http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2010/01/24/colts-found-defensive-tackle-starters-in-odd-places/

3 players who will start for the Colts in the AFC Championship Game will be late rd picks, a street FA and a practice squad player.

Bill Polian is possilbly the best GM in the NFL, Ireland found some guys like that in 08, not so much in 09, a part of that was losing the right of first claim on waived players, the other part is maybe some guys who played in 08 were given more time to show what they could do in 09.

I suspect in 2010 we may see the cattle call theory again.

 

Open up need positions to competition and Ireland does his best to find players who can play better then the incumbent, it is what happened in 2008.

So far Grice Mullen and Tsoumpas and Bryan Johnston are a part of that theory all three have upside, all three will compete at need positions.

 

I really like Gardner, but they are likely to cut anyone.

 

Exactly, and in 09 the Dolphins just did not have "it", maybe they were comfortable with what was on the roster and reached for some players, or maybe being so far down in the claim system we really couldn't do anything, but either way it is an area that needs to improve.