Alright guys, we are going to be FINE #TrustTheBinder #InBallardWeTrust

[CR91]

Just now, Jared Cisneros said:

Do you know for a fact that Norwell was a bad scheme fit and Solder, Sitton, or Pugh are a good one? 

 

No I don't, but obviously their are more variables then just going to the highest bidder. Jags are in position to compete, while the colts are in a midst of an unknown aura

[Yoshinator]

1 minute ago, Luck 4 president said:

My biggest issue is that he keeps saying “build through the draft” and “raise our own” (like every other GM) yet he didnt resign any of our own guys. I know he didn’t draft those players, but those were colts guys who now have holes to fill. 

Yep. At least the Packers and Ravens continually re-sign their own and recycle the team with Compensatory picks when they don't sign many FA's. The Colts can't do any of that. This team is in horrible shape, FA is infuriating every year and we are basically in 2012 form, except we don't have to draft Luck anymore, we can get a playmaker and Luck is 7 years older. The draft has been terrible, FA has been terrible, we keep very few of our guys, and it's starting to wear me down. I can't take this much longer. If we didn't have Luck, I wouldn't care so much, but we are wasting his career away.

[Luck 4 president]

1 minute ago, Jared Cisneros said:

Yep. At least the Packers and Ravens continually re-sign their own and recycle the team with Compensatory picks when they don't sign many FA's. The Colts can't do any of that. This team is in horrible shape, FA is infuriating every year and we are basically in 2012 form, except we don't have to draft Luck anymore, we can get a playmaker and Luck is 7 years older. The draft has been terrible, FA has been terrible, we keep very few of our guys, and it's starting to wear me down. I can't take this much longer. If we didn't have Luck, I wouldn't care so much, but we are wasting his career away.

Ya and unless we draft like the saints last year, building through the draft is going to take a decade. Like last year we only had one rookie who played a large role and he didn’t even last half a season. The rest had very limited roles and limited impact. Hopefully they can step up this year, but the only one that seems to be a sure thing right now is Hooker.

[Yoshinator]

6 minutes ago, Luck 4 president said:

Ya and unless we draft like the saints last year, building through the draft is going to take a decade. Like last year we only had one rookie who played a large role and he didn’t even last half a season. The rest had very limited roles and limited impact. Hopefully they can step up this year, but the only one that seems to be a sure thing right now is Hooker.

Honestly, if the Browns offered their #1 and #4 pick overall and a 1st next year for Luck, I'd just do it at this point. Completely start over and draft Barkley, Chubb, and Nelson at #1, #3, and #4. Take Rudolph or Jackson with the 2nd rounder if one falls to compete with Brissett, and fill out the draft from there with BPA. Depending on what happens this year, you could draft an elite QB next year or if someone breaks out, get two more elite players and actually build the team correctly.

[crazycolt1]

13 minutes ago, Jared Cisneros said:

Honestly, if the Browns offered their #1 and #4 pick overall and a 1st next year for Luck, I'd just do it at this point. Completely start over and draft Barkley, Chubb, and Nelson at #1, #3, and #4. Take Rudolph or Jackson with the 2nd rounder if one falls to compete with Brissett, and fill out the draft from there with BPA. Depending on what happens this year, you could draft an elite QB next year or if someone breaks out, get two more elite players and actually build the team correctly.

Now why would the Browns do that?  They can draft a young QB that is on a rookie contract and build their roster with the cap and picks they have In hand.

[Yoshinator]

1 minute ago, crazycolt1 said:

Now why would the Browns do that?  They can draft a young QB that is on a rookie contract and build their roster with the cap and picks they have In hand.

The Browns have been making stupid deals all offseason even with John Dorsey as GM. Also, I'm surprised you of all people are so down on Luck thinking he's not worth that. Obviously he'd have to pass a physical to get traded and be 100%.

[crazycolt1]

1 minute ago, Jared Cisneros said:

The Browns have been making stupid deals all offseason even with John Dorsey as GM. Also, I'm surprised you of all people are so down on Luck thinking he's not worth that. Obviously he'd have to pass a physical to get traded and be 100%.

It has yet to be determined if Dorsey's moves are stupid.

No where did I say a word about Luck's health and what he may be worth.

Like it or not the Browns have the picks and the cap space to do what they want. They can trade up, down or stand pat and still control this draft. Before you assume Dorsey is stupid wouldn't it be a good idea to see how this all plays out?

You are so negative you have worked yourself into a state of out of your mind. Just chill out.

[Yoshinator]

11 minutes ago, crazycolt1 said:

It has yet to be determined if Dorsey's moves are stupid.

No where did I say a word about Luck's health and what he may be worth.

Like it or not the Browns have the picks and the cap space to do what they want. They can trade up, down or stand pat and still control this draft. Before you assume Dorsey is stupid wouldn't it be a good idea to see how this all plays out?

You are so negative you have worked yourself into a state of out of your mind. Just chill out.

I'm just stressed out by this. It's gotten to the point where it's more stress than fun anymore rooting for this team. Having to rely on someone else to make decisions for the team and having no control. That's why I'm fully independent in my life, so any decisions, right or wrong I make, I can blame on myself. Even if I do blame bad decisions on Ballard, he won't even know it. The draft and FA is brutal every year and I'm tired of the wait and see, give it a chance approach. I'm tired of waiting, and I'm tired of giving chances and getting let down. It literally took the greatest QB of all time to eek out a SB for this franchise. That's the story of how poorly the Colts teams have always been. This team didn't learn from it either and Luck is already halfway through his career and back to square one. Just repeats and repeats every time. I need a break from football as it's very miserable.

[Narcosys]

There's only two options here: ballard is doing what he says and not offering enough to get players, which is going to get around that he under values people; or nobody wants to join this team regardless of money and will snow ball to the point of us being the next browns. 

[NorthernBlue]

2 hours ago, threeflight said:

Totally agree.  Not only has he now missed out on pretty much every main FA target both last year and this, but he also missed out on his head coaching choice.  AFTER he announced him as coach.

 

That is a pattern.  Not an aberration.

 

Perhaps many of these guys are getting the impression I have of Ballard.  A too smart for his own good, cocky guy who may rub some people the wrong way.  

 

SOMETHING is going on.

If that's the case why does literally everyone whose ever interacted with CB praised him?

[Dark Superman]

Someone needs to tell Chris Ballard that the Colts cap space doesn't come out of his pocket.

[Dark Superman]

Nearly $75 million in cap space and your franchise QB is locked up through 2021.

Now would be the time to spend the cash on talent. Luck turns 30 in 2019. Things aren't like they were in 2012 when Luck was a rookie and we were going through a rebuild.

 

[jshipp23]

Lets sit on 75 Million and bargain shop for scrubs like we have no cap space...This sucks, I'm getting the impression Colts aren't serious about winning...If I'm Andrew Luck I'm asking for a trade...

[Mel Kiper's Hair]

One thing I think we tend to forget is the NFL is for the most part cyclical in nature. A team is horrible so they get high draft picks. The team improves and makes the playoffs. The players who help said team make the playoffs want to make more money because they are good at what they do. Previously mentioned team can't pay everyone so the team declines. They then begin to get high draft picks and the process begins again. I know this is an oversimplification of how things work, but sometimes I think we need a reminder that the early 2000's Colts with Peyton Manning and the New England Patriots are not the norm in the era of free agency NFL football. As Colts fan we were blessed for over a decade with constant success. This is NOT the norm in the NFL. We were just part of the Bell Curve. We were on the successful side with the Patriots, while the Browns and Rams were the other end of the curve. The rest of the league was and is a constant rotation of teams in and out of the playoffs. That's why every year about half of the playoff teams weren't in the playoffs the year before. We were spoiled during the Manning/Dungy/Polian era and cycle has finally caught up with us. We will be back. It just takes a little time and patience. Believe me, I want to win as much as anyone else here but I think we need to be realistic and patient. Let's trust the process!

[jshipp23]

6 minutes ago, Mel Kiper's Hair said:

One thing I think we tend to forget is the NFL is for the most part cyclical in nature. A team is horrible so they get high draft picks. The team improves and makes the playoffs. The players who help said team make the playoffs want to make more money because they are good at what they do. Previously mentioned team can't pay everyone so the team declines. They then begin to get high draft picks and the process begins again. I know this is an oversimplification of how things work, but sometimes I think we need a reminder that the early 2000's Colts with Peyton Manning and the New England Patriots are not the norm in the era of free agency NFL football. As Colts fan we were blessed for over a decade with constant success. This is NOT the norm in the NFL. We were just part of the Bell Curve. We were on the successful side with the Patriots and the Browns and Rams were the other end of the curve. The rest of the league was and is a constant rotation of teams in and out of the playoffs. That's why every year about half of the playoff teams weren't in the playoffs the year before. We were spoiled during the Manning/Dungy/Polian era and cycle has finally caught up with us. We will be back. It just takes a little time and patience. Believe me, I want to win as much as anyone else here but I think we need to be realistic and patient. Let's trust the process!

It looks like Ballard intends to make us the NFL version of the 76ers..Lets suck for next 3 years and accumulate and stack high picks instead of trying to compete now...I hate that philosophy..That is a loser mentality..

[Mel Kiper's Hair]

3 hours ago, Jared Cisneros said:

I'm just stressed out by this. It's gotten to the point where it's more stress than fun anymore rooting for this team. Having to rely on someone else to make decisions for the team and having no control. That's why I'm fully independent in my life, so any decisions, right or wrong I make, I can blame on myself. Even if I do blame bad decisions on Ballard, he won't even know it. The draft and FA is brutal every year and I'm tired of the wait and see, give it a chance approach. I'm tired of waiting, and I'm tired of giving chances and getting let down. It literally took the greatest QB of all time to eek out a SB for this franchise. That's the story of how poorly the Colts teams have always been. This team didn't learn from it either and Luck is already halfway through his career and back to square one. Just repeats and repeats every time. I need a break from football as it's very miserable.

 

 

I really don't understand this. Other than the Patriots we were the premier team in the NFL for a decade. Granted, the 80's were a rough time to be a Colts fan but to complain about the last 20 years of Colts football to me seems unfair and borderline ridiculous. Sure it would have been nice to win more than 1 Super Bowl during the Manning era, but it just so happened that the Manning era came at the exact time as the Brady era. I'm sure the Browns, Vikings, Panthers, Cardinals, Chargers, Bengals, Falcons, Jags, Lions, Texans, and Titans would gladly trade with us. I guess that's why "fan" is short for "fanatic".

[Mel Kiper's Hair]

2 minutes ago, jshipp23 said:

It looks like Ballard intends to make us the NFL version of the 76ers..Lets suck for next 3 years and accumulate and stack high picks instead of trying to compete now...I hate that philosophy..That is a loser mentality..

 

 

Part of me hates it too, but it is the trend for the most part in sports. The reason is because it works. I've been a Chicago Cubs fan my whole life and this process is what broke the curse and brought a World Series to Chicago. It also worked last year for the Astros. Personally, I don't think the Colts are going to suck next season. With either a healthy Andrew Luck or a Jacoby Brissett who has had more than 1 week to learn the offense our team is going to play much better. I think it is quite possible for us to finish anywhere from 6-10 to 10-6 which would be a good step to take.

[jshipp23]

4 hours ago, Jared Cisneros said:

Yep. At least the Packers and Ravens continually re-sign their own and recycle the team with Compensatory picks when they don't sign many FA's. The Colts can't do any of that. This team is in horrible shape, FA is infuriating every year and we are basically in 2012 form, except we don't have to draft Luck anymore, we can get a playmaker and Luck is 7 years older. The draft has been terrible, FA has been terrible, we keep very few of our guys, and it's starting to wear me down. I can't take this much longer. If we didn't have Luck, I wouldn't care so much, but we are wasting his career away.

Yeah, I feel the same way..I've been a diehard fan for 30 years and I'm almost over it...

[JColts72]

1 hour ago, jshipp23 said:

Lets sit on 75 Million and bargain shop for scrubs like we have no cap space...This sucks, I'm getting the impression Colts aren't serious about winning...If I'm Andrew Luck I'm asking for a trade...

Looks like a tank job by front office to have a lousy record.

[lollygagger8]

5 hours ago, threeflight said:

Totally agree.  Not only has he now missed out on pretty much every main FA target both last year and this, but he also missed out on his head coaching choice.  AFTER he announced him as coach.

 

That is a pattern.  Not an aberration.

 

Perhaps many of these guys are getting the impression I have of Ballard.  A too smart for his own good, cocky guy who may rub some people the wrong way.  

 

SOMETHING is going on.

[JColts72]

5 minutes ago, lollygagger8 said:

Maybe Ballard comes across as smug and arrogant, like WWF Rock?

[coach kline]

Maybe Ballard should put some names in his folder

[JColts72]

9 minutes ago, relkins said:

Maybe Ballard should put some names in his folder

Maybe the Browns will have a better record then the Colts?

[chrisfarley]

Ballard preaches the "locker room" plenty (keeping everyone happy in the locker room), which is born out of not overpaying players and creating disgruntlements from within the circle of team players, acquiring non egocentric players, etc.  There's even another article about it in the indystar today.  This is Ballard's first crack at being a GM, but no doubt he has seen poisonous locker rooms, players of same caliber getting paid unfairly differently, egos, etc.  It is a delicate balance and I just wonder where a player of a certain massive need, tips the scale for Ballard?  I think we are going to find out over the next few days.  The pressure cooker is heating up for his 2nd crack at free agency, but I'm not sure he feels any pressure.  He is obviously more concerned with getting the draft right, and for that, we can be thankful.

[Aluckiswolverine]

2 hours ago, jshipp23 said:

Lets sit on 75 Million and bargain shop for scrubs like we have no cap space...This sucks, I'm getting the impression Colts aren't serious about winning...If I'm Andrew Luck I'm asking for a trade...

Jesus #%*ing Christ dude chill out. Do really think the Colts don’t want to win.

 

I know people are frustrated but every year we get these overreaction threads. 

 

I’m just sitting here here snacking on popcorn laughing reading some of the post on this forum. 

 

[jshipp23]

4 hours ago, Aluckiswolverine said:

Jesus #%*ing Christ dude chill out. Do really think the Colts don’t want to win.

 

I know people are frustrated but every year we get these overreaction threads. 

 

I’m just sitting here here snacking on popcorn laughing reading some of the post on this forum. 

 

Literally most of the even average players are disappearing and we're not even signing our own guys like Melvin..

[coach kline]

8 hours ago, JColts72 said:

Maybe the Browns will have a better record then the Colts?

Doesn't seem we trying very hard at rebuilding for next. Going to build with rookies. Kind of disappointed

[Four2itus]

Happiness is seeing a post that you find over the top anger/hatred/uninformed and then see all the likes it gets....are on ignore.

 

Nailed it!

[CopenhagenColt]

I'm sick of hearing the term "Overpaying".

There's no such thing. If the price for a top-tier guard is +12 million a year, then that's what you need to pay to get them. It's as basic supply and demand as it could possibly be.

If you want the premier FA's you have to pay the going rate, or they'll sign with another team that will pay the going rate. Paying the going rate is not overpaying

The notion that you can improve your teams position by only signing "leftovers", and letting the premier FA's join your competition, is a pipedream. Same thing goes for the notion that you can build solely through the draft and then magically coach every draft-pick into an above average NFL starter. Any team needs to do smart moves in both FA and draft, even occasionally making a big splash in FA or making big deals to move up in the draft.

[CopenhagenColt]

9 hours ago, JColts72 said:

Maybe the Browns will have a better record then the Colts?

That is not unlikely.

[deedub75]

11 hours ago, King! said:

Nearly $75 million in cap space and your franchise QB is locked up through 2021.

Now would be the time to spend the cash on talent. Luck turns 30 in 2019. Things aren't like they were in 2012 when Luck was a rookie and we were going through a rebuild.

 

 

Don't you think it’s a bit risky to go out and sign a bunch of high priced free agents while not knowing who your starting QB will be for the season?  If Luck was 100% right now and the team wasn’t so devoid of talent right now, I could almost see spending the money to fill a glaring need or 2.  Right now there has to be some doubt about Luck that has to be considered when making these FA and draft decisions. 

[Andrew Luck fan club]

Only thing I can’t understand is why we’re not signing OL. Zach Fulton and Kelemete from the Saints are both starting quality guards. And we weren’t even linked to them. And the Texans are signing them both? 

[JColts72]

1 hour ago, CopenhagenColt said:

That is not unlikely.

If they had a better coach perhaps. Like to be in their spot though with the 1 and 4. Colts could have had 2 but won a game at the wrong time; the fools.

[JColts72]

1 hour ago, Andrew Luck fan club said:

Only thing I can’t understand is why we’re not signing OL. Zach Fulton and Kelemete from the Saints are both starting quality guards. And we weren’t even linked to them. And the Texans are signing them both? 

Ballard needs to put on dunce cap as we look like a pee wee squad compared to moves made by teams in our division.

[jshipp23]

I don't know what is going on...Hopefully they get Suh, Mathieu, Kline, Jenson and at least sign our guys like Melvin, Desir, and Mingo...We have no reason to sit on money...

[LJpalmbeacher2]

20 hours ago, King! said:

Someone needs to tell Chris Ballard that the Colts cap space doesn't come out of his pocket.

I think that would break his heart.

 

[Narcosys]

19 hours ago, Mel Kiper's Hair said:

 

 

Part of me hates it too, but it is the trend for the most part in sports. The reason is because it works. I've been a Chicago Cubs fan my whole life and this process is what broke the curse and brought a World Series to Chicago. It also worked last year for the Astros. Personally, I don't think the Colts are going to suck next season. With either a healthy Andrew Luck or a Jacoby Brissett who has had more than 1 week to learn the offense our team is going to play much better. I think it is quite possible for us to finish anywhere from 6-10 to 10-6 which would be a good step to take.

It's not a trend you want to take with a qb who's already been in 6 years.

[LJpalmbeacher2]

18 hours ago, Aluckiswolverine said:

Jesus #%*ing Christ dude chill out. Do really think the Colts don’t want to win.

 

I know people are frustrated but every year we get these overreaction threads. 

 

I’m just sitting here here snacking on popcorn laughing reading some of the post on this forum. 

 

 

When the regular season starts in September, do you think you'll be enjoying watching games as much as your are enjoying this forum now?

 

[Dark Superman]

I'll make a deal with you. I'll post stuff like #BelieveInBallard the day he leads this team to a SuperBowl victory. Sound good? Until then I will remain skeptical.

[Freenyfan102]

Did we get Luck a lineman that can protect him nope look like another session on luck look up at the Roof of lucas oil staduim