Bill Polian's Do's and Don'ts of Free Agency....

[NewColtsFan]

Bill Polian's do's and don'ts for NFL free agency:

 

1. Do fill needs and make sure the player has a specific scheme fit

 

2. Don't sign a player and change his techniques

 

3. Do know the player you are signing very well

 

4. Don't believe that "your culture" will change a person's behavior.

 

5. Do realize that you are never one player away from a championship.

 

6. Do be very disciplined in sticking to your budget.

 

7. Don't pay a player above his grade.

 

8. Don't give A- or B-money (or years) to a player who doesn't play well on third down.

 

9. Don't give a four-year or longer contract, even to an A player, who is 28 years of age or older.

 

10. Don't give a long-term contract to a player with a significant injury history.

 

11. Do beware of players whose production dramatically increases in their contract year.

 

12. Don't chase the market, particularly for someone else's player, and don't allow agents to manipulate you.

 

13. Don't pay a free agent more money than the A-players or B-plus-players on your team.

 

14. Do save your money if you're not yet ready to contend.

[bap1331]

Dont listen to the guy who could not solve what this team cant do without a franchise qb. Lol

[jvan1973]

Dont listen to the guy who could not solve what this team cant do without a franchise qb. Lol

yes, polian had no clue what he was doing right?

[crazycolt1]

yes, polian had no clue what he was doing right?

Well he didn't have much practice at free agents so it's kind of hard to take him too serious. As far as knowing what he was doing is and always be up for debate on a lot of things.

[jvan1973]

Well he didn't have much practice at free agents so it's kind of hard to take him too serious. As far as knowing what he was doing is and always be up for debate on a lot of things.

him knowing what he was doing aa a GM shouldn't be up for debate to any reasonable person

[PeterBowman]

how many franchises did he help build to be Super Bowl contenders?

 

 

 

and him being selected to the Hall of Fame kinda says he knew what he was doing.

[NewColtsFan]

Dont listen to the guy who could not solve what this team cant do without a franchise qb. Lol

 

 

Yeah.....

 

All he did was take THREE different to the Super Bowl.

 

And he's a SIX time NFL executive of the year.

 

Oh,  and he's in the Hall of Fame.

 

I gotta give you credit,  when it comes to being wrong you're completely fearless in thread after thread and post after post.

 

Congrats,  it's a gift!    (lol)   

[Patagonia Chris]

Well he didn't have much practice at free agents so it's kind of hard to take him too serious. As far as knowing what he was doing is and always be up for debate on a lot of things.

 

Sometimes the best free agents are the ones you don't sign

[jskinnz]

Dont listen to the guy who could not solve what this team cant do without a franchise qb. Lol

 

Even for you, this is an over-the-top ridiculous comment. 

[Gavin]

Only one I question is #1.......The reason is this: you may not find great or good football players that fit your scheme...They may have the measurables you want to fit your scheme but they may not be good football players or playmakers, The best playmaker for example might be a Zone Corner or a the best O Lineman out there might fit a Zone scheme but he is a good O Lineman...So what do you do? You design some plays to take advantage of his strengths......That's what ultimately makes or breaks a good HC(The ability to take advantage of the skills his players have) and certainly a O or D Coordinator..The GM finds the best talent that your budget can afford without breaking the bank so you can keep your star players (some/most) and the O/D Coordinator adds on to his playbook with the new players strengths and weaknesses in mind...Ya cant turn a Zone Blocking O Lineman into a Man Blocking O Lineman very often if at all...If that O Linemans strength is that he is mobile....Then you use it....you don't force him to be a Drive Blocker down after down after down with minimal to no success...Maybe Im just talking about plays and not an overall scheme...But Im a believer that you must be able to adapt your scheme or plays to fit your players strengths

 

That was a bit longer then I first intended

[SteelCityColt]

Yeah.....

 

All he did was take THREE different to the Super Bowl.

 

And he's a SIX time NFL executive of the year.

 

Oh,  and he's in the Hall of Fame.

 

I gotta give you credit,  when it comes to being wrong you're completely fearless in thread after thread and post after post.

 

Congrats,  it's a gift!    (lol)   

 

It's a competitive market...  

[jskinnz]

Bill Polian's do's and don'ts for NFL free agency:

 

1. Do fill needs and make sure the player has a specific scheme fit

 

2. Don't sign a player and change his techniques

 

3. Do know the player you are signing very well

 

4. Don't believe that "your culture" will change a person's behavior.

 

5. Do realize that you are never one player away from a championship.

 

6. Do be very disciplined in sticking to your budget.

 

7. Don't pay a player above his grade.

 

8. Don't give A- or B-money (or years) to a player who doesn't play well on third down.

 

9. Don't give a four-year or longer contract, even to an A player, who is 28 years of age or older.

 

10. Don't give a long-term contract to a player with a significant injury history.

 

11. Do beware of players whose production dramatically increases in their contract year.

 

12. Don't chase the market, particularly for someone else's player, and don't allow agents to manipulate you.

 

13. Don't pay a free agent more money than the A-players or B-plus-players on your team.

 

14. Do save your money if you're not yet ready to contend.

 

I absolutely love this.  Everything about it.  It details how NFL people try to think about any player but especially free agents.  Ones that stood out to me.

 

1) Scheme fit - something to truly consider when considering Suh. 

 

4) Don't believe your culture will change a player.  Somethng that far too many on this forum think.  The player is who he is.  The notion that veteran leadership will change that is foolish.  It rarely happens.  If you have proven to be lazy or a knucklehead, the odds are very good you will remain lazy or a knucklehead.

 

5) Realize that you are never one player away from a championship - love this.  One guy is generally not the missing piece.

 

6) Don't give big money to someone who does not play well on 3rd down - no sense in giving big money to someone who you have to take off the field on the money down.

 

9) No long term contracts for someone 28 or older.  Teams have actuarial tables based on history and studies of when certain positions start falling off in their production.

 

10) Love the contract year comment - Albert Hayneworth leaps immediately to mind.

[crazycolt1]

him knowing what he was doing aa a GM shouldn't be up for debate to any reasonable person

You thinking him a fantastic GM does not change the facts. Take a close look at the loss record in his playoff records. The advice he has given does not match his actions when he was a GM. He never cared to sign free agents very much at all. He pretty much jumped on Mannings back and ignored building a total team around him. The whole time Polian was in Indy the Colts very rarely had any sort of average defense. The Colts were at the bottom of the NFL in the running game year after year. His putting together players who could play special teams was always a joke. We as fans witnessed year after year of Manning getting us to the playoffs just to find out the team as a whole was lacking what it took to advance in the playoffs. The one and only time the Colts won the super bowl was on a gaff by the Patriots on the 4th and 2. Those facts are not unreasonable to over look IMO. I guess we will have to just agree to disagree.

[Valpo2004]

I absolutely love this.  Everything about it.  It details how NFL people try to think about any player but especially free agents.  Ones that stood out to me.

 

1) Scheme fit - something to truly consider when considering Suh. 

 

4) Don't believe your culture will change a player.  Somethng that far too many on this forum think.  The player is who he is.  The notion that veteran leadership will change that is foolish.  It rarely happens.  If you have proven to be lazy or a knucklehead, the odds are very good you will remain lazy or a knucklehead.

 

5) Realize that you are never one player away from a championship - love this.  One guy is generally not the missing piece.

 

6) Don't give big money to someone who does not play well on 3rd down - no sense in giving big money to someone who you have to take off the field on the money down.

 

9) No long term contracts for someone 28 or older.  Teams have actuarial tables based on history and studies of when certain positions start falling off in their production.

 

10) Love the contract year comment - Albert Hayneworth leaps immediately to mind.

 

1. Suh does fit our scheme.  A 4-3 Defensive tackle and a 3-4 Defensive end are pretty much the same thing.  However I don't like him for the contract amount he will want and his history of losing his temper on the field.

 

4. I would agree with the principal but I'm not thinking people on here believe that the culture will change the player.  When looking at players like Da'Rick Rodgers the biggest thing that needs to be remembered is that they where no risk players.  When we cut Da'Rick we lost NOTHING.  Personally I think it would be better worded as "Don't take big risks on players with questionable histories"  I see nothing wrong with taking no risk on a player who could be great if he just grew up.  If he doesn't grow up you just cut him and lose nothing.  

 

5. I agree and disagree.  I do think it's possible to be one player away from being a contender.  However I would argue that one player that you are away from being a contender is never found in free agency but instead in the draft.  The few high level players that actually do hit FA often want so much money that it prevents you from maintaining the rest of the team.  However if you find an elite player in the draft you have then for 4 or 5 years (depending on where you drafted them) at a pretty reasonable salary level, especially in comparison to their play.  But if you try to find that elite player in FA, you've got to pay him 12 to 15 M which makes it difficult to keep the rest of your team together.  

 

6. Don't invest heavily in any player who can't play all 3 downs.

 

9. Usually true but depends on position.  I wouldn't hesitate to give a 28 year old kicker, punter, or QB a long term contract if they are good enough.  But it's probably not a good idea to give that to a player in any other position on the field, and quite frankly stupid to give one to a RB.   

 

10. Totally agree. . . that's why I'm hoping we don't give a lot of money to Murray.  

[crazycolt1]

Sometimes the best free agents are the ones you don't sign

I agree with that 100%. It does seem that a lot of fans feel like free agents are the answer to all of the Colts woes. I think it has to be a mixture of both. Free agents are for the most part are either free agents because they have not played and earned their contracts or there is a problem with age or personal problems. The larger part of free agents are over priced or they wouldn't be looking for a job.

[ColtsBlueFL]

Polian signed some FA's, just not many because he stuck to his words.  But we all know Polian did try to fill holes at times. The  Corey Simon FA failed, so that had to leave a bad taste in his memory.  But his philosophy is such-

 

"Free agency in and of itself is an overpayment situation," Polian said in conference call. "If your own players are quality players and you believe they can help you win, it's better off to pay them because they're probably as good or better than what you can find in the market. You know them better than you know a player from another team."

 

further-

 

"Free agency is not free. It costs you two things you never get back: time and money.''

 

and finally-

 

"The best players are not in free agency. They are tagged or signed. These essentially are 'B' players whose agents are looking for 'A' money. That in itself is not the best of buys. But there are some situations you are forced to deal with so you bite the bullet and do it.''

[Dustin]

#7 is hilarious coming from him.

[jskinnz]

#7 is hilarious coming from him.

 

Why is that so funny?  Seems spot on to me.

[Dustin]

Why is that so funny? Seems spot on to me.

It is spot on. Just hilarious coming from a guy who made Gary Bracket and Kelvin Hayden some of the highest paid players at their positions.

[jskinnz]

1. Suh does fit our scheme.  A 4-3 Defensive tackle and a 3-4 Defensive end are pretty much the same thing.  However I don't like him for the contract amount he will want and his history of losing his temper on the field.

 

4. I would agree with the principal but I'm not thinking people on here believe that the culture will change the player.  When looking at players like Da'Rick Rodgers the biggest thing that needs to be remembered is that they where no risk players.  When we cut Da'Rick we lost NOTHING.  Personally I think it would be better worded as "Don't take big risks on players with questionable histories"  I see nothing wrong with taking no risk on a player who could be great if he just grew up.  If he doesn't grow up you just cut him and lose nothing.  

 

5. I agree and disagree.  I do think it's possible to be one player away from being a contender.  However I would argue that one player that you are away from being a contender is never found in free agency but instead in the draft.  The few high level players that actually do hit FA often want so much money that it prevents you from maintaining the rest of the team.  However if you find an elite player in the draft you have then for 4 or 5 years (depending on where you drafted them) at a pretty reasonable salary level, especially in comparison to their play.  But if you try to find that elite player in FA, you've got to pay him 12 to 15 M which makes it difficult to keep the rest of your team together.  

 

6. Don't invest heavily in any player who can't play all 3 downs.

 

9. Usually true but depends on position.  I wouldn't hesitate to give a 28 year old kicker, punter, or QB a long term contract if they are good enough.  But it's probably not a good idea to give that to a player in any other position on the field, and quite frankly stupid to give one to a RB.   

 

10. Totally agree. . . that's why I'm hoping we don't give a lot of money to Murray.  

 

I am not making a judgement one way or the other about Suh.  The thought of him in Indy is appealing but to the point that Polian made, Suh has made his living against interior linemen.  As a DE in a 3-4 he will be seeing more from OT's.  It is not an apples to apples transition.

 

Rogers is not the type of FA that Polian is discussing in his list. 

 

To the point about K, P, & QB's - I guess I agree but I would bet he talking more position players and 28 year old QB's that are worth a damn don't hit free agency. 

 

Agree about Murray.  Look at what the Ravens did with Forsett.  No need to overpay for that position. 

[jskinnz]

It is spot on. Just hilarious coming from a guy who made Gary Bracket and Kelvin Hayden some of the highest paid players at their positions.

 

Maybe he had them rated higher than you?

 

I get the point you are making.  I am sure he had to get burned a few times to see the wisdom in his the points on his list.

[21isSuperman]

Why is that so funny?  Seems spot on to me.

Polian loved to give people money.  Correct me if I'm wrong, but I believe he made Bob Sanders the highest paid safety, Dwight Freeney the highest paid lineman (maybe highest paid defensive player at the time), Dallas Clark the highest paid TE, and Peyton the highest paid QB.  I'm not saying those decisions were wrong; I'm just writing what I think Dustin's justification is

[21isSuperman]

4) Don't believe your culture will change a player.  Somethng that far too many on this forum think.  The player is who he is.  The notion that veteran leadership will change that is foolish.  It rarely happens.  If you have proven to be lazy or a knucklehead, the odds are very good you will remain lazy or a knucklehead.

I partly disagree with you and Polian about this.  It depends on the player and the culture/locker room leaders you have.  I don't think you can make a blanket statement that you can never believe your culture will change a player.  Vontae was lazy and didn't care as much when he was in Miami, but Pagano has been able to teach him and help him not be so lazy.  Jimmy Smith came out of college with a checkered history, but he had Ray Lewis to mentor him, and I believe he's stayed out of trouble since then and turned into a very good corner.  It may not happen often, but I don't think it's something you can write off

[Dustin]

Maybe he had them rated higher than you?

 

Yeah I'm sure he did. Obviously he was wrong. 

[dgambill]

You thinking him a fantastic GM does not change the facts. Take a close look at the loss record in his playoff records. The advice he has given does not match his actions when he was a GM. He never cared to sign free agents very much at all. He pretty much jumped on Mannings back and ignored building a total team around him. The whole time Polian was in Indy the Colts very rarely had any sort of average defense. The Colts were at the bottom of the NFL in the running game year after year. His putting together players who could play special teams was always a joke. We as fans witnessed year after year of Manning getting us to the playoffs just to find out the team as a whole was lacking what it took to advance in the playoffs. The one and only time the Colts won the super bowl was on a gaff by the Patriots on the 4th and 2. Those facts are not unreasonable to over look IMO. I guess we will have to just agree to disagree.

Actually that was a regular season game I believe in 09 when we got to the SB and lost. In 06 the key was a return of Bob Sanders to the defense that sparked some great play limiting offenses. Peyton did lead us to a huge victory against the Patriots...it was a moment in time where a great player was staring down the barrell of being labeled a choker and he refused to let it happen. Stood tall and delivered a victory. So...no that was not the case in 06 when we won the SB. I also believe we absolutely had the best team in our PM era in 05 when the offensive line absolutely got man handled by Pittsburg. We also had a cb who got stabbed by his girlfriend *ly run straight into an immobile lug of a qb and then our most accurate kicker of all time shank the game tying fg by like 20 yards. In 09 we had another great team only to have our hof DE get injured on one of the last plays of the AFC chmpionship games making him extremely limited in pass rush against NO. Couple that with a horrible drop by Garcon at the end of the 2nd quarter...a botched onside kick...and then Peyton forcing a ball well Polian set us up in my mind for at least 3 good SB teams. Not bad if you ask me....and certainly we had our chances in other seasons too. A GM can only do so much...and he gave us a great chance every year.

 

These dos and don'ts are simply a sign that a great GM has a strategy and keeps to it. You look at a team like Washington for example and you would see that they don't or didn't for many years...all over the board without a vision to guide them. You want your GM to have a vision or plan..seems like Ryan has one as well....hope this offseason he gets to live out his. Its time for us to make that next step up in talent.

[jskinnz]

I partly disagree with you and Polian about this.  It depends on the player and the culture/locker room leaders you have.  I don't think you can make a blanket statement that you can never believe your culture will change a player.  Vontae was lazy and didn't care as much when he was in Miami, but Pagano has been able to teach him and help him not be so lazy.  Jimmy Smith came out of college with a checkered history, but he had Ray Lewis to mentor him, and I believe he's stayed out of trouble since then and turned into a very good corner.  It may not happen often, but I don't think it's something you can write off

 

I think there are exceptions to every rule and you found a couple but by and large - once an * always an *.  And to the point of the the things I have seen about players with iffy character coming to this version of the Colts and changing because of its culture - the number of in & off seasom issues they have had suggests the culture is not what we think it is.

[crazycolt1]

Actually that was a regular season game I believe in 09 when we got to the SB and lost. In 06 the key was a return of Bob Sanders to the defense that sparked some great play limiting offenses. Peyton did lead us to a huge victory against the Patriots...it was a moment in time where a great player was staring down the barrell of being labeled a choker and he refused to let it happen. Stood tall and delivered a victory. So...no that was not the case in 06 when we won the SB. I also believe we absolutely had the best team in our PM era in 05 when the offensive line absolutely got man handled by Pittsburg. We also had a cb who got stabbed by his girlfriend *ly run straight into an immobile lug of a qb and then our most accurate kicker of all time shank the game tying fg by like 20 yards. In 09 we had another great team only to have our hof DE get injured on one of the last plays of the AFC chmpionship games making him extremely limited in pass rush against NO. Couple that with a horrible drop by Garcon at the end of the 2nd quarter...a botched onside kick...and then Peyton forcing a ball well Polian set us up in my mind for at least 3 good SB teams. Not bad if you ask me....and certainly we had our chances in other seasons too. A GM can only do so much...and he gave us a great chance every year.

 

These dos and don'ts are simply a sign that a great GM has a strategy and keeps to it. You look at a team like Washington for example and you would see that they don't or didn't for many years...all over the board without a vision to guide them. You want your GM to have a vision or plan..seems like Ryan has one as well....hope this offseason he gets to live out his. Its time for us to make that next step up in talent.

Oh, I quite understand your comment but the lack of positional depth played a huge part in those results. We all know that games won or lost comes down to inches and or a couple of key plays. I think one of the main problems I had with Polian is his over payment to players to a fault and his inability to acknowledge when he did make an error in judgment. It seemed that the Colts had good players who were good at one thing and not so good in other things. His inability to find players that were good across the board was something to be desired. For example Freeney was a fantastic pass rusher but poor in run and pass stopping. Addai was good at blocking and catching passes but not a strong RB. Those are just a couple of examples I was talking about. It seemed the Colts were full of those kind of situational players. We all  know that hind sight is 20-20 but it seemed Polian was stubborn in his choices and would not cut dead weight when needed. It's all old news and has been debated long ago but that's just my two cents?

[jvan1973]

You thinking him a fantastic GM does not change the facts. Take a close look at the loss record in his playoff records. The advice he has given does not match his actions when he was a GM. He never cared to sign free agents very much at all. He pretty much jumped on Mannings back and ignored building a total team around him. The whole time Polian was in Indy the Colts very rarely had any sort of average defense. The Colts were at the bottom of the NFL in the running game year after year. His putting together players who could play special teams was always a joke. We as fans witnessed year after year of Manning getting us to the playoffs just to find out the team as a whole was lacking what it took to advance in the playoffs. The one and only time the Colts won the super bowl was on a gaff by the Patriots on the 4th and 2. Those facts are not unreasonable to over look IMO. I guess we will have to just agree to disagree.

the colts didn't win the superbowl the year of the 4th and 2 play. The rest of your post is not polians fault. Check his entire track record. To say he didn't know what he was doing is nonsense

[Superman]

He makes some good points. Some are a little dogmatic, but it's hard to argue with them. 

 

Now if we go ad hominem, then we can probably rip this up. But fundamentally, those are good points.

[crazycolt1]

the colts didn't win the superbowl the year of the 4th and 2 play. The rest of your post is not polians fault. Check his entire track record. To say he didn't know what he was doing is nonsense

Track record? Is it not considered that wins and losses are the measuring stick? Being not quite good enough is all that Polian can hang his hat on. Don't get me wrong as I am not a Polian hater I just look at things different I guess. The history books will not have Polians name as the GM of super bowl winners. I do have a point of view and to say I am talking nonsense is your opinion. I didn't point any finger at you and did say it was a matter of just agreeing to disagree. It seems to me you have an argumentative attitude towards me for some reason.

[dgambill]

Lets be honest. We can debate the Manning era til we are all blue in the face. The team was designed around the coaches basically. The offense around Peyton and Tom Moore and the defense around Dungy's tampa 2. Polian usually paid guys that fit the systems. He had different systems in Buffalo and Carolina and did a good job matching players to those systems. His mistakes I do agree were signing and keeping our own guys sometimes...usually aftert they had a great year with us like Hayden or Brackett or Sanders instead of overpaying for someone elses guys. He tried to add some guys like Corey Simon and Booker Mcfarland that were intended to help the defense but those did and didn't work. When you have a team with several pro bowlers your going to be cap strapped. Sure we could have not gave the money to our own but at the time it seemed logical. It would have been nice if some of those guys wouldn't have got injured and careers kept going up but that didn't happen. We built an exciting brand of football...packed the stadium...grew the fan base and filled Irsays pockets....and competed for SBs. Thats not half bad if I'm the owner of a team. We were designed to play with a lead...when we failed in the playoffs we often fell behind or didn't play our game. We didn't lose many shootouts if I recall. We just didn't set the tone in our loses. Your right...its a game of inches...and we lost way more than we won in the playoffs. I think there were several reasons that happened...but I don't believe for the most part it was that we were outmatched...we had some unlucky bounces...Peyton had some bad games...the defense gave up some leads but they weren't bad teams. Maybe early in Peyton's career we did and perhaps 2010 but for the most part we had some really good teams and I credit Bill with putting together a long run there....it just fell off epicly in the end.

[dgambill]

By the way....Bill has more SB wins than any team in the AFC South. He also has put together the same amount of SB teams as Bill Belicheck has coached...in the end yes he only won 1 but thats way more than most and has a legacy of building some of the winningest franchises in each decade where he ran things. I wish we won more SBs...but all in all I was a VERY SATISFIED fan during the Polian era. Best the Colts have ever seen....perhaps we are going to get an encore performance...time will tell though.

[ColtsBlueFL]

Someone with ESPN insider credentials can find Polians top FS'a for 2015 here-

 

http://insider.espn.go.com/nfl/story/_/page/best150303/ndamukong-suh-tops-list-best-available-2015-free-agents-nfl

 

I'd like to point out they don't let no nothing also-rans into the Hall of Fame.  BP earned his ticket in.

[Fx Stryker]

Yeah.....

All he did was take THREE different to the Super Bowl.

And he's a SIX time NFL executive of the year.

Oh, and he's in the Hall of Fame.

I gotta give you credit, when it comes to being wrong you're completely fearless in thread after thread and post after post.

Congrats, it's a gift! (lol)

Panthers only made the NFCCG, but he is responsible for 5 different Super Bowl playing teams.

[jskinnz]

You thinking him a fantastic GM does not change the facts. Take a close look at the loss record in his playoff records. The advice he has given does not match his actions when he was a GM. He never cared to sign free agents very much at all. He pretty much jumped on Mannings back and ignored building a total team around him. The whole time Polian was in Indy the Colts very rarely had any sort of average defense. The Colts were at the bottom of the NFL in the running game year after year. His putting together players who could play special teams was always a joke. We as fans witnessed year after year of Manning getting us to the playoffs just to find out the team as a whole was lacking what it took to advance in the playoffs. The one and only time the Colts won the super bowl was on a gaff by the Patriots on the 4th and 2. Those facts are not unreasonable to over look IMO. I guess we will have to just agree to disagree.

 

I have got to disagree with your stance on this.

 

First off a Colts fan not knowing that the 4th & 2 game was in 2009 and not the 2006 season is kind of hard to believe. 

 

But I don't understand how Polian can help build a team good enough to consistently get to the playoffs but then not win is somehow his fault.  I don't look at the 4 straight Super Bowl losses as a failure but a remarkable achievement.  I don't blame Polian for Norwood's miss.  I don't blame him for getting to the 2003 AFCCG and then having Manning throw 4 ints.  I don't blame Polian for Harrison's fumble in the 2007 playoffs against the Bolts.  I don't blame Polian for building a team good enough to win 9 games in a row in 2008 only to lose in the playoffs because the could not convert a 3rd down.  I certainly down Polian for Hank Baskette muffing the onsides kick.  Any of those things happen, and the Colts may have won multiple Super Bowls. 

 

And I really don't think that his FA Do's & Don'ts list should be immediately discounted.  I think they are in use by many teams.

[Horse Shoe Heaven]

Bill Polian's do's and don'ts for NFL free agency:

 

1. Do fill needs and make sure the player has a specific scheme fit

 

2. Don't sign a player and change his techniques

 

3. Do know the player you are signing very well

 

4. Don't believe that "your culture" will change a person's behavior.

 

5. Do realize that you are never one player away from a championship.

 

6. Do be very disciplined in sticking to your budget.

 

7. Don't pay a player above his grade.

 

8. Don't give A- or B-money (or years) to a player who doesn't play well on third down.

 

9. Don't give a four-year or longer contract, even to an A player, who is 28 years of age or older.

 

10. Don't give a long-term contract to a player with a significant injury history.

 

11. Do beware of players whose production dramatically increases in their contract year.

 

12. Don't chase the market, particularly for someone else's player, and don't allow agents to manipulate you.

 

13. Don't pay a free agent more money than the A-players or B-plus-players on your team.

 

14. Do save your money if you're not yet ready to contend.

ALL true!!

[crazycolt1]

I have got to disagree with your stance on this.

 

First off a Colts fan not knowing that the 4th & 2 game was in 2009 and not the 2006 season is kind of hard to believe. 

 

But I don't understand how Polian can help build a team good enough to consistently get to the playoffs but then not win is somehow his fault.  I don't look at the 4 straight Super Bowl losses as a failure but a remarkable achievement.  I don't blame Polian for Norwood's miss.  I don't blame him for getting to the 2003 AFCCG and then having Manning throw 4 ints.  I don't blame Polian for Harrison's fumble in the 2007 playoffs against the Bolts.  I don't blame Polian for building a team good enough to win 9 games in a row in 2008 only to lose in the playoffs because the could not convert a 3rd down.  I certainly down Polian for Hank Baskette muffing the onsides kick.  Any of those things happen, and the Colts may have won multiple Super Bowls. 

 

And I really don't think that his FA Do's & Don'ts list should be immediately discounted.  I think they are in use by many teams.

Whatever? You are entitled to your opinion. Tell me who will go down in history as the GM who won super bowls? Signing players was his job and his players were always late and a dollar short when it come to winning playoff games. Making and winning playoff games is what greatness is made of. Being almost good enough is just that. We will just have to agree to disagree. No big deal.

[NewColtsFan]

Panthers only made the NFCCG, but he is responsible for 5 different Super Bowl playing teams.

 

Correct,  but I give him credit for building the base of the Panthers team that did go to the Super Bowl.

 

He wasn't the GM at the time,  but he did some of the heavy lifting on that roster I think.....

[jskinnz]

Whatever? You are entitled to your opinion. Tell me who will go down in history as the GM who won super bowls? Signing players was his job and his players were always late and a dollar short when it come to winning playoff games. Making and winning playoff games is what greatness is made of. Being almost good enough is just that. We will just have to agree to disagree. No big deal.

 

Yeah, you are simply on the wrong side of this.  Earlier in the thread you talked about him riding Manning's back to all the wins and then say Polian's players were always came up empty.  Seems contradictory.

 

And the 4th and 2 thing - remarkable...  You got the facts wrong on top of some horrid logic in the argument itself.  Just assume you were correct in that point and that happened in the Super Bowl year - so by your measure they only won the Super Bowl because the Pats gaffed a 4th down play in a game midway through the regular season?  So the rest of the wins in the regular season and the playoffs and the Super Bowl only happened because the Pats messed up in November?  That dog don't hunt.

 

But we can agree to disagree

[BOTT]

Considering Polian loathes free agency, I was ready to have a good chuckle, but that was pretty solid advice.