Indy Football Report Editor John Oehser answers the questions of Indianapolis Colts fans (and anyone else who emails at IFROehser@aol.com) . . .
Hey, Oehser . . .
I have two questions for you. First I’d like to know what are the statuses of Mike Hart and Bob Sanders? When are they going to be ready to practice/play? The second is, which of our “needs” do you think is most likely to be ignored by Bill Polian in the Draft? (Assuming our “needs” are DT, WR, LB and HB) Or do you strongly believe that all four are going to be adressed? Thanks.
Federico Pacheco, Costa Rica.
Oehser: As far as the statuses of Hart and Sanders, Colts President Bill Polian addressed each at the NFL Scouting Combine in February. He said Sanders and cornerback Marlin Jackson each likely will start training camp on the Physically Unable to Perform list, and he said Hart would be “close” to being ready for training camp. Polian also said Hart was “coming along fine.” Starting training camp on PUP is not unusual for Sanders, who has done so several times in recent seasons. He underwent knee surgery last season and missed 10 games, but played in the postseason. Hart missed the last three months of the season with an anterior cruciate ligament injury, and it’s not unusual for players coming off an ACL injury to start training camp on PUP.
As far as the “needs” at defensive tackle, wide receiver, linebacker and running back, I’d say there’s a good chance at least one of those four will be addressed on the first day. My guess would be wide receiver in the first round. I also think offensive tackle could be addressed early. There’s a pretty good chance that of those four areas, all four will be addressed with at least one of the eight selections. If one doesn’t get addressed, it may be linebacker. A lot of people are assuming there’s a huge need there, and really, the position isn’t drastically different than it has been for the last five or six seasons. They have two young linebackers on the outside — Philip Wheeler and Clint Session –which they always do. They have Gary Brackett in the middle and entering his seventh season, it doesn’t seem like they’d be in any sort of panicky rush to start finding a successor. They have two veterans — Adam Seward and Tyjuan Hagler — who are as experienced and capable as any backups they’ve had since Rob Morris left. They also like second-year veteran Jordan Senn. It wouldn’t surprise me to see them take a linebacker, but only because they usually do. Wouldn’t shock me if they didn’t, either.
