You've almost certainly heard by now that the Hartford Colonials (and every other UFL team) has released their list of protected players for the 2011 season.
I'm not going to go into much detail over the obvious ones. Andre Dixon was a no brainer of course. Michale Spicer gets added because he tied for the team lead in sacks and was one of better pass rushers on the team last year. There are a few head scratchers though, either guys who are missing or guys who you'd think the team wouldn't be worried about protecting.
Markee White and Patrick Carter were not on the list of protected wide receivers, which doesn't mean that neither could play for the team, just that the Colonials didn't feel the need to tell other UFL teams "hands off." While it seems at first glance that the team is focusing on players who have not signed with other leagues--White is in the AFL now, and Carter signed with the Dolphins' practice squad--I'm a little worried at the lack of a standout #1 receiver.
There are a lot of offensive linemen coming back. No offense to these guys, but I hope to see some competition between them and some new recruits in training camp. Last year's O-line was spotty outside of the home opener. It seems that right tackle Pete Clifford is still on the roster. Clifford struggled a lot last year and I'm curious as to what the coaches see to inspire continued confidence in him as a starter.
Jy Bond of all people is a weird choice. He was the worst punter in the league last year in terms of yards per punt, which is pretty much the main thing you're going to be looking for on fourth downs. This doesn't seem like the kind of guy you'd need to keep other teams away from. I guess there's something to be said for consistency.
On the plus side, as I recall there were only nine players that made it from the New York Sentinels to the Colonials. Kinda suggests that the team is getting better, eh?
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