We start by reminding you that Austin Collie is still a member of the Indianapolis Colts.
In an offseason of sweeping change within the organization, it's hard to keep track of which notable veterans actually survived the purge. Collie did, and he's excited to be part of the franchise's next generation.
"I'm doing great and feel good," Collie told his hometown paper, The Sacramento Bee. "We lost a lot of friends here with changes, and Peyton (Manning) was one of them. It's tough losing a guy you got to know so well, learned so much from. But I'm really excited about the future."
Collie goes from one No. 1 overall pick to another in Andrew Luck. The quarterback has been prohibited from team activities until he completes his educational requirements at Stanford, but Collie looks forward to building a connection.
"I've gotten to chat with him briefly, and he's a bright kid," he said of Luck, who's nearing a deal with the Colts. "You can tell he's a special player. I'm just happy he's on our side."
Though the concussions issues he dealt with in 2010 followed by 2011's Kerry Collins/Curtis Painter/Dan Orlovsky circle of pain make it easy to forget, Collie has been a legitimate playmaker when on the field. He had eight touchdowns in nine games in 2010, and he proved he could stay healthy in 2011 by playing all 16 games.
Combine health with a good quarterback by his side, and we could see a return to form for the receiver in 2012.
