The starting nose tackle job is going to be earned in training camp due to an open audition.  27-year old Antonio Johnson would seem to have a small edge heading into camp.  He played in all 16 games for the Colts last year and he had 22 tackles, 1 tackle for a loss and 2 passes defensed.  Johnson has now played in 53 games in his first four years in the NFL and he has 95 tackles, 1.5 sacks, 3 tackles for a loss, 1 fumble recovery and 2 passes defensed.  23-year old rookie Josh Chapman will also get a shot to show what he can do.  He was a 5th round pick out of Alabama last April.  He played in 55 games (25 starts) in college and he had 88 tackles, 13.5 tackles for a loss and 2.5 sacks.  28-year old Brandon McKinney played for Coach Pagano in Baltimore.  He played in 12 games for the Ravens last year and he had 14 tackles and 1 forced fumble.  He has now played in 61 games in his first six years in the NFL and he has 60 tackles, 1 tackle for a loss, 1 forced fumble, 1 fumble recovery and 1 pass defensed.  26-year old Jason Shirley played in 4 games for the Panthers last year and he had 4 tackles, 2.5 sacks and 1 forced fumble.  He has now played in 7 games in his first two years in the NFL and he has 8 tackles, 2.5 sacks, 1 forced fumble and 1 tackle for a loss.

PROJECTED GRADE FOR THE NOSE TACKLES IN 2012:  D+

With Robert Mathis and Dwight Freeney moving to outside linebacker in 2012, the Colts are going to need some guys to step up in 2012.  31-year old Cory Redding will start at one end spot for the Colts in 2012.  He played in 15 games for the Ravens last year and he had 43 tackles, 4.5 sacks, 6 tackles for a loss, 1 fumble recovery and 2 passes defensed.  Redding has now played in 131 games in his first 9 years in the NFL and he has 306 tackles, 25.5 sacks, 43 tackles for a loss, 4 forced fumbles, 9 fumble recoveries, 12 passes defensed and 1 interception.  He should have no trouble adjusting to the Colts’ new D as he played under Colts’ new head coach Chuck Pagano in Baltimore.  23-year old Drake Nevis is likely to the be the other starter at DE for the Colts, as long as he can stay healthy.  Nevis played in 5 games for the Colts last year and he had 19 tackles and 1 pass defensed.  He has a nice upside.  27-year old Fili Moala and 24-year old Ricardo Matthews will be the top backups at DE for the Colts in 2012.  Moala played in 14 games last year for the Colts and he had 22 tackles, 2 sacks and 3 tackles for a loss.  He has now played in 40 games in his first three years in the NFL and he has 55 tackles, 2 sacks, 7 tackles for a loss, 1 fumble recovery and 1 pass defensed.  Ricardo Matthews played in 12 games for the Colts last year and he had 19 tackles, 1 sack, 2 passes defensed and 1 tackle for a loss.  He has now played in 20 games in his first two years in the NFL and he has 20 tackles, 1 sack, 2 passes defensed and 1 tackle for a loss.

PROJECTED GRADE FOR THE DEFENSIVE ENDS IN 2012:  C

The Colts have acquired 26-year old CB D.J. Johnson from the Eagles for 25-year old DT Ollie Ogbu.  Johnson didn’t get into any games in the NFL last year.  He last played in 2010 with the New York Giants.  Johnson has played in 10 games in his first two years in the NFL and he has 10 tackles.  Ollie Ogbu has not played in any games in his NFL career so far.  This kind of move proves that the Colts just aren’t happy with their corners right now.

UPDATE:  (9/2/2012) – The Colts have waived D.J. Johnson.

The Colts have signed 26-year old DT Jason Shirley.  Shirley is a 6’5″, 345 pound mountain of a man.  He played in 4 games for the Carolina Panthers last year and he had 4 tackles, 2.5 sacks and 1 forced fumble.  Shirley has now played in 7 games in his first two years in the NFL and he has 8 tackles, 2.5 sacks, 1 forced fumble and 1 tackle for a loss.  Shirley will be a reserve if he makes the Colts’ final roster out of training camp.

UPDATE:  (9/2/2012) – The Colts have waived Jason Shirley.

31-year old Robert Mathis and 32-year old Dwight Freeney are going to move from DE to OLB in 2012.  They both will be assets rushing the passer, but it will be interesting to see how well they can play the run in space.  Mathis played in all 16 games for the Colts last year and he had 43 tackles, 9.5 sacks, 4 tackles for a loss, 3 forced fumbles, 3 fumble recoveries and 1 pass defensed.  Mathis has now played in 135 games in his first 9 years in the NFL and he has 395 tackles, 83.5 sacks, 29 tackles for a loss, 39 forced fumbles, 24 fumble recoveries and 12 passes defensed.  Dwight Freeney will be the guy to watch as he didn’t have too many tackles last year.  Freeney played in all 16 games for the Colts last year and he had 19 tackles, 8.5 sacks, 2 forced fumbles and 1 tackle for a loss.  He has now played in 149 games in his first 10 years in the NFL and he has 286 tackles, 102.5 sacks, 43 forced fumbles, 32 tackles for a loss, 3 fumble recoveries and 14 passes defensed.  23-year old Jerry Hughes will try to get his career on the right path in 2012.  He played in 12 games for the Colts last year and he had 15 tackles and 1 sack.  He has now played in 24 games in his first two years in the NFL and he has 21 tackles, 1 sack and 1 tackle for a loss.  23-year old  Tim Fugger was a 7th round pick in last April’s NFL Draft.  He played in 46 games (31 starts) at Vanderbilt and he had 90 tackles, 20 tackles for a loss, 12 sacks, 8 forced fumbles and 1 interception.  24-year old Mario Anderson played in 7 games as a rookie last year with the Bears & Colts in which he had 5 tackles.

PROJECTED GRADE FOR THE OUTSIDE LINEBACKERS IN 2012:  B

25-year olds Pat Angerer and Kavell Conner are rock solid starters for the Colts at ILB.  Angerer is a flat out tackling machine.  He played in all 16 games for the Colts last year and he had 148 tackles, 9 tackles for a loss, 1 sack, 2 forced fumbles, 1 fumble recovery, 1 interception and 3 passes defensed.  He has now played in 32 games in his first two years with the Colts and he had 236 tackles, 2 sacks, 9 tackles for a loss, 2 sacks, 3 forced fumbles, 1 interception and 5 passes defensed.  Kavell Conner is also a very solid player.  He played in all 16 games for the Colts last year and he had 104 tackles, 7 tackles for a loss, 2 passes defensed, 1 forced fumble and 1 fumble recovery.  He has now played in 28 games in his first two years with the Colts and he has 161 tackles, 9 tackles for a loss, 2 forced fumbles, 2 fumble recoveries and 2 passes defensed.  The Colts better hope Angerer and Conner stay healthy, because there is not much depth behind them.  24-year old A.J. Edds played in 11 games as a rookie for the Colts & Patriots last year and he had 13 tackles.  24-year old Scott Lutrus played in 4 games for the Colts as a rookie last year and he had 7 tackles.

PROJECTED GRADE FOR THE INSIDE LINEBACKERS IN 2012:  B+