Is Joseph Addai Done in Indianapolis?

As we move excruciatingly slowly toward the conclusion of the lost 2011 NFL season, questions about for the Indianapolis Colts.   Will the Colts draft Andrew Luck next April?  Will Peyton Manning return to form, and will it be for the Colts?   Will Jim Caldwell return next year?   How about Bill and Chris Polian?  While we’ve been busy beating each other silly with these queries, a new one has arisen:  Has Joseph Addai run out the clock on his time with the Colts?

Due largely to the general ugliness on the field, Addai has somewhat quietly missed four of the Colts’ ten games so far this season, and he may be out tomorrow against the Carolina Panthers.    Thanks to a nagging hamstring injury, Addai has managed a smidge less than 10 carries per game when he has played, down from more than 14 the last two years.  Of course, last year, he played only half a season, and the only year he played all 16 games was his rookie campaign, when he wasn’t technically the starter.

Addai has relatively few rushing attempts in his career, but he has taken a ton of abuse in his role as lead blocker, thanks in large part to the Colts’ poor offensive line play during his tenure.  He’s 28 now, and guys don’t usually get a lot healthier after that age.  In other words, as he approaches the dreaded 3-0, his market value is not likely to get higher than it is right now.

So, my modest proposal is that Addai is a viable candidate to be swept out the door in the coming housecleaning, in whatever form that takes.  Big changes are needed for this team, and there is no reason to hang onto an injured and aging back.  It’s not like his production from this season will be missed.  There has been almost none, anyway.