56-year old head coach Jim Caldwell has had the luxury of coaching Peyton Manning in his first two years as running the Colts.  That might not be the case this year as Manning is having issues with his neck.  It will be a whole other ball game if Kerry Collins is starting most of the year.  Caldwell got out-coached really bad by Rex Ryan in the playoffs last year.  The Colts were 10-6 last year and they are now 24-8 (75%) during the regular season in Caldwell’s first two years on the job.  He is also 2-2 in the post-season with the Colts.  Now we’ll see what Jim Caldwell is really made of in 2011.

With Peyton Manning likely not to have much practice time before the season opener (if he even plays), the Colts will need to help him out more with the running game to limit the hits he’s going to likely take.  The Colts re-signed 28-year old RB Joseph Addai is still going to be the main man for the Colts in 2011.  Addai played in 8 games (7 starts) for the Colts last year and he carried the ball 116 times for 495 yards (4.3 ypc) with 4 TD runs.  He also caught 19 passes for 124 yards (6.5 avg) last year for the Colts.  The Colts need Addai to stay healthy if they are to have a good running game in 2011.  Addai has played in 66 games (49 starts) in his first 5 years in the NFL and he has carried the ball 977 times for 4,020 yards (4.1 ypc) with 38 TD runs.  He has also caught 176 passes for 1,355 yards (7.7 avg) with 9 TD grabs in his career so far.  Addai is by far the best back on the Colts’ roster heading into the 2011 season.

24-year old Donald Brown did not excel when Addai’s injuries gave him the shot to be the main man in the running game last year.  Brown played in 13 games (8 starts) for the Colts last year and he carried the ball 129 times for 497 yards (3.9 ypc) with 2 TD runs.  He also caught 20 passes for 205 yards (10.3 avg) last year.  Brown needs to step up this year if he’s ever going to have a big role in the Colts’ offense.  Brown has now played in 24 games (9 starts) in his first 2 years in the NFL and he has carried the ball 207 times for 778 yards (3.8 ypc) with 5 TD runs.  He has also caught 31 passes for 374 yards (12.1 avg) so far in his NFL career.

24-year old rookie RB Delone Carter out of Syracuse was picked by the Colts last April in the 4th round of the 2011 NFL Draft.  Carter is built low to the ground at 5’9″, 224 pounds.  He is in a battle with Donald Brown and Darren Evans for the #2 RB in 2011.  Even if Carter doesn’t beat those guys out, he’s still the best power runner by far on the Colts’ roster and that will get him some work in 2011.

22-year old undrafted RB Darren Evans is off to a good start in training camp and the pre-season, catching the Colts’ eyes.  He could make the team if he finishes strongly in the pre-season.  He could even work his way all the way up to the #2 job for the Colts.

23-year old Javarris James could be running out of time for the Colts.  He played in 10 games (0 starts) as a rookie for the Colts last year and he carried the ball 46 times for 112 yards (2.4 ypc) with 6 TD runs.  James also caught 9 passes for 63 yards (7.0 avg) last year for the Colts.

PROJECTED GRADE FOR THE COLTS RBS IN 2011:  C

35-year old Peyton Manning had another neck surgery (his 3rd) over the off-season and he likely won’t play in any pre-season games to protect him for the regular season.  Manning played in 16 games (all starts) for the Colts last year and he completed 450 of 679 passes (66.3%) for 4,700 yards with 33 TD passes and 17 INTs (91.9 QB Rating).  He also carried the ball 16 times for 18 yards (1.1 ypc) last year.  Manning is the team, so the Colts need to keep him healthy all year long or they are going to be in trouble.  A solid ground game would be the best help for Manning, because he’s starting to get too old to carry the team on his back.  Manning has played in 208 games (all starts) in his first 13 years in the NFL and he has completed 4,682 of 7,210 passes (64.9%) for 54,828 yards with 399 TD passes and 198 INTs (94.9 QB Rating).  Manning has also carried the ball 346 times for 722 yards (2.1 ypc) with 17 TD runs so far in his career.  Manning has a 141-67 (67.8%) record during the regular season for the Colts as a starting QB.

26-year old Curtis Painter is currently #2 on the depth chart but he’s going to have a hard time holding off Dan Orlovsky for the backup job in 2011.  Painter didn’t play in any games for the Colts last year.  He has played in 2 games (0 starts) in his first two years with the Colts and he has completed 8 of 28 passes (28.6%) for 83 yards with 0 TD passes and 2 INTs (9.8 QB Rating).  He also has carried the ball 3 times for 4 yards (1.3 ypc) for the Colts.

27-year old Dan Orlovsky will likely pass up Curtis Painter on the depth chart before the 2011 season begins.  Orlovsky played in 1 game (0 starts) for the Texans last year but he didn’t attempt and passes or run the ball.  Orlovsky has now played in 13 games (7 starts) in his first six years in the NFL and he has completed 150 of 272 passes (55.1%) for 1,679 yards with 8 TD passes and 8 INTs (71.3 QB Rating).  He has also carried the ball 7 times for 29 yards (4.1 ypc) in his NFL career so far.  Orlovsky is 0-7 as a starting QB in the NFL but those starts came for the Lions during their 0-16 season.

24-year old Nate Davis has been signed on to compete for the #3 QB job….likely with Curtis Painter.  He hasn’t played in any regular season games so far in his NFL career.

PROJECTED GRADE FOR THE COLTS QBS IN 2011:  A

25-year old WR Sam Giguere likely is atop the depth chart as the kickoff returner heading into training camp but he has no lock by any means.  He played in 1 game for the Colts last season and he returned 5 kickoffs for 122 yards (24.4 avg).  Rookie 7th round pick, cornerback Ray Fisher will likely get a shot to unseat Giguere as the kick returner.  Don’t count out undrafted rookie Brandon James out of Florida as he is pretty darn fast. 

PROJECTED GRADE FOR THE COLTS KICKOFF RETURNERS in 2010:  D+

The Colts only allowed 13 sacks in 2009 which was a NFL low and a new club record.  The reason for the possible changes on the front line has to do with run blocking….which was not too good last year.  Charlie Johnson isn’t a natural left tackle but he’s the best the Colts have and he did a decent job in 2009.  Left guard will be a training camp competition between Tony Ugoh, Mike Pollak and rookie 4th round pick Jacques McClendon out of Tennessee.  The center will be Jeff Saturday who has been to 4 Pro Bowls in his career.  He is the leader of the O-Line.  RG appears to belong to Kyle DeVan who has a motor that never stops until the whistle blows.  RT Ryan Diem was a Pro Bowl alternate last season.

PROJECTED GRADE FOR THE COLTS O-LINE in 2010:  B

45-year old head coach Jim Caldwell had quite a rookie season for the Colts.  He led the team to a 14-2 (87.5%) record during the regular season and the two losses they didn’t even try to win as they were resting players.  The Colts then went 2-1 in the post-season losing the Super Bowl to the Saints.  The only way Caldwell can improve on his rookie season is to win the Super Bowl in 2010 and he has the players to do it.

37-year old kicker Adam Vinatieri is still one of the best kickers in the NFL.  He played in only 6 games for the Colts last season and he made 7 of 9 field goals (77.8%).  He also made 17 of 18 extra points to finish with 38 points for the Colts last year.  Vinatieri has now played in 211 games in his NFL career and he has made 338 of 412 field goals (82%).  He has also made 514 of 521 career extra points as he has scored 1,528 points in his career. 

PROJECTED GRADE FOR THE COLTS KICKERS in 2010:  B

31-year old Reggie Wayne is showing no signs of slowing down any time soon for the Colts.  He played in 16 games (all starts) for the Colts last year and he caught 100 passes for 1,264 yards (12.6 avg) with 10 TD grabs.  Wayne has now played in 141 games (128 starts) in his 10 years with the Colts and he has caught 676 passes for 9,393 yards (13.9 avg) with 63 TD grabs.  Wayne has made 4 Pro Bowls in his NFL career and he will likely make a fifth one in 2010.

23-year old speed burner Pierre Garcon really stepped up when Anthony Gonzalez went down to injury early last year.  Garcon played in 14 games (13 starts) for the Colts last year and he caught 47 passes for 765 yards (16.3 avg) with 4 TD grabs.  He has now played in 28 games (13 starts) in his two years with the Colts and he has caught 51 passes for 788 yards (15.5 avg) with 4 TD grabs.  Garcon was huge for the Colts last season and he will be again in 2010 making his college Mount Union proud.

24-year old Austin Collie really played well as a rookie for the Colts in 2009.  He played in 16 games (5 starts) for the Colts last year and he caught 60 passes for 676 yards (11.3 avg) with 7 TD grabs.  The sky is the limit for Collie but he will likely be the #3 or #4 WR for the Colts in 2010.

25-year old Anthony Gonzalez appears ready to return to action in 2010.  He hurt his knee in the Colts’ first game and it ended his season without a catch.  Gonzalez has played in 30 games (12 starts) in his three years with the Colts and he has caught 94 passes for 1,240 yards (13.2 avg) with 7 TD grabs.  If Gonzalez is healthy in 2010 the Colts’ passing game will be even more potent than before.

PROJECTED GRADE FOR THE COLTS WRs in 2010:  A

I’ve been saying for years that 31-year old TE Dallas Clark was one of the best players in the NFL.  Last season he proved me right in a big way as Clark stepped his game up to a Pro Bowl level.  He played in 16 games (all starts) for the Colts last season and he caught 100 passes for 1,106 yards (11.1 avg) with 10 TD grabs.  Clark has now played in 98 games (95 starts) in his seven years with the Colts and he has caught 356 passes for 4,188 yards (11.8 avg) with 41 TD grabs.  Clark has a great set of hands and he’s fast enough to exploit defenses deep and down the middle.  Look for him to have another outstanding year in 2010.

25-year old Jacob Tamme is more of a blocker than Clark is.  Tamme played in 16 games (1 start) for the Colts last season and he caught 3 passes for 35 yards (11.7 avg).  He has now played in 28 games (1 start) in two years with the Colts and he has caught 6 passes for 47 yards (7.8 avg).  Don’t look for him to catch too many passes in 2010 unless Clark gets injured.

25-year old Tom Santi got off to a fast start last season before injuring himself.  Santi played in 3 games (2 starts) for the Colts last season and he caught 8 passes for 107 yards (13.4 avg).  He has now played in 9 games (4 starts) in his two years with the Colts and he has caught 18 passes for 171 yards (9.5 avg) with 1 TD grab.  Santi has a nice upside but he needs to stay healthy to show it.

PROJECTED GRADE FOR THE COLTS TEs in 2010:  A

The Colts don’t use a fullback much but when they do it will likely be Gijon Robinson.  Robinson is a converted TE who is a decent run blocker.  His best skill is as a receiver which shouldn’t surprise anyone.  He played in 13 games (10 starts) for the Colts last season and he caught 9 passes for 62 yards (6.9 avg).  Robinson has played in 28 games (24 starts) in his first two years with the Colts and he has caught 28 passes for 228 yards (8.1 avg).  He has yet to carry the ball in a regular season game and I don’t think he will this season either.

PROJECTED GRADE FOR THE COLTS FBs in 2010:  C