LT Ryan Clady

[BProland85]

Is he going to be a real option if we offer him a better deal than what Denver is? If so, he would be the guy I would love to see us make a hard push for getting. And he will only be 27 next year. Adding a stud LT to this OL would give Luck much more time to throw, not to mention it will also improve our RT situation by moving Costanzo there.

[MAC]

Don't get your hopes up. You don't rebuild your team around an aging slow footed HOF caliber QB and then months later let your All Pro caliber LT go. For all you know Peyton wouldn't have signed there in the first place without him. They will franchise him if necessary. The cost of doing so is probably less per year than what they've already offered him in a contract. What the Colts are willing to pay is irrelevant.

[Playmaker]

Clady is not leaving Denver.

[Palo Alto To Indy]

Is he going to be a real option if we offer him a better deal than what Denver is? If so, he would be the guy I would love to see us make a hard push for getting. And he will only be 27 next year. Adding a stud LT to this OL would give Luck much more time to throw, not to mention it will also improve our RT situation by moving Costanzo there.

We'd be better off trying to pry a talented OT off of a weak tem (Jax, anyone?) rather than try to take one off of a competitive team like Denver. Eugene Monroe (Jax) is probably more realistic than Clady.

[BProland85]

Well Clady's contract expires after this year correct? If so, I dont think just putting the franchise tag on him guarantees that Denver will retain him. He can still turn it down and sign a long term deal elsewhere I thought. Remember, players have to sign the franchise tag, and he could choose to not sign or play under that tag.

[ponyboy]

As a franchised player, if he signs with another team.. that team forfeits 2 first round draft picks (unless a lesser trade can be arranged). You just don't see franchise players getting signed by other teams. And I would think it's almost certain he would be franchised if not signed before the deadline.

[BProland85]

As a franchised player, if he signs with another team.. that team forfeits 2 first round draft picks (unless a lesser trade can be arranged). You just don't see franchise players getting signed by other teams. And I would think it's almost certain he would be franchised if not signed before the deadline.

I guess we'd have to wait a year on him then since Im pretty sure you cant franchise the same player 2 years in a row. And there may be some reason he's not wanting to sign there long term or else they would be negotiating.

[NewColtsFan]

I guess we'd have to wait a year on him then since Im pretty sure you cant franchise the same player 2 years in a row. And there may be some reason he's not wanting to sign there long term or else they would be negotiating.

Actually, you can tag someone two years in a row. Actually, I think you can do it 3 years in a row. But I'm not sure it's ever happened. But the issue came up this off-season when Drew Brees was holding out. Brees was tagged once by San Diego, and once already by New Orleans. The CBA didn't clarify if was 3 Tags total in your career, regardless of team, or 3 tags by your current team. I think the ruling was for 3 tags overall. That's what my fading memory remembers...

Hope that clarifies....

[UKColt13]

I would be overjoyed to get Clady as our franchise LT. But I can't see the Broncos letting their franchise LT go 1year after signing an ageing and injury-prone Peyton. The Broncos know that if their O-line disintegrates then Peyton is going to fall apart at the seams.

[PrincetonTiger]

He is not going anywhere

[gbrads_rants]

We'd be better off trying to pry a talented OT off of a weak tem (Jax, anyone?) rather than try to take one off of a competitive team like Denver. Eugene Monroe (Jax) is probably more realistic than Clady.

Monroe may be an easier play, but he wont be cheap

[MAC]

I guess we'd have to wait a year on him then since Im pretty sure you cant franchise the same player 2 years in a row. And there may be some reason he's not wanting to sign there long term or else they would be negotiating.

This is my fundamental problem with people's enthusiasm for free agency. There is a reason that you don't build successful teams that way. The system is set up so that the best players simply don't change teams until they are heading downhill, and then you inevitably overpay for them. The Colts are NOT getting Clady unless they are stupid enough to wait until he is 33 or walking on one leg, and then pay him like he is still a star. Just forget about it. The only way to acquire an all-pro quality left tackle is to draft one.

[BOTT]

This is my fundamental problem with people's enthusiasm for free agency. There is a reason that you don't build successful teams that way. The system is set up so that the best players simply don't change teams until they are heading downhill, and then you inevitably overpay for them. The Colts are NOT getting Clady unless they are stupid enough to wait until he is 33 or walking on one leg, and then pay him like he is still a star. Just forget about it. The only way to acquire an all-pro quality left tackle is to draft one.

that's a narrow view of free agency. i don't think anyone is advocating building a team thru free agency, but adding players here and there like other successful teams have done.

[MAC]

that's a narrow view of free agency. i don't think anyone is advocating building a team thru free agency, but adding players here and there like other successful teams have done.

I think that many on this forum are impatient and think that the grass is always greener. They view free agency is a secret formula that "everyone else uses" but the Colts have not. However good opportunities are rare, overpaying is virtually guaranteed considering the nature of bidding wars, and using it incorrectly can destroy your salary cap. I associate free agency with the worst owners in the league - such as Washington.

It was one thing when the Colts let players like Mike Peterson go. That level of player might work out for all sides. There are a lot of Mike Petersons out there. However nobody pried away Dwight Freeney in his prime. If someone does so this off-season, they will very likely regret it.

Similarly Clady is a foundation player, picking him up is virtually impossible, spending untold millions to overpay him if he was available would be foolish - and yes, people advocate things like that all the time.

[NewColtsFan]

I think that many on this forum are impatient and think that the grass is always greener. They view free agency is a secret formula that "everyone else uses" but the Colts have not. However good opportunities are rare, overpaying is virtually guaranteed considering the nature of bidding wars, and using it incorrectly can destroy your salary cap. I associate free agency with the worst owners in the league - such as Washington.

It was one thing when the Colts let players like Mike Peterson go. That level of player might work out for all sides. There are a lot of Mike Petersons out there. However nobody pried away Dwight Freeney in his prime. If someone does so this off-season, they will very likely regret it.

Similarly Clady is a foundation player, picking him up is virtually impossible, spending untold millions to overpay him if he was available would be foolish - and yes, people advocate things like that all the time.

I hope other posters who frequent this page of the website will read your post. I think you expressed my sentiments better than I often do. I hope posters will read your post over and over again until it sinks in.

We had one poster in the last few days equate the upcoming Free Agency with all our money available as the equivalent of gaining TWO #1's and TWO #2's. Really. And he was serious. That view is a recipe for disappointment.

January will be here soon. Teams will start surprising fans with some of their cuts and releases. It'll be the beginning of Free Agency and the silly season will be upon us. I trust Grigson will be wise with our money. But fan expectation here may get a little crazy....

[Gavin]

Carl Nicks-27 years old (yes on IR this year) prior to being put on IR this year he never missed a game and was widely valued as one of the best if not the best Guard in football was with the Saints and now is with the Bucs

Vincent Jackson 29 years old-Not the best WR in football but is one of the best also in Tampa Bay and came from SD

Mario Williams-27 years old-formerly of the Texans now with the Bills one of the best pass rushers in the sport (not the best by far)

Ty Law back in 2005 but he was due over 12 million dollars that year BUT he was 31, He did have 10 interceptions though that year

It happens, its part of the business. sometimes it works out, sometimes it doesn't. Personally I rather build through the draft with younger players except pick up 1-3 guys who are not stars but are productive

[Moncrief]

If we could have 3 Austin Collie type players who like Gavin said, are not stars but productive, we would be in good hands

Minus the injuries

[BOTT]

I think that many on this forum are impatient and think that the grass is always greener. They view free agency is a secret formula that "everyone else uses" but the Colts have not. However good opportunities are rare, overpaying is virtually guaranteed considering the nature of bidding wars, and using it incorrectly can destroy your salary cap. I associate free agency with the worst owners in the league - such as Washington.

It was one thing when the Colts let players like Mike Peterson go. That level of player might work out for all sides. There are a lot of Mike Petersons out there. However nobody pried away Dwight Freeney in his prime. If someone does so this off-season, they will very likely regret it.

Similarly Clady is a foundation player, picking him up is virtually impossible, spending untold millions to overpay him if he was available would be foolish - and yes, people advocate things like that all the time.

you should associate washington with bad ownership not free agency. anybody with a double digit IQ laughed at many of their free agency moves. it seems people only remember the haynesworth type deals, and forget the johnathon josephs and justin smiths of free agency. to me it's lilke the draft, some teams do it well, and some teams don't....