INDIANAPOLIS – Each week, readers of Colts.com can submit their questions to have a chance of them being answered in our Wednesday or Saturday mailbag.**Submit your question here**.
With the abundance of questions in recent weeks, we will have two mailbags each week. This one comes via a weekend edition (here’s the Wednesday version from this week).Ted H. (Alamogordo, NM)
Kevin, I agree with your thoughts on the O Line. They showed real progress at the end of the season, and should only be better this year. The Colts usually scored enough points to win each game last year if the defense had been even middle of the pack. Our draft this year should only have one offensive player, and that would be running back. And the only reason for that is Ferguson hasn't met an arm tackle he could break. What say you? Thanks for the mailbag.
Bowen: Look, if the Colts drafted six defensive players later this month, the complaints would be minimal. However, I'd still be surprised if the Colts went that aggressive on defense. Let's not rule out tight end. We get into more of that thinking in the question below. Running back, tight end and offensive line all make sense to me for picks on offense.
Andre S. (Bogota, Colombia)
Hello Mr. Kevin
Hope you're find, thanks for sharing your thoughts to all us the fans of the horseshoe.
Here is my question, is about a possible scenario in the Draft. We only have 7 picks I believe and hope that 5 of those goes to defense, just leave us with 2 picks. Considering what Ballard, Irsay and Pagano have been saying about getting a RB (I think is a must) that just leave us with one opportunity to get back at the stage, Do you believe the organization will weigh on acquire a TE through the Draft instead of an OL, taking into account the Allen's trade and Williams gave depth in special teams in Seattle not so much on offense, also the depth TE class on this Draft and the total opposite from the OL giving him another weapon and also that 2016 season offensive system had an emphasize on TE sets or the new GM will keep adding pieces to protect our franchise Quarterback.
Bowen: This is a good debate. You seem to be leaning more towards the tight end position. I think I'm with you. Both Pagano and Ballard raved about that tight end group at the League Meetings last week. The potential is obvious with Mo Alie-Cox, but it's no sure thing. You don't necessarily need an offensive lineman when you have guys like Brian Schwenke and Denzelle Good as depth options (if those guys don't win starting jobs). In my eyes, this tight end class is just too good not to tap into at some point.
Stan C. (Minneapolis, MN)
Hey, Kevin! Thanks as always for all your hard work. I wanna expound on something a fan wrote last mailbag. Upon further consideration, I think the Colts could be in a great position to trade down and get a better fit at pass rusher. Here's a pretty plausible situation:
Derek Barnett and Reuben Foster are gone by 15. The Colts benefit by the presence of offensive pieces. O.J. Howard is likely available. At least one of Cook and McCaffrey should be too. Most interesting is the QB situation. Now, Cleveland won't take a QB at 1. San Fran likely doesn't think any are worth it at 2. Chicago will roll with Glennon. The Jets would be a candidate, but their staff is on the hot seat and needs someone to win now, which no rookie QB is ready to do. I suspect they go sign Jay Cutler to try and save their jobs. The Bills are next, and they could be a possibility, although they could stay with Tyrod Taylor and wait for next year's stellar rookie class. I think Cleveland uses 12 on a QB, although we will have to wait and see if they get antsy and decide to ship 12 to NE for Garoppolo. Finally, there's Arizona. I think they still have a SB window and would rather push their chips in the center of the table. Thus, we could have Howard, 1 or 2 of the all-around backs, and 1 (or 2, should a Garoppolo trade occur) of Watson/Trubiski at 15. Now, all manner of teams could be interested in the Colt's pick, particularly QB needy teams that didn't think they'd have a shot at the top 2 QBs.
KC has interviewed Watson and they seem like a great trade partner if he's on the board. Houston may get desperate now that Romo is retired, and if Watson/Trubiski are available, either would be much better than waiting for Mahomes. NYG could think either Howard or one of the RBs could unlock their offense. With that in mind, which of
these options sounds most appealing:
1) IND: R1(15) // KC: R1(27), R2(59), R4(132), R5(180)
2) IND: R1(15) // HOU: R1(25), R2(57)
3) IND: R1(15), R4(121) // NYG: R1(23), R2(55)
4) IND selects Reddick at 15
Trading down to the 20s allows for a better value of picking someone like Takk or Charles Harris (lower floors than Reddick, but better fits), while also getting a CB and ILB in round 2. We could see, for example:
R1) Harris
R2) Top ILB (Cunningham/Davis/McMillan), Awuzie
R3) Top RB (Mack/McNichols/Mixon?)
R4) Top TE (Butt/Hodges/Leggett/Shaheen?), slot corner (Elder?), swing OT prospect (Bisnowaty/Holden?)
R5) BPA
Also, looking back now, I realize this is a massive wall of text, even by my standards. Apologies for the opinion dump, Mr. Bowen!
Bowen: Love the mind coming up with this one, Stan! Let's go with No. 2 or 3. You are getting another top-60 pick, while still staying in the top 25 of the draft. That would give you two second rounders, offering the potential to acquire realistic instant impact guys. Just make sure you find a starting caliber cornerback with one of those earlier picks.
Torrence W. (Louisville)
Richard Sherman is available for trade. Should the Colts be interested? What do you think it would take to get him? He's been injured recently, but he is only 28.
R1-15, Haason Reddick, LB, Temple: Versatile with a high floor, Reddick provides an instant boost to the pass rush with the possibility of staying there or shifting towards being a blitz-capable inside backer in the future. If Barnett is here, he's also in the cards.
R2-46, Kevin King, CB, Washington: Frankly, every team will order their CB boards differently, so who knows which ones will be available. Just take the best corner remaining. Q. Wilson may fall, so he's another great possibility. Any number of press-man corners with safety position flex would work here.
R3-80, Joe Mixon, RB, Oklahoma: First off, I don't want this pick. It would make me wildly uncomfortable. I would much rather take McNichols from Boise State, who is basically a photo negative of Frank Gore as a player. But if Mixon is still here, we could see a Tyreek Hill situation if Ballard and Irsay feel like they can bite that PR bullet. While many may not like him, his talent is undeniable. Also, there's been rumors about Julie'n Davenport to the Colts. While I (like you) want a swing tackle prospect, I think Davenport goes in the 3rd and that's too high for me, considering our needs.
R4-121, Kendell Beckwith, ILB, LSU: A solid general inside backer to give the spot next to Sean Spence some competition.
R4-137, John Johnson, S, Boston College: I feel the unit needs an extra man for depth. I also think T.J. Green needs competition. Perhaps that's unfair of me, but Ballard has shown no need to feel bound by Grigson's past decisions. Johnson is a special teams stud whose soft hands and tracking in the back 4 remind me a bit of Mike Adams.
R4-144, Corn Elder, CB, Miami: As I said, I personally think Butler's move to safety opens up a need at slot corner. A deep CB class and very small stature will push Elder down draft boards, but this kid is a bulldog. He won't keep opposing OC's up at night, but his tape plays like a DC's dream as a fiery and physical role player willing to do the dirty work no matter his size. Elder is really fun tape study and I think coaches around the league will hate his body but love the player inside of it.
R5-158, Brad Seaton, OT, Villanova: One of my favorite unknowns in this draft, I don't know where to mock him. He's a small school prospect who didn't get a combine invite but has met with several teams, most notably the Texans, Chiefs, and Bills. Some sources have him as a priority FA, while some say he is a possible mid rounder. Most predictions I saw had him going in the 6th. I'm willing to gamble on him in the 5th. Tall, long, and crazy strong, he is an intriguing tackle project. Most of his strength is top-heavy, which concerns me, but with an NFL weight room to build his lower body and Joe Philbin to work on his kick-slide, he would be a worthwhile lottery ticket. Watch what little tape there is of him, because he's a really fun study.
Bowen: We answer the Sherman question below. I do like this Mock Draft. My only question is can Reddick be an edge rusher? If he can, you are handling the needs, with tight end the only position not receiving attention.
David S. (Richmond, VA)
With all the mock drafts you've been getting, I want to try and ask you a "fun" question...how often are you associated with the team players? and if you could play a game of 7 on 7 who would you want on your team?
Bowen: Lol, not too much. Players are in and out of the building this time of year. You occasionally bump into some guys, but they are on the football side of the building and I'm on the other side. Play a game of 7-on-7? Well, I would probably want exactly who you think I would want: Luck, Hilton, Moncrief, Doyle, Aiken, Dorsett, Gore. On defense, give me Vontae, Melvin, Geathers, Green, Butler, Spence and Morris.
Kevin C. (Daytona, FL)
How do you think our defense will look next season if Langford and anderson return to form? Also, how do you think curt maggit will do next season after a full offseason of not having to go through rehab? Finally, how good do you think our team would be if we got a starting corner in round 2, either a pass rusher or Reuben foster in the first round and Joe mixon in the third?
Bowen: 1. If Anderson and Langford return to form, it's going to greatly enhance the Colts defense. Their absence last year was a big reason why the Colts struggled so much. 2. He's an interesting name that should not be forgotten. Now a year and a half removed from that hip injury, Maggitt could be back to the double-digit sack guy we saw in the SEC. I'm eager to see him fully healthy. 3. With that draft haul, the Colts should be improved. I might throw a pass rusher into the mix, but even without an early draft pick there, you are still taking care of some key needs. The Colts would be a definite playoff contender with such a draft.
Zachary N. (Ohio)
Hi Kevin. I am a 19 year old first time writer from the heart of Bengals country. Love the mail bag as it is one of my main connections to the colts offseason out here.
There seems to be a consensus among scouts and NFL analysts that there is a significant drop in talent in the RB draft class after the top three (Fournette, Cook, Mccaffery) are off the board. However this drop in talent is much more minut in the edge rush and CB class. You have said yourself there is no true top CB in the draft. I know you are passionate about finding the elite edge guy early but should the colts not target an elite RB (realistically Cook or Mccaffery) in the first round and then find their CB and edge rush in the next two rounds. Elliot last year revitalized the Dallas offense and with his ability to keep the offense on the field he eased the pressure defensively. Should we not look for the same type of dynamic RB? Everyone including Ballard and Pagano are excited about how deep the draft is on the defensive side of the ball. I think this depth in talent should defensively should allow us to get an elite RB and still end up as a middle ranked defensive team with an even more dynamic offense. This is the formula that allowed for the colts playoff runs early in lucks career. What are your thoughts?
Bowen: It's a pleasure to have you, Zachary. There's not going to be an Elliott-type talent there at No. 15. There's a reason he went No. 4 overall last year. Of the 12 playoff teams last year, Dallas was the only one with a first-round running back. That position has proven you can find quality/early impact talent in the later rounds. I'm pretty steadfast in not moving off this belief. Those backs are talented guys. But the defensive needs are just too big and have not been addressed in recent years.
Adam H. (Lafayette, IN)
Kevin,
1. What do we know about FA T Fahn Cooper? It seems like he's a decent prospect who much like Good could be a solid swing tackle.
2. You've talked a lot about drafting a TE this year. I'm interested in your take on Swoope as a blocker. I know he did well catching the ball but I can't remember how he did when blocking.
3. Do you see the Colts changing their short yardage play calling this year? Personally I think bad calls on 3rd/4th down cost us 2 or 3 games last year. Honestly it drove me a little crazy.
I'll leave you with something I thought was interesting. In last year's draft the Chiefs took 3 CB's & 2 WR's, both were positions of need. What's also interesting is that both WR's had off the field issues. I'm not a fan of drafting RB Joe Mixon. However, I don't see Ballard shying away from him if he and the scouts are comfortable with him.
Bowen: 1. He was a former fifth-round pick, so there's talent. Cooper is probably on the outside looking in for a roster spot, but he will get a chance here with the Colts searching for a replacement in depth after Joe Reitz retried. 2. This is one of the bigger offensive question marks for the Colts. The Colts did not need/ask Swoope to do much blocking last year. That's going to change. We haven't seen enough from Swoope to give a confident answer with this one. This is a question mark entering 2017. 3. The Colts did have some pivotal short-yardage calls come back to haunt them last season. You know Rob Chudzinski has evaluated things and we will see later this year if he does incorporate some new concepts when short-yardage plays arise. Robert Turbin is back this season and he excelled in these situations last year. Also, nice tidbit on what the Chiefs did during the draft.
Roger S. (Kokomo, IN)
Hi Kevin. You do a great job here, and I think Colts Mailbag is deserving of some sort of award. My question: What are your thoughts on the Colts going after Dan Feeney from IU at some point in the draft? I get it that the younger players already there are beginning to demonstrate the o-line may be turning a corner, but it seems to me that Feeney checks off all the boxes Ballard seems high on, like competition, versatility, skill, good locker room personality, etc. Thanks again for your work.
Bowen: Haha, thanks Roger. From what I've read, Feeney has a chance to go in the early part of the second round. I don't see where the Colts would be in a position to take him. Feeney should be a long-term pro in this league, but the needs are bigger elsewhere for the Colts, especially in the early rounds.
Alex H. (Stockton, CA)
Hi Kevin it's been a couple weeks since I've asked a question. This week's was about if the Colts should take an offensive lineman in the first round? I think the colts should not. There are too many other prospects at different positions of need that have way more value even with the weak o-line draft class with less players to choose. Chris Ballard has said he likes what he saw with the offensive line at the end of last season from what the tape was showing. So with that I think Ballard will probably pick up an offensive lineman just not with the colts first round pick. Maybe round 3 or 4 at the earliest. Have you heard anything on OL prospect Andreas Knappe? A 6'9 monster. Played right tackle at UConn. Was a captain on that side of the ball. As we get closer and closer to draft it seems like more and more Ballard will trade back in the draft. How far? Maybe to the Giants at 23 but hopefully no later than 27th with the Chiefs. If I can just say. Am I the only who just feels relief. Relief that Chris Ballard is the Colts general manager? It won't just be himself in the war room come draft day. But whatever happens come april 27th. Ballard will make the right choice. Whatever player falls to us. Or if we trade back. Whether it be Rueben Foster who slides or settle on Haason Reddick at inside linebacker. Or go edge with Takkarist McKinley or Charles Harris. Or a corner in Marlon Humphrey or Gareon Conley. Even if he went running back in the first round I'd still have absolute confidence in the pick he chose was an excellent and correct choice. I'm not the religious type but I truly thank God for Chris Ballard' s arrival to Indianapolis. What do you if colts traded down to 23 sith giants. Pick up Charles Harris EDGE with the first. Joe Mixon with the Colts 2nd round pick because his stock keeps rising and he's a potential 1st round grade rb. Get Sidney Jones with the additional 2nd from the giants. And you have a potential first round corner but only have his stock drop because of his injury on his pro day. But the Colts can hold out on Jones to heal. I don't know what else the Colts would get from the giants in the trade down, but maybe a 3rd round pick as well or 2nd round pick for 2018. But with those first three picks the colts could be getting back three first round prospects. Thanks Kevin. Go Colts!
Bowen: 1. With O-line, I think a later-round pick makes the most sense. Similar to what the Colts got out of Joe Haeg last year. Getting a swing tackle to add to the completion mix would suffice for me. 2. Trading much further back than the 20s would really squander the opportunity of getting a truly elite defender. I think that's too far.
Steven W. (Carmel, IN)
i thought that the colts wanted Dalvin Cook? Gore is in his 30's even though he is good , shouldn't we be thinking about upgrading?
Bowen: Steven, I'm not sure if you are new to the mailbag or not. This is a question we've had on repeat since the start of the year. The Colts want to draft a running back. It's a deep running back draft class. Fully expect the Colts to tap into that at some point later this month. But taking one in the first round is probably not the best course of action when you consider the immense needs on the defensive side of the ball.
Gage M. (Pueblo, CO)
If foster can fall past pick 10, What are your thoughts of trading up to snag him? I just think he could be a true leader that we've been needing on the defense and even a couple extra draft picks would be worth it.
Bowen: I could be talked into that. You wouldn't be giving up too much draft capitol and it makes sense at a position of need, with Foster's fall probably enticing to other teams.
Caleb M. (Winchester, IN)
Asking from the home of Wick's Pie, what are your thoughts on the kick and punt return game in 2017. Could it be back to Rich Homie Quan or is there a chance for guys like Josh Ferguson, T.Y., or maybe someone from the draft? Thanks Kevin.
Bowen: Good question, Caleb. I'm going to go with Chester Rogers at punt return and Josh Ferguson at kick return. I love what a healthy Quan Bray has done for this team, but I'm worried he's going to be in a number's crunch when deciding the 53-man roster. Where does Bray fit in at receiver? Now that Kamar Aiken is here, I see Rogers as the 5th receiver. In my mind, Rogers showed enough last year at receiver/punt returner to earn another roster spot. The draft could impact how the Colts handle return duties, as well.
Caleb D. (Columbus, OH)
Since training camp is moving to Indy, will fans be able to come and see it or will there be specific dates for the public?
Bowen: Caleb, there will be two specific dates fans can attend practices. The sites and dates of these practices will be announced later. The open practices will not be at the team's complex, as there's not enough room to facilitate fans/parking. Stay tuned to Colts.com for more information.
Thad S. (Dayton, OH)
Kevin, thanks for doing the mailbag. It is always interesting.
In the 2017 draft, there seems to be an "elite" grouping of front-7 folks that are expected to go top-10 or top-12 with: Myles Garrett, Solomon Thomas, Jonathan Allen and Reuben Foster. If one of them falls to 1-15, then the Colts should take them but I don't expect that to happen.
Then, there is the next grouping of defenders expected to be taken in the middle of the 1st round like: Derek Barnett, Hasson Riddick and Takkarist McKinley. Some or all might be available with our 1-15 pick.
Then, finally, there are the guys who are not expected to be picked until the bottom of the 1st round or the top of the 2nd round in: Charles Harris, T.J. Watt or Taco Charleston.
My question is, do you see a big difference from the Barnett/Riddick/McKinley group to the Harris/Watt/Charleston group? Does anything stand out arguing for standing pat at 1-15 and taking one of them instead of trading back if possible and taking one of Harris or Watt?
Long question but I would love to get a couple more mid-round picks to help build the competition on the team.
Thanks!
Bowen: This is a nice breakdown. Some reports have indicated that the Colts are higher on Charles Harris than most teams. So maybe they don't see too much of a separation. I think the rawness of Charlton plays into why he isn't in the definite top 15-20 group. McKinley being there at 15, and not Barnett/Reddick, would probably make me pause into trading down a little more. The shoulder injury worries me there. Let's not forget about cornerback either when discussing potential first-round fits for the Colts.
Matt H. (Metea, IN)
Thank you Kevin for giving us Colts fans some insight, opinions and keeping the off season exciting. I have seen so many Mock Drafts, Colts taking a RB in the first round. Obviously it would be great to get a rookie RB, like the Edge again, but I dont see that happening. The triplets, as they were called, Manning, Harrison, and James. Those were the good ole days, when they lit up the RCA Dome. Big scores, mean excitement in the Stadium, but then comes the Bend but dont break Defense. Over the last few years, the defense, has been broken more than bent. I would love to see the Colts pick up a stud RB rookie in the first round, but we need a pass rusher. Does anyone remember Dominic Rhodes? An absolute fan favorite, who was never drafted, out of Midwestern State. A liberal arts school in Texas. I believe that Chris Ballard can find that kind of running back again, rebuild the defense thru the draft. Everyone is talking about getting a 1st round draft pick RB, Kevin, the Colts have found RB's, in the late rounds before, even undrafted. Andrew Luck is gonna be Andrew Luck, he is a professional, no excuse, throw the ball quarterback. Hand off, on check ups, throw short yardage to the TE, read the Mike for blitz or stunts, or give TY the go route for a big gain if the corner and safety bites on the run. My question is, Colts seem to have everything in place, a great owner, a great coach, a great GM, a great stadium, a great atmosphere, a great city, its not like the Colts have a city like New York, Washington, etc. I wont say anymore. All of Colts nation wants to get a SB now, yet we are all tuned to be Hoosiers, polite, accepting, and patient. Is that the problem? Maybe Colts nation doesnt say enough? Or are we just satisfied , thanking God that the Colts didnt move out to LA?
Bowen: I don't think the "lack of chatter" from Colts nation is an issue at all. Jim Irsay is easily one of the most competitive and invested owners in his team's success. The reason the Colts have struggled recently is because of the defensive issues. Not the fans possibly being a tad quieter than other cities/fan bases.
Don P. (St. Albans, WVU)Kevin, thank you so much for your insightful opinions and viewpoints on questions each week. I look forward to them especially with draft time soon approaching.
Can you shed some insight into the behind the scenes selection of the undrafted free agents? I sense it might be a scramble with phone calls near the later rounds of the draft to encourage them to verbally agree to a team contract before other teams do? Thank you for your insight on how this process works?
Bowen: Thanks for the kind words, Don. You are spot on with how undrafted free agents are signed. It's chaotic. You begin getting in touch with these players in the pre-draft process saying to them, "if you go undrafted, we are interested." Then that process continues in the later rounds, before the draft officially gets over. You are using multiple personnel men during this process. On the flip side, it's a crazy process for the players/agents wanting a big signing bonus but also not wanting to miss out on a great fit with a specific team.
Blake N. (Arkansas)
I think we can make the playoffs as long shots if we get a few key players. Just think if the mock draft first three rounds.
1) Ruben foster backer.
2) Tim Williams backer pass rusher.
3) j mixon running back. With three fourth we can nab a corner or two and a o line and d line. Going into the 5th round.
I'm just tired of seeing us pass on key players, good players. I think we have a chance to make a quick turnaround if we draft right this year. A lot better then people think anyways. Tons of pro bowl like players in this deep draft. Do you think my options are a good way for the colts to make a quick turnaround?
Bowen: I think you're onto something, but you are missing a cornerback in the early rounds. The Colts need to find a cornerback in the draft that can play from Day One. A fourth-round cornerback is too late for me when you need more of a sure thing at that position.
Corey G. (Indianapolis)
What's up Kevin,I wanna know if you think this is a good idea,why don't the colts try TJ Green at corner,he's big rangy and physical,could match up perfectly against the Greens,Joneses and Hopkins of the league,he's also pretty fast,since Darius is back,I would like to see if that position would suit him better than safety,what do you think
Bowen: One aspect of T.J. Green's game that Chuck Pagano mentioned at the League Meetings was trying not to overload the young safety. Pagano wants Green to play faster in 2017 and believes that the Colts might have thrown too much at the safety last year. I can't see Green moving to cornerback. I'd expect him to be the top defensive back when the Colts head into their sub packages. I understand why you're asking this question given the need for corners and with the safety position not appearing to have an open starting spot.
David B. (Clearwater, FL)
Kevin, When an NFL player announces his retirement does that mean he is officially retired?. Does paper work have to be filed to make it official? How long does a player have to file? When does a players benefits from retirement begin? Are the benefits for life? Please Kevin help clear that up for me. GO BLUE!!
Bowen: He is not officially retired once the announcement his made. For example, Pat McAfee came in a few weeks ago to sign his retirement papers, about a month and a half after he announced his retirement. I'm not positive on how exactly the retirement settlements work between players/teams/league. Here are some details on NFL retirement.
Jonathan M. (Sicklerville, NJ)
Hello, I was wondering...since Richard Sherman Malcolm Butler are both available, will the Colts look into the both of them or at least one of them because we need the extra help considering Vontae Davis is unable to do it all by himself
Bowen: We had several Sherman-centric questions in this week's mailbag. Like I've said before, the Colts need to get younger at cornerback. Sherman is 29 years old. Vontae Davis is about to turn 29 and is also in a contract year. The Colts need to upgrade at the corner position with a deep draft class and build for the future at that spot.* *
Robbie H. (Luton, England)
Hi Kevin
You seem to be having a busy off-season.
Do you have confirmation of when the schedule will be released and who would you like early in the season?
Cheers, Robbie
Bowen: Adam Schefter reported last week that he expected the schedule to be released the week of April 17. Colts.com will once again have a live schedule release show. I have no real care to when the games are played, but would like to see Colts at Seahawks be a primetime contest.
Mark S. (Indianapolis)
With Andrew Luck having taken 41 sacks and seemingly countless hits in 2016 and being hurt badly for the past 2 seasons due to poor offensive line protection - and having signed the $140,000,000 highest in NFL history contract during the off-season ... and presently attempting to recover from his latest shoulder surgery ... WHY is there any other discussion other than getting the best offensive lineman available with out 15th pick being 'bandied' about?!
Bowen: You spent four draft picks on offensive linemen last year. There's a chance (maybe a good one) that the Colts see three of those 2016 draftees start this coming season. It's time to let those guys grow and develop together and build off what we saw late last season. The Colts had the 30th ranked defense in the NFL in 2016. They've parted ways with seven starters on that side of the ball since the end of the season. Hence the reason for the need to draft defensive pieces.
Luke R. (Rochester, NY)
Hey Kevin,
Some Draft Questions.
1. What's your opinion on Joe Mixon as a candidate for our starting running back? Sure, there's his off the field issues, but you can't deny his talent, and would make our offense a LOT more dangerous.
2. Who will have the better season in your eyes: John Simon, or Jabaal Sheard (In Terms of Sacks, QB Hits)?
3. On the flip side, which second-year makes the bigger leap next year on the offensive line: Joe Haeg at right guard, or Le'Raven Clark at right tackle?
Bowen: 1. Very little to question about his on-field talent. He's a dynamic runner with game-breaking ability. The Colts would love to add such a weapon to their backfield. 2. I think Sheard. He seems to be the more natural rusher and has history that makes you think a double-digit sack season could be in there, now that he's a full-time starter. 3. I expect both of them to start. Let's go with Clark. We saw some nice work out of Haeg last season. Clark's sample size was smaller. I think a true NFL offseason will be good for Clark's development. Granted, settling in at one position could do Haeg well.
William W. (Sacramento)
Hi Kevin, this is my fist time asking a questions so ill try to keep it short and sweet.
I see the colts taking either Tim Williams or Reuben Foster in the first round.
since who ever does not get selected will be gone by the time we are on the clock in round two, do you think we could select Ryan Anderson? and do you think that is a wise second round pick?
Bowen: It seems like the tide (no pun intended) could be changing a bit when it comes to the Alabama pass rushers. I've seen Ryan Anderson going up on boards, with Tim Williams starting to slide. If Anderson is there in the second round, I think it would be a very wise selection.
Landen S. (Washington)
What are your thoughts on BYU running back Jamaal Williams? How would you feel if the colts drafted him?
Bowen: I like the little I saw of Williams this past season. If Williams is there in the fourth round, go right ahead and take him. I would maybe want a slightly more explosive back, but Williams has some characteristics of being a complete runner.
Joseph B. (Kokomo)
First timer here with all the talk about trading back in the draft ....my question is more about trading up ...Do you think the Colts should trade up and use some extra draft picks we have as chips to get a 5-9 pick for a top stud pass rusher or corner like Lattimore or Bernett
Bowen: I'd probably hold off on trading that high up. The Colts still have several needs in 2017, so the seven draft picks in the first five rounds will be put to good use if/when that happens. Trading into the top 10 would cut into that draft haul and limit how many players the Colts could add.
Tyler M. (Greenwood, IN)
Hey Kevin thanks for asking my question last week! My question is do you think it would be a possibility for the Colts to trade back and if so to whom do you think they could trade with.
Also do you think it is a possibility that the Colts trade out of the first round to gather more picks in this years draft?
Bowen: It's definitely possible. I could see quarterback/running back hungry teams in the 20s looking to move up in Round One. I would be really surprised if the Colts traded all the way out of the first round. You still need impact players. Waiting to Round Two, thus passing on "the top 32 players" in the draft, would be too risky.
Benny F. (El Paso, TX)
I think if Ruben Foster isn't there at 15, the colts should maybe trade down in the first round and accumulate more draft picks and with that late first round pick, draft Tj Watt. Your thoughts?
Bowen: No thanks. If Reuben Foster is there at No. 15, you should not need to waste much time on the clock. Foster can be the centerpiece of your defense for the next decade.
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