Hopefully we get Pete, my only concern for getting him would be that there is probably only one other team that's might draft a rb that high and that is the niners, who i think will have the worst record next year, hopefullly Frank Gore has a great season next year or Alex Smith has a horrible season and they get Brady Quinn.
It doesn't mean that at all. It means they have made a judgment that age and injury don't add up for the Colts because of Edge's price tag. This was a salary cap move and a decision that they felt Edge was close to done and it wasn't worth spending the cap hit on a player whose production is likely to decline very soon. The guy is 28 going into the season and has over 9,000 caries and just signed a contract with 11.5 million in bonus. That's a big cap hit for a guy who probably has 1 or 2 years left before he goes into decline.
As I read the situation , they were reluctant to let him go not only for his excellent running but his immense blocking skills. I think Manning might be face down in the dirt a few more times than he would like in 06/07
They should be reluctant he has been consistently the best or near the best back in the league since he was drafted. That said 11.5 guaranteed plus salary is a lot to pay even for a great running back like James who is likely to start his decline sooner rather than later.
You've hit upon a really important point. Edge is the best in the league at blitz pickup and has played a huge role in allowing Peyton to work from the pocket most of the time. When Peyton has to leave the pocket, his stats drop tremendously so I'm sure that Dungy will be paying close attention to how his backs and iffy guards protect Peyton's backside during the preseason as it may be the key to how the Colts perform this year. For an example of just how big this can be all you have to do is remember the preseason last year. When center Jeff Saturday went down the Colts offense went nowhere and Peyton's immobility nearly got him killed. Saturday came back just in time for the regular season and the Colts reverted to form but it points out how fragile that offense can be if you can rush Peyton successfully.
I agree that was a LOT of money for a guy who will soon head down the other side of his career but he has sold a ton of tickets in Arizona so I guess to them it was worth it. I also think Indy tired of Edge's personality. Although no one says that he's anything but professional, he often appears disinterested in what's going on around him and had never showed any real fire for the Colts or playing football and has told people it was just the best way he found to make a lot of money. He's never offered to sign a new contract with the Colts for reasonable money given his age and wear and tear to stay with a team he fits so well with. Like Ty Law, it's highest bidder only. It also aggravated the Colts brass that he disappears after the season, sometimes not even returning calls from the Colts coaches, often only reappearing during training camp when he'd sign the franchise he's played under the last couple of years. Great player but strange guy.
I think Edge wanted out of Indy. The guy is a ferocious running back playing on a team that really doesn't try to inflict it's will on teams through the running game. This is a guy if you put him on a team like Pittsburgh or NE would be a lock for the HOF. St. Louis is not going to be any better but at least he?s getting the coin and in AZ he will be a star.
