Most likely Indianapolis Colts President Bill Polian spent the weeks leading up to the draft’s first round envisioning a scenario where he could repent for last year’s sin of passing on former Indiana -- and current St. Louis Ram -- offensive tackle Rodger Saffold. Though probably not the wisest choice, Polian publicly lamented the decision to draft former TCU defensive end Jerry Hughes instead, pining for Saffold as if he were a long lost girlfriend that got away. So while Polian often goes against conventional thinking when it comes to the draft, he couldn’t possibly have foretold his intentions any clearer. Fortunately for Polian and the Colts, showing his hand did nothing to thwart their plans, and their dreams turned into reality when Boston College tackle Anthony Castonzo fell into their laps at No. 22.

Castonzo represented the Colts dream scenario entering the draft. While many had USC tackle Tyron Smith as the top-rated lineman in the draft, I have to believe the Colts preferred Castonzo. While Smith’s potential had scouts drooling, Castonzo is ready to make an impact now, and with the Colts eying the stretch run of Peyton Manning’s Hall of Fame career, they needed an immediate upgrade to a line that failed to protect Manning as well as they had in the past and couldn’t create space in short-yardage situations. At 6-7 and 305 pounds, Castonzo will not only be a major upgrade along the line, he’ll present a massive presence and a pedigree the Colts haven’t had along the line since Tarik Glenn retired. The AFC South champions instantly got better with one pick.

But Polian wasn’t done yet. While Manning may be 35, he’s on the verge of signing a five- or six-year deal and the Colts aren’t ready to bid him adieu just yet. And with his age making him even more susceptible to pressure than he was in his prime, Polian jumped at the opportunity to add another talented body along the offensive line in Villanova tackle Ben Ijalana. Though he played on the FCS level, Ijalana could blossom into a solid starter at the NFL level. While he may need some grooming, Castonzo’s presence allows for the Colts to take their time with Ijalana if they have to. Then again, it also wouldn’t surprise if he outplayed his competition and managed to work his way into the starting lineup by midseason; this Colts line isn’t exactly saturated with talent, and at 6’4 and 317 pounds, Ijalana has the bulk the Colts have been lacking.

The Colts also continued their tradition of drafting undersized defensive tackles with LSU’s Drake Nevis in the third round. Nevis should help against the run, but he should also add a much-needed pass rush from the middle, something the Colts haven’t had in quite some time. They also added sure handed running back Delone Carter from Syracuse. The East-West Shrine Game MVP isn’t overly explosive or extremely rugged, but he is solid in almost every area and the one thing he doesn’t do is fumble, and ball security is extremely important to Manning and the Colts offense; think Mike Hart. The Colts rounded out their draft with seventh-round defensive back Chris Rucker from Michigan State. While certainly not special by any stretch of the imagination, remember the Colts have shown an ability to turn seventh rounders and undrafted guys into solid contributors, so he could be worth keeping an eye on.

While I believe the Colts did an excellent job in aggressively addressing their biggest weakness, my only complaint would that they didn’t add much speed, the other area the Colts seem to be lacking in. When you don’t have a lot of bulk, typically you would think that means it was sacrificed for speed. However, the Colts are the rare team with neither that still finds ways to be successful. And as I do every year, I will openly pine for an explosive return man to give Manning better field position. Eventually one of these years the Colts will draft a speedy corner or receiver who doubles as a returner and can bring the Colts dynamic versatility and the luxury of one player taking care of two positions. But as has become expected, this was not the year.

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-- BRANDON KOPCEUCH
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The Colts don't have weak spots. Bill Polian is too good at his job to danger the Colts with a kryptonite.

But the Colts do have some average patches. Last season one in particular was the tackle position. Peyton Manning was sacked 16 times, a higher total than both of the two previous years, and the outside rushing game was mediocre. Last year's starters, Ryan Diem and Charlie Johnson, are strong players, but not quite Pro Bowl players.

So Polian fixed the problem. With the 22nd pick, the Colts drafted Anthony Castonzo out of Boston College. Castonzo started all four years at BC, including a freshman season in which he protected Matt Ryan. He was a Freshman All-American, a Sophomore All-America and a first team All-ACC choice.

Probably the most heralded trait of Castonzo is his work ethic. In high school, the 6-7 311-pounder was a two-star recruit with a limited amount of scholarship offers. His rise to stardom at BC was unexpected and seemed to continue a little bit every year. The Colts made a safe pick and can only expect Castonzo to continue to work hard and improve. His rivalry with Mario Williams during the next decade should be fun to watch.

Who could they have taken?

Polian must have looked long and hard at Mark Ingram. Joseph Addai has not been the player the Colts expected him to be, falling short of 1,000 yards rushing in each of the past three seasons. Drafting Ingram could have given the Colts their featured back of the future. My guess is that they'll stick to Addai and try to find a solid power back to complement him.

Indy also could have considered a linebacker. The rushing defense has been atrocious for the past few years and only one linebacker had been taken before pick No. 22. However, Polian must believe in the linebacking core he currently has.

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-- JEFFREY EISENBAND
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On Day One of the 2005 draft, the Green Bay Packers were faced with a difficult decision. Brett Favre, the team's poster boy for the past 13 seasons, had recently turned 35 years old. He had started 204 consecutive games, but his age worried the Packers at the quarterback position.

With the 24th pick, Green Bay took Aaron Rodgers out of Cal. Rodgers spent three years on the bench before Favre announced his first retirement. Three years later, he won a Super Bowl.

Peyton Manning is 35 years old. He has started all 208 games of his career. See a parallel? While Manning is not likely to go through a retirement saga three years from now, his age is a cause for concern. In 2010, Manning's 91.9 QB rating and 17 interceptions were his worst totals since 2002. Although Manning has never missed an NFL start, his ironman stature is sure to diminish as he moves into his upper 30s.

So I ask you, Colts fans, is this the year the Colts should draft a quarterback? The Colts are a team that prides itself on draft picks (since 1999, all 53 Pro Bowlers have been homegrown). The idea of trading for a top tier player, let alone a quarterback, is foreign to Indy. In what is being described as "the year of the quarterback," (as the media say every year) is it time the Colts draft a successor to Manning’s throne?

This isn't crazy talk. I'm talking about maybe a second- or third-round pick: Some sort of cushion for Manning’s age. Someone to learn under his wing to ease into the Post-Manning Era.

Or maybe not. It’s certainly something for Bill Polian to think about, though.

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The Colts have their earliest first-round pick since 2002 when they took Dwight Freeney with the 11th overall selection. Though not quite that high this year, the 22nd pick should allow the Colts to address a major need and secure a player who should be able to slide right into the starting lineup. Don’t be fooled either: Despite once again winning the AFC South, the Colts have major needs that need to be addressed if they plan on repeating as division champs -- or even making the playoffs. With the lockout -- which was just lifted --restricting player movement, Colts president Bill Polian has said he will treat all of his free agents as if they won’t be back -- except for Peyton Manning of course. Though highly unlikely that all of the Colts free agents will bolt, for the sake of this exercise let's assume that only Manning is assured to be back, because we all know that he will be.

Needs Synopsis
While we will believe Polian for the moment when he says he is operating as if all of their free agents will be gone, we will not believe him for a second when he says they are very interested in this year’s quarterback crop. Look, everyone is interested in this year’s crop because there is no clear cut franchise guy --every single one of them is flawed to an extent that has even the most quarterback-needy teams a little uneasy. The Colts plan on signing Manning to a five- or six-year deal as soon as the lockout mess cleans itself up. I’m not sure if he’ll finish out that contract, but he’ll probably still be one of the top QBs in the league three or four years from now, which means that hypothetically drafted QB will still not be playing by the time he is eligible for free agency (depending of course on the new CBA, whenever we get one of those). So while Polian may very well be intrigued by this class he can’t be wasting draft picks when the Colts have much more pressing needs. Among those needs are safety, defensive tackle, and linebacker. But no need is more pressing than along the offensive line, especially at tackle. While the Colts have struggled to stop the run, they have been even worse running it themselves, especially in short-yardage situations. They need a tackle they can run behind with confidence and also one that can protect Manning and his assumed-to-be huge contract. The Colts have won the Super Bowl without being able to stop the run; they have come up short ever since Tarik Glenn decided to hang up his cleats. It’s time to find his replacement.

Dream Sequence
While USC tackle Tyron Smith has been gaining steam as the top offensive tackle prospect in this year's class, I think even if he somehow suffered a monumental fall and landed in the Colts laps that they would rather have Boston College’s Anthony Castonzo. While Smith might have the higher ceiling, Castonzo is more of a sure thing. With Manning already 35, the Colts simply can’t wait for someone to fulfill their potential; they need someone to step right in and have an immediate impact. Castonzo would be the perfect fit for the Colts and would bring a tough, hard-nosed mentality the line has lacked since Glenn’s retirement. While it seems that Polian never does what everyone thinks he’s going to do (like Jim Breuer in Half Baked), after openly lamenting his failure to draft Indiana tackle Roger Saffold last year in lieu of Jerry Hughes, Polian won’t let another high-caliber tackle slip him by.

Fallback Options
Since Castonzo is unlikely to be available when the 22nd pick rolls around, the Colts will probably have to look elsewhere to find Manning some decent protection. Luckily, there are quite a few good options on this year’s board. Wisconsin’s Gabe Carimi, Colorado’s Nate Solder, and Missippi State’s Derek Sherrod could all be options for them at tackle, or they could decide to address the interior and go with Florida guard/center Mike Pouncey, Baylor guard Danny Watkins, or maybe even Alabama guard James Carpenter, who has been steadily climbing up the board. On the off chance Polian goes in a completely different direction, the Colts could target their defensive line with Illinois defensive tackle Corey Liuget or Temple lineman Muhamad Wilkerson. Or Polian could get real crazy and reach on UCLA safety Rahim Moore.

Don’t Sleep
The Colts have been pretty solid at finding starters outside of the first round, so here are a few names to keep an eye on for the Colts as the draft wears on past Thursday: North Carolina defensive tackle Marvin Austin, Virginia cornerback Ras-I Dowling, Boston College linebacker Mark Herzlich, Ohio State cornerback Chimdi Chekwa, Florida safety Ahmad Black, Temple safety Jaiquawn Jarrett, Villanova tackle Benjamin Ijalana and Lehigh guard William Rackley.

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-- BRANDON KOPCEUCH
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This past Tuesday, Roger Goodell put on his best poker face and released the 2011 NFL schedule. Assuming that there is pigskin played in the fall of 2011, here is an analysis of the Colts’ schedule:

Sept. 11 at Houston
The NFL is taunting the Colts by starting them in Houston again. One season ago, the Texans shocked the Colts in Week 1 behind Arian Foster's breakout 231-yard rushing performance. This time, the Colts won’t be caught off-guard.

Sept. 18 vs. Cleveland
The Browns showed briefs stints of life in 2010, upsetting both the Saints and the Patriots. However, losing D-Coordinator Rob Ryan will be a killer and Peyton Manning will have a field day in an easy home opener.

Sept. 25 vs. Pittsburgh
The Colts catch a huge break playing this game away from the trenches of Heinz Field. The Steelers will bring their A-game on Sunday night and their defense will test Manning's aging body early in the season. A victory here can prove to all the naysayers that Indy is still a Super Bowl-caliber team.

Oct. 3 at Tampa Bay
In the Colts' only Monday Night game of the season, the youthful Bucs will look to show America that last season’s 10-6 record was no fluke. Raymond James Stadium is no easy place to play, but if the Colts can avoid turning the ball over, they'll take the Battle of Tony Dungy.

Oct. 9 vs. Kansas City
While the Chiefs may have the toughest schedule in the league, their three easiest games come in three of the first four weeks (Buffalo, Detroit, Minnesota). The 2010 AFC West champs know this and will fight hard to win while they still have a pulse. The Colts barely squeaked by KC in Week 5 last year, 19-9.

Oct. 16 at Cincinnati
The Colts will enjoy using one of their AFC road games in front of one of the worst fan bases in North America. The Bengals haven’t had any chemistry since the Boomer Esiason era. Expect the Ochocinco vs. TO vs. Carson Palmer vs. Marvin Lewis feud to be in full swing by Week 6.

Oct. 23 at New Orleans
NBC will hype this Super Bowl XLIV rematch up with home videos and old photos of little Peyton decked out in Saints gear on Bourbon Street. Still bitter about '09 finale and excited to return home, Manning has the chance to put up his best numbers of the season (as long as he watches Matt Hasselbeck film from last season’s playoffs).

Oct. 30 at Tennessee
With Vince Young and Jeff Fisher gone, the drone of Billy Cyrus' guitar is now the most annoying sound in Nashville. If Chris Johnson can cope with 80 percent of the Titans' total offensive plays (my indirect suggestion to the Titans' coaching staff), the Colts, and the rest of the NFL, can find themselves in danger. Also, the Colts catch a bad break here, playing three consecutive road games.

Nov. 6 vs. Atlanta
The Falcons posted the NFC's best record one year ago, but showed their vulnerability in a home playoff loss. The Colts should be able to hold serve at home as long as Matt Ryan doesn't use his mobility to tear through the defense.

Nov. 13 vs. Jacksonville
The Jags don't look too dangerous. Their offense is average and their defense is slow. But that’s what everyone said last year when the Colts barely slid past them for the division. David Garrard is a smart quarterback who will keep Jacksonville in every game.

Nov. 20: Bye
The NFL may not be able to negotiate, but the league is smarter than it looks. All Week 3 games feature teams that share the same bye week later in the season. That way, Weeks 1 and 2 can be pushed back and Week 3 be made up during the bye week. To accommodate this, the league added Week 11 bye teams to its repertoire. If the league does run as planned, the Colts catch a very bad break here. The aging team's health will not be strengthened by 10 straight games to start the season.

Nov. 27 vs. Carolina
If Colts starters are still playing in the third quarter, the Panthers should give themselves a pat on the back. Even with Cam Newton or whoever else may be the first pick, the Panthers will be the weakest team to crawl into Indy.

Dec. 4 at New England
The Colts aren't going to be happy traveling to Foxborough for the second straight season. Other than that, there’s not much to say here. It’ll be the most watched game of the NFL season and either Manning or Tom Brady will settle it on the final drive.

Dec. 11 at Baltimore
Assuming the Colts are returning to the playoffs, this will be a good test before facing some of the top defenses in the conference (i.e. Jets, Chargers, Steelers again). The Ravens' front eight will give Indy headaches and Joe Flacco's mobility can be Baltimore's most potent weapon.

Dec. 18 vs. Tennessee
In the two teams; second matchup, injuries will decide the fate of the two aging rosters. Will Kerry Collins still be running the show for the Titans? How sturdy will the Colts’ defensive line be? Whoever is in better health will have the best chance to win.

Dec. 22 vs. Houston
The Colts get lucky playing this Thursday nighter at home after a Sunday home game. It should be interesting to see where Houston is at this point in the season. In 2010, the Texans started hot, but quickly faded and became a non-factor by Week 12. If they are still relevant by Week 16, the season will be an improvement.

Jan. 1 at Jacksonville
The NFL is assuming the Colts and Jags will be the top two teams in the division again. The Colts lost in Jacksonville in 2010 and this game may decide both teams' playoff fates. The Colts handled last season's late-season pressure and should be expected to do the same in 2011.

Positives:
• Three straight home games (Weeks 9-12)
• Steelers at home
• Final three games within division

Negatives
• Three straight road games (Weeks 6-8)
• Week 11 Bye
• Patriots, Saints, Ravens on the road

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-- JEFFREY EISENBAND
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