Indianapolis Colts Daily Digest: Colts President Bill Polian weighs in on the 2010 NFL Draft

Indianapolis Colts President Bill Polian
Michael Conroy/AP Photo

Indianapolis Colts President Bill Polian likes what he sees in the 2010 Draft.

With the draft nearly two months away, and with the Colts holding the No. 31 overall selection in the first round, Polian said he agrees with many analysts and observers that this year's draft is among the deepest in recent memory.

And he said that could be positive for the Colts.

“The depth throughout is something that we haven't seen in quite some time,” Polian said in an NFL Network interview with former NFL General Manager Charley Casserly at the NFL Scouting Combine at Lucas Oil Stadium this past weekend.

“It's not very deep at quarterback, but virtually every other position there is lots and lots of talent. You're going to have a good choice in virtually every round, I think. That's all to the good, obviously. We're drafting 31^st. We'd like a good player to be there, and I think that will be the case.”

Polian said he believes that will mean some potential at the skill positions late in the first round.

“I look at it through a different perspective,” Polian said. “It's so strong in defensive linemen and so strong in offensive linemen that what you're going to find at the end of the first round are skill players – receivers, corners, running backs that you never expected would be there.”

Polian also discussed:

*The start of the NFL free-agency period Friday, which could be in an “uncapped year” if players and owners don't agree on a Collective Bargaining Agreement: “I think you have to look at it both specifically and from a broader view. On the one hand, we have a budget, as we always have, and we have to meet that budget and we have to meet that every year – cap or no cap. Everybody, I think, has an internal cap of their own. On the larger scale, the question is, 'What's going to happen? This is uncharted waters. We've never been here before. Are we going to get offers on restricted free agents? Are people going to feel that, 'No, maybe there's better value somewhere else. Maybe there's better value in the draft. I don't know. It's a very deep draft. These are situations we've never been in before. We're going to sit back and wait and see which way the wind is blowing.”

*On ongoing negotiations with MLB Gary Brackett, scheduled to become an unrestricted free agent Friday: “The negotiations are ongoing and whenever they're ongoing, I view that as positive. As long as you're talking, there's an opportunity to get something done. We'd very much like to get something done. Right now, I can't say there's anything imminent. I think as we get closer to the deadline maybe that will move things some. I'm hopeful, anyway.

This was an intriguing few minutes with Polian, who occasionally in the offseason – though not often – will offer the slightest pre-draft glimpse. His thoughts on what positions will be available at the end of the first round gibe with his theory that defensive linemen – no matter the depth of the draft – are typically gone by the end of the first round.

Also, don't read much into his comments on Brackett. Colts Owner and Chief Executive Officer Jim Irsay said last week the Colts were prepared to make Brackett an offer in the range of some of the NFL's highest-paid linebackers.

Polian remains optimistic and Colts fans should, too. . . .

Interesting item from Don Banks of SI.com on his combine experience:

“The absolute most bizarre moment of my four-day stay in Indy came Friday night as I was walking along a fairly deserted stretch of one particular downtown street, headed for Jillian's sports bar and some dinner with friends,” Don Banks writes, adding that, “Head down in the freezing cold, I was passing a guy on the sidewalk and happened to glance up and meet his eye at the last instant: It was none other than Colts quarterback Peyton Manning. We exchanged somewhat hasty hellos without ever breaking stride, and then it struck me that there was Manning, the most recognizable player in the NFL, walking all alone on the streets of Indianapolis on a Friday night. No entourage. No car waiting to whisk him away. No Colts fans even aware that their hero was among them. Manning was wearing blue jeans, a fairly casual jacket, and no hat in the winter chill. I couldn't help but think that Tom Brady likely can't just go out for a walk in Boston without attracting a mob scene, and the same is probably true for Donovan McNabb in Philly, and Drew Brees in New Orleans, too. But the good folks of Indy obviously allow Manning to move around town without requiring his own personal security detail. Which I think is pretty cool of all these well-mannered Hoosiers.”

Also, in case you missed it. This from Indy Football Report Monday: The Indianapolis Colts coaching staff may be continuing to take shape. Ron Prince, the head coach at Kansas State from 2006-2008, has been hired as an assistant offensive line coach by the Colts, Tom Dienhart of Rivals.com reported on his Twitter account on Monday. Prince, 41, went 17-20 as the Kansas State head coach, then served as special teams coach at Virginia this past season. IFR Analysis: The move would make sense with the retirement in the offseason of Howard Mudd, the team's line coach since 1998. The Colts have not made an announcement yet, but the Colts typically hire from within and many believe Pete Metzelaars -- the assistant offensive line coach the past several seasons and an assistant for the Colts since 2004 -- likely will be promoted to replace Mudd. . . .

Anthony Schoettle of Indianapolis Business Journal broke down the recent news that, “All Indianapolis Colts season ticket holders will see a price increase in 2010. That’s the simple analysis.”

“Now for a little context,” Schoettle adds, “My four-function calculator tells me the Colts will boost ticket revenue by $3.4 million to $4.4 million next year. The high end comes if the Colts host a playoff game or two. The Colts last season generated about $55 million in ticket revenue at Lucas Oil Stadium. The Colts’ 2010 hike is not a huge percentage increase, but one no doubt Colts fans will feel. They’re not the only ones who will feel the pain. That $4 million or so increase also likely comes at the expense of the Indiana Pacers, Indianapolis Indians, area movie theaters, and other entertainment outlets.

“The truth is, there are only so many discretionary dollars to go around in any market, and in one the size of Indianapolis, that number could easily be calculated on my four-function calculator as well. With a 16,000-deep season ticket waiting list, and the Colts still a threat to win a Super Bowl, the team’s faithful will fork over the extra bucks, no doubt. But that still means Colts’ ticket holders have fewer discretionary dollars to throw at other entertainment outlets—especially in a down economy.” . . .

And finally, there was this item in the Baltimore Sun over the weekend that K Matt Stover, who kicked for the Colts this past season, may retire:

“Twenty years into a kicking career that launched before the NFL's salary cap era, Matt Stover becomes a free agent on Friday. Absent a contract offer to play in a family-friendly environment, he says he will retire from the game.”

Stover joined the Colts after K Adam Vinatieri's mid-season surgery and kicked well throughout the season. At 42, he told the Sun his heart wasn't in it to play just for the sake of playing.

"I'm willing to let this thing go at the drop of a hat if that's what is best for my family," he told the paper. "My heart isn't in it to play just to play. It's to make a difference for a team and create security in a position that maybe somebody else couldn't give them."

Good guy, Stover. There are worse things than playing 20 years and going out with your last game being the Super Bowl.

If he has played his last game, here's wishing him well.

NFL SCOUTING COMBINE

THE QUARTERBACKS. HERE.

THE RUNNING BACKS. HERE

REPORT: COLTS TO MAKE BRACKETT AMONG HIGHEST-PAID LINEBACKERS. HERE

COLTS ADDING TURNER AS ASSISTANT COACH. HERE.

DAILY DIGESTS:

SUNDAY DIGEST: TOM MOORE. HERE.

WRAPPING UP POST-SUPER BOWL TALK: HERE

A REFRESHINGLY ACCURATE READ ON PEYTON MANNING. HERE

ON TEAM OF DECADE AND ED JOHNSON. HERE