QB

18 Manning – Well, Peyton was Peyton.  He was really good and he had a tough road reshaping the offense in the middle of the season.  Without Harrison, it could have been worse, frankly.  It wasn’t and that is good enough for me.  A

RB

29 Addai – He was great.  He was a little shaky at the beginning of the season staying in the “pocket” of his blockers during stretch runs, but he got that ironed out.  He was good again in the pass game catching everything that came his way and he was healthy for all of the season.  He needs to improve in the blocking game a little.  A-

36 Keith – Without any NFL experience he came in and spelled Addai.  He wasn’t a world-beater, but he did the job.  B-/B

WR

87 Wayne – Was healthy and sharp all season.  Led the league in yards and catches.  Was good even when the double was coming over to him.  Solid in the screen game.  Occasionally, still, takes routes off and he needs to understand that when you are the go to guy YOU CAN’T DO THAT.  A

80 Aromashadu – A lot of guys think the Colts have a diamond in the rough with this guy.  He came in off the practice team when everybody up and went down.  He shows speed and a little bit of talent in terms of ball skills but doesn’t run healthy routes and needs to keep his head clear when in traffic.  B-

11 Gonzalez – The big first-rounder was good but not great and didn’t show me a lot of the things I hoped to see.  I understand that the Colts offense puts people in a very fluid, ever-changing environment but I really wanted more.  His drop on a ball thrown perfectly against New England represented the difference in the score.  It is hard to forgive that.  If you are a rookie in Indy you need to do one thing: Help us beat the Pats.  He did improve later in the season but not enough to legitimize the first round pick.  C+  (he’s just a rook)

88 Harrison – Healthy forever or healthy never.  The little engine that could was unable to get back on the field and everybody in Colts land that watched this team could tell the difference.  Timing was off and there wasn’t the ever-present threat of a slant for 6 yards guaranteed like there is when he is healthy.  I hated to see that, against the Chargers, he made that great play to break open on the crossing route and was actually fighting for the TD when he fumbled that ball.  I hated that for him.  They aren’t going to ask him to come to camp so he has all the time he needs to get healthy.  Come back and shock the world, Marv, we need you.  C

TE

44 Clark – With the contract (6 for 41 million) making him the highest paid tight end in the league, you are looking at someone who represents a league-wide shift.  There are two kinds of TEs now.  The block first/catch second guy and the catch first/block second guy.  Clearly, the later is taking the stage in the NFL..  Clark is getting a high salary for a TE, but when you compare it to a veteran wide receiver’s salary you will find it average.  I am sure that is how his agent bargained that.  Clark lined up mostly in the slot so he was more receiver than TE.  I don’t mind Clark, or the way we use him, but I don’t like him at this contract without more improvement.  He may catch one for 6 on 3^rd and 4, but he did that because he dropped one for 15 on 2^nd and 4.  He makes big plays but he doesn’t do enough routine stuff to satisfy this big contract.  I think Peyton likes his versatility and that was reflected in the contract.  Still, he had a decent season and he didn’t shoot us in the foot too bad except for the last game of the season when he let a first down slip off his fingertips.  B+

81 Fletcher – Fletch was wounded some and in there some.  He didn’t make the impact he did last year.  I think the team made a solid effort to try to develop Utecht instead of Fletch.  He isn’t much of a blocker and he is only decent as a receiver.  C

86 Utecht – He made improvements in catching the ball but he is as fumble prone as anyone has ever been.  He is great as a pass blocker but we rarely use tight ends in that role.  Big target, though, and he kinda reminds me of Lenny from Of Mice and Men.  “And I get to take care of the rabbits?”  C

K

4 Vinatieri – He was good.  B+

P

 17 Smith – He was good at punting but slipped a little at holding.  B