Locked On Colts - Daily Podcast On The Indianapolis Colts - LOCKED ON COLTS 4/21/20: Malik Hooker and Quincy Wilson trade rumors + buzz growing on FIU QB James Morgan

Episode Date: April 22, 2020

On today's episode, Stephen Reed of Stampede Blue joins to discuss some Colts rumors percolating leading up to the 2020 NFL Draft. According to reports, Malik Hooker has been a target for other teams in trade talks. Will Indy give him up, and if so what's the price?Also, Quincy Wilson is another hot name mentioned on the trading block. With Wilson's days seemingly numbered with the organization, we quickly look back on a disappointing stint.FIU QB James Morgan has continued to stay in contact with Indy, per ESPN's Mike Wells. Morgan met with the Colts throughout the pre-draft process. Is Morgan their guy, and maybe possible franchise QB eventually? If the upside isn't that hight, Morgan at least provides high-end backup qualities.Closing out the show, we go over the Jordan Love buzz about Indy souring on him. If Peter King's intel is right, Love likely won't be a Colt. Stephen ends it with his final draft predictions before Indy goes on the clock officially. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Hello, everybody. Welcome back into your latest episode of Locked on Colts, part of the Locked on Podcast Network. Today's host is Evan Sutter and joined by a very special guest today's show, Steven Reed of Stampede Blue. Steven, how are you doing? I'm doing well today, Evan. How are you doing? Doing well, and I appreciate you coming on as always, Steven. We always have good discussions when you're on the show,

and let's talk really quickly through some rumors today, and this is going to be really mostly a rumor show because a lot of NFL draft rumors are coming out revolving around trades revolving around prospect meetings and we're going to talk about some scenarios too which we'll do in just a second here Steven but the first one revolves around what Michael Lombardi of the Ringer and the Athletics said this morning Malik Cooker could be in trade talks or at least the Colts are teams are inquiring to the Colts about whether Malik Hooker is available. What was your thoughts on that, Steve?

Because that really caught me off guard this morning, because he still technically has about eight months of control left. Yeah, that one, I was a little shocked by it. And then as you kind of heard more things come out from people, you found out that teams were calling to see whether Malik Hooker was available. And what I gather is the Colts, like any good team, has a price for any player, and they'll go ahead and listen. And that's kind of probably where the rumors kind of took off.

You know, at the same time, I could see it, why teams might go ahead and make that call to see if he's available because in the Colts' cover two scheme, he's not really a great fit there. He was drafted to play that single high in Chuck Pagano's defense. Now he's got the athleticism and skills. I think he's only 24 years old right now. You'll have to double-check me on that one. But I know he's still relatively young.

So I could see why teams would be calling to see where he's at, see where the Colts are on him because they haven't activated that 50 year option yet. And so you gotta, it makes you wonder a little bit. But I think Chris Ballard did the same thing with Ryan Kelly last year. And so I don't take too much into it. I don't think that they're going to move Malik Hooker. I would be shocked if they did. And if they did, it would have to be for pretty solid compensation. Definitely at least a day two pick. Honestly, Steven, if they were to move Malik Hooker during this period where he would still

have his fourth year upcoming, his fifth year year option after that that's two years of full control for every team would get him in that scenario and I think for a player just not entering his prime years and a player I think probably would fit better like you mentioned and this is not Chuck Pagano played for me his rookie year I wonder I think with a guy Malik Cooker I wouldn't even accept a second or third round pick I know he's had injury concerns but when when he's on the field, teams don't really test him that much. I think teams like Dallas, teams like Miami, 26 overall, 17 overall, teams need safeties. If the Colts were to trade Malik Cooker at this point in his career, I wouldn't only accept for a first round pick, Steven. I would guess that that's probably where the Colts

are probably setting that bar at, too. Given that this draft isn't particularly strong at the top at the safety position, you could see why a team like, you know, for instance, like you said, Dallas or Miami might be willing to make that offer. Seattle is looking for a safety as well. So they might be in that market.

And so if the Colts were interested in trading him, I think that they're looking for something pretty high because otherwise like you said they've got two years of full control and that's not even including that franchise tag option and so you've got in a safety tag the safe type safety franchise tag isn't crazy expensive the safeties don't haven't gotten paid for a while now at least not at the top so you know the Colts have two years of full control and then a third year with that franchise tag if they wanted it and like you said he's entering his prime so yeah I had somebody that that remarked to me on on Twitter that said that the Colts would be looking for a fourth-round pick. And I'm like, you're crazy.

That's just not what they're going to be looking for. Malik Hooker is too valuable. You're looking at least a day-two pick. And like you said, I think you're probably – they're holding out for round one. And I think that that's a just compensation given the amount of control, the player, and the youth there. What I think is interesting as well, even that Malik Cooker's name come up around in league discussions like Michael Lombardi mentioned today, and Stephen Holder went deeper into it with his reporting mentioning that the Colts were listening to offers

as far as teams were talking to them, inquiring, and not exactly the Colts were shopping him, as Lombardi's tweet kind of suggested. But even that Malik Cooker's name is out there, Stephen, I find it really interesting. I mean, obviously the NFL salary caps can keep rising year in and year out with what's going on with the NFL being the top sport in the United States of America. But I really do think you look at this defense,

Darius Leonard's going to be the highest paid linebacker in the NFL very soon. DeForest Buckner's already one of the highest paid defense tackles in the NFL, making $20-plus million annually. Is Malik Hooker – maybe they're looking forward to making here a little bit, Stephen, but maybe Malik Hooker might be one of those players in a year or two who gets squeezed out of here just financially. I don't think so because if you look at their salary cap situation, they're pretty well set for the future.

We've talked about it several times and i'm sure you've had other guys have talked about it before but they've got like 40 50 million tied up in the quarterback position alone um you've got i think the colts are walking into 2020 after the 2021 season um or after 2020 season, their 2021 cap, I think they've got something like 80 to $120 million. Like it's massive again. And that's even including the DeForest Buckner deal. And you have to think that as that salary cap continues to rise, the Colts and the way that they structure their contracts,

I don't think they're ever going to have an issue, at least for the next handful of years, in terms of being able to keep a guy that they consider a core piece. And that's kind of what Chris Ballard has said before. If he considers that person or that player a core piece to their system, then they're not going to let him go. They're going to make sure he gets paid. Yeah, Malik Hooker was the first pick of the Chris Bowerd era in 2017. And it just goes to show you just how interesting this draft week could be for the Colts because Malik Hooker's name is brought up. We'll keep you updated, of course, on the situation as it develops.

But the next rumor on the list here is they filled the defensive back here, Steven, and they filled the 2017 draft pick, so the Raptor Malik Hooker, in the second round. Quincy Wilson of Florida, who has definitely not panned out so far with his career in Indianapolis, only 23 years old, still very young. But it seems like from Wilson's social media activities on Instagram and Twitter, doing all this cold stuff, liking tweets about not wanting to be in Indianapolis anymore, hoping he gets traded or released.

It seems at this point, Stephen, I'd be honestly shocked if Quincy Wilson isn't dealt on day three for a sixth or seventh round pick because we've seen the last couple years with Chris Bauer with Henry Anderson Hassan Ridgeway these types of deals usually happen here and Quincy Wilson his name seems like an odd man out here and Albert Brewer mentioned his report yesterday that Quincy Wilson's name has been thrown out there in league circles yeah I think Quincy Wilson's definitely the most likely cult to be traded during the draft. And I don't think that that's going out on a limb for anybody that's listening. Yeah, you're right. I think he'll get traded for a day three pick.

Now, where in day three, whether it's around six or around seven, I don't know. He obviously hasn't produced to this point. But the times that you've seen him on the field and he's actually gotten playing time he's played pretty well um and he is not a fit for this cover two system um cover two cover three system that they're running he should be a press man corner and he is just he doesn't he doesn't fit here um and this is like we just talked about with Willie Cooker he was drafted to play in Chuck Pagano's system and he would have been great had he gotten a chance to develop there but sounds like he wants out um you know I I wasn't sure about all that the Instagram stuff and him not following the Colts or saying that he wants to be traded not necessarily saying that

but liking you know tweets about being traded and stuff like that um but yeah he's a guy that i don't see as a long-term person uh long-term player with the colts franchise it's one of the most obvious players that are probably going to get moved uh during the draft looking back on it real quick steven if this is the last uh week that quincy wilson is a col, we'll definitely know at least by Saturday evening. What was Quincy Wilson's career like if this is indeed the end for Quincy? Because even if they do draft a cornerback, I'd honestly be shocked if Quincy made the roster. Let's say they do draft a Bryce Hall from Virginia, for example, in the third round, and they just signed TJ Kerrion for ANC and Xavier Rhodes.

He's getting squeezed out one way or another, it seems like. But what was your thoughts on his career in Indianapolis, too? I think it's disappointing. I mean, a guy gets drafted in the second round, you expect him to at least contribute that first year. And if not in that first year, you expect him to work his way into being a starter that second year. And quite frankly, he got outworked.

He got outworked by Rashawn outworked by rashaun melvin do you anybody remember that name um you know he he didn't he couldn't make the roster like at this point you know we were all kind of surprised that he was still on the roster he was a guy that going into the the year this past year we were surprised he didn't get traded in training camp. But at the same time, it's just been disappointing. You expected him to work Carter. But again, he's, like you said, he's 23, he's young. He's got the physical tools to be a quality player in a certain system. But it's just not the system.

And it's clear that he wants out. And once cornerbacks are particularly fickle when it comes to their mental state, when they've checked out, they've checked out. You know, and that's something I think that you, you talked about with Xavier Rhodes up with the locked on Minnesota, a lot of Vikings. You talked about how once that Xavier Rhodes mental state was kind of off, it was hard to get him back on track. You know,

we obviously hope that that changes here in Indianapolis, but at the same time, corners are tough to get back on track once they've soured on a location. Moving on here to our next rumor on the list here, and it's about the quarterbacks. Mike Wells of ESPN, the Colts reporter over there, tweeted out that James Morgan of FIU, Florida International, Colts fans probably know, they're familiar with that school because T.Y. Hilton also went there,

and he was drafted alongside Andrew Luck in a 2012 draft class. James Morgan definitely fits physical measurables-wise, Stephen. 6'4", 230, long arms for the position, ran a 4'8", 40. But the stats here for Florida International, he transferred from Bowling Green after three years there, struggled with injuries and production there. But he had 26 touchdowns, 700 receptions as a junior last year for FIU, 65 completion percentage. But then this past year for FIU, 58 completion percentage, 14 touchdowns, five picks, dealt an ankle injury too.

But we've heard a lot of smoke now, Stephen, from a lot of different people that the Colts are very interested in James Morgan. And this kind of confirms that they've kind of been on Morgan for a while now. They met with him at the Combine. They met at the Shrine game, which he participated in, not the Senior Bowl, but the other collegiate bowl they do for scouting purposes. And now they've reportedly met with him multiple times via Zoom conference. It seems like he might be their guy that they might target day three if they aren't going for, let's say, Jordan Love or a Joan Hurts or one of those top day two quarterbacks. Yeah, I think James Morgan would be a perfect option for the Colts in that mid, you know, that day three, you know, rounds like four or five right in there as a developmental guy. Those picks, realistically, in Chris Ballard's teams you know they're high picks and you know but once you get to day three it's really kind of a crapshoot on whether the players are going to

make the team or not Chris Ballard's been really good about that but James Morgan has all the potential and you know a lot of different people have said that he is one of the top developmental quarterbacks in his draft he's got a live live arm. He can make all the throws. He's got the processing. He's a film junkie. Things that he needs to work on really are technique, footwork, and being able to kind of recognize what defense he's seeing nowhere to go get into that second or third read but James Morgan I think he would be just such a huge upgrade over Chad Kelly at at least that third quarterback position if the Colts decide to go ahead and keep three quarterbacks this year and so I think that he'd be a great option for them as a developmental process and a developmental prospect.

And it doesn't exclude them from taking quarterback next year. If, you know, Chris Ballard said in his press conference last week, you know, he's not going to push that. He's not going to force it if he's not the kid, if he's not the guy so you take a guy like a James Morgan you try to develop him get him get him over uh working out get those mechanics fixed and he could end up being a great player but at the same time you're not mortgaging the future by trading up in into round one to go get a guy that's got you know that the sky high ceiling like a Jordan Love but you're really getting this guy in those mid to late rounds seeing if you can develop them he's got natural pocket movement he's just a solid solid quarterback and it's easy to see why teams are high on him and teams have probably been high on him for a while obviously he said the Colts

have been high on him for a little bit and now just the media and everybody else is trying to starting to wise up about it as we get more information from different teams I think he's met with all 32 teams at this point um and so our zoom or skype or however they're they're doing their conferences um but I think he would be a fantastic option in those middle rounds as somebody to develop and to just, you know, see what you get. He could be a great player. He's got all the tools. Yeah, and I think it's interesting too here, Stephen, with James Morgan.

If you draft him, let's say at 122 overall, their fourth-round pick, he could develop into that franchise quarterback. You also could just believe that he's a body on the roster for 2021 because the Colts do not have a quarterback under contract next season. And even if James Morgan is your franchise quarterback, now you have maybe your pseudo-Jacques Brissett, like a very top-tier backup quarterback you could develop behind your franchise quarterback where it's drafted in 2021 or 2022.

Yeah, I think that's a great point and it it does it gives them at least some stability at the quarterback position going beyond 2020 um and he's a guy james morgan is a guy that i wouldn't mind having him sit for two years behind a guy like philip rivers and having him develop and see what do you get. He's really similar to Jimmy Garoppolo in that both of them are smaller school guys. They went to the Shrine Bowl. That's where they really started to pick up steam and got drafted. Jimmy Garoppolo is a third or fourth round pick, I think, out at New England. They developed him and ended up trading him because obviously you get Tom Brady.

I know that's not a name we like to bring up on Colts podcasts. But now that he's with the Buccaneers, I feel like it's okay. But James Morgan is one of those guys who's got all the tools. You just really kind of, you really do have to develop him in terms of the processing, the footwork, and a lot of those, the accuracy issues can be fixed with footwork and working on those mechanics. And so, yeah, I think that he's a great, great prospect to get, especially there at 122 in that fourth round. You know, it could be an option where you and I have talked about this privately about the Colts possibly trading down from 34. Cause that just seems like that's going to happen.

And using, you know, maybe an extra pick that they get in there to snag him. I wouldn't be surprised to see a team like new England, be looking at James Morgan as well. It just, he makes a lot of sense for a lot of different teams. Yeah. Really quickly as well. If before we dive into our mock drafts and our show, Stephen. According to Peter King and also Albert Brewer mentioned this

in his report yesterday, not specifically Jordan Love within the Colts, but Peter King did mention specifically Jordan Love at the Colts as well as the Patriots and Saints. According to King, he used this type of wording for it. They're not hot on the trail. The Colts are not hot on the trail for Jordan Love right now. doesn't seem that way as well as New England and New Orleans three teams that were around the league were thought to be as very strong fits for Jordan Love but according to Kings Intel none of the three are really seeming that interested what's your thoughts on all this late

smoke not coming out around the league that maybe the Colts have been gun shy about Jordan Love this whole time uh I don't really get a lot of info I mean we don't really get a lot of info out of the Colts um and and in terms of what they want to do especially in terms of the draft even though they have that fantastic series with the next pick if anybody hasn't seen those they're 10 minute episodes they're great um yeah I don't i don't read a lot into the smoke right now especially the week before the draft or the week of the draft um you know the past you know that two weeks before the draft that's all you get is smoke and so i i take it you know with a grain of salt and they say it doesn't appear to be hot on the tail. For me, diving deep into the wording, it just means that there's not like an obvious connection. They haven't had a bunch

of Zoom meetings. We all know that the Colts met with Jordan Love several times throughout the process. And it's not unusual for them to basically just cut off contact with a prospect once they've got all the information they think they need. So it wouldn't shock me if they took him. It also wouldn't shock me if they didn't take him. Even if he was there at 34, it wouldn't shock me if they didn't take him at this point. Yeah, it really – it could go either way here with Jordan Lovestock. It's so volatile. I mean, at the combine, he did really well.

There was top 10 buzz for him. Then it kind of settled back in the late first, mid first round. Now, there's even some mock drafts nationally have him going in the mid-late second round, which is pretty shocking. It just seems so volatile that his stock's going everywhere here. But what's your overall thoughts, Stephen? Let's say Jordan Love is on the board at 27 or 31.

Are you still of the idea that he has the franchise QB qualities that it'd be worth the trade for it in your opinion, at least? In my opinion, yeah, I would trade up for, for Jordan Love, especially if he's there at 31, because you trade up for Jordan Love at 31. You only give up like around four pick at that point. Maybe, you know, maybe they push it and they give up around three pick, which I'm not so keen on, but you give up, maybe if you only give up around four pick,

I think that's very valuable to do in this draft. And especially to, to get that, that quarterback with that fifth year option. And that's the big thing. Whenever you hear anybody talk about trading up into the back end around one, it's usually to get that fifth year option on the player. And if it's a quarterback, that's especially true. You saw that with Baltimore with Lamar Jackson trading back up to 32 overall, just to get that fifth year option on him rather than risk losing him the next day. For me, that fifth year option is really valuable. And so I wouldn't mind giving up a fourth round pick to go up to 31. Moving up to 27,

you're likely giving up that third round pick. That one is a little bit harder to stomach for me just because of the talent in this draft and specifically the talent at the positions that the Colts need. It's been like three straight years where Chris Ballard's draft needs and the positions he's needed to fill on the roster have aligned perfectly with what's the most deep position in the draft. And again, that's the same thing this year. And so I'm excited for Thursday and Friday just to see what happens. Yeah, crazy how it works that way, just how it's lined up for the Colts and their needs. And they should be able to attack, though, especially a wide receiver.

If they want to go quarterback like a James Morgan later, Jordan Love early, they definitely have options here. But, Steve, before I let you go, your appreciated time as always. This will be the last time I have you on here before the draft officially kicks off. Give us your final prediction here to the Locked On Colts audience. What do you expect this Colts team to do here on day two, or do you think they go to day one? What's your overall predictions for their first pick,

and maybe what their overall plan for the whole draft will be? All right, so my guess on what they do is at 34, I think they'd trade back. I think you and I have talked about this before privately, talking about trading back with Miami for pick 56 and 70 or a future round two pick, which wouldn't surprise me either. I think they'll trade back from 34. I think their first two picks and if they keep two second round picks I think you're going to see a wide receiver go. If you get somebody like a Justin Jefferson

or Denzel Mims at 34 I could see them just staying and taking him. I think if they trade back 44 you're probably looking at like a Michael Pittman or a Jalen Rager. Brandon Ayuk would be a great, great player there at 44 as well. If he slips there, I keep hearing that he might be going to the first round. One surprising pick that I think the Colts might be looking at, and this is just kind of a gut feeling, is taking a strong right tackle and that this is such a deep draft for the right tackle position. Somebody like a Lucas Niang out of TCU, he started three years at TCU, never allowed a sack at right tackle, and you've got some decent defenders over there in the Big 12. It's a power five school, so it's pretty impressive. I could see the Colts

drafting Lucas Yang in round two or early round three and putting him at right tackle, letting him try to earn that job at right tackle from Braden Smith, sliding Braden Smith down to right guard, moving Mark Lewinsky back out into the depth position. So you're effectively strengthening three positions on the offensive line, and one of the biggest concerns for the Colts right now is depth of the offensive line and so that's a big concern for me I think it's a big concern for the Colts you take one player you fix basically three positions potentially I know that's an unpopular opinion with some people in Colts Twitter but yeah that's just kind of how that's just a gut feeling but you know, that's just kind of how – that's just a gut feeling. But, you know, if I have to throw it out there, I'm probably saying like a wide receiver or cornerback at 34 if they stay.

So I'm looking at Denzel Mims, you know, Justin Jefferson, maybe a Jalen Johnson, a cornerback. He would be be fantastic corner um and then looking at round three the pick 75 you know i would love for them to get a bryce hall he's he's been my guy since like september uh in the corner out of virginia um team captain you know probably would have gone to the senior bowl had he gotten an option. He's long. He's a smart player. Fourth round, James Morgan, I think, would be a great option there. You could also see him maybe go on an offensive line. A couple late round guys that I would love

for them to look at is a Derek Tuska, a defensive end out of North Dakota State, and a McTelvin Agam, a defensive lineman, I believe, out of Arkansas. Those two guys are, Tuska out of North Dakota State is just a fan, he reminds me a lot of Max Crosby when he came out of central michigan um or western michigan one of the directional michigan schools last year um and he's just productive at a smaller level and dominated that's derrick tuska in a nutshell and i think that he's going to go a lot higher than people think but if you can get him in round five or six it'd be fantastic um agam is just a monster on the interior of the defensive line somebody that's going to just beat you up so you know if we're you know making me pick i would probably say lucas niang at 34 michael pitman 44 bryce hall at Bryce Hall at 75.

And like a James Morgan at 122 if we're just going for four picks. Gut says they'll trade out at 34, though, and try to pick up some extra picks because Chris Ballard told us that's what he wants to do. So that's what I think that he's probably going to do. This is going to be a lot of fun, Stephen. Draft week is always one of my favorite times of the year. You guys can follow Steven on Twitter at NiceReadSteve. Read his work as well over at Stampede Blue and as well as his podcast over at Stampede Blue. Appreciate your

time, Steven. Thanks, Evan. Have a great day.