Locked On Colts - Daily Podcast On The Indianapolis Colts - LOCKED ON COLTS - 6/12- Colts Minicamp Awaits | Whose Jersey Is Next To Be Retired?

Episode Date: June 12, 2017

The Indianapolis #Colts get set to kick off mandatory minicamp on Tuesday, but what can the players do -- is it different than OTA's? Also a listener question kicks off a great debate as to which former Colts player's jersey could be the next to get retired? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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Learn more about our healthy benefits at fepblue.org slash getmore. No, I'm not for sale. You are lockeded On Colts, your daily Indianapolis Colts podcast. Part of the Locked On Podcast Network, your team every day. Welcome back to Locked On Colts, ladies and gentlemen. I'm your host, Matt Dainley. Thank you for joining me here on a Monday. We got a little bit to talk about about the Colts' upcoming minicamp,

and then we're going to get into a listener question that I thought was so good that we're basically going to base our entire episode off of it today. That call-in line that we've been utilizing, this is exactly what that's for. It's great to get the feedback from you guys, the fans, and this is what ultimately could become of it. So if nothing else, we're going to answer your questions on the show. But other than that, I mean, this is a great topic that we can go on and talk about for a good 15, 20 minutes or better. So that's what we're going to use it for today. So getting back to minicamp, the Colts are going to open minicamp on Tuesday. It's mandatory. Franchise players are not, you know, held to those standards necessarily.

But anybody else is basically that's not injured. I think that injured players still have to go. They don't obviously have to take part in it on the physical end of it. But what minicamp basically is is just an extension of OTAs for the most part. You still can't have any physical contact, no offensive line, defensive line drills, no hitting or anything like that. So there's none of that. But if they're healthy, it's mandatory and you can be fined under the CBA for not showing up. So we've got Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday. They're allowed to have

two practices a day during those days, three and a half hours of field work, which typically is going to be two to two and a half hours of, you know, an actual practice going through drills, doing all of the physical part of it, the cardio parts, just all that stuff, you know, the on-field stuff. And then they get another hour probably for the walkthrough. In fact, only one of the practices can be of the practice nature of doing drills. The other part has to be a walkthrough nature. So that's, you know, there's three more days of that. It'll be interesting to see if we learn anything, you know, out of this OTAs, but this is basically the cusp here of the dead period. We've talked about that in the past. So hopefully something will come up, you know, are we going to

have some guys show up that, you know, maybe we thought were injured or had some minor injuries that are going to show up and at least do some cardio work or something, you know, we want to see guys actually being there and being active in some way, shape or form, whether it's the drills on the field or not. We want to see as many guys there as possible. We definitely don't expect to see anybody not showing up. That would be a really weird turn to the, to an exciting, uh, off season to have somebody not show up. So Frank Gore will be there, uh, who has not showed up. You know, he's been working out down there in Florida for at least from what we gather from the coaches talking. So I'm excited to see if there's anything that comes out of it. I don't think that there will be anything

substantial, but what there will be are some of the guys who haven't been there yet will be there to talk. So we'll get a little bit more out of some players as far as how they're feeling, what they're thinking, what they're seeing with the way that the roster has kind of turned over, the way that the front office has altered itself. So this will be kind of interesting in one way, shape, or form. Not many of us are going to be able to see actually what goes on on the field anyhow. So what we do want are some fresh voices from Colts players to see kind of what they're seeing, expecting, and how excited they are for the upcoming season. So that's about all we've got coming up. After that, we're going to get George on here. We've got another couple guests lined up for the week.

So we're all set for that. But outside of that, we had this really good call in and I just wanted to let you guys check this out real quick and then we'll get into it. Hey Matt, this is Dustin Tester, long supporter of the show. I've been listening for quite some time now. Love what you do. My question is, is getting your opinion on who do you think will be one of the next former Colts players that may get their jersey retired. Peytons, obviously, will be retired this fall against the 49ers during that game. Just getting your thoughts on who you think may be the next former Colts player

that may have their jersey retired. Keep up the great work. Now, as I mentioned at the top of the show, I thought that was a great question by Dustin. I just hadn't really thought about doing anything like that quite yet on the show. I obviously have been talking about breaking down situations as far as positions and such as we get a little bit closer, kind of try to fill some of this space with some solid content for your ears. But this was a great one. I mean, I thought this was great. So thank you for the call in. It was fantastic. And it's a great thought of who's going to be the next one to get retired.

So here's the list of the Colts who currently have retired jerseys with the NFL. It's Peyton Manning, obviously, 18. Johnny Unitas at 19. Buddy Young, number 22. Lenny Moore, 24. Art Donovan, 70. Jim Parker, 77. Raymond Berry, 82. Gino Marchetti, 89. So there's a lot of openings there for a lot of really good players. Now, one of the things that, you know, I kind of struggle with this as I was thinking about it is, you know, guys like TJ Green have like a guy like Edron James number 32. Jabal Sheard has 93, you know, Dwight Freeney. So I'm starting to think, man, why did they just, it feels awkward that you would talk about some of these other guys as far as having their jerseys retired possibly when they're actually being worn already.

And I don't know that necessarily that it would have to be something that has not been worn since. I mean, that would be the true assumption of the jersey being retired, I mean, right? But on the other hand, a lot of these guys, you know, can't guarantee that they're going to be with the team forever. If they ever decided to retire their jersey, if Jim Merce decided to retire that jersey, then, you know, they wouldn't have to reissue it. So, but let's kind of get that out of the way right now. Dwight Freeney, is he going to be the next to have his jersey retired? I don't think so. I mean, you wonder, and you put him and Robert Mathis now together. Now, nobody's wearing 98 this year as of now, but you have those two guys who basically turned the corner on the Colts

defense and actually gave the Colts' defense a face as it went. I mean, they were literally a one-two punch for years. I mean, strip sacks, getting guys. And they did this all in a cover two defense largely with the Tampa 2 when Tony Dungy was the coach. So this is kind of the thought goes into it, how do you retire one but not the other kind of thing, you know? I mean, do you retire Dwight Freeney? He's been gone for a little while now and was one of the best,

one of the greatest. Now Robert Mathis has since surpassed Dwight Freeney in career sacks. Mathis has 123, and Freeney has 122.5. So you've got those two, and it's looking like as of right now, Dwight Freeney's not on a team. And those guys are 18th and 17th, respectively, for career leaders. And, man, they've got a long way. They're not going to really get a whole lot further.

Mathis obviously is retired. Freeney, if he does pick up another year, then he would possibly and more likely surpass Robert Mathis. But, man, he's going to have to get 10 more sacks just to get into the top 15 for the most part. He has Lawrence Taylor at 132.5. So that's 10 more sacks to get into the top 13, I guess, to be tied for 13th. So just quickly, I don't think that Dwight Freeney would be the guy to get his retired. Robert Mathis, you might think so. I mean, he was the guy that stayed over through the holdover over 2012, and it really helped kind of get this defense on pace.

Had a career year under Pagano. However, I don't know that Robert Mathis is really going to get his jersey retired. Mathis is a guy that maybe there's something special to him. If they don't give somebody else that number within the next couple years, I'd say it's possible. But when you've got a guy like Dwight Freeney and a guy like Robert Mathis, who both were basically bookends on a defense where they brought that team to light on that side of the ball and you haven't done anything with Freeney's number like that. And you basically gave it up right away. A 93 has been used since Freeney's been gone. And now, you know, Robert Mathis has gone and his number hasn't been used, at least not this year.

Not now, not yet anyway. So I'm going to put a hold on those two. I don't think, though. Now let's get into some of the other guys. I mean, Eric Dickerson, you know, his number is not going to get retired. He's been gone too long. Jeff Saturday, his number is in use as well right now. And I don't know that he would be a guy that they'd necessarily retire his jersey.

He was the center for Peyton Manning. He was the guy who was just as important to the offensive line to dial up any of their protections or any of their run fits or anything like that. So it makes you think that maybe he would be the guy that they could possibly do that for. But at the other end of the spectrum, he's a center and it's in use maybe later on. It just doesn't seem. He's been gone for a while too. So we haven't heard any inklings about that or anything like that. So I don't think that's going to happen. Peyton Manning, his number wouldn't have been in use regardless, even if they hadn't officially retired 18. 18 would never touch another Colts member player, for sure. I just don't see that ever happening. Now, get into some more of the offense here. Reggie Wayne, Marvin Harrison, 87 and 88. Neither one's

been used to my knowledge since Marvin's left and Reggie's obviously not been used since he left. So what do I mean? I think that Marvin Harrison's got a really good chance to do this. I mean, look, you look at the guys who have been tops in the league. Not only were they that important to the Colts themselves, but they were uber important to the NFL in general. Marvin Harrison's eighth on all-time receiving yards. Reggie Wayne is tenth all-time receiving yards. Both of them over 14,000 yards.

I mean, that's insane. That's a lot. So when we look at it, and you know what, and something that may be misunderstood or not quite given its worth is that they were both Colts for their entire career. Reggie Wayne did sign with the Patriots after he left the Colts and was let go, but he didn't play any games. So that's kind of, you know, call that what you want. But, I mean, Reggie Wayne or Marvin Harrison, those guys have to be, in my opinion, one and two of probability. I think that you have Marvin Harrison, who was the guy forever, and Reggie Wayne was kind of his almost sidekick, you know, and then when Harrison was no longer there in 2009, Reggie Wayne started, you know,

really coming on and being noticed and getting credit that he deserved for being such a quality route running wide receiver, you know, man, huge games for the Colts. Not only huge games, but just huge receptions in general. I mean, he's got some of the biggest catches of any Colt ever, and he's got some all-time great NFL catches. I mean, both of these guys have more receiving yards than Andre Johnson, Chris Carter, Anquan Bolden, Andre Reid, Irving Fryer, I mean, Art Monk, just all these guys. These guys are all-time greats, and nobody talks about Reggie Wayne and Marvis Harrison as being all-time greats. I mean, just not enough anyhow. So I look at those two, and I think that

those two have got to be pretty much one and two. Now, when you look at running backs, look at this. Now, I said I didn't think necessarily that Edron James would be since he's been gone since, you know, what, 2007, 2006 or something like that. He's number 12 on the all-time rushing list. Remember a guy named Marshall Falk? He was a Colt for a long time too. He's number 11 on the all-time rushing list. Current Colt, Frank Gore, he's number eight on the all-time rushing list. Eric Dickerson, number seven on the all-time rushing list. Current Colt, Frank Gore, he's number eight on the all-time rushing list. Eric Dickerson, number seven on the all-time rushing list. I mean, all these guys were Colts, and that's insane to me that none of them have had their jersey retired. I mean, Frank Gore hasn't been with the Colts long enough. He wasn't a consistent guy who was with the Colts for like

10 years. That's just not going to happen. Let's quit talking about that right off the jump. Eric Dickerson wasn't really a Colt for all that long as well. I mean, he traveled several different teams, but he was in Indianapolis for the better part of four and a half years. I don't know that that necessarily earns that either. So, I mean, I think can take eric dickerson out of that equation as well but you know you've got like i said edger and james who was a cult for most of his career but the thing about marshall falk is that he was a cult for about five years but he was in saint lewis for longer than that so i think that you have to take marshall falk out of there too i mean they get involved or inducted into the ring of honor, but you know, that ring of honor is not the same thing as getting your number retired.

So then now we're back to Edger and James. If there's going to be a running back, have his number retired. Not only is it the perfect number for a running back 32 to be retired, it just should be retired in general. Edrin James was a guy who came in and just blew people away. He and Ricky Williams were considered to be the top two running backs out of that class. Ricky Williams was everybody's guess. Everybody thought that the Colts were crazy for going edge James. But, man, he just was the perfect running back

for Peyton Manning. I mean, can you imagine a guy right now getting in with Andrew Luck, okay, and then having Andrew and James type of career? I mean, we would be going crazy right now. If any, and you know, that was supposed to be Trent Richardson, right? It would have been nice if he was a third of what any of those guys that I've already mentioned in the running back have been. But I think that Edrin James has to be the most likely running back, obviously. But so when we get down to it, I think you look at Edge, you look at Reggie, and you look at Marvin Harrison. And then maybe if Jeff Saturday's jersey comes up not being used at some point, that they consider that as well. I think those four guys are as much of the face.

If you want to consider who's riding shotgun as the face of the franchise outside of Peyton Manning throughout those years, those four guys are all worthy. I mean, the Colts don't have a ton of guys or a ton of jerseys retired. And then you've got, like I said, 18 and 19 and 22 being the first three. Those numbers aren't used a whole heck of a lot. Then you've got a couple 70s and a couple 80s, 82 and 89. I mean, if you take 87 and 88, you are really, you know, or one or the other,

you're kind of limiting your wide receiver numbers to be, but you've got 80, 81, 83, 84, 5, and 86, you know, all available. Those are kind of, you know, wishy-washy, but you've also got some of the early teens that you can use for wide receivers and some single digit ones as well if they are a multiple position player. So it kind of is fun to think about when you look at this. They don't have a ton of guys that have retired numbers. I mean, there are a lot of teams that have a lot more than the Colts. So I mean, the Chiefs have like 10 guys, 12 guys maybe retired already, and they have some of the most awkward numbers. I mean, even Chiefs have like 10 guys, 12 guys maybe retired already, and they have some of the most awkward numbers. I mean, even, you know, early 30s numbers and stuff like that.

But you look through these, and there doesn't seem to be a ton of like those signature numbers retired outside of Walter Payton, 12 from Jim Kelly, eight, you know, some quarterback numbers as well. But I mean, a lot of these numbers aren't those signature numbers. I think that when you look at that thought process, Marshall Falk already has 28 retired from the Rams as well. So that's another part of that. I just think that you've got to consider one of those four guys. When you look at Reggie, Marvin, Edge, Jeff Saturday, I mean, you know, maybe Adam Vinatieri will get, you know, retired eventually. That's a hard case not to make as far

as I'm concerned. I mean, you know, then we look at what the future holds for some of the guys like T.Y. Hilton. I mean, it's unreal to think about. However, I think that right now, obviously, you've got to have a ton of time in the league. You've got to be a signature player on the team, and you've got to be beloved. Adam Vinatieri's been in a cult long enough, as far as I'm concerned, to where he should be also in consideration for this down the road. So it's not a hard number to retire either, so keep that in mind. So I thought this was a great, great topic to get into. Thank you for the question, and I hope that you guys kind of have been able to form your own opinions.

I mean, there's some offensive linemen and stuff in the past, you know, like Tarek Glenn, who could be a possibility or just some other ones, you know, for that matter. I just think that when you get into actually retiring numbers, that you've got to be picky about it. You've only got so many numbers to use. I mean, so it's a fun conversation. Let me know what you guys think. Hit me up at LockedOnColts on Twitter, mdanley underscore NFL, and let me know. And like I said, thank you for the question, but this is what this call-in line is for. It's great ideas like this that can push a show to 15, 17 minutes and allow us to sit here and talk about possible Colts who should have their numbers retired. So thank you for the question. And, uh, we'll have another couple of shows,

at least this week, we may push into four episodes. A couple of you, uh, have reached out and asking for, uh, more than three shows a week. Look, I'm, I would love to do more than three shows a week during this time period, but that's going to be something that we're going to try to do. I will do four shows, five shows a week, anytime that I have the content to give you, but I certainly don't want any of you scratching your chin or moving on to the next podcast or anything like that without getting some solid content here at Locked On Colts. That's for sure. So thank you guys all for listening.

I appreciate all the reviews on iTunes. Again, I'm just not going to quit stressing it, guys, because they're phenomenal. And I'm going to end up reading some of those from you guys here real soon, I think, on a couple shows. I think that some of them were so cool that I really wanted to let the rest of you get to hear them as well. So thank you guys for listening. I'll catch you all Wednesday right here on Locked on Colts. You are Locked on Colts, your daily podcast on the Indianapolis Colts,

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