collided with another vehicle attempting to exit the parking lot. Reid then was asked again to leave the parking lot but he refused, telling the officer he did not have to because he was a football player with the Indianapolis Colts. Still refusing to leave, Reid started "running off his mouth" and promptly was arrested for disorderly conduct and trespassing. An undrafted free agent out of Minnesota in 2005, Reid has spent the majority of his first four seasons with Indianapolis as a reserve and on special teams. Reid, 26, appeared in all 16 games this past season, recording 19 tackles and two sacks. He also had a team-high 18 stops on special teams.
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