Three Questions 1. Where does Hakeem Nicks fit? As long as he proves that he is healthy, he will slot in behind Reggie Wayne as the number two receiver and push T.Y. Hilton to the third spot. Nicks will need to develop an on-field rapport with Luck quickly, otherwise it is not out of the realm of possibility Hilton could jump ahead on the depth chart if Nicks gets off to a poor start. 2. Will Trent Richardson prove his worth as a first-round pick? After coming over from the Browns during the season, the Alabama product gained only 458 yards on the ground while splitting carries with Donald Brown. Not eye-popping numbers, but it is difficult to learn a new offense during the season. Richardson will need to show quickly that last season was a fluke by learning the playbook and show the talent that made him the third-overall pick in 2012. 3. How will the defense respond to the absence of Mathis? Without Robert Mathis to start the season, the defense could be in trouble. Outside of Mathis, the Colts do not have a legitimate pass-rusher on the roster. The defense will have to rely on Arthur Jones and hope that 2013 first-rounder Bjoern Werner is ready to take his place in the defensive rotation. Without quarterback pressure, the back end of the defense could get exposed quickly. the second-year player out of Florida State, but if he succeeds he will find himself on the opposite side of Mathis when he returns from his suspension. The defensive backfield will also be feeling the loss of a longtime Colt as free safety Antoine Bethea left for San Francisco. This leaves last year’s freeagent acquisition LaRon Landry as the lone returning starting safety while the team determines who will be his counterpart in the back of the defense. Former Denver Bronco Mike Adams is one of those players that is competing for the other safety spot next to Landry. Over the last two years, Adams combined for 17 passes defensed while also having a hand in 144 tackles. He has also started 23 of a possible 32 games, but only 7 were last season. Even at 33, the Colts see a player that can still play in the NFL. In what capacity will be determined during training camp. Defensive Player to Watch Although the 33-year old hybrid linebacker will miss the team’s first four games of the season, how Mathis comes back into the fold will be crucial to the Colts’ front seven. As dynamic a player as he is—he is coming off of an All-Pro season in 2013—if Mathis comes back with rust from a lack of reps in practice, the defense will suffer all the more for it. But if he comes back rejuvenated from the added rest while teams are gearing up for the middle of the season, Mathis’ skills will make other areas of the defense look that much better, including a defensive backfield reeling from the loss of Bethea. Colts Special Teams Back to lead the kicking game is 41-year old Adam Vinatieri as the team brought him back on a two-year deal. The kicker, now entering his 19th season and ninth with the Colts, has shown no signs of slowing down as he converted 87.5 percent of his field goals last season with a long of 52 yards. With numbers like that, the Colts have one of the more consistent TEAM ROSTER COLTS DEPTH CHART OFFENSE QB Andrew Luck Matt Hasselbeck RB Trent Richardson Ahmad Bradshaw FB Cam White WR Reggie Wayne, Hakeem Nicks T.Y. Hilton, Da’Rick Rogers TE Dwayne Allen Coby Fleener LT Anthony Castonzo Matt Hall LG Jack Mewhort Joe Reitz C Khaled Holmes Jonotthan Harrison RG Hugh Thornton Lance Louis RT Gosder Cherilus Xavier Nixon DEFENSE LDE Cory Redding Arthur Jones NT Josh Chapman Zach Kerr DT Ricky Jean-Francois Montori Hughes OLB Erik Walden, Robert Mathis Andy Studebaker, Bjoern Werner ILB D’Qwell Jackson, Jerrell Freeman Kelvin Sheppard, Andrew Jackson CB Greg Toler, Vontae Davis Darius Butler, Sheldon Price SS Mike Adams Sergio Brown FS LaRon Landry Delano Howell SPECIAL TEAMS K Adam Vinatieri P Pat McAfee LS Matt Overton KR Griff Whalen
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