Locked On Colts - Daily Podcast On The Indianapolis Colts - LOCKED ON COLTS 4/8/20: Mailbag Time with IndyStar's Jim Ayello

Episode Date: April 8, 2020

On today's episode, IndyStar Colts insider Jim Ayello stops by to answer all of your questions! It's mailbag time!Being two weeks away from the draft, we look ahead to that while also talking through some possible 2020 storylines.What are the Colts' biggest draft needs? How about double-dipping at wideout? How much internal trust does Indy have in Mo Alie-Cox to be TE2?All of that, plus so much more in this jam-packed episode with Ayello! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Hello, everybody. Welcome back into your latest episode of Locked On Colts, probably Locked On Podcast Network. Today's host is Evan Sutter and joined by a very special guest today's show, Jim Aiello, the Indy Star. Jim, how are you doing today? I'm doing great. Doing great. Just getting excited, more excited for the draft. I've had a little extra time. I think we've all had a little extra time on our hands, I feel like. So while it is my job, obviously, to look into the Colts, I feel like I've had a little more time to look into the draft and some of these prospects. So yeah, it's been an interesting week or two here. Yeah, it definitely has. And like you mentioned, about two weeks ago from the NFL draft here. And we had some listeners sent us questions for you, Jim. We got a full mailbag here for you. We're going to start off we're going to just go around the gamut here. A lot of interesting topics for you. First one up here for you

is from Lucas Robbins. And he asks, in the AFC hierarchy right now, where do you see the Colts? The Chiefs and Ravens are most likely one and two, but past them there's some competition for third. So where would you rate the Colts in that group? That's a good question. I'm going to pull up a list of teams and make sure I don't forget anybody here. Well, man. I mean, yeah, I'm not going above the Chiefss not going above the ravens i am puzzled by what

new england's going to be at this point but it's almost it almost seems like sacrilegious to bet against them at this point doesn't it yeah um you know i think they're probably in the hunt in that like four five six range like buffalo is still very intriguing to me. They play the way they finished this season, especially if Josh Allen continues to come on. I think they did a pretty good job in free agency and we'll see what they do in the draft. I love when they added Stephon Diggs. So that's a team that is, I think, pretty fascinating to me.

And again, had a pretty good year. And then I don't really want to count out Tennessee. I mean, again, are you going to get the same thing you got out of Ryan Tannehill at the end of last year? You know, again, this year, I don't know. I mean, we've never seen Tannehill put it together for two years in a row. He never did it in Miami. Obviously, this is a better situation for him given the way he performed last year. So I'm kind of intrigued. They've also, you know, lost a couple of key guys. I mean, I think Logan Ryan remains unsigned and they lost,

but they did lose Jarrell Casey for sure. And so that's kind of an interesting thing to see what happens. And then Houston, you know, obviously, again, we can all poke fun at Bill O'Brien, but it's a team that's been in the playoffs consistently over the last few years. Still has Deshaun Watson, who I think is still getting better. Losing DeAndre Hopkins is going to hurt, but they may be able to replace him with a draft pick somebody obviously won't be as good as Hopkins but uh somebody good so yeah those are the kind of the teams in the mix I mean Buffalo Houston Tennessee and and then yeah again like you know you get hesitant cutting out or counting out New England and then Pittsburgh is the other one I think I forgot Pittsburgh Ben Roethlisberger coming back I think that should make that team a

lot better that defense is scary good sometimes, especially with the pass rush they've developed in the last couple years. So am I forgetting anybody, or does that sound about right? I mean, I don't know where you are on this. No, that sounds about right to me, honestly, Jim, because I'm thinking about you listed off a lot. I still have the Colts personally after what happened. Obviously, the draft still could change a lot of things,

but I have the Colts right now at the top of the AFC South. I think the Bills are the one team I think that could really be a hamper to the Colts here. If they want to get toFC South. I think the Bills are the one team I think that could really be a hamper to the Colts here. If they want to get to 3C, I think the Bills are a top competition there. But I could see the Steelers, especially if Eric Ebron's a bounce back or a Ben Wallace, where you have a big year for them, with guys like Drew Schuster. It could be a sneaky competitor there.

So I agree. I think a run 3, 4, or 5 makes a lot of sense for that team. Yeah. Gun to my head, I think I'm with you. I think I'd go Colts at the top of the South right now. But it'll be interesting to see how this draft shakes out and how that changes it. I mean, if the Colts go in and get everybody they need

to just kind of solidify the positions, you know, get a weapon on the outside, maybe even get a tight end, yeah, it'll be hard to pick against them in the South. This next one is from at Cholbs, and he asks about Quincy Wilson here. How do you feel about Quincy Wilson, Jim? I feel like he really turned some heads in camp this year. He's only 23, but in his fourth year. Does he make the the jump or does he turn to Hassan Ridgway who's traded

on draft day last year yeah um I gotta tell you if I'm just being honest I uh I'm surprised Quincy Wilson's still on this team and it's not that's not a shot at Quincy I actually like Quincy I see I like in the couple flashes we had of him I think he looked good in some situations he had a rough game against Tampa Bay when he was asked to kind of come in as an injury substitution. So, and I say I'm surprised because I thought the Colts made it pretty clear what they thought of him last year. They didn't seem, they moved Marvell Tell right ahead of him. They moved guys like Roland Milligan in the slot ahead of him, even if there were some, you know, bigger matchups. Like the last time we saw a lot of Quincy Wilson, I believe was Kansas City, where he played pretty well in that, especially in that fourth quarter going up against Travis Kelsey. But then it's kind of the last time we saw a lot of Quincy Wilson I believe was Kansas City where he played pretty well in that especially in that fourth quarter going up against Travis Kelsey but then it's kind of the last time we

saw a lot of him and so when I say I'm surprised he's still on the roster I just you know the Colts never really seemed to have a lot of good to say about him um I so I guess I'm surprised and then obviously they brought in a couple of corners so again I I think Xavier Rhodes and TJ Carey immediately slot in ahead of him you still have uh Rock on the team obviously and then you got a couple other corners that I think he's gonna have to compete with that they draft somebody so if I'm leaning if I'm leaning one way you know if you're if the question I guess is is he gonna be on the roster week one I'm gonna lean no and then yeah I mean to your question, you know,

could they get something for him on draft day? Maybe. Maybe. But I would – yeah, I'm thinking at most a sixth, seventh-round pick. Yeah, I agree with you there. I think maybe a sixth, seventh-round pick makes sense. I think Dujar's another cornerback, Jim. I think he's getting Quincy pretty much outside of the roster at that point.

They signed TJ Carey. He could play special teams. Really quickly on Quincy, because it's such an important factor with this Colts team, Jim, is if you're not playing on the opening roster as far as being a regular starter, you better be really good on special teams. And Quincy didn't prove that last year. And you signed TJ Carey.

If you draft another guy, Marvell Tuck plays special teams too. It just feels like Quincy, he has to prove a lot. And especially if they draft someone, he's going to have a lot of competition on his hands for guys who do stuff that they really prioritize better than him right now yeah that's actually a great point and i meant to say it so i'm really glad you brought it up he doesn't play special teams or hasn't played special teams and they don't see him as a special team's asset so that really works against them where you know the guys you pointed out a guy like roland milligan helped out on some special teams so he's got i mean a lot of work to do and

again and again i want to give quincy credit. I remember I walk, you know, I go onto the field about an hour or two hours before the game, every game last year. And every time I saw Quincy out there warming up, getting ready, getting ready for a game when he wasn't active, that wasn't active. And so, and I know that's kind of, you know what, he's a professional and that's how he's got to be. But I remember talking to him in the locker room one time about, I'm like, I don't know, man, like that would be hard for me.

If I was inactive for two, three, four, five weeks in a row, like he was a couple, you know, at one point last year, it'd be very hard for me to kind of keep up my routine and keep working and try, especially, you know, on Sunday on game day, get out there and get your workout in even when you know, you're not going to play. And he's like, you know, man, I, you know, I, you know, it's the thoughts crossed my mind, but I'm a professional, I got to keep to my routine. And that's what I'm trying to do is trying to prove that I belong out there. So a lot of the credit to Quincy. I like Quincy as a person a lot. And again, as a corner, he maybe just doesn't fit with the Colts, but I, you know,

I wouldn't be surprised if he landed somewhere else and had a, you know, again, I'm not going to say he's going to be a star or even a starter, but a decent career ahead of him. Next one here is from Lucas again. He asked which third year player from the 2018 draft class makes the biggest leap for the Colts in 2020? I feel like for me personally, John McGill, Kamoko, Ture, because they still haven't addressed that starting need opposite of Justin Houston because they're really comfortable at this point. Maybe starting Ture is a three-down guy, maybe at least a two-down guy.

What would you say from the 2018 class outside of Ture? Maybe it is Ture is your answer there. Who can make the biggest leap next year? Two guys. Ture is a great call. Like I said, I think we started to see what he was Ture is a great call. I mean, like I said, I think we started to see what he was capable of early on last season. I know they love what he does, and I think he's going to get every opportunity to bounce back from a tough

injury and prove it. The guy I guess I'm going to go with then is – and the guy – I think this is something that I've seen on Twitter and I've seen a lot of people talk about with the Colts, but I think Naheem Hines is in for a nice season. I really do. I think – as much as I think that Marlon Mack can catch the ball and is pretty good in pass protection,

they clearly want to get the ball to Hines in open spaces, and they should given what we saw in the return game, especially with him. He's got really soft hands. He's very creative in the open field. Shifty, obviously, as we all know. And, again, this is maybe too easy of connecting dots, but we saw what Austin

Eckler did with Phillip Rivers in that offense in San Diego slash Los Angeles and so I kind of think you know I don't think Naheem Hines is Austin Eckler I don't think they're the same player but I do think they have a similar skill set and I do think that Phillip Rivers and and the Colts may want to try to take advantage of Hines a little bit more than they did in the last especially last year. So I do think that maybe that's the guy we see kind of take a big leap this year based on, you know, the way Phillip Rivers likes to run an offense. When you look at that as well, Jim, I mean,

we saw Marlon Mack last year via bell cow at some points in games, almost 30 carries against Kansas City. We've seen other games like that where he really just took the rock and took the game over. But if they want to utilize Naeem Hines more next year, Jim, I imagine it's going to be more of a 50-50 split with Mack and Hines because we saw more like 80-20, 75-25 last year. I imagine if they want to utilize Hines more often like an Eckler,

like a Darren Sproles, it might be closer to 60-40 or 50-50 there. Yeah, I think 60-40, you know, yeah, 65-35. I mean, we're splitting hairs there. But I do think that's something they might do. I actually think Marlon has decent hands I've seen him in practice I've seen him in games he doesn't drop passes I don't maybe think he's like the best route runner out there um so I do think they could use him there and I'd like to see them use him in the passing game a little bit more just to create kind of create that just that put that question in defense's minds like okay if if we're dropping back to pass, I've got to keep an eye on Marlon.

And Marlon, you know, at this point, I think I don't have the stats in front of me, but didn't have many catches last year. I don't think many teams took him seriously as a pass catcher. But I'd like to see him a little bit more involved. But to your point, I do. I could see Hines getting more involved. It's a good way to keep Marlon healthy. You know, Marlon struggled with health a little bit.

He played 14 games last year, and that's a pretty good number for a running back, for a guy who takes as much abuse as he does. But, again, try to spare him some of those things and dents. Try to keep him healthy and on the field more consistently. I could definitely see them going to Heinz a little bit more. Moving on here to a couple questions here related to the same. So I'm going to combine them here both from Kevin and from, it looks like here, from Joshua – or excuse me, from John.

It's about Eric Berry, Jim. We heard a lot of buzz about Eric Berry in the first few weeks of free agency from Jim Char, I believe from SI, who spoke about the possibility of him signing up the Colts. They're interested in him. We haven't heard anything about that since. Berry has not signed anywhere. It seemed like they got the veteran and secondary TJ Carey,

but they're still missing some depth at safety unless they really trust George Odom, Jim. So what's your thoughts on Eric Berry? Because they still have around $20,000 of cash, I suppose, maybe if they want to do a one-year deal. Yeah, and I actually don't think Eric Berry would – I mean, I think it would be a one-year deal, no doubt, because of the injury he's coming off of.

And I don't think it would be a big amount of money, especially given what we've seen some of these defensive backs get. You know, you see Xavier Rhodes came in at like $3.5 million. So I don't think it's a huge commitment. I think what would be happening when you brought in the guy, if you brought in the guy like Eric Berry is that you're bringing in a guy, like you said, kind of a veteran, a guy who's known for being a great guy around the locker room.

Obviously I think that name came up because one, his relationship with Justin Houston, but more importantly, obviously with Chris Ballard in Kansas city and what Chris saw in him as a safety there. Chris, I think he's got a really good eye for secondary talent. If you just go back to what he did in Chicago for some of the guys that he picked up there. So if he thinks Eric's still capable, and again, it's going to be tougher because I'm pretty sure, you know, a guy like Eric Berry, you really want to see the medical, right? You really want to have your own doctors check a guy like that out.

And you really want to be able to watch him kind of come into the facility, move around, play a little bit. Now, I don't know how much they're able to do. Are they going to get outside doctors to look at him? Will they get him on tape? But you'd have to wonder, at least, if the current situation we're all in has hindered Eric Berry's market just because of what he's been able to show people and what he's been able to get in front of people in terms of medicals. But I do like the idea of adding an Eric Berry to that secondary. just because of what he's been able to show people and what he's been able to get in front of people in terms of medicals. But I do like – I like the idea of adding an Eric Berry to that secondary. That said, they do like George Odom.

George Odom was a guy that they told – they were like, listen, we have this – going into last year, they said, we have this opening right now as a third down kind of like deep safety guy that we need help with and we have kind of an opening for it and we want you to kind of go grab it. And George was all about it so that's kind of what he did and he attacked it and I thought he played really well I think Chris Ballard mentioned him at the at his season-ending press conference about the way he kind of stepped up he made a great play in Kansas City a really memorable tackle if you remember that play uh in that game and it was a huge clutch situation for George and um like I said is he a a star? No, but he's very valuable on special teams.

He is pretty good in past coverage. I mean, again, we're not talking about a stud, but I think he's a good player and they do seem to like him around the locker room. So I could see them bringing back, back George. They already kind of, they already re-signed Roland Milligan. And then we, you know, you still have your starters. So I think that there's a chance they don't, they don't maybe, you know, mess with safety at all but again

if they were going to do it somebody like eric berry makes a lot of sense just given his his pedigree and and his what his role would be in the locker room next one here is from courtney at courtney graver one and she asked a lot of one-year deals for the colts this year give me a lot of free agents what's your thoughts on that strategy it's the chris ballard way i mean that's what he does like he he doesn't i mean again even if you look at some of the extensions he's handed out look at like what pier extensions he's handed out, look at like what peer to the peer to seer extension, you know, it was like a three-year deal,

but really it was like a one-year deal with not that much cap dead cap when they cut him. Jack Doyle, if you look at that contract, they extended to do last year, three, I think it was a two or three-year deal or extension, but really just about one year, one year deal. So this is kind of what Chris Ballard does. He likes to give you money upfront and then gives him options as they go kind of a pay, pay to play or pay as you go type of situation with contracts. I think Chris Ballard really likes that and he doesn't,

and he likes to eliminate risk and keep himself really flexible. So a lot of one year deals. And again, if you know, say the Phillip Rivers thing blows up, okay. One year and gone. Now Jacoby's gone. That's, you know, 47, $48 million off the books that you're getting there. And then, yeah, you've got Justin Houston coming off the books. You've got Xavier Rhodes coming off the books. So, again, it allows him to look at the fit, look at how they adapt and play in the system and play in the scheme.

And if it works, okay, great. We'll work on an extension. We'll try to bring you back. We'll reward you. If it doesn't work, you're out. And they don't have to cut you. There's no dead cap. They maintain their flexibility.

This is something Chris Ballard has done for the last few years. I think it's a wise way to build. You bring in veterans that you do like, you think can have bounce-back seasons, but you don't have to commit major money to them or major years, therefore retaining your flexibility. So I think that's what Chris Ballard is all about, and I think that's what he did that's awesome. Yeah, that really is the Chris Ballard special, Jeremy. He's really shown us since 2017. Those are the type of

deals he loves to do, and he still keeps doing them for the Colts. But next question here is from Joshua Matthews at JMet7979, and he asks, will this be the season that the Colts defense and offense finally play good football for 60 minutes and more games than not? I can see a year where both teams are top 10 in both categories. I mean, again, if we're talking about them as a top four or top five team in the AFC, you're probably going to see that. Again, I can't wait to see what the effect of Forrest Buckner is on the rest of the defense. I think it's going to be immense. I think that defense, you know, there was a stretch, and I think Frank Reich said it last year, which was, we're playing as a top five defense right now and there

really was like a four or five six game stretch where they were playing like a top five top 10 defense and they were starting to kind of climb their way up the DVOA rankings and then they kind of fell off at the end of the year from Kenny Moore got hurt they were destroyed in Tampa Bay Tennessee put up a bunch of numbers on them especially late in that game when Kenny Moore went down and then the Saints obviously ruined everything so yeah there was the defensive numbers didn't look as good by the end of the year because they just kind of fell off the table at the end of the season. But I do think that they still have a lot of talent. If they keep Kamoko Ture healthy and he becomes the player that they want him to be, Justin

Houston still has more left in the tank. Obviously, you got Buckner and Leonard, and you're hoping to see more from Malik Hooker. I mean, we haven't really talked about it, but they still have to make that decision on his fifth-year option. And I really do think that a guy like DeForest Buckner could have a very positive effect on Malik Hooker. Just generating pressure, getting quarterbacks to make some errant throws, and maybe Malik Hooker capitalizes with some of that great closing speed

that he has and makes a few more plays on the ball. That would obviously be huge for him going into this next year. And so, yeah, so that's, and then offensively, again, it's going to depend on the weapons. Like is T.Y. Hilton going to be able to become, you know, be the old T.Y. Hilton and stay healthy? Is Paris Campbell going to be able to stay healthy and become the player that all the, you know, the Colt organization thinks he's going to be?

And are they going to draft somebody to be another weapon? Because offense, like running the ball, I got no doubts. I I mean that offensive line is as good as they get um in the NFL Marlon Mack is a really really good running back we already talked about Naheem Hines I like the fit that he has um I like Philip Rivers fit in Frank Reich's system so with a lot of it's there it's just kind of the weaponry on the outside that I'm that I'm concerned about will they replace Eric Ebron because you know Frank likes to run those two tight end sets and then yeah getting a receiver maybe a big receiver for Philip Rivers toon because you know frank likes to run those two tight end sets and then yeah getting a receiver maybe a big receiver for philip rivers to target would you know if they get both those things in the draft then i would you know i wouldn't mind

betting on them being a top 10 offense surprisingly enough jim for our draft section let me go back here we got four questions about tight ends which really threw me off but what do you think about before we dive into that are the colts internally higher on molly cox than we think because i know a lot of colts hands when i go after a tight end let's say round two three or four but what do you think the Colts their thoughts are on Molly Cox because we didn't see much of him last year in the Ebron role but if they don't address tight end or that could easily envision Molly Cox being set to be in that kind of role early on they do like Mo they really do and I gotta tell you there's a couple times that Chris went out of his way to mention Mo as a guy who played through injury with a broken thumb and just didn't really tell anybody about it, especially in one game and just kind of played through it.

And then I think he came after a bye week and just kept playing through a broken thumb and caught a pass with a broken thumb. Like the guy just just stayed out there. And Chris really, really respects guys that, one, don't complain about their injuries, but two, and more importantly to the game, play through the injuries. And that's what Mo did. So they do really like Mo. They also like what he does in the run game. He's a pretty good run blocker. He gives you – he's obviously not as good as – well, I mean, again,

in terms of run blocking, he's probably about as good as Jack is. But in terms of route running and things like that, maybe not on the same level there, obviously. So I do think that there – I can see why Colts fans are kind of, you know, eager to see what they might do at tight end, maybe get a pass-catching guy. Again, we saw how effective a pass-catching tight end can be in a Frank Reich offense. And so that's why people are eager to find that next guy. And Mo isn't that guy.

Mo can catch some passes, can block. We've seen him make some highlight reel catches as well, but I don't think that's who he is necessarily in terms of being a downfield playmaker. I don't think we should make that mistake, despite some of the highlight reel catches he has made. But again, he's a good, serviceable tight end 2-3 that I think if they find somebody in the draft that they like, they'll draft him, and that guy might be the developmental tight end 2 three that I think if they find somebody in the draft that they like, they'll draft him. And that guy might be the developmental tight end to three.

And then if they don't, I think they're comfortable going into the season with Mo at two. I don't think that they're, you know, they're itching to say, man, we really have to find somebody to slide in ahead of Mo. But I think that they're I think that they do like Mo maybe more than people think. Yeah. And we're definitely going to dive in more of the tight ends of next few

weeks to be close to the draft. And we're going to go into our next question here, Jim, from Mike Bessione. He asks, what are the chances are that Chris Bauer trades back up from the first round this year? He's always been about collecting draft capital, so I feel like he's going to stay put slash trade back and get even more picks. But the fifth-year option is so important, especially for quarterbacks.

What do you think, Jim? Thank you. Okay, well, this is just – it's such a complicated question, right? So, like like if they if there is a quarterback that i think that they like that starts to fall into the mid-teens till you know early 20s then yes i could see i could see chris bellar going up and breaking his own like cardinal rule of trading picks to move up and get another one just because he knows how important the quarterback position is he really does he understands it now he came here with andrew luck so we really haven't seen him invest in the position but he knows how important the quarterback position is. He really does. He understands it. Now, he came here with Andrew Luck,

so we really haven't seen him invest in the position, but he knows how important it is. So I think if there's somebody he loves, he will go get him. However, I'm starting to think that scenario doesn't happen, that we don't see. I think maybe people are thinking Jordan Love starts to slip and fall. Maybe he does. I don't know.

But I'm starting to think that the more realistic situation is the first part of that question which was i think he might take 34 and trade back um i and and and maybe get himself a receiver another an extra third round pick maybe depending because you know 34 is essentially the end of one you know early two so you could probably squeeze an extra three out of that and so if you're asking me what's the more likely scenario, yeah, I'm going to go with Chris Ballard's resume here and say the more likely scenario for me is that he trades back rather than trades up. Jim, there's a lot of questions here about wide receivers, specific names here,

but I'll just give you the floor here for a lot of the answer multiple times here, because a lot are asking who your favorite prospects are, wide receiver. And I'll give you the floor here if you had a chance to watch a lot of them to answer multiple times here because a lot are asking who your favorite prospects are, why a receiver, and I'll give you the floor here if you had a chance to watch a lot of draft guys. Who do you think are two or three guys in the second round or third round who makes sense for this Colts team as the WR2? Okay, so there's a guy I love, but I don't know that he gets to the second round

because I've seen him fall to the second round a couple times in a couple of mocks, so this is that one. I was just kind of listening to a fantasy podcast fantasy podcast actually just about these receivers and it's so funny but where where guys are moving obviously you know everybody's got Judy everybody's got uh CD Lamb at top two and then after that I feel like it gets a little bit wild I think most people see Ruggs at three um but I still think I mean I've seen Ruggs down as far as six or seven so I it's fascinating to me to look at this so a guy guy, I'll just say this, outside of those three, Judy, Lamb, and Ruggs, I really, really like Justin Jefferson.

I was blown away by what he did at the Combine. I didn't think he was going to run that fast. But, you know, again, I think everybody started tuning in to LSU games last year because Joe Burrow was just must-watch television. And I just love the way Justin Jefferson created separation, got open, and made good catches. Like I said, he's not going to be a guy that's going to burn you downfield, though, again, I think he's faster than we thought he was.

But he's just a really good route runner. He's physical, and he can go up and get the ball a little bit. So I really like what he brings to the table. That's something that, like I said, that's somebody I would love to see if they're, if he was there at 34 I kind of, I kind of like that. Denzel Mims is another guy that I would throw out there as a guy who just, again, who can catch the ball in, in, in traffic that I really love that. And that's something that I think he's,

he's kind of got a lot of upside for me too, is a guy that I, I think that there's like why he played well in college i think he could do even more and so i i'm a big denzel mims fan as well out of baylor and then gosh let me look i'm gonna pull this up you know a guy i think people are a little bit light on is uh michael pitman out of usc i know um i love him okay i've seen him fall down a few like i've seen you know a guy like so i here. I've seen him fall down a few, like I've seen, you know, a guy like, so here's the thing, like a guy like T Higgins, we all saw what, you know, he's at Clemson, it's a big program and they're out there. And Clemson was on TV every week too, just like LSU. And I think a lot of people love T Higgins. And I get it, but I just don't see a huge difference.

I don't think between Michael Pittman and him. I really like what Michael Pittman He's a big, strong pass catcher. And again, I think that's something the Colts severely lack, especially without Devin Funchess anymore. So yeah, those are three guys that I could see maybe in that 34 to 44 range. Here's the thing about Pittman that I like, Jim, and I think an area that I'm starting to really hone in on in the last three years of the Colts team, just with the way Chris Bauer drafts. It's team captain, senior bowl success. They're very high leadership character guys. And Michael Pittman is a captain at USC, played special teams, did well at the senior bowl, did very well at the combine too.

So I just feel like he checks every box here. So if there's a guy to watch for me, I'd pick 44. I think Pittman makes a lot of sense there. I think so too. And I do, I love your point about the senior bowl. I think a guy, especially, you know, these guys that are playing skill positions sometimes maybe not quarterback, but skill position guys, sometimes I think now weirdly,

they get knocked for being seniors. You know, they don't come out after their junior year, like star athletes or things like that. And I, Pittman came back, like you said, for his senior year. And I think maybe people, I don't know, people forgot about him or something like that. I don't really know, but I, he's a guy that I have a little higher up my board that I think the most do. Last few questions for you, Jim. Appreciate the time as always.

One here from The Horseshoe at One Culture One, and he asks, what do you think the odds are that the Colts go wide receiver at 34 and 44? What percentage odds would you give that? Yeah, you know what? I see, again, I was just listening to this different podcast I was listening to, but I think a lot of teams have done this. We've seen teams kind of double up at certain positions. The Packers jumping out at me with Aaron Jones, Jamal Williams. There's plenty of teams that take two receivers. The Packers actually used to do

that a lot themselves. Man, I think, yeah, the Ravens took a couple of receivers, Hollywood Brown and who am I missing? Boykin, right. And so you've seen teams do this. And I think one, it's like okay we have this weakness right we have this weakness at this position let's fire a couple bullets at it even if they're high bullets let's fire a couple bullets at it and and make sure we get it right or at least one of these guys pans out so I really like the idea now using two high picks is sometimes tough because you don't want to you know you have other areas of need and if you're picking in the second round you're expecting those guys to be starters. I mean, most, I mean, especially when you look at Chris Ballard's history,

second round guys usually tend to turn into starters. So I will say, I don't think it's, I really don't think it's outside of the possibility. He, if, if, you know, most GMs, I think every GM will tell you if they're, they're going on, we're taking best player available, taking best player available. Well, if that's true, there's a lot of darn good receivers out there. And those, they might be the best player available for a lot of guys. So I don't know.

I mean, does 20% sound too high for two receivers at 34-44? I think it sounds pretty right. Like, let's say Justin Jefferson's there at 34, and you want to get a bigger body like Pittman. I think that makes a lot of sense at 44. Yeah. I mean, again, and you're talking about – I mean, here's what I will say. If you're drafting two receivers 34-44, if you're T.Y. I mean, again, and you're talking about, I mean, here's what I will say. If you're drafting two receivers, 34, 44,

if you're a TY Hilton, you're starting to look around going, Oh boy, my, is that, is that the end of my time here in Indianapolis? Because his contract expires at the end of the year. And if they're drafting two receivers and they already drafted Paris Campbell and they'd already have a guy like Zach Paschal who they like, again, I'm not saying that's a huge part of their future, but you're drafting two receivers that high. If you, if you're TY Hilton, you're starting to look around going, ooh, okay.

That might be – maybe a contract extension in Indianapolis isn't coming. That's a very good point, Brant, there, Jim. And the last question I had for you, just – this isn't from the mailbag, just to close out for you here. What do you think the Colts' biggest needs are coming here next week for the draft? You had them named one through three. Well, again, it depends on what you think of no i mean

you know what you know what again i don't think it's it's necessarily a position they draft they're 34 or 44 but it's got to be quarterback right i mean again i i think the philip rivers thing is going to work out well for the colts i do like his fit i still think he's he's pretty good and again when frank reich tells you he's watched three years of film and hasn't seen a big physical drop off you know I tend to take you know I know Frank's going to say that but Frank's a guy that spent a lot of time around quarterbacks is a quarterback was a former quarterback in the NFL he knows more about quarterbacking than I ever will I'm going to say that if he still thinks that Phillip Rivers physically has still got it I'm going to believe him so I I that said though they don't have the future of the position. And until you have the future at the position,

I think that's your number one need almost always. That said, I'm not saying they definitely address it in the second round, but that's my number one spot. Number two for me is receiver. Like I said, I T Y Hilton, I'm a big fan. I still think he's going to be able to come back, but now he's on the other side of 30 most injury plague season he's ever had was last year. And again, I like Paris Campbell a lot too. I think there's a lot of talent there.

They love him as a person. And I think he, he comes on next year, but again, you don't have a lot more in the pipeline beyond that. So I think receiver is probably two and then number three, this is really interesting, man. I'm going to go with, I i'm gonna go with offensive tackle okay i i you know again anthony costanzo's back and that's great for the colts and braden smith has played a pretty good right tackle i think better than a lot of fans think um at that spot but you have anthony costanzo probably for two more years so at this point you got you got two years to find his

replacement chris already talked about wanting to have guys young talented guys in the pipeline probably for two more years. So at this point, you got two years to find his replacement. Chris already talked about wanting to have guys, young, talented guys in the pipeline. And I think that the ideal situation is that they have a left tackle ready to go when Anthony Costanzo walks out the door. Now, whether or not they draft it this year or they draft it next year or however they acquire somebody, I think you have to have that guy ready to go to step right in because you don't want to get into the position where it sounds as gone and you're kind of scrambling for a left tackle and everybody knows you need a left tackle. And so that makes it harder to draft one or trade for one or something like

that. So if I had, if I, yeah, off the top of my brain, I'm going to go quarterback receiver offensive tech. Awesome stuff, Jim, you guys, if you guys haven't already, go ahead and follow Jim on Twitter at Jim ILO. You can go listen to his Colts cover to podcast over at IndyStar with Joel A. Erickson. They do awesome stuff over there. Jim, appreciate the time as always. Thanks so much.

Appreciate it.