Caldwell: Hayden gives Colts stability, leadership

Discussion in 'Tennessee Titans and NFL Talk' started by NewsGrabber, Feb 19, 2009.

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  1. NewsGrabber

    NewsGrabber Guest

    <em>Posted by ESPN.com's Paul Kuharsky </em> <p>INDIANAPOLIS -- The Colts have let a lot of cornerbacks walk when they reached free agency -- <a href="http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/players/profile?playerId=2890" target="_new">Nick Harper</a> and <a href="http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/players/profile?playerId=5650" target="_new">Jason David</a> started for the Indy team that won the Super Bowl, then both signed elsewhere.</p> <table border="0" cellspacing="2" cellpadding="2" align="right"> <tr> <td> <table border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" bgcolor="#c0c0c0"> <tr> <td> <table border="0" cellspacing="1" cellpadding="1" width="100%"> <tr> <td bgcolor="#ffffff"><img src="http://assets.espn.go.com/i/headshots/nfl/players/65/8474.jpg" alt="" hspace="1" vspace="1" width="65" height="90" align="left" /></td> </tr> </table> </td> </tr> </table> <font face="Verdana" size="1" style="line-height: 1.5em"><font color="#808080">&nbsp;Hayden</font> </font></td> </tr> </table> <p>Reinvesting in corners hasn't been the rule, they've turned to the next guy.</p> <p>But <a href="http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/players/profile?playerId=8474" target="_new">Kelvin Hayden</a> is better than Harper or David, or guys like <a href="http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/players/profile?playerId=947" target="_new">Walt Harris</a>, <a href="http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/players/profile?playerId=2222" target="_new">David Macklin</a> or <a href="http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/players/profile?playerId=766" target="_new">Tyrone Poole</a> were.</p> <p>And so Hayden qualified as different.</p> <p>Bill Polian said Hayden was the team's top priority as free agency approached. Wednesday the Colts <a href="http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=3917363" target="_blank">locked him up</a> with a five-year, $43 million contract with $22 million guaranteed.</p> <p>What makes Hayden so different?</p> <p>"Obviously he's a very important part of our defense. Kelvin's been playing extremely well for us," coach Jim Caldwell said. "Throughout the years he's done a tremendous job. He's a guy that certainly gives us some stability and leadership, so we're certainly glad to have him.</p> <p>"He's in the prime of his career, he's 26 years old, he's at the right age and certainly those factors were considered. Also his overall play is just outstanding."</p> <p>Center <a href="http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/players/profile?playerId=2055" target="_new">Jeff Saturday</a> would seem to be next in line for the Colts. A franchise tag would cost $8.45 million. The deadline for that is Thursday.</p> <p>The veteran center has been a key piece to the offense, and Caldwell spurned questions about how the team would go forward without Saturday.</p> <p>"That's a bit premature, just in that you're beginning to act if he's already gone," Caldwell said. "I'm looking at it from a different perspective. He's with us until otherwise indicated. Yeah, he's been, and certainly we anticipate will continue to be, a very, very important part of our offense."</p> <p>Other notes from Caldwell's podium session at the combine:</p> <ul> <li>He indicated he expected <a href="http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/players/profile?playerId=939" target="_new">Marvin Harrison</a> would be back and said "we did not see any diminishing in terms of his skills and ability" in 2008.</li> <li>He said the big surprise in the early stages of life as a head coach was that "in this position, you could literally work 24 hours a day, because there is always something to do."</li> <li>He's talked a few times with Tony Dungy since he took over following Dungy's retirement.</li> <li>He's fine with the overtime rules as they are.<br /> </li> </ul>

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  2. GoTitans3801

    GoTitans3801 Forward Progress!

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    What Hayden gives the Colts is a giant slap on the wallet! How can they afford to tie that much up in a mid-level CB?

    This only highlights how amazing our re-do for Finnegan was. We're getting him for four years at 18 million v. Hayden for 5 years at 43 million! Ridiculous!
     
  3. RollTide

    RollTide All-Pro

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    He's not a mid level CB. He's pretty good.
     
  4. GoTitans3801

    GoTitans3801 Forward Progress!

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    Exactly, pretty good, not elite. Would you consider him on the same level as finnegan? I don't think he's that far behind, but I think he's behind him.
     
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