Probably need to cut one. A couple of questions:

1) Does Wheeler really back up Brackett at Mike? Or is he a Sam?
2) Any chance he gets IR'd due to the injury?

Keep in mind that I have another Bronco LB (Williams) and Colt LB (Keiaho) already. Should I keep Koutouvides or Wheeler? Is Kout losing the job to Webster a death knell for him? Which is the better scheme for a MIKE, DEN or IND?

Thanks!

I believe that Wheeler made it back to practice this week. He's backing up Brackett, though it's possible he may move to SLB at some point in the future. They've got Hagler and Sessions to play outside behind Keiaho, though, so I think he's likely to stay at middle backer.

A Tampa-2 scheme is fine for a backer with good athetic abiltiy, coverage skill and instincts. Talent levels equal, the more traditional 4-3 is probably slightly better. Still, Koutouvides really has no value. He's essentially proven himself worse than Nate Webster and Jamie Winborn, two guys who have bounced from team to team and never earned a long-term every down role. There's no upside there as a non-every-down player, even if he somehow ends up in the starting lineup. The Colts like Brackett and he's signed through 2009, but Wheeler still probably has the better long-term upside.

Thanks Jene! I was leaning toward Wheeler and you helped me understand all the reasons why.

Wheeler has upside and is an easy choice for me. If you need a LB during this year, you can find replacement level players like Koutouvides on the waiver wire.