Baltimore personnel executive Eric DeCosta is staying put. Reggie McKenzie is off to join his friend and mentor, Ron Wolf, in Oakland. John Dorsey, director of college scouting for the Packers, didn't even want to interview.
Right or wrong, fair or unfair, this is creating the perception that no one wants the Colts general manager gig.
You can ask the very fair and reasonable question: What the hell is so appealing about a team like Oakland (no draft picks, aging quarterback, undisciplined football team) over Indianapolis (No. 1 overall pick, a.k.a., Andrew Luck)?
With McKenzie, it makes sense because he gets to go and work for his old boss again. Dorsey stayed in Green Bay because, with McKenzie now gone, he likely gets elevated within the organization. DeCosta has turned down many G.M. gigs before. He's paid well and has a good job in Baltimore without needing to be the target should they choke (again) in the playoffs. Ozzie Newsome is that, and Newsome's reputation is strong enough to deflect criticism.
Plus, let's just re-state the obvious here, former-Ravens executives like Phil Savage and George Kokinis were sort of exposed when they left Ozzie's friendly confines, and their careers haven't recovered. DeCosta probably doesn't want to repeat that.
What's interesting is that with these candidates, and with other people linked to the Colts G.M. job such as Marc Ross of the Giants and Ryan Grigson of the Eagles, is that they all work in organizations where the defenses are built to create pressure via the blitz. We aren't seeing many 'Cover-2' G.M.s getting listed.
This might give us some insight in the kind of "vision" Irsay is looking for from his new top football exec.
I'm especially interested in both Ross and Grigson, at this point. Other candidate names bouncing around are Scouting Combine director Jeff Foster and Tom Gamble, director of player personnel for Jim Harbaugh's San Francisco 49ers.
Again, the trend here, for the most part, is candidates from teaming running blitz-based pressure defenses. DeCosta, Ross, and Grigson all come from organizations that run base 4-3 blitz schemes. Green Bay and San Francisco are 3-4 blitz.
Les Snead, director of player personnel, and David Caldwell, director of college scouting, both work for the Falcons. They are the only candidates I've seen coming from an organization that runs base Cover-2. Caldwell (no relation to Jim) spent 12 years with the Colts prior to his current Atlanta gig.
Now, for me, I find all this interesting because with the defensive personnel Indianapolis could have in 2012, a 4-3 blitz defense is certainly possible. Guys like Pat Angerer and Kavell Conner can bring heat from the linebacker spot. So can Philip Wheeler, if he's re-signed. A key competent of this kind of defense, and of any kind of pressure defense, is having corners who don't suck.
"Zone corner" is an NFL euphemism for "corner who can't cover one-on-one."
If Indy transitions to a blitzing defense, and based on the G.M. candidates they are talking to they might just do that, significant upgrades in the secondary would become priority in round two-seven in the draft.
Also, should they go this route, it would be a sad, bitter twist of irony for former-defensive coordinator Larry Coyer. Blitz-based defense is was he is good at, but the front office never allowed him to implement his schemes fully and completely.
0 recs | 57 comments
heck I'll do it, for 10% less than Bill made
i mean really how hard can it be to tellwhich ones are the “good” players?
ACOLLIE - January 6, 2012
Judging by the number of teams who consistently suck and the number of GM’s who are replaced every year it’s fair to assume it’s fairly hard.
It’s a little different than Madden, guys don’t just have ratings.
cq.noble - January 6, 2012
There's a little more responsibility than determining which players are good.
Stupid things like the salary cap they have to worry about.
Colteyes - January 9, 2012
I hadn't made that connection yet.
Good pick up. I still think Telesco is the one that eventually gets hired. Irsay will lean toward continuity over change. I think that puts him at the front and Cover 2 remains. Unfortunately.
emiller17 - January 6, 2012
Cant say I agree
Telesco is already interviewing for jobs, specifically bears GM position. Cant be a good sign for him. I am really intrigued by Marc Ross the most
miketyson - January 6, 2012
Telesco wouldn't be here if he wasn't any good (in the opinion of Irsay)
As for him interviewing for other teams, there will be a number who interview with various teams and stay put. Everyone, in or out of the NFL should interview periodically. It is a very enlightening process that gives insight into your industry and causes one to take stock of their strengths.
Telesco could provide a thread of continuity and if others are interested, there must be something there.
indylator - January 6, 2012
interviewing also creates tremendous leverage for you within your current organization
danorocks17 - January 6, 2012
agree with marc ross as well
his first organizational draft the next year, when the Giants selected Kenny Phillips, Terrell Thomas and Mario Manningham, among others.
During his tenure in Philadelphia, Ross was responsible for drafting such outstanding NFL Players as Brian Westbrook, Lito Sheppard and Derrick Burgess.
And is a Princeton grad… I can see this guy as a serious candidate.
Straight Out The Burbs - January 7, 2012
still sneaking in comments about the Polians
Let this horse die. How do you know fo wouldnt let Coyer implement his full scheme? We all watched the games, Coyers scheme wasnt working.
gmitch23 - January 6, 2012 via Android app
Coyer's 09 defense
looked a lot different than the soft zone bullshit they played in the Super Bowl and every game thereafter. Why would Coyer suddenly switch to a scheme that he has no experience coordinating? Did he do that himself or did someone force it on him?
FatDT - January 6, 2012
That's a good question.
It’s probably part of why he was let go.
I haven’t seen any evidence that the Polians or anyone else in the Colts FO had anything to do with the change. You can hate Polian as much as you want. After what he went through in Buffalo, I’m pretty sure that dude wanted to win the SB.
NFLFan83 - January 6, 2012
Coyer’s defenses were just as bad in Denver as they were here. Coyer’s love of stunting confused everyone. Brad’s still making shots at Polian even after he got what he wanted. Idiotic.
Coyer implemented a bad scheme he didn’t have the personnel for. A good coach works with what he’s given and adapts his scheme to the personnel. Coyer didn’t do that, so he got fired. Simple as that. Polian had NOTHING to do with that.
TrueBlue87 - January 6, 2012
thank you!!!!
gmitch23 - January 6, 2012 via Android app
Overall,
I’m happy with this article. Really good stuff. Glad you’re stretching those legs again Brad. Honestly.
AnotherWriter - January 6, 2012
Here Is a Question? Please don't laugh!
Could they switch to a 3-4? And use Hughes Wheeler Conner and Angerer as the LBs and Freeney Anderson at DE along with a FA or rookie NT?
(206)NightRidah - January 6, 2012 via mobile
it wouldnt make sense
to have freeney, who is already considered an undersized DE in a 4-3, have his hand down as a 3-4 end, he would be wasted. i want no part in the colts switching with the current personnel we have to the 3-4. and don’t compare us to houston, we had vastly different players and i dont see another wade phillips out there
GoHorseshoe - January 6, 2012
not to mention
Houston had to spend a few picks on de’s for thier transition.
gmitch23 - January 6, 2012 via Android app
Interesting note on Wade Phillips
I heard he’s looking to get back into a HC spot…
NFLFan83 - January 6, 2012
Nope
Anderson might be able to play DE in a 3-4 but Freeney is too small. Also we don’t have a 3-4 NT, even if we were to try 1-gap 3-4.
If anything I would expect Moala, Mathews, and Anderson would play end, Freeney would play OLB along with Wheeler, and Angerer and somebody else, either Conner or Brackett, would play ILB. But yeah overall I really doubt it could work.
FatDT - January 6, 2012
Cool...
Just throwing it out there. I dont see Freeney playing OLB. I could see Mathis playing OLB though.
As for NTs have any of you been following Ta’amu out of UW? I live out here an have seen him play and am hoping the Colts get him. He is a beast and a true NT
(206)NightRidah - January 6, 2012 via mobile
I see one thing getting better since the Polians firing
and it’s called Stampede Blue…I guess you wanted a fresh start too
fpacheco - January 6, 2012
WHAT????
An article by BSS that does not mention any Polians???
i cant believe it! kudos Brad!
67ChevILL - January 6, 2012
Not necessarily...
It’s important to remember that most of these guys have been in their organizations for much longer than any of the coaches, and have been through a variety of different offenses and defenses. The Packers were a pretty traditional 4-3 until 09, for instance, the Eagles switched to more of a standard 4-3 (and a lot more cover-2) this year with Washburn at DL and Castillo coordinating (which made the CB acquisitions kind of pointless), and the Ravens have been kind of a hybrid of both groupings but primarily 3-4 with a procession of excellent DTs.
WIth Fewell this year the Giants aren’t really all that blitz-happy either, especially with the depth issues in the secondary.
I think this is more a case of there just not being that many teams that run strict Tampa 2.
I don’t think it’s all that hard to switch in and out of different styles anyway. Aside from identifying D Linemen for different roles, it’s not that different in other areas. The big advantage of Cover 2 from a GM standpoint is that you don’t have to spend as much time (or money) on CBs, meaning you’re free to allocate those resources elsewhere. Makes sense to get a guy who has done it the other way, because it’s easy enough to slide into a place that runs cover-2.
But really, the smart thing to do is identify the strengths and weaknesses of the players already under contract for the future and then work with a coach who is a good match both to that and to the GM, and then make decisions from there. Which means it hardly matters what the recent defensive styles on those teams has been anyway.
willyduer - January 6, 2012
I don't intend to reply to your post
but I am just curious, who is in your avatar picture? It looks like late Romanian dictator Ceausescu.
Thank you.
codrutc - January 6, 2012
McKenzie also has Raiders roots as he played for them for 3 years
and shares the same agent as the current Raiders Coach.
PV Mike - January 6, 2012
so you say there is a perception no one wants the colts job and then to a good job explaining why McKenzie and DeCosta made the choices they made.
There’s no perception about anything. They chose the job that is a better fit for them. Way to make something out of nothing…..kind of familiar for you.
Ralla32 - January 6, 2012
didn't read the entire acticle did you?
BLOODontheTRACKS - January 7, 2012
Way off base
Maybe because the new GM wouldn’t want to come in and cut Manning as his first big decision??? Cut the guy who has put this franchise on the map and who is the heart and soul of sports in this town….would you want to be known for that?
As a biased fan, the Colts job seems like a great opportunity. A franchise QB already on the roster, another potential franchise QB waiting in the wings, proven success over time, etc. But there is obviously more to it than that, or else it seems that way.
I think Tellesco will be the guy, and he deserves it. The coaches and coordinators will work with him to make the decisions about what type of defense this team plays. I don’t think Cover 2 has anything to do with it at all.
AceOfSpades - January 6, 2012
Please read the article
He is actually agreeing with you. It’s not like people don’t want to be GM in Indy, but the guys who have been in contention so far have had good reasons to choose something else.
Peter Storgaard - January 6, 2012
any word of who has interviewed??
i just keep hearing other people signing as GM places else where.
67ChevILL - January 6, 2012
Interesting article!!!
I’ll take a blitz based defense and we need taller and much better corners, we need to them to be as good as Jackson and Hayden and Nick Harper were the year we won the SB,, and want a Suh in the middle
OBGYNOSUPREME - January 6, 2012
long time reader, first time poster...
i want to start off by saying thank you to stampede blue and bbs in particular. i think you guys have done a great job in keeping up-to-date info and discussion topics out there for all of us to chew on. i think your perception of the polians has been spot-on and it finally came into the spotlight this season. what i have grown tired of is these people that have been crying about all the bp content on this blog! the headlines r fairly clear as to what the article is gonna b about, SO DON’T READ IT IF U THINK IT’S MORE BP BASHING!
the point of my post is to call out the obvious: peyton has to go (and i friggin love the guy), this defense is a joke and has been for a long time and it’s time for a complete change. there have only been 3 game-changers on this dfense in the last decade (freeney, mathis, and sanders). all the other guys that we have lost to FA r just fine tacklers at best. for those of u that think it’s better to have the #2 instead of the #1 pick……..please, just stop talking. that makes absolutely zero sense whatsoever!
i’ve only been a colts fan since 98’ (when peyton came) so i’m not gonna bs and say i was a fan during the magical 95’ season. i think there is a lot of bs filling the minds of people about this team right now and that isn’t very helpful. again, thank you and keep up the good work.
12over18 - January 6, 2012
i hope your first post is your last
gmitch23 - January 6, 2012 via Android app
Rec'd
Anyone who says “Peyton has to go” and backs it up by saying how bad the defense has been needs to just stop it.
AceOfSpades - January 6, 2012
???????
what i’m trying to say is if we r in “rebuilding mode”, you have to go all in. we can disagree about this or that on here, but i’m sure we all love peyton. i hate to see him go, but it is the best decision for the franchise. they can’t afford to keep him and rebuild and draft the #1 overall rookie. something’s gotta give, i mean come on! i don’t understand the mentality behind this blind affection for pm. believe me, i think he is the best that has ever played. there will never be anyone quite like him again and luck probably won’t be in his class (i’m talking ELITE) for quite some time, if ever , but you have to go with this guy and cut your ties.
i have read a lot of these posts and i know you guys have knowledge of this team. i’m not trying to insult anyone’s intelligence or pick fights. we should all be able to come together and celebrate this awesome franchise as long as u guys see things my way! jk…
12over18 - January 7, 2012
Luck
Doesn’t have to be better than Manning, he has to be better than Locker Gabbert Ryan Stafford RG3 Barkley Bray and the other new school of QBs.
Brees and Rodgers are both about to break the bank and it will be difficult to keep talent and depth while paying those guys close to 20 mil per year.
All I know is that Rodgers has already won a SB which ties Favre. Will Rodgers be a Bette all time great maybe, maybe not. My point is, if Luck is a great legitimate franchise QB and the Colts build properly around him unlike how they built around Manning they could have more playoff success than they have had in the Manning era.
(206)NightRidah - January 7, 2012 via mobile
defense
i totally agree, and i actually hope luck isn’t as good as manning so the front office doesn’t get sucked back into that same kind of situation. defense, defense, defense…
12over18 - January 7, 2012
if it was pobvious Manning had to go they would have done it already
You can rebuild the defense while Manning still runs the offense its not that hard and it also give the D more room to grow since Manning will be there to clean up their messes.
How many times each year does Manning have a 4th quarter comeback?
Do you really think a rookie Luck is going to be able to cover up for a rookie defense?
Also why shouldnt we complain about BP bashing Bs is writing articles on everything the colts/polians do wrong should he stop watching and listening because he knows its going to be bad.
We have every right to ask for change here as BBS does calling for it in the FO.
Hes a fan of the team but he calls for them to change for the better we are fans of this site and calling him to change to better this site
I am growing tired of hypocrites they are allowed to voice their opinion but when others voice theirs suddenly they are crying if we want change in this world we have to demand it thats what BBS did (though it was over the top and annoying after the 15th time) and thats what the readers did to get normal stories we want Colts news not just BP news
C.Settles - January 6, 2012
noted.
valid point, although this is his blog and he has the megaphone. go to dunleavy’s blog for something else. you know what your gonna get here, and thats all i’m trying to say….
12over18 - January 6, 2012
-well its the Colts orginization you know what youre going to get from BP, see you can say the same thing for anything
Just as we are the fans we pay into the team we bring hits here which brings ad revenue and that keeps this blog going
And there are other writers here besides BBS other reasons to be here they all have said they want BP out and reported news but its not strewn into every article its not in the “inside the numbers” or things like that and BPS gone no so continuing with the name callign and all the articles towards him is even more pointless
The problem a lot of people have is if you title the article “jim caldwell on his way out” or something and then after the jump have 3 paragraphs of how BP eats children and is the devil dragging down the organization well that has nothing to do with Caldwell or the original point of the article
C.Settles - January 6, 2012
Irsay should fire Caldwell
So the new GM doesn’t have to do it, he can concetrate on picking a good Head Coach, as long as there are some left by the time the Colts decide.
OBGYNOSUPREME - January 6, 2012
Interesting insight, Brad.
Thanks for the good read.
BenD - January 6, 2012 via mobile
More of a question than
a comment. Don’t head coaches and defensive coordinators normally determine the defensive scheme moreso than the GMs? Did Carolina or Buffalo operate a Cover-2? I know Dungy’s Tampa Bay defense was a Cover-2. Just asking.
BuddyL - January 6, 2012
For the morst part, you are correct
BBS is still sneaking in Polian hate.
gmitch23 - January 6, 2012
Why didn't Oakland have to wait until the end of the season to deal with McKenzie?
EVLGNUS - January 6, 2012
Who is interviewing these guys?
Are they flying in, or is Irsay going to them? Us it Irsay himself that is conducting the interviews by himself, or does he have someone helping him? Be interested in the answers if anyone knows.
MadStork - January 6, 2012 via mobile
Jeff Fischer
Will decide only between the Dolphins and Rams next week, per ESPN.
cardsfan1 - January 6, 2012
What about Jeff Fisher though?
I kid.
AceOfSpades - January 6, 2012
what is a cover 2 gm?
omahacolt - January 6, 2012
Great point...
Coaches coach, GMs manage! Dungy brought in the Cover 2 not Polian…Polian drafted the smaller faster players to fit Dungy’s scheme.
(206)NightRidah - January 7, 2012 via mobile
Irsay just tweeted he is in Hattiesburg
trying to convince Favre to come out of retirement to be GM.
PV Mike - January 6, 2012
damn i thought marvin was gonna be GM
Phillycolt - January 7, 2012
Since my top two
are gone, then I want to see the guy from the Pats or my sleep would be the guy from Dallas. I can’t stand the Cowboys but they have a STACKED roster, especially on defense. Somebody there has an eye for talent. Look at Demarco Murray, Ware, Spencer, Austin, Robinson, etc!!!!!!!! I would be quite happy with him as well.
Dito29 - January 6, 2012
Jerry Jones is the team GM and has final say on who's drafted.
I’m not sure anyone from Dallas, other than Mr. JOnes, can take credit or the blame for their personnel moves.
MadStork - January 7, 2012
I wonder if
Jim Trussel was a “Polian guy”. Is he still part of the organization?
cardsfan1 - January 7, 2012
Marc Ross
I am on board with the Marc Ross bandwagon!!! :)
Sign me up, he will get good D-line talent and skill position players too, plus play free agency if necessary, very much like the Ravens to be honest.
chad72 - January 7, 2012
Your Last Paragraph
Brad, first I would like to say very astute observation’s throughout.
Second, I felt compelled to comment on your closing paragraph because Larry Coyer’s firing never sat well with me.
Before I give my take, I feel the last paragraph of the piece deserves repeating: “Also, should they go this route, it would be a sad, bitter twist of irony for former-defensive coordinator Larry Coyer. Blitz-based defense is was he is good at, but the front office never allowed him to implement his schemes fully and completely.”
In January of 2009, I was a featured columnist for the Colts at the Bleacher Report. I was so excited hearing that the Colts hired Coyer as their new defensive coordinator I wrote a two part article about him. The article delved into Coyer’s background, the kind of defensive schemes he liked to run, his success in Denver (especially given that atrocious Cleveland defensive line Shanahan saddled him with). and at the time what I thought he was going to bring to the Colts.
Sadly, little did I know that the Polians weren’t fully on-board with what Larry wanted to do. I don’t blame Caldwell for this one: no one got hired at West 56’th Street without Bills approval, and Bill was quite aware of Larry’s coaching philosophy.
The first year was a success. The players loved the new scheme, and who blame them after years of Ron Meek’s game plans. All of a sudden DTs were dropping into coverage, they were playing more man-to-man coverage, and they became more of an attacking style defense. The team went from Ron “What’s a Blitz?” Meeks to blitzing 37.7 percent of the time on 3rd down.
It felt like things were looking up. No longer would Indy’s defense sit back passively, and let teams drive the length of the field on them, no longer would 2’nd string quarterbacks beat us in playoff games, no longer would we have to rely solely on Freeney and Mathis to make a stop on third down, and no longer would Manning and the rest of the offense have the fewest offensive possessions in the league year in and year out.
Alas, it wasn’t to be. Even though the defense ranked lower in 2009, they improved in one critical area: third down conversions by opposing teams dropped by 2%. While not a mind blowing stat there was hope that the next year would be even better.
Sadly, what looked like a step in the right direction was merely an illusion. Given the fact that Coyer was never given the personnel, nor the freedom to implement his defense, his way, he was setup to fail, and by 2011 fail he did.
However, he still served a purpose to the Polians. He was their sacrificial lamb to Mr. Irsay. Bill could take the finger pointing at him, and redirect it Coyers way. “See Jim, our defense fell off a cliff because of him. It has nothing to do with me picking players like Jerry Hughes in the first round.”
Karmas a bitch though, and something tells me the day the Polians got fired, Larry sat down and had a nice glass of schadenfreude.
Justin in Los Angeles - January 8, 2012
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