For those who have been reeling from the last three weeks without NFL football Anthony Castonzo Jersey Stitched , things are about to get better. February 19th marked the first day that teams could designate players with the f..."For those who have been reeling from the last three weeks without NFL football, things are about to get better. February 19th marked the first day that teams could designate players with the franchise tag, locking them down for the 2019 season. In just a few days, on February 26th, the NFL Combine will get underway in Indianapolis. The Combine ends on March 4th.Shortly thereafter, the 2019 NFL season will officially begin. March 11th will mark the first day that NFL teams can communicate with free agents and March 13th at 4 PM will mark the beginning of the new league year and open season on all free agents. This means that the next two weeks are likely to be filled with a lot of negotiation, NFL front offices will be working long nights, and franchises will do an incredible amount of heavy lifting toward what their team will look like next season.The Indianapolis Colts find themselves in perhaps the best spot of any NFL franchise as this activity gets underway. The team is armed with a league leading $107 million in cap space, per Spotrac, and have nine draft picks in April’s draft. If Chris Ballard can be even half as good at finding talent in this group as he was in 2018, bright things are coming in Indianapolis.What will the team do with all of its cap space, though? Ballard has made it known that he is open to speaking with marquee free agents and players but that he will stick to the process of determining player values and does not foresee overpaying for a single player, or for a couple of players, in a desperate attempt to outperform realistic expectations in the short-term by sacrificing the team’s outlook for the long-term. While this doesn’t mean that a splash signing is out of the cards, it does mean that a big pocket book will likely not move the needle on Ballard’s philosophy.The Colts front office has made it clear the team may be a season or so away from having a locker room culture strong enough to take on players who might challenge it. However, talent overcomes a lot of distraction in the same way that wins overcome front office or coaching issues. Ultimately, the good thing for Indianapolis is that there are some key free agency situations working themselves out in a manner that should benefit the Colts. Consider that Le’Veon Bell will become an unrestricted free agent. This means one of two things for the Colts. First, Ballard may speak at great length with Bell and reach the conclusion that his addition to the offense in Indianapolis would propel the unit to another level. He may determine that Bell’s position in Pittsburgh was entirely reasonable and that the Colts’ locker room would embrace him as a player it can trust to be there to fight Youth Justin Houston Jersey , no matter the circumstances (1-5?). If that is the case, Indianapolis could shock the NFL world by signing one of the best running backs in the NFL and adding him to what would immediately become a stacked unit. Second, some other team will bust the piggy bank not just in 2019 but likely in the future — leaving the Colts in a superior bargaining position this year and in future years for the services of other free agents.The same can be said for Steelers wide receiver Antonio Brown. While he is unlikely to enter free agency, he will end up altering the balance for some team. If he comes to Indianapolis on the cheap, for ridiculously low trade compensation given his ability, the wide receiver “problem” is broadly addressed in one move. If he goes elsewhere, he will increase the financial burden on that team and potentially alter the team’s draft board. Perhaps this aids the Colts when the time comes in April.Rumors out of New York suggest that Landon Collins believes he will not be signing a franchise tag. He could certainly be taking to Twitter to gain leverage in contract negotiations with the Giants and it is still more likely than note that he will stay in New York but if he hits the market this would be a marquee player at a position of current need, at a very young age, and potentially a nasty combination with Malik Hooker in Matt Eberflus’ defense. If he goes elsewhere, other free agent safeties become second tier and perhaps the Colts can more effectively pursue them.We discussed at length the Colts salary cap situation, tried to consider the future and likely contract amounts, and how the team may address in-house and external free agents. We determined that the team’s needs were likely pass rush, wide receiver, secondary and defensive line — possibly in that order. Just this week, rumors have circulated that Preston Smith will likely not be tagged by the Washington Redskins. He was one of three possible players in our list of targets at the position. No matter what happens with the other players, if the Colts have a shot to add a player like Smith — only 26 years old — it could be a nice chance to restore his career in a new role.While we won’t know for weeks just how teams will approach their pending free agents, and many teams may have already turned their full attention to the NFL Combine, things are shaping up reasonably well for Chris Ballard and the Colts. There will be solid options available at numerous positions of need ranging from franchise level player to meaningful upgrade. Even if Ballard doesn’t sign or trade for the franchise players Justin Houston Jersey Stitched , the very fact that they exist and will likely receive so much attention can work to Indy’s benefit. Campbell could be the receiver the Colts always needed"WhiteFanposts Fanshots Colts StoriesScheduleRosterStatsYahoo Colts NewsYahoo Colts Team PageYahoo Colts ReportYahoo Colts Depth ChartYahoo Colts TransactionsYahoo Colts PhotosShop About Masthead Community Guidelines StubHub ✕NFL GeneralColts AnalysisNFL DraftColts Film Room: 2nd Round Pick, Ohio State WR Parris Campbell New,70commentsCampbell could be the receiver the Colts always neededEDTShareTweetShareShareColts Film Room: 2nd Round Pick, Ohio State WR Parris Campbell Aaron Doster-USA TODAY SportsThe 2019 NFL Draft has finally concluded and the Colts have added 10 new players to their roster. The main emphasis was on the defensive side of the ball, where Chris Ballard drafted seven new players, almost all of them being elite athletes. The team got better, younger, and faster this weekend, and we will be diving into the film on just about all of them to see what they bring to the team.The next player who we are going to discuss is talented playmaker Parris Campbell. Campbell was the 59th pick in the 2019 NFL Draft as a receiver out of Ohio State. He is a bit raw as an overall receiver, but he has the skillset and upside to potentially be an elite receiver in the NFL. Today we are going to look at his strengths, along with how he fits in the Colts’ high-powered offense.BackgroundSize:6’0”, 205 poundsMeasurables: 40 Time: 4.31 seconds / Bench Reps: 11 Reps / Vertical Jump: 40 inches / Broad Jump: 135 inches / 20 Yard Shuttle: 4.03 secondsCareer Stats:143 catches for 1,768 yards with 12.4 yards per catch and 15 touchdowns in his four year career. StrengthsSpeedThe number one thing that comes to mind when watching Campbell is that 4.31 40 time and just his insane speed on the field. He is an absolute burner who can turn on the jets at any moment and take a short pass to the house. He is raw down the field but I’m assuming the Colts have envisioned expanding his route tree and using him more down the field with this speed and athleticism.Here is a glimpse of what that speed can be like down the field. He quickly eats up the cushion between himself and the off defender and pushes vertically. He then sidesteps the corner as he tries to make contact and gains a few steps over the top. He is able to get to the corner before the overhead safety can reach the play, and he makes a nice catch over his shoulder for the score. This is what he could potentially be if he is used down the field more in the NFL. He could be a similar player to T.Y Hilton if he can consistently work downfield like this.This play, though, is how Campbell currently projects to the NFL. Every time he touches the ball, there is a chance he is going to score. Here, he is just running a simple drag route and he is able to catch the ball out in front of him in space. He then gets a nice block on the edge that springs him for a big run after catch. Look at how easily he pulls away from the defenders even when they have the angle on him. He is pure speed Cheap Jack Doyle Youth Jersey , and it is tough to bring down a player like that.Yards After ContactSpeed is one thing, but to truly create after the catch, a player needs to have great contact balance and be able to create after contact. Campbell is basically like a running back in this regard, as he fights through contact well and avoids arm tackles. He is basically like an extra running back on the field with 4.3 speed.This first clip shows his balance really well. He catches the screen pass, then gets up field quickly. He tries to make a defender miss but is wrapped up around the legs. He is able to fight through that contact, though, and work up field for extra yards on the play. Speed is great, and can make a lot of things happen but the ability to break tackles in the open field is what makes Campbell a true weapon on offense.It’s not just on screen passes that Campbell makes defenders miss. Here, he catches a quick out and has a cornerback racing downhill towards him. He is able to easily sidestep the defender and then turn up field for the first down. This ability to combine his speed with his elusiveness in the open field creates a player who can be a safety blanket for Andrew Luck, but also be a player who can make things happen and get first downs when needed.Screen Game UpsideFrank Reich and the Colts love their screen passes, even if it annoys their fans at times. The Colts called a ton of screen plays in 2018 and, with the addition of Campbell to this offense, I’d expect more of the same going into 2019. Chester Rogers was decent last year on these designed screen plays, but he is nowhere near the athlete that Campbell is. With Campbell added to these plays, these simple quick hitters could turn into fast scores. This first clip shows how quickly he can turn these plays into big gains. He gets the quick pass on the perimeter and follows his block to the outside. He turns up field and nearly has his progress stopped by the cornerback. Instead, Campbell is able to make the defender miss, and turn on the jets for a huge gain. His ability to turn these plays into big gains is so vital for an offense and adds another dimension to the team.Here is another screen play with a slightly different design to it. Campbell takes the pass with a few blockers in front. Last year, Chester Rogers likely takes this right into the back of his blockers for a 6-7 yard gain. Campbell is different Womens Adam Vinatieri 2019 Jersey , though. He slides out of the jumbled mess of blockers and breaks into the open field for a huge gain. He turns this simple screen into a big gain. This is likely what Coach Reich saw on film that got him the most excited for this pick.How He Fits the ColtsThis pick is great, on paper, and when looking at how Campbell fits into the offense, it is even better. The biggest things the Colts needed out of their receiving core this offseason was to get faster, and to get players who can create after the catch. Both of those areas are where Campbell excels, as I have illustrated above. The areas that I see Coach Reich really using him in, though, are wide receiver screens (again, illustrated above), wide receiver reverses, rub routes, and routes through traffic. Let’s start with the reverse plays from wide receivers. The Colts tried these plays on multiple occasions with Zach Pascal, Chester Rogers, and even Nyheim Hines from out at the receiver position. They rarely worked, though, as none of these players really had the skill or vision to make anything out of these plays. Here’s an example of a failed reverse play where Pascal was sucked up for no gain. He was unable to make a defender miss in open field. Now compare that play with this play from Campbell. He does have more room to work with, and is going against lesser competition, but notice the field vision Womens Anthony Castonzo 2019 Jersey , and ability to knife through the defense for the big gain. Game changing ability. Last thing we are going to look at, here, is Frank Reich’s ability to scheme players open with rub routes and legal pick plays. Reich called a lot of plays like this in order to get his playmakers the ball in space and allow them to create after the catch. Unfortunately, outside of TY Hilton, there weren’t too many players who could take full advantage of these plays. Here is an example of Reich scheming up a natural pick for a touchdown against the Redskins.With his shiny new weapon, Reich can draw up these plays in the middle of the field and create big yards after catch opportunities for Campbell. Look at how he turns this rub route here into a big touchdown. His ability after the catch on these rub routes makes him a nightmare for opposing defenses and a treat for the offense.ConclusionEverybody is excited for Parris Campbell in this Colts’ offense, and it's easy to see why. He is an explosive game-wrecker who can break off a big play at any time. For a team that really lacked that (outside of TY Hilton) last year, Campbell’s presence on the team should open up so many opportunities for other players. Campbell is not a perfect player, and there is a reason why he fell to the second round. He struggles to catch passes that are off-target, he struggles with press, and he is not a natural route runner right now. Despite those flaws though, the most important part of ths pick is that the Colts obviously have a plan and have a role for him. They will use him in a role that really maximizes his abilities and skillset.If Campbell can develop his game and polish his skill set, he could be just as good as Hilton in the NFL. The talent and potential are both there. If not? The Colts still added a talented role player who can excel in what he is asked to do. That is the definition of a good draft pick. A player with potential, who, at a bare minimum, still has a clear and defined role on the team. I personally am really excited for what this creative offense draws up for their new weapon in 2019.
