Colts make timely move with McFarland

Colts fans should appreciate the effort and risk team president Bill Polian took in acquiring defensive tackle Anthony "Booger" McFarland from Tampa Bay. Trades during the middle of the NFL season are always noteworthy because they're so rare. But this one actually brings a big-time player to fill a big-time need on a Super Bowl contender.

As I wrote in my column today, the Colts made a statement with their deal:

That statement: The Colts (5-0) are serious about winning a Super Bowl now. Not in the next couple years. Not sometime during a loosely defined "window of opportunity." This season, here and now.
The Colts gave up a precious second-round draft pick next year, and picked up McFarland's contract, at a remaining $15.25 million, through 2008. Colts president Bill Polian parts with second-round picks about as often as he lines up at wide receiver.

I'm eager to see what McFarland can do to help the Colts' shaky run defense. He'll give them another needed body, and his familiarity with Tony Dungy's system gives him an advantage Corey Simon lacked when he joined the team and had to learn everything from scratch.