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“I don’t really pay attention to who’s rated and who’s at the top or anything,” Muir said. “The only thing I keep on my mind is to go out and perform at a high level.”
Breaking down the defensive tackles:
* The roster: DT Antonio Johnson, DT Dan Muir, DT Eric Foster, DT Fili Moala, DT Mitch King.
* The breakdown: Muir and Johnson gave the Colts better presence against the run and more of an inside push in the pass rush than many would have predicted before the season. When the Colts released Ed Johnson in early October, the first thought was that the team would struggle against the run, and that was hardly the case as the Colts were more solid in that area than a year ago. Moala, a second-round selection in the 2009 NFL Draft, played sparingly and made little impact when he did. His development next season will be key, because with such an early selection invested in him, the Colts need him to at least push for a spot in the rotation. Foster seems the opposite of Moala – an undrafted free agent who has made plays throughout each of his two seasons. He is a vivid example of the sort of tackle who can make an impact in the Colts' one-gap style of defense. He's undersized, but makes plays with quickness on the perimeter that a team wouldn't typically get from a bigger player. King, who signed with the Tennessee Titans as a free agent shortly after the 2009 NFL, was a player many projected would fit with the Colts coming out of college. Many also had him as a late-round selection. The Colts historicaly give undrafted players and waiver-wire acquisitions a legitimate chance to make the team, so it will be intriguing to watch how King fits.
* What the rest of the offseason might bring: Unlike last offseason, there's no vibe that drastic measures are needed on the defensive interior. Muir and Antonio Johnson developed into a solid core on the interior, with with DEs Robert Mathis and Dwight Freeney each crediting them throughout the season with doing enough inside to free them up to rush on the outside. The biggest offseason story may not be as much who the Colts add at the position, but how much Moala develops. The Colts invested a second-round selection in him last offseason and he needs to fulfill that potential for the Colts to reach theirs on the interior.
* Feeling the draft: The Colts could draft this position somewhere, although it would be surprising if it came in the early rounds. The play of Foster, Muir and Johnson made acquiring players at the position less urgent, but the team likely wouldn't pass on a player who could help inside.
* Free agency status: The Colts have made some surprising moves in free agency, releasing DE Raheem Brock and OG Ryan Lilja, but considering the youth and low salaries of Foster, Muir and Antonio Johnson, it seems unlikely any of the three will be released. The Colts also likely won't make any huge moves at the spot, although historically, they will look for help around the roster in second-tier free agency.
DAILY DIGEST: TOO EARLY TO JUDGE OFFENSIVE LINE CHANGES. HERE.
DAILY DIGEST: ON SORGI'S MOVE TO NEW YORK. HERE.
BRACKETT. "WE HAVE UNFINISHED BUSINESS. HERE.
COLTS ADDING TURNER AS ASSISTANT COACH. HERE.
COLTS FREE AGENCY: PLAYER BY PLAYER BREAKDOWN. HERE.
DEPARTURE OF BROCK, JACKSON SHOWS REALITY OF NFL. HERE.
NFL SCOUTING COMBINE
THE QUARTERBACKS. HERE.
THE RUNNING BACKS. HERE
THE WIDE RECEIVERS. HERE.
THE TIGHT ENDS. HERE.
THE OFFENSIVE LINE. HERE
THE DEFENSIVE ENDS. HERE.
DAILY DIGESTS:
COLTS C JEFF SATURDAY ON COLTS PRESIDENT BILL POLIAN'S POST-SUPER BOWL OL COMMENTS. HERE
BILL POLIAN WEIGHS IN ON NFL DRAFT. HERE
SUNDAY DIGEST: TOM MOORE. HERE.
A REFRESHINGLY ACCURATE READ ON PEYTON MANNING. HERE
CASSERLY: BEST DRAFT CLASS IN 30 YEARS. HERE
OFFSEASON PRIMERS:
THE QUARTERBACKS. HERE.
THE RUNNING BACKS. HERE.
THE WIDE RECEIVERS. HERE.
THE TIGHT ENDS. HERE.
THE OFFENSIVE TACKLES. HERE
THE OFFENSIVE GUARDS. HERE
THE CENTERS. HERE
POLIAN: THE PAST IS PROLOGUE. HERE.
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