Per Mike Reiss: 

http://espn.go.com/boston/nfl/story/_/id/7895138/new-england-patriots-agree-deal-joseph-addai-source-confirms

Let all the "Ex-patriot patriot Oh-Noes!" begin.

For some reason, I keep comming on here to relieve some of my Colts thoughts even though I am not sure that anyone wants to hear them. Anyway, I had a few thoughts about this draft this weekend as I sat infront of the TV working on end of the year papers and whatnot. 

1) Anyone else think that this draft shows what this regime thinks about the last one? I half wonder if the brain trust wants to give the defense a real look after playing a full season with something resembling a game plan, much like we saw at the end of last year. The starting line up: Redding-Chapman-Moala up front (with Nevis-Johnson-McKinney for depth), Freeney-Angerer-Connor-Mathis as LB's (With Fugger-Hughes-Hickman and Addison as backups), and Powers-Thomas-Bethea-Zibikowski on the back end (with Rucker and Lefedge as back ups) isn't that that bad in that there is a bit of potential in the group and, much like Dunleavy said, is kinda-sorta workable-ish with reservations. If Moala, Nevis, Hughes, and/or Thomas live up ot their potential, this defense could go from "hold on tight" to "hey-- it could be worse" or even "Work in progress" fairly quickly. 

2) Anyone esle see a little of Teddy Bruschi in Fugger? After watching the limited tape out there and talking to the only die-hard Vandy fan I know, we agreed that Fugger is good comming off the edge but could make an interesting ILB... apparently, he can sort through traffic pretty well, even against SEC sized offenses. 

3) Vick Ballard: not as bad as I thought when they drafted him. Apparently OK in pass pro and has ok hands.... just seems to lumber despite only being a little bit bigger than Donald Brown.

4) Some good undrafteds could make the roster: I like Chris Gallipo (and wonder if he wouldn't be a bit better if he dropped about ten lbs), Michah Pellerin (Not super speedy, but a bit faster than he was timed and, well, couldn't be much worse than we have for depth) and Matt Merletti (kinda like Caldwell but with more upside on special teams). 

Reader jado825 wrote an excellent piece breaking down the 2011 schedule and game outcomes if Indianapolis had a solid quarterback in each respective game. While there is no way to predict forward or backward what would have actually happened with a new signal caller, and while jado825 admits that there are legitimate reasons to believe the Colts will struggle in 2012, his insights are thought provoking and worthy of discussion. We've moved it to the front page.

It seems to be common consensus that the Colts won't be contenders this year. Many assert that Andrew Luck is going to need a season to settle down, the defense has lots of problems, and that a team doesn't just go from 2-14 to 10-6 in one year while fielding a rookie-filled team.

But what if we're wrong? What if the Colts do, in fact, have what it takes to contend?

A sad moment

http://indy.st/JqoJ6q

I have constructed this mock draft in a way to show who I would want to take and who I believe the team will take based on Grigson’s past draft experience and pre-draft press conference, Andrew Luck’s and Arians’ past offenses, Pagano’s and Manusky’s past defenses. Let me know what you think of both strategies (I would be AMPED if my choices were picked!!!).

Round One, No. 1 overall

Team Pick and My Pick: Andrew Luck, QB-Stanford

Round Two, No. 34 overall

Team Pick: Basically BPA-This may be Fleener but they will likely take an offensive talent that has fallen out of the first round (K.Wright, Fleener, Zietler, or Konz)

My Pick:  Coby Fleener, TE-Stanford

Round Three, No. 64 overall

Team Pick: Janoris Jenkins, CB-North Alabama (best cover corner in the draft with a lot of room to grow but personal issues making him slide)

My Pick:  Mychal Kendricks, ILB-Cal (I know this may be tough but this guy can be a perennial Pro-Bowler, but would worry about 2 small MLBs with no legit NT for a year)

Round Four, No. 97 overall

Team Pick: Kyle Wilber, OLB-Wake or Tyrone Crawford, OLB/DE-Boise State (defensive BPA really)

My Pick: Ryan Broyles, WR-Oklahoma or Marv Jones, WR-Cal

Round Five, No. 136 & No. 170 overall (comp pick)

Team Pick: Lucas Nix, G-Pitt (Kind of sloppy but has a mean streak and can be a solid pro with coaching) AND
T.Y. Hilton-WR/KR, FIU

My Pick: Josh Norman, CB-Coastal Carolina (ball-hawking corner with the swagger to start next year)
AND
Hebron Fangupo, NT/DE-BYU (Solid NT who can be in the rotation until next year then move to DE when we get our 1st round NT; 3 NTs potentially in 1st round next year)

Round Six, No. 206 overall (comp pick)

Team Pick: Akiem Hicks-NT, University of Regina (Seems like type of high upside late pick that the new regime would like)

My Pick: Tauren Poole-RB, Tennessee (He is an upside pick with potential to be in our long term rotation with his running style)

Round Seven, No. 208 overall
Round Seven, No. 214 overall (via trade with Jets)
Round Seven, No. 253 overall (comp pick, a.k.a. Mr. Irrelevant)

Team Pick: Gino Gradkowski (not a fan of his tape; doesn’t even seem to be the best O-lineman on his team) AND
Matt Conrath-DE, UVA (I saw him first hand and he can definitely be a solid piece to our defense; #s have gone down from UVa’s recent switch from a 3-4 to 4-3 but was a stud in the 3-4) AND
Brian Stahovich-P, San Diego State

My Pick: Coty Sensabaugh,CB-Clemson (solid special teamer with potential to fill in our rotation) AND
B.J. Cunningham, WR-Mich St. or Jermaine Kearse, WR-Washington (these guys are ges late) AND
William Vlachos, C-Alabama (high blocker ratings and may go undrafted based on measurables and can only be a center)
***Shawn Loiseau, ILB-Merrimack if we didn’t take Kendricks earlier***

Priority Undrafted Free Agents

Shawn Loiseau, ILB-Merrimack
Tramain Thomas, FS-Arkansas
Jordan White, WR-Western Mich.
Sammy Brown, OLB-Houston
Gerrell Robinson, WR-Arizona St
Drake Dunsmore, TE/FB-Northwestern
Frank Alexander, DE/OLB-Oklahoma
Scott Wedige, C-Northern Illinois
Blake Gideon, FS-Texas
Chris Owusu, WR-Stanford
Travian Robertson, NT/DE-S.Carolina
Chad Diehl, FB-Clemson
Jermaine Kearse, WR-Washington
Derek Moye, WR-Penn State
Jarrett Boykin, WR-Virginia Tech
Blair Walsh, K-Georgia
Lennon Creer, RB-LTech
Bradie Ewing, FB-Wisconsin
Jaymes Brooks, OG-Virginia Tech
Charles Brown, CB-UNC
Austin Pasztor, G-UVA
Keshawn Martin, WR-Mich. St
Jerrell Harris, LB-Alabama
Josh Chichester, TE-Louisville
Brad Smelley, TE/HB-Alabama
Tydreke Powell, DT-UNC
Matt Daniels, SS-Duke
Johnnie Troutman, OG-Penn State
Brandon Joiner, OLB-Ark State

I just posted this Mock Draft Board on Stampede Blue; thought I'd pass it along here, too 

If the rest of you readers are as draft-crazy as I am (and I know you are), your eyes will be peeled to the TV this weekend. But presumably, Colts fans' Round 1 excitement will end at about 7:01pm. We'll just have to sit back and watch other teams make exciting choices for their future.

With that in mind, I put together this handy guide so that we Colts fans will have something to "root" for during each round.

Explanation:

Basically, the board is designed to show a list of players that could or should go in the previous round. Some players will fall for a variety of reasons (teams will reach, teams will draft for need, trades will occur, the Browns will make mistakes, etc), and the Colts will have a chance to draft the BPA-- Best Player Available, per the Grade** on the right.

So, how to "root" for the Colts:

Let's take the first round for example. Near pick 25, a few of the names on the board will be gone. But let's say the Patriots, at pick 27, pick Jonathon Martin, OT from Stanford. Stand up and cheer! That's a name we don't care about. Then a few more names fall from the list, but at 32, the Giants pick Mike Adams, OT from OSU. Yes!!

The more ideal players available near a Colts pick, the better situated they will be to grab BPA, or even move back and get additional picks.

I hope this makes sense, and I hope a few of you get some use from it. Enjoy the draft. Go Colts!

*To look at the spreadsheet I used to compile this list, head to http://goo.gl/2siZJ

**Grades were compiled using ESPN Scout's Grade(0-100), National Football Post's grades(0.0-10.0), Shutdown Corner's Top 50 List, and Mike Mayock's Top 100 List.

I stumbled across this - maybe you've seen it.  This show is all about generating exciting, so it's certainly a bit of a fluff job.  But it's exciting to hear about Luck's abilities and potential.  Take a peek:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZK3HxoSk608&feature=fvwrel

-Buymymonkey -

http://www.rollingstone.com/politics/blogs/taibblog/the-nfl-draft-decoded-part-ii-20120426

I thought this sounded pretty good. The weed guy and drafting the freak in later rounds, especially. Thoughts?

Okay, longtime lurker because I was scarred by my experiences with the hyenas on another Colts-related blog that shall not be named.  But I'm a little giddy right now, and it's not just the 2L of coffee I've had this morning; mainly, it seems like the first round broke in our favor. So, one idea and one question.  I'll start with the latter first: no comments

Note from Kyle: TrueBlue87 was the Colts representative at MockingtheDraft's 7-round mock draft, and did a fantastic job (not only in the draft, but the write up as well. Click here for the picks for the entire mock draft. Discuss!

The last three days, Mocking the Draft held what I call "The Big One." A live mock draft of all 253 picks and then a wild free for all after the selection of Mr. Irrelevant for five undrafted free agents. I was the head Colts GM and torridphenix helped out as my assistant. Here are the selections we made. As in the last one of these I posted, I'll try to contextualize who was on the board and who had been taken to give you a better idea of the thought process.