When Colts owner Jim Irsay starts tweeting in all caps and with copious exclamation points, you know something's afoot.
We will have some big announcements very soon!!!!!!!! We are THRILLED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
— Jim Irsay (@JimIrsay) March 12, 2013
The histrionics certainly piqued fans' interest, leading some to wonder if Wes Welker or Darrelle Revis was in the team's future.
The big announcement seems to be something much less than that, at least according to NFL Network's Daniel Jeremiah, who tweeted the team had agreed to terms with offensive tackle Gosder Cherilus.
That sound you hear is a deflated Colts fan base.
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On the surface, it seems like a slight (read: huge) overreaction on Irsay's part -- by all accounts, Cherilus, a former Lions first-round pick, has been serviceable and not much more than that -- until you remember franchise quarterback Andrew Luck was sacked 41 times as a rookie and took countless other hits.
Indy's offensive line ranked 18th in FootballOutsiders.com's Adjusted Sack Rate (a fancy way to measure how well a unit pass blocks), and the group is in desperate need of upgrading. Cherilus provides that, even if he's not considered elite. Comparatively speaking, he doesn't have to be; the Colts need to do a better job protecting Luck, and this is part of general manager Ryan Grigson's plan to do that.
Cherilus will likely play right tackle opposite 2011 first-rounder Anthony Castonzo.
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