Tiervermittlung Schweiz » This season was a blast to be a Colts fan

T.J. Green Color Rush Jersey , taking us on a ride down the stretch that most could not have expected. In many ways, good coaching and game planning alleviated the need to have top talent in many areas, and allowed the Colts to succeed despite some holes in the roster. With the offseason at hand, it is time for the team to begin the postmortem of this season, looking deeply at all the places they failed or performed below expectations. The front office will then set to work identifying ways to improve on their areas of need both in free agency and the draft. With the right additions, this team could be really good in the coming season.Here are the top team needs for the 2019 season: Wide ReceiverPhoto by Tim Warner/Getty ImagesThe Colts got the opportunity to see first-hand how big an impact an elite group of skill position players can make an offense in their road loss to the Kansas City Chiefs. While they have a top receiving threat in T.Y. Hilton, they really have very little behind him both in terms of talent, and also in general in terms of bodies under contract. Ryan Grant and Dontrelle Inman will be unrestricted free agents this offseason, and I would expect to see Grant walk after a disappointing season. With Deon Cain set to return from an ACL tear, there is hope that he could step into a role as the number 2 wide receiver to T.Y. Hilton, but it would be foolish to assume that he can. While he looked incredible during training camp, he didn’t see real game action outside of his brief preseason play before injury, and he’ll be coming back from a significant injury which will likely hamper him to some degree. The Colts will be likely to address the receiver position both in free agency and the draft. It would also make sense for them to attempt to re-sign Dontrelle Inman, who really came on late in the season as a reliable weapon. If they manage to hit on a pickup and have Cain be as good as he looked to start the offseason last year, all the better.Defensive LinePhoto by Bob Levey/Getty ImagesWhile the Colts had a stout front seven against the run, they’ll be losing a couple key players and will need to look at replacements. Both Margus Hunt and Al Woods will be free agents this offseason, and with both men at 32 years old, it is tough to see Chris Ballard re-signing them. If there is one thing you can count on, it is that Ballard will continue to invest in the defensive and offensive lines, as he has repeatedly talked about the importance of winning in the trenches. There is always speculation about getting someone like DeMarcus Lawrence through free agency, but in a league where pass rush is at a premium, it is tough to see Dallas letting him go. Much of the rest of the free agent class of defensive linemen are on the back end of their career, meaning that Ballard will likely look to the draft to replenish talent while possibly signing another Denico Autry, a role player who is a good fit for the Colts’ scheme. Additionally, Jihad Ward, who played 6 games for the Colts before heading to IR, is a free agent and it would not be surprising to see the Colts re-sign him.We should expect both the edge rusher and interior defensive linemen to be a major draft priority for the Colts this offseason.SafetyPhoto by David Eulitt/Getty ImagesMalik Hooker, George Odum, and Ahmad Thomas are the Colts’ only safeties who will be under contract to start the 2019 season at present. That means there are going to be some tough decisions ahead for them. Clayton Geathers and Matthias Farley are strong locker room leaders and are still relatively young, both are 27, but neither is a standout safety. There are some intriguing prospects on the market in free agency at the safety position, including Eric Reid https://www.coltsfanshop.com/Matthias-Farley-Jersey , Kenny Vaccaro, and most notably, Landon Collins. It is my opinion that if Landon Collins actually hits free agency, the Colts should do whatever they can to bring him in. Pairing Collins and Hooker in the Colts safety room would make it one of the nastiest safety tandems in the NFL. Were I Chris Ballard, I would then go ahead and re-sign Geathers and Farley to be an incredibly talented backup duo. It wouldn’t surprise me to see a player picked up in the middle rounds of the draft to fill a safety position either.CornerbackPhoto by Andy Lyons/Getty ImagesAt the beginning of the 2018 season, many might have put this position at the very top of the list as the Colts’ most prominent need. While it is still definitely a position in need of significant upgrade, the breakout season for Kenny Moore and an incredible back half of the season for Pierre Desir has alleviated the pressure to upgrade immediately at corner. Additionally, Quincy Wilson came on as the season progressed, and showed that there might yet be hope for him as a starter in this defense. Having said all that, there is certainly a need to add blue chip talent to this cornerback group. Pierre Desir will be a free agent, and while they’d like to retain him, at 28, they need to be considering adding new young players who can grow and develop in this system. There isn’t really an all-star cornerback who will be a big draw in free agency, so I’d look for them to re-sign Desir and invest in a player through the draft to fill out this room in the long term. Tight EndPhoto by Stacy Revere/Getty ImagesSeeing the tight end group listed here might be a bit of a surprise. Jack Doyle will likely return healthy, and Eric Ebron had a career year. Mo-Alie Cox really came on as a blocker toward the end of the season and is still a very raw prospect as well. The position looks like a relative strength for the team. However, Jack Doyle will be entering a contract year, and will be 29 to start the season. He very well could be re-signed and play for several more years, but the Colts would be wise to be looking for his long-term replacement. Eric Ebron proved that while he is a deadly red zone weapon, he simply will never be a dominant tight end in the way that someone like Travis Kelce or Rob Gronkowski are able to be. Getting Doyle back to pair with Eric Ebron will make this group a dynamic one, but given Frank Reich’s tendency to use lots of heavy packages and multiple tight ends, it would be almost surprising not to see the team draft one. ConclusionThe good news for the Colts is that their areas of need line up really well with strengths of this year’s draft class. That is GM Chris Ballard’s preferred means of roster replenishment, and it seems as though the talent is going to be there for him to pull from. In fact, according to The Draft Network, interior defensive line, edge defender, and wide receiver are the deepest positions in this draft. That is great news for the Colts, and if they can have another draft class like the one they had in 2018, we can expect another really fun year. Colts make their first free agent signing of 2019" />Skip to main contentclockmenumore-arrownoyesHorizontal - WhiteStampede Bluean Indianapolis Colts communityLog In or Sign UpLog InSign UpFanpostsFanshotsColtsShopAboutMastheadCommunity GuidelinesStubHubMoreAll 322 blogs on Horizontal - WhiteFanposts Fanshots Colts StoriesScheduleRosterStatsYahoo Colts NewsYahoo Colts Team PageYahoo Colts ReportYahoo Colts Depth ChartYahoo Colts TransactionsYahoo Colts PhotosShop About Masthead Community Guidelines StubHub ✕Filed under:NFL GeneralColts AnalysisScouting The NFLFilm Room: What does new Colts receiver Devin Funchess bring to the team?New,65commentsColts make their first free agent signing of 2019EDTShareTweetShareShareFilm Room: What does new Colts receiver Devin Funchess bring to the team?Bob Donnan-USA TODAY SportsThe Indianapolis Colts have made their first splash of free agency, agreeing to terms with former Carolina Panthers wide receiver Devin Funchess. The deal has a 10 million dollar base salary that can increase to 13 million with incentives over the course of one year. Whether Funchess is a quality player— which we will look at in this piece— the deal is a low-risk, high reward opportunity for the Colts.Let’s take a look at what Funchess brings to the table and where he will need to improve. BackgroundCollege:MichiganSize:6’4” 225 poundsMeasureables:40 Time: 4.70 / Bench Reps: 17 / Vertical Jump: 38.5 inches / Broad Jump: 122 inchesCareer Stats (NFL): 161 catches for 2,230 yards with a yards per catch of 13.9 and 21 touchdowns in four years in the NFL.StrengthsRoute RunningWho would have thought that the biggest positive in a 6’4” 225 pound receiver’s game is his route running? I was honestly shocked. Funchess breaks down his hips excellently and sets up routes with a great jab at the stems. His double move is deadly as he beat numerous good corners with head fakes and quick feet. When running ins and outs Christine Michael Sr Jersey , he flattens well without rounding off his route and also fights back towards the quarterback.Our first clip shows how sudden and agile he is with his breaks. He is running an out-route with the defense in soft zone coverage. His priority is quickly getting to the zone between the corner and linebacker before the two can react to the ball. He gets up field with great quickness and uses an excellent jab to flatten his route to the sideline to make the catch. This is not a flashy or elite play but showcases the agility that pops on tape.The double move may be the most impressive route in his arsenal, especially the slant fade. Against the Eagles in this route, he sells the inside slant with a good head fake and quick steps. He then breaks down his hips quickly and changes direction before dusting Ronald Darby for the touchdown. Did I mention how well he jabs to create separation? Here is yet another example of it. He is working against Quinton Dunbar of the Redskins on this zig route. He sells the inside slant perfectly as Dunbar rolls with him. Once he gets good distance inside, he hits the brakes and changes direction quickly, leaving Dunbar far behind. This route is textbook and it is all because of Funchess’ superb change of direction ability.He can stop on a dime for a big receiver as well. With the Panthers trailing late, the Falcons know they have to keep the offense away from the sideline. The goal for Funchess is to sell the vertical route up field to open the sideline comeback. He sells it well with body language and a head fake, then puts on the brakes after about ten yards. The smaller corner (Robert Alford) struggles to stop and the result is a big catch. Great footwork along the sidelines as well.This last clip is just artwork. Matched up with one of the best corners in football on this route (Darius Slay), Funchess is able to beat him out of his break. The route is a simple deep in but the way that he changes direction and breaks down his hips allows him to be so open. The amount of space he creates on a relatively simple route concept against a top corner really shows his nuance and skill as a route runner. Catching Away from his FrameThe biggest knock on Funchess is his drops, and we will get to it. Surprisingly, though, Funchess displays strong hands. He just doesn’t have great technique when catching. When he is coming back to the ball and extends his arms away from his frame, he is often secures the ball without an issue.This first clip is a deep out that cornerback Quinton Dunbar does not bite on. He stays in Funchess’ hip pocket and rolls with him to the sideline. Funchess makes an excellent adjustment to the ball as it is thrown. He works to the sideline and then fights back towards the pass. While working back to the ball, he extends his arms and uses his long frame to shield the defender away, making an impressive hands catch along the sidelines. Does this look like someone with poor hands?Again working against Dunbar (I swear he is a better corner than this article shows), Funchess makes an impressive hands catch. He goes to his patented double move to create separation on the outside. Once he reaches the endzone, the ball is a bit underthrown. He adjusts to the poorly thrown ball and catches it with his hands over the defenders back, while his facemask is getting grabbed. Big, strong hands on full display in traffic.NegativesWhile I believe his hands are better than stats suggest, drops are a big concern. His main issue is consistent use of proper technique, as he allows too many passes to hit his chest. This turns easy catches into incompletions. Other notable issues on film that I won’t highlight are his sub-par blocking skills and struggles to create after the catch.The first drop is a routine catch that he misses due to poor hand placement. He goes for a basket catch when he should extend to catch the ball away from his frame. The ball hits his arms and bounces away.Again just poor technique on this second drop. The ball is thrown a bit low on this slant route and instead of going low with his hands to catch the ball, he decides to slide down for the catch. The ball hits him in the chest and bounces away incomplete. If he is going to slide there, I’d still like to see him extend his hands. Don’t allow the ball into your chest.This next drop is poor timing along with poor technique. Funchess is slow to get his head back to the ball and struggles to shield his body away from the defender. He is late to get his hands up, allowing the ball to hit his chest and fall incomplete. To fix the drop problem, he must stop allowing balls to hit his chest. Last play may be hard to label as a drop but it is an example of a player that a receiver with his size and stature is expected to make. He fools Slay again with a double move to create separation. Then he mistimes his jump and lets the ball hit him in the chest, resulting in a dropped pass. Hopefully Nick Sirianni and Kevin Patullo can coach him out of these rather routine drops.ConclusionDevin Funchess is a good fit in the Colts offense as their number two receiver. His route running, strength, and ability to catch away from his frame are the perfect make up for what Coach Reich looks for in his offense. Add in that he can also be a valuable red zone threat and I really like the fit. He does struggle with smaller details such creating after the catch, drops, and run blocking but those are areas to work on as a role player. I honestly went into this film room expecting to see a big bodied receiver who catches tough passes but struggles with easy ones. I came away thoroughly impressed with the level of nuance and athleticism in his route running and see the potential for a big year with Andrew Luck and TY Hilton on offense.He may not be a star receiver but he is an excellent role player. This signing certainly could fail but on a one year deal it is essentially a no risk chance on an athletic, skilled 24 year old receiver.