Magnificent Seven IV: On the Indianapolis Colts' offense, OG Ryan Lilja and WR Anthony Gonzalez

Indianapolis Colts WR Reggie Wayne (AP Photo)

Each week on Examiner.com, Indy Football Report Editor John Oehser offers seven thoughts on all things Indianapolis Colts. Without delay, this week's Magnificent Seven . .

7) They're back . . . As if they really went away . . . but the Colts' offense had the look and feel of the old Colts offense last week against the Philadelphia Eagles. If it seems as if it has been a while since the the Colts offense and QB Peyton Manning have looked that good during the preseason, that's because it has been a while since the Colts offense and Manning have looked that good in preseason. The unit struggled in a brief appearance in the 2009 preseason opener and Manning missed the preseason and training camp last season after offseason knee surgery. This paragraph is more than an exercise in the obvious. The point is that with a few quality tuneups such as Philadelphia, there's a strong chance for a far faster start than last season, when the offense needed the better part of the first half of the season to finds its footing as Manning recovered.

6) . . . and it appears he may be back, too. Throughout the offseason, I wrote several times that there may not be a more important offseason story than the return to health of OG Ryan Lilja. Lilja is a key to the offensive line, particularly the running game, and the running game is the key to the play-action offense, which in a sense is the key to the Colts' big-play offense . . . and so on. It may sound ridiculous to make that big of a deal about an offensive guard, but even if that's overemphasizing Lilja's importance, there's no questioning his return is important. After missing last season with a knee injury, he missed just one practice during training camp and has started the first two preseason games. He's in the process of working his way back into football shape, but Colts Head Coach Jim Caldwell said following the Philadelphia game Lilja seems very much on his way to doing just that.

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5) You just never know . . . Further proof that around the Colts offseason speculation is just that -- speculation -- came this past weekend when the Colts released MLB Adam Seward. He was signed as a free-agent backup and special teams player, and appeared in training camp to be playing well. But the Colts rarely indicate too, too clearly who they like and how guys are playing during training camp. It's just not their way. The reality was that backup linebackers around the Colts are generally special teams guys and with Jordan Senn one of the team's top special teams players -- and with rookie Ramon Humber playing well on special teams -- Seward became expendable. The question now becomes how many linebackers will the Colts keep? The team generally keeps six or seven. SLB Philip Wheeler, MLB Gary Brackett and WLB Clint Session have rosters spots, which leaves veterans Freddy Keiaho, Tyjuan Hagler and Senn fighting with Humber and free-agent rookie Mike Tauiliili battling for three or four spots.

4) . . . and at left tackle, you really don't know. Will it be Charlie Johnson or Tony Ugoh at left tackle? Ugoh started at the position in 2007 and 2008, but the Colts moved Johnson into the starting lineup in the offseason. With Johnson still recovering from a pectoral injury, Ugoh played the spot the first week of training camp and again in the preseason opener. Johnson has practiced there for the last two weeks, and started against the Eagles. Johnson allowed a sack that led to a fumble by QB Peyton Manning in that game, and Ugoh played at left tackle throughout much of the rest of the game. Upon making the move, Caldwell said the Colts expected Ugoh to fight for the job, and that despite the fact that he hadn't made enough progress to re-earn the position in the offseason the team still expected Ugoh to make a significant jump this season. With two weeks remaining in the preseason, it's difficult to predict how this will play out. The debate doubtless will continue among fans this will remain a crucial storyline until one player or the other distinguishes himself. Thus far, that really hasn't happened and the Colts need one of the two to solidify the position.

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3) Out of nowhere. The Colts traditionally keep a few undrafted rookie free agents, and while they are sometimes hard to predict before cutdown day, a few names have emerged this preseason: DT Adrian Grady, CB Jacob Lacey and Humber. Grady is one of several players competing for reserve roles, with draftees Fili Moala and Terrance Taylor among them, as well as veterans Dan Muir and Eric Foster. Lacey has four pass breakups in two games, so while corner is a deep position, he may be playing his way into serious consideration. If the Colts believe Humber is playing as well on special teams as his three tackles against the Eagles indicate, he may have the best chance of the rookie free agents.

2) All he can do. It's hard to imagine him finding a roster spot -- not with 14-year veteran Adam Vinatieri expected back for the regular season -- but Shane Andrus has made four of five field goals in the preseason and Caldwell this past weekend said Andrus pretty much has done everything asked of him this preseason. If Vinatieri is ready for the regular season, fine; if not, Andrus seems to have shown the Colts he can be a reliable short-term solution.

1) Into his own. It's obviously still very early, and one play doesn't put a player in the Pro Bowl, but Colts WR Anthony Gonzalez showed a glimpse on Thursday of why no one around the Colts is overly concerned about the loss of eight-time Pro Bowl WR Marvin Harrison. While Harrison was once an elite receiver, in the last two years he was not and Gonzalez has the look in camp and preseason of a player ready to start playing and producing like a veteran. Being a preseason game, the sideline-defying touchdown reception on a 3-yard fade from Manning in the first quarter on Thursday won't linger in the memory of Colts fans, but it showed the hands, athletic ability and playmaking ability that Gonzalez has shown at times in his first two seasons. Gonzalez probably won't match the statistics of Harrison in his prime, but he's entirely capable of an 80-reception, 1,100-yard, double-digit touchdown type of season.

MAGNIFICENT SEVENS

Magnificent Seven I: Seven training camp thoughts and observations

Magnificent Seven II: On the Colts' defensive tackle position and WR Reggie Wayne

Magnificent Seven III: On the a pair of running backs and the offensive line

EXAMINER SERIES: TWENTY QUESTIONS WITH THE COLTS . . .

1) Will Jim Sorgi be the backup quarterback?

2) Will Special Teams be Special?

3) Who will be the Colts' breakout player in 2009?

4) Will loss of former Head Coach Tony Dungy hurt in 2009?

5) What will defense look like in 2009?

6) Will DT Ed Johnson impact the defense in 2009?

7) How important is the return of OG Ryan Lilja in 2009?

8) Will K Adam Vinatieri be ready in 2009?

9) Will WRs be improved in 2009?

10) Will OL improve in 2009?

11) Will S Bob Sanders be healthy in 2009?

12) Will secondary be one of NFL's best in 2009?

13) Who will start at RB in 2009?

14) What roles will Tom Moore and Howard Mudd play in 2009?

15) Can QB Peyton Manning improve again in 2009?

16) Will the Colts be OK at LB in 2009?

17) Will CB Kelvin Hayden make the Pro Bowl in 2009?

18) Can TE Dallas Clark make the Pro Bowl in 2009?

19) Can OT Tony Ugoh develop into franchise-level LT?

20) Can the Colts win the Super Bowl in 2009?

THE POSITION-BY-POSITION PRE-TRAINING CAMP SERIES:

OTHER EXAMINER COLTS TOPICS . . .

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Comments

Buzz 2 years ago

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John, it looks like the Colts have quite a bit of depth at a couple of positions. Namely, defensive backfield/safety, linebacker, and maybe even Shane Andrus if Vinatieri gets healthy. Instead of just cutting players like they did with Adam Seward, do you think they could make a trade with another team that may have depth at the offensive tackle position? It may be next to impossible to get a quality left tackle, but maybe we could find someone that can strengthen that position. I know this sounds extreme, but considering the depth we have at safety, I would even consider a trade involving Sanders if it meant getting a starting left tackle.
Thanks!
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John Oehser 2 years ago

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They could possibly trade, but player-for-player trades in the NFL typically aren't as exciting or productive as people expect them to be. Most cut-down day deals involve a player for a late-round draft choice and for the sake of your scenario, as you say, it's almost impossible to deal even a player as good as Sanders for a big-time left tackle. Not saying it wouldn't happen, just that it's very, very rare.
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