Candidates to Solve the Colts Run Stopping Woes
Feb 1, 2015; Glendale, AZ, USA; New England Patriots defensive tackle Vince Wilfork warms up before Super Bowl XLIX against the Seattle Seahawks at University of Phoenix Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports
Number One: Vince Wilfork, Free Agent
The longtime New England Patriots nose tackle isn’t the dominant every-down nose tackle he once was; however, he could still be plenty effective if used situationally. Entering his 12th NFL season, Vince Wilfork can still be a standout run stuffer at a listed 6’2″, 325 pounds:
@AaronNagler @JasonPhilCole Still a good player. And big men like that always have a market, even as they get older.
— Albert Breer (@AlbertBreer) March 15, 2015
With his former Miami Hurricane teammates in Frank Gore and Andre Johnson already joining the Colts in a planned get together, so could Wilfork in a larger “reUnion” this offseason for one last championship run. The 33 year old still figures to have his fair share of suitors:
I'm told former UM standout Vince Wilfork has three 2-for $10M deals on the table from AFC teams. Should be interesting.
— Omar Kelly (@OmarKelly) March 12, 2015
However, few other teams can offer him the opportunity to contend for a Super Bowl like the Colts can for this upcoming season. The big man in the middle has already been a 2-time Super Bowl Champion with the Patriots, and for a team like the Colts, they’d sign him with the hopes of making it three.
Wilfork still has enough gas left in his tank to be utilized as a situational run suffer with the Colts, and at the very least, form an effective platoon with incumbent starter Josh Chapman to keep both players fresh during the course of games and throughout the entire regular season.
His leadership and championship pedigree speaks for itself, and fresh off of losing veteran defensive leader Cory Redding to the Arizona Cardinals, the Colts could use some veteran leadership in the trenches and their defense as a whole.