Naptown's Finest » Roster Cuts

The Courage of Decisions – Colts Way

Mon, 05 Sep 2011 05:36:30 +0000

Colts DT Tommie Harris during 2011 Preseason games

The Colts have done the unthinkable, cutting their roster to the mandated 53 on Saturday, September 3. (Ok I am being sarcastic here… sarcastic fonts needed). Surprises are not abundant, but one surprise “may” actually set our DL back (from what it may have been) more than we would like to admit – the release of DT Tommie Harris, a 3-time Pro-Bowler who missed SB XLI, which the Colts won 29-17 to bring home the Lombardi Trophy.

Without Harris, the Bears noticed a significant decline in their pass rush and run defense. Though the Bears beat the New Orleans Saints to win the NFC Championship, the Indianapolis Colts beat the Bears in Super Bowl XLI.

Would the outcome have been different if Harris had actually played in the game? Would the Bears have won? Don’t forget that the Colts ran wild during SB XLI, right through the Bears DL. These are hypothetical questions, of course, just like when we asked, if Dwight Freeney had not been injured in SB XLIV, would the Colts have won? Freeney was sacking Brees and giving him a hell of a time before Dwight’s ankle gave up on him in the second half. We don’t know the answers, but we can make some good guesses.

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Quick Reaction to Colts Roster Cuts

Sun, 04 Sep 2011 00:45:28 +0000

Does your team need a DT? Tommie Harris is available again.

The Colts, like the rest of the NFL teams, whittled their roster down to 53 players today, and some of the cuts were a little surprising. The complete list of those whacked today is below, with some comments after the jump.

QB Dan Orlovsky

RB Javarris James

WR Chris Brooks, Taj Smith, David Gilreath, Marshall Williams, Larrone Moore

TE Tyson DeVree, Michael Matthews

OG Kyle DeVan, Jacques McClendon

OT Mike Tepper, Michael Toudouze

C Jake Kirkpatrick

DT Tommie Harris, John Gill, Ricardo Mathews, Ollie Ogbu

DE John Chick

LB Chris Colasanti, Kerry Neal, Nate Triplett, Vuna Tuihalamaka

CB Brandon King

S Al Afalava, Michael Hamlin

P Travis Baltz

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Colts Waive Eight Players

Sun, 28 Aug 2011 21:13:15 +0000

The Colts just knocked the Chip off of Vaughn's shoulder. (Phil Coale/Associated Press)

Steve Ballard of the Indianapolis Star reports this afternoon that the Colts have cut eight players as new roster limits loom in the next two weeks. The list of players waived includes:

RB/KR Devin Moore, who was the starting KR last year until an injury put him on the sidelines.
OG Josh Beekman
OT Casey Bender
WR Joe Horn (Word is that he’s searching the goal post for a cell phone to call for a ride out of town.)
DB Chip Vaughn
QB Mike Hartline
LB Cody Glenn
DB Mike Newton (Apparently, Bill Polian thought his first name was “Cam” and was shocked to learn otherwise.)

Vaughn is one of those guys who is so important that he found it imperative to commit two personal fouls late in the Packers game while the Colts were hanging on to a lead. He is a real difference maker and helped the Colts drop the game. Can’t believe he’s gone.

Hartline never got much of a chance to show his wares after being signed as an undrafted free agent, but he probably should have. Curtis Painter and Joe Orlovsky stunk up the joint in the first two pre-season games, and Nate Davis played well enough to get released after the first tilt. Would it have hurt to give Hartline a look-see?

Both Glenn and Newton spent the pre-season injured.