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2006 has that winning 11 games is enough mentality like so many here. Having a SB level right side of our o-line should be priority one. We are far from it. We need a shutdown corner that can go man on the many great 4.3 running WR's. This simply allows the deep safety to defend everything else. Instead of Ballard sticking him in the middle of the field knowing that one of his slow corners will get beat deep. We need a LB for development and depth that can cover better. And yes a 3rd receiver that gets open quick that can take also threaten deep. With faster, better players on D, Gus could blitz 5 more times a game to get the pressure we need. I have No Doubt Steichen has taken Ownership, Ballard and his staff to school regarding what we have and what we need. Pray that 4-5 of our current very young players can become really solid by seasons end. Plus 3-4 really nice draft picks and 2025 and beyond we can be reckoned with. We need to be amongst the very Best at running the dang ball and pass blocking. I think if I could move back 5 spots and take Mims at RT and move Smith over that would be great. Then use the necessary draft capital to get LB Cooper and CB from Rutgers ? Melton. I would feel really good about our prospects.

I couldn't agree more with the bolded statement. Once a player is on the team, the only thing his draft position does for him (aside from the money) is maybe give him a little more time to develop. Mainly because teams are reluctant to admit that their research didn't pan out and they want to see their guy succeed. As far as defense, I feel the number one responsibility of the GM and the coach is to help the franchise QB be the franchise QB, if you get what I mean. And until that's proven, if it means sacrificing a need on defense in order to enhance the QB's arsenal, so be it. But that's just me...

Yeah I didn’t get the impression he felt a huge need to draft a CB. He was asked about mentioning YAC guys and he said every team wants them. The Colts have had meetings with the two top YAC guys in the draft - Brock Bowers and Malachi Corley. I absolutely think we’re taking Bowers if he falls to us and I even think we may jump up a couple of picks to land him. If Bowers gets taken ahead of us I feel pretty certain we’re trading back hoping to land another 3rd rounder. I didn’t catch if they were talking about draft targets or players already on the roster when they talked about on dimensional guys? My initial thought was Pierce. I think it’s a given we’re taking at least one Olineman this draft, but that’s not really anything new.

My guesses based on this presser: - Ballard will NOT draft a CB in the 1st... maybe at all? Everything he's saying seems to suggest he likes the group we have and he wants to see them play and have a chance to develop. I'm almost certain if Mitchell for example is there at 15... we pass on him... either for trade back or for an offensive weapon... or DE? - Ballard WILL trade back. If not in the 1st... then later in the draft... but most probably in the 1st. IMO he pretty much advertised to his potential customers by telling them how many 1st round grades he has. Teams 19-21 are welcome to call and will receive warm greetings from Ballard. Rams, Steelers, Dolphins? - He seemed to be talking about a specific someone one dimensional offensive weapon when he was talking about them just having had a meeting about a certain player... about whether them and the coaching staff see the way he can be used the same way... and if they agree on this, IMO this is a potential target for the Colts. The names that come to mind - Brian Thomas Jr and Xavier Worthy... A lot of the other WRs are more well rounded... - The Colts LOVE the OL class both at the top and in depth. I have seen some OL experts suggest there might be 10 starting centers in this draft... and the OTs class in the 1st is like nothing I've ever seen. Can we draft an OL in the 1st? Doubt it... but absolutely expect a few shots on day 2 and 3.

We have TWO top 10 tackles in Raimann and Smith though? We need depth, sure, but I hope we’re not looking for depth in the 1st round…

True, but where they were drafted has no relevance to how they play now which is what would keep a team from drafting Bowers. I’d like if we got another weapon for AR, but I feel we have a lot of needs - especially on defense. OL is probably the only choice I’d be really disappointed with.

He has to do that very early. While the WR class is deep, it’s not deep for the type of receivers the Colts need. Assuming we don’t trade up for one of the top 3 receivers, it’s really only Thomas, Worthy, Franklin, and Walker who are real field stretchers, and 3/4 of them are really raw and have other concerns. You can wait till the later rounds if you need a slot receiver, but for the field stretchers, you have to get them round 1 or early round 2. For TE it’s Bowers or bust for me. I’m not entertaining drafting any other TEs because we already have 5 on the roster with varying skill sets.

I hope Ballard doesn’t pass on Bowers if he’s there at 15. He’s not just a TE, he’s a do it all weapon this team and Richardson could use. As for WRs, the drop off from 1st round WRs and mid 2nd round WRs is pretty drastic to me, so I’d prefer just going all out and getting an elite one if one were to fall to 9 or 10.

I agree. Generally 1st round picks are 50/50, and from there the probability gets more difficult.

Third and fifth round picks….just for reference. While I’d love to see what Shane would do with Bowers, I feel the TE room as a collective is pretty good. I’m hoping for a breakaway WR like Thomas Jr. That room is pretty thin.

interesting… because I could have swore this was a high school level introduction. 😂

That is a really interesting analogy. Thanks for posting it like that.

Because I don’t believe a great deal of what has happened in the past matters much when looking forward, and I saw enough to know the team is moving forward with Shane Steichen. it will be easy to follow. So if any of the players that you think we should have brought in don’t work out near the contracts they signed, will you agree that your point is a bad one? what specific players do you think we should have brought in? Who specifically are you thinking makes Houston, Jax, and Tennessee better? You know… for easy following.

A common thing that Ballard likes to say is, every pick is a throw at the dart board. And regarding trading down, he always likes to have more throws. I don't disagree with that. However, I would also like to state the opinion that not every throw at the dart board is the same. Some throws are from 10 feet. Some throws are from 40 feet. I would rather have two 10-foot throws than five 40-foot throws. Just my opinion.

"Thomas was among college football's best separators for his entire career, and that only improved in his last season. In 2023, Thomas was charted as open on 74 of his 87 targets. He also led college football with 17 receiving touchdowns." https://www.pff.com/news/draft-2024-nfl-draft-college-to-pro-projections-for-lsu-wr-brian-thomas-jr Brian Thomas Jr is a lot like Randy Moss (the athlete) to me. I think he is more athletic than Pierce in terms of his ability to get extra yards after the catch and I like his hands . My only question is if we still like Pierce how will we employ Thomas personnel wise in year 1? Because he isn't playing special teams and he is mostly an outside guy versus a guy you play all over the line. To me he and Pierce do all the same stuff but I could be wrong. And I'm not sure about Thomas contested catch game bc he usually has a considerable step on everybody. Specifically Superman what is your take bc I know you like him pretty good. Because of our vertical scheme in my opinion getting him would be just as good for us as any of the top 3 that everybody else talks about. And you won't have to trade all your picks away. Pierce Thomas Jr Downs Dulin Pittman I do think with decent confidence he will be there at 15 when we pick. You pretty much can sit right there and let one of him or Bowers fall in your lap. If neither of the two are there I'd say trade back.

Completely understand but I could at least stomach the Colts doing everything they can to protect AR and let him work. If a franchise tackle is there when they pick and clearly BPA, it makes sense. I don’t think the Colts will go this route but I do recognize the possibility. After the presser it looks like the Colts will trade back so there will be a lot of picks before the they make their first selection. This makes it nearly impossible to predict which way they may go. Chances are I won’t know who the majority of the players the Colts pick anyways. Going to sit back and enjoy the show and see what happens.

I normally do not think Ballard would be looking to trade up, but I just have a feeling that this could be the year. I go back to his comment about needing more explosiveness on offense, and while some of the day 2 WRs can be said to provide that, I really think getting a MHJ or Nabors would really provide a different level of explosiveness to this offense. While your QB is on his rookie contract you should do everything in your power to support him with great weapons to help him develop. Hopefully he does develop and once you have to pay him and you can't afford to pay to keep lots of great weapons, he is then at the level that he can lift the players around him.

Classic. Just classic.

*Breanna

If we go OL in the 1st I’d be extremely disappointed.

Based on Ballards presser yesterday, I’m thinking it’s WR or CB. Depending on how you look at his comments, was he deflecting, or was he being sincere or both when discussing our young CBs? If he truly does think we’re good there, I think it’ll be WR.

Houston says hi… they moved up for big Anderson last year and traded a fortune to do it.

I hope you’re right. Granted, there is no guarantee of an impact player at pick 1, let alone 15, the chances are higher in your favor. Though the later rounds can and do yield some stars too, Pittman, JT, Downs, Braden, Bethea, Purdy, the evil number 12 that finally retired, etc

Re-do, now we have the actual matchups, at work the 4 of us decided just to make predictions round to round. Still $100 on it. The person that gets a series right gets 1 point - you get a point for each series predicted right. Picking the NBA Champion right, you get 3 points. In any series, if you pick the exact outcome in terms of games, you get an extra point as well, like saying a team will win 4-3 and if that is correct, you get an extra point. East #1 Celtics vs #8 Heat (Celtics 4-1) #4 Cavs vs #5 Magic (Cavs 4-3) #2 Knicks vs #7 Philly (Philly 4-2) #3 Bucks vs #6 Pacers (Pacers 4-2) West #1 Thunder vs # 8 Pelicans (Thunder 4-2) #4 Clippers vs #5 Mavs (Mavs 4-3) #2 Nuggets vs #7 Lakers (Nuggs 4-3) #3 Wolves vs #6 Suns (Suns 4-2)