3. The effectiveness of Pat McAfee as a kickoff specialist. As effective as McAfee was as a punter, he may have been equally so as a kickoff specialist. From 2007-2009, Vinatieri had a total of 27 kickoffs for touchbacks. In 2010, McAfee had 25 such kicks, which was one reason the team's kickoff coverage improved. If he can continue to improve in that area, the team's kick coverage – long an area of concern – could turn into a less nervewracking area.
4. The potential of Ray Fisher and/or Brandon James. It's hard to know yet whether this will be a strength, but the potential is there. Either way, it's a major storyline entering training camp. The Colts selected Fisher from Indiana in the seventh round of the 2010 NFL Draft and signed James as a rookie free agent. Each player showed ability to handle returns effectively in college. There's a huge difference between being an effective returner in college and in the NFL, and as Caldwell noted late in OTAs, it's a position at which there's little way to know how good a player will be until he performs in live game action. Still, the Colts made a commitment to the area around the draft, and the players selected appear quick and talented enough to be some level of upgrade over Chad Simpson and T.J. Rushing, who handled kick and punt returns, respectively last season.
5. The improved kickoff coverage from last season. Being good one season is no guarantee of future success. But the kickoff coverage – long an area that tried the patience of fans – improved throughout much of last season. The players talked early in the season of a new commitment and energy under then first-year special teams coach Ray Richleski, and throughout much of the season, the Colts did appear to be more solid in the area. Special teams – including coverage units – is still as much about the commitment of the organization to play quality players there, and the Colts last season made that commitment by signing veteran Aaron Francisco to play the position. He was not re-signed, but the Colts drafted and signed athletic rookies this past off-season, and there's little reason initially to expect a dropoff from last season.
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