Ryan Lilja: Too expensive for Clark Hunt?

[T-post Tom]

Originally Posted by DaneMcCloud

How?

His knees are in bad shape. The Colts were a pass first offense with a QB with a super-quick release.

In KC, he'd be asked to pull and be a factor in the run game. Add to the fact that Cassel holds onto the ball for far much longer than Manning, and there's your answer.

Have to disagree with you on this. While his knees were a concern two years ago after having surgery in 2008, he started all 16 games in 2009 w/o issue.

There's been a philosphy change in Indy and Lilja doesn't fit the new philosphy strictly because of his size. There was a coaching change and feedback from the owner that they needed bigger linemen. Before you dismiss Lilja, remember that he stayed healthy last year, played well and has been to two Super Bowls. Just some food for thought. Here's some details regarding the whole story:

Indianapolis Colts Daily Digest: On the release of Ryan Lilja and the future of the offensive line

The tone of the Indianapolis Colts 2010 offseason didn't change on Monday, exactly. There already had been more than a few hints and signs that things were changing on the offensive line.

But just as certainly, Monday took things out of the hints and signs stage.

What we have now is an obvious, unmistakable offeseason storyline of the full-blown variety.

And a major one, at that.

Ryan Lilja? Gone? Released?

I don't pretend to know everything about what the Colts are doing before they do it, and even being around the team for nearly a decade, there are moves each offseason that come as something of a surprise. Lilja fit that category.

And in fact, he's right up there with the biggest ones in recent memory.

Let's get the off-field, locker-room part of this move out of the way first:

Because off the field, and in the locker room, this move will be felt for a while. Not that the Colts won't move on. They have before, and they will this time. But Lilja certainly is one of the more popular players among his teammates, and one of the more “regular” guys in a locker room of regular guys.

We in the media don't like to root for players. We are, by nature, a cynical objective. But there weren't many in the media who knew Lilja who could honestly tell you they weren't pulling for him last season, when he returned from three knee surgeries that cost him the 2008 season.

One of my favorite Super Bowl week memories from last month is of standing in the interview area of the Colts' hotel. This was Wednesday or Thursday, and I was standing near a podium where Lilja sat. The room was brightly decorated, draped and decked in the obligatory Super Bowl colors. Lilja sat for an hour, talking to the media and recounting his story.

It was remarkable, watching him, to think that just eight or nine months before, he didn't know if he would ever play again.

And that day at the Super Bowl I remember thinking that here was a guy who realized even before the injury that he was one of the fortunate few to get to live the dream. After the injury, once he returned, he seemed to savor every moment even more.

Who knew that day that less than five weeks later, he would be released by the Colts, not in a salary-cap, or cost-cutting move but for a more basic, football-related reason?

It's that football-related reason that makes Monday's move bigger than just a single player release.

The Colts are in the beginnings of a major philosophical shift on the offensive line.

The first hints, in retrospect, came two days after the Super Bowl, when Colts President Bill Polian spoke of the New Orleans Saints' defensive line outplaying that of the Colts in the Super Bowl. The first official step came with the retirement after the season of Senior Offensive Line coach Howard Mudd.

Mudd, the Colts' line coach since 1998, long favored quick, agile linemen, and put a high priority on pass protection and a low priority on brawn and raw run-blocking, road-grater types.

The Colts have yet to officially name Mudd's replacement, although many are assuming longtime offensive line assistant Pete Metzelaars will assume the duties. The Colts also hired former Kansas State Head Coach Ron Prince to assist the line.

There has been no official proclamation to this effect from the team. There has been little official proclamation from the team about anything since the Super Bowl, but Lilja's agent, Craig Domann, vocalized and made at least semi-official what has been become obvious in recent weeks.

Moving forward, size indeed will matter on the Colts' offensive line.

“They said they want to go bigger and apparently are going to get people who fit that philosophy,” Domann told Mike Chappell of the Indianapolis Star.

That Lilja was released in came comes as a bit of a surprise. He long was considered one of the team's best run-blockers, and he provided versatility because he also could play center if necessary. The move also does not seem to have been financially based. In a classy move, the Colts released Lilja after paying him a $1.7 million roster bonus he was due shortly after the new league year. The Colts could have released him without paying the bonus.

The move came after several days of what had to have been difficult decisions for Polian and Head Coach Jim Caldwell. They have released or opted to not re-sign CB Marlin Jackson, DE Raheem Brock and QB Jim Sorgi in recent days. None were core players, necessarily, and all are the types of dispassionate moves that keep a team young and contending, but all had contributed to playoff teams over the last half decade, and all were locker room leaders. All, certainly, will be missed.

Most surprising about Lilja's release is that there is no logical replacement on the roster – at least not logical to the observer. Doubtless, Polian and Caldwell have a plan and a fascinationg story line – and undoubtedly the topic of countless blogposts and comments will be how that plan plays out.

Is recently-signed Andy Alleman an option?

Will Jaimie Thomas, who spent last season on the practice squad after being drafted as a 6-feet-4, 330-pound mold-breaking offensive guard last offseason, play a role?

What of Jamey Richard and Mike Pollak, who played sparingly last year after playing extensive roles the year before as rookies?

Will Charlie Johnson remain at left tackle?

Or in this new approach is Tony Ugoh more of an option?

Those are questions, as is the future of second-year veteran Kyle DeVan and even veteran right tackle Ryan Diem and four-time Pro Bowl C Jeff Saturday.

The latter two have been mainstays on the Colts' line for 11 and nine seasons, respectively. The thought of their roles being different, or reduced seems unlikely, and the idea that Ugoh and Pollak could play key roles does, too – at least it did until Monday.

Now, they may not seem more likely, but they seem at least more possible.

That's because after Monday, after the release of one of the team's more popular players and a mainstay of the way the former philosophy, suddenly nothing seems impossible on the Colts' offensive line. . . .

In case you missed it, some solid analysis by BigBlueShoe at StampedeBlue Monday:

Last week was somewhat transformitave for the Indianapolis Colts. Certain faces that have been key cogs in the winning legacy of this organization were let go, free to sign with other teams. Granted, this was not like last year where we saw organizational stalwarts like (WR) Marvin Harrison leave. However, guys like Raheem Brock and Marlin Jackson are people that were key in getting the Colts over the hump and into the top tier of the league. People like Peyton Manning, Marvin Harrison, and Dwight Freeney are people you build your franchise around. Guys like Brock and MJax are the mortar that holds it together; play-makers as well as leaders. . . .

To go with the before mentioned Raheem Brock and Marlin Jackson, gone are veterans Freddy Keiaho, Tyjuan Hagler, Tim Jennings, Matt Stover, Hank Baskett, Aaron Francisco, and T.J. Rushing. Of those players, five are former starters at certain points in their careers. In 2007, Keiaho and Hagler were starting backers, Jackson was a starting corner, and Brock started at DT. Rushing was the primary punt and kick returner, and Jennings was the nickel corner.

BigBlueShoe went on to write that the moves have done much to erode the Colts' depth, and that's true. But, really, one of the hallmarks of this franchise for the last decade is the willingness to release depth before it ages and add young, unknown depth through the late rounds of the draft and free agency. There will be new names and the accompanying gnashing of teeth among fans about these names, but last July, no one knew who Jacob Lacey was, either, and shoot, not that many believed in Pierre Garcon, either.

And this from DeShawn Zombie at 18to88.com on the Lilja move:

I confess, this news makes little sense. One thing is for sure, the move isn't strictly about money. If it was, the Colts would not have paid Lilja the roster bonus he was due. In fact, paying Lilja was a classy move. He took a deep pay cut in order to stay with the team last year, and the Colts honored that by giving him money they didn't have to. This was a brilliant move because had the stiffed Lilja, they never could have convinced anyone else to do a similar restructuring. Why would the team cut one of the only two linemen on the club who seemed to have a decent year?

Zombie lists some compelling reasons, then concludes:

Lilja was a productive player, and a valued member of the team. He's not getting cut because someone could do what he did better; he's been released because he can't do what the Colts want to do next year. What that is exactly remains to be seen. There's another shoe to drop here, and it is going to play left tackle.

http://www.examiner.com/examiner/x-4...offensive-line