The Inside Slant: Kyle Rodriguez of Colts Authority

Welcome to the Inside Slant, where we talk to the best writers from around the AFC South. Today, we visit with Kyle Rodriguez, one of several talented young writers at ColtsAuthority.com.

BR: How have Colts fans reacted to Ryan Grigson's first draft? What is the general mood from Colts fans? 

KR: The fans' reaction to the draft has been mixed, but positive overall. Most Colts fans loved the picks of TE Coby Fleener and DT Josh Chapman (and obviously QB Andrew Luck), while most also liked the picks of TE Dwayne Allen and T.Y. Hilton as well. There is some disappointment over the Colts' inability to land any depth for a thin, less-than-talented secondary, but overall, the fans are excited to see some possible offensive weapons to pair with Luck.

Personally, I was pleased that the Colts went with offensive weapons early, but was surprised with how their board was laid out. Grigson talked after the draft about sticking to a "best player available" philosophy, but some of their later picks didn't seem to match up with any boards or mocks that I had seen or envisioned. Nevertheless, they had a good strategy in the beginning of the draft, where the picks count the most.

So for now, it's a positive draft for the young front office.

BR: What moves would you still like to see the Colts make before the season starts? 

KR: As I said before, the Colts' secondary is paper-thin, desperately needing depth and an influx of starting talent. Antoine Bethea is a rock at free safety, and Jerraud Powers has what it takes to start (when healthy), but nobody else in the secondary has proven to be capable of starting. The Colts would benefit greatly from a veteran cornerback who can be a stopgap starter across from Powers and who can also help in the development of some of the young corners.

The Colts also have a thin linebacker group, especially at ILB. Pat Angerer should be fine, but I have very little confidence in Kavell Conner's ability to cover well enough in a 3-4 to play too many snaps on second and third down. Behind them, the Colts are filled with castoffs and UDFAs and could use a veteran linebacker to give them a bit more stability.  

BR: Now that you've seen how this team is being built, does it change your opinion at all on how long it will take for them be competitive?

KR: Yes and no. For one, I'm glad to see the Colts aren't going to stick with the outdated "run and stop the run" philosophy that some had feared. At the very least, the Colts showed in the draft that they value a high-powered passing attack, drafting two quarterbacks, two receivers and two tight ends in the draft.

All I need to see now is an effort to build a quality pass defense, and the Colts will be in good shape. Still, I've said all along that the Colts have no reason not to be competitive by 2013, 2014 at the latest. Because they had the opportunity to draft Luck, they should be getting their franchise quarterback, and once that happens, the rest should fall into place.