Colts sign FA OG Trai Essex and Tampa PS OT Bradley Sowell

[Strummer]

#colts sign FA G Trai Essex. Waive OT Mike Person and C A.Q. Shipley.

Mike Chappell

I'm guessing we saved some money by signing him as a free agent instead of claiming him off waivers. Just a guess.

And I'm guessing there's another move to come.

[D-BONE]

Re: Colts sign FA OG

O-line sitch is just BAD. Need major improvement or the rest of the offense is irrelevant.

[Strummer]

Re: Colts sign FA OG

He's from Fort Wayne and the newspaper there already has an interview with him.

Reggie Hayes

“It's kind of a homecoming for me with friends and family here, and obviously close to Fort Wayne,” Essex said. “I'll be with the same coordinator (Bruce Arians) and O-line coach (Harold Goodwin) that I worked with for a good portion of my career in Pittsburgh. I couldn't ask for a better situation.”

[Pacer Fan]

Re: Colts sign FA OG

He should start in a few weeks after learning the offense. He is better then the other guards on the roster.

Sad, when the Colts have to pick up a player out of his house!

[Young]

Re: Colts sign FA OG

Well I hope he can come in and help protect Luck. He should already know the offense really well. I don't know though...the Steelers o-line has been a mess and they got rid of him.

[Natston]

Re: Colts sign FA OG

Mike Chappell

I'm guessing we saved some money by signing him as a free agent instead of claiming him off waivers. Just a guess.

And I'm guessing there's another move to come.

A veteran's salary is not guaranteed if he is signed after week one. (At least it was that way under the old CBA)

[Strummer]

Re: Colts sign FA OG

Signed an OT.

#Colts sign OT Bradley Sowell from Tampa Bay practice squad.

Phillip Wilson

[RWB]

Re: Colts sign FA OG Trai Essex and Tampa PS OT Bradley Sowell

Don't be surprised if Wilson tweets we have signed former Colts Chris Hinton and Ron Solt we're getting so desperate.

[Jay@Section12]

Re: Colts sign FA OG

Well I hope he can come in and help protect Luck. He should already know the offense really well. I don't know though...the Steelers o-line has been a mess and they got rid of him.

He couldn't beat out Ramon Foster, who wasn't exactly a good player so we drafted DeCastro. After DeCastro blew out his knee, and isn't due back for at least 8 weeks (if not all season), Essex still couldn't win a spot.

He's a better "T" than "G" as he's a bit better in pass protection than at pulling or creating a running hole. Better is a relative term. Having only started 28 times even though he's been with the Steelers from their last realy good OL from 2004-2006 all the way through the decline to this lousy bunch we have now, he still only mustered 28 starts. Trai Essex played a lot of Week #3 last season at RT, and the guy lined up against him (somebody named Mathis, you guys might know him) spent the entire game in the Steelers backfield bothering and rushing Ben into many mistakes. On second thought, maybe he is a better G than T?

I'm still surprised that we cut him, not because he's much of a player but with DeCastro's injury we're basically back to last year's line which isn't very good (to be generous). Rumor was that he'd be resigned to a nonguaranteed salary after clearing waivers and after week #1 until DeCastro is healthy. If that was their real plan, they certainly messed it up!!

Good luck, but just as when you signed De'Shae Townsend and Melwelde Moore, you're getting players deep into their decline so you should set expectations accordlingly.

[Kid Minneapolis]

Re: Colts sign FA OG Trai Essex and Tampa PS OT Bradley Sowell

When working with low talent, I generally believe in just letting a unit gel, even mediocre talent can gel into something somewhat serviceable if you just give it some time. I just hope they don't do a o-line carousel all year. The chances of us landing anyone worth a damn is pretty slim at this point, so what we have is what we have, find some guys and stick with 'em and work them up, as weak as they may be.

If we really need to pick and choose between a pass protection line and run-blocking line, they just need to focus on pass protection this year and keep Luck on his feet.

[Strummer]

Re: Colts sign FA OG

He couldn't beat out Ramon Foster, who wasn't exactly a good player so we drafted DeCastro. After DeCastro blew out his knee, and isn't due back for at least 8 weeks (if not all season), Essex still couldn't win a spot.

I'm still surprised that we cut him, not because he's much of a player but with DeCastro's injury we're basically back to last year's line which isn't very good (to be generous).

I imagine he was just too expensive for the Steelers to keep. As a backup they figured it was more cost effective to carry a young guy than a player making the 8 year vet minimum. That's a pretty common decision.

I think the Colts were interested in him for his versatility. Sounds like he's got experience all across the line. That will come in handy as injuries cause us to mix and match the line. We're already doing that and it's only the first week.

[Jay@Section12]

Re: Colts sign FA OG Trai Essex and Tampa PS OT Bradley Sowell

I think that's true about the salary, but we didn't even have a worthwhile young player. Foster and Gibson both got hurt Sunday night and Legursky and Adams weren't very good in there but they were the only two other players in uniform. Adams got better as the game progressed (first game jitters and I really don't think he's practiced at RT very much as LT was his job to win -- and he's not ready for LT yet.) Legursky is what he is... he's got a great name for an OL but not a great game for an OL.

As for versatility, yes, Essex has given up sacks from literally every position on the line.



Agree with Minneapolis, continuity is equally important on the line to raw talent. After all, it is the weakest link on the line that matters more than the strongest link.

[dal9]

Re: Colts sign FA OG Trai Essex and Tampa PS OT Bradley Sowell

Legursky is what he is... he's got a great name for an OL but not a great game for an OL.

lol i was watching the game and i thought legursky was some kind of vet that had a great career...but was that a different legursky? or does legursky just really sound like a name that would be good at OL, but he isn't?

[Jay@Section12]

Re: Colts sign FA OG Trai Essex and Tampa PS OT Bradley Sowell

lol i was watching the game and i thought legursky was some kind of vet that had a great career...but was that a different legursky? or does legursky just really sound like a name that would be good at OL, but he isn't?

Exactly. He sounds and looks like a great OG/C. But he's not. He's started some games for us over the past couple of years, including SB45 when Pouncey was hurt, and that's why he's got a minor amount of name recognition. But when he's starting, you know your OL is in trouble.