ColtStrong2013

Not optioning him should give the extra motivation in what will be big big contract year for him to put on a show. He can write his own ticket.

He'd be a great back up.

Exactly. What is the 3T doing in the run? Taking on double teams? Yeah, it's important to have a guy take them on efficiently, but it's also going to probably throw ratings like that off...

I feel the same. Regarding Buckner... he was drafted 7th overall. So that speaks in itself how he was viewed. And it was accurate. And if Buck wants to stay, then I say all the power to him. Never just let a player of his caliber walk without good reason. They don't have one right now. I've said on this forum before that while our top talent isn't at premium positions, it doesn't mean we don't have some game changers. I've longed to see Jonathan Taylor, Quenton Nelson, and Deforrest Buckner (and for what it's worth Shaq Leonard) in the playoffs. Guys of that caliber need to be on that stage.

Source for the Ballard had to convince him line? That’s the first I’ve heard of that it might have been mostly rumors. But I remember him talking about having a conversation with Ballard at the end of ‘22 and Ballard repeatedly just said “trust me.” There might have been nothing to that, but that strikes me as a conversation of where things are going and expressing desire to be on a championship contender, which I wouldn’t him blame him for under any circumstances.

@Superman I guess the only thing that I think of from a longterm standpoint is that perhaps Ballard sees Dayo being Buckner’s replacement, in which case it could make sense to look to keep both players. And in that regard, it would be best to have flexibility with an extension with Paye on a 5th year. That might be a hard thing to plan for though, unless Buckner is for sure on his way out… and in that case, maybe he’s a trade candidate, although unlikely. Dayo is 15 lbs lighter than Buckner, but very similar otherwise. Longer arms actually.

I agree on the money with Grover, I just hope there is a good plan in place to replace him. I feel like Buckner might be on his last tour here in Indianapolis considering Ballard had to convince him to stay last year. If we make the playoffs, then I could see him wanting to finish his career here. If not, he’s gone in my eyes. speaking of convincing- That’s a good point on making it a competition between Dayo and Paye. I never thought of it like that, and would now have to agree. If you aren’t an attorney, you are missing a hell of an opportunity… 😂 I think they are in a good position to take what the board gives them. Maybe better than in all of Ballard’s tenure really, not that it stopped him from taking what was given anyways. I don’t look for him to trade back as I think he could have what he views as a premium player. It might just happen to be a player that can impact right away, which would be great. But if it’s on the defensive line, I wouldn’t be as disappointed as most people likely would for the situation we are in with the four players mentioned above.

I worry about age no matter the position. Just because some of the big names at DT over the years had longevity, doesn’t mean it is absolute. Any time a man hits 30, he is no longer peak and subject to changes in his body, injuries, longer recovery time, etc. It’s the case for military- special forces especially. Many of those guys rely on ped’s as the get older to push through…. Obviously Grover got caught with his hand in the jar on that note. It’s aways a concern.

I don’t see that. But I do like Dayo’s versatility, and I think his ceiling might be higher than Paye’s. I think Paye has a chance to take another jump, which would surprise a lot people for some reason. He’s improved every year. He was playing really well at the beginning of the season before injuries came in the picture. As Ballard said, he was really good against the run, just need more consistent pass rush. Maybe a new coach is all that is needed with that aspect of his game. I think we see a jump across the entire d-line with our new coach. Sometimes a tweak or two, and a new energy is all that is needed. Buckner would stand out even more if the others brought more consistent pass rush. This line could really work wonders collectively if they each improve going into next season.

This is how I feel... From a roster building standpoint, it seems to make most sense. Especially given the talent at skill positions in the draft. This is assuming we are tagging/resigning Pittman, which I believe we do. But a depth piece in free agency there and a day 2 pick might not be a bad thing. It's certainly more of Ballard's way of doing things. I can't imagine we don't pick up Paye's 5th year. Assuming as much, and drafting someone like Verse would time out well with not relying on him too much from the get-go. He would be a good rotational piece early while we evaluate and give Paye another 2 seasons to earn a bigger paycheck. Dayo, to me, is the odd duck in the picture, with him going into the final year of his contract. You are probably correct in the thought that DT is more pressing. If we don't sign/replace Grover, I'm not sure what the plan is. But the clock is ticking on he and Buckner, no matter which way you look at it. Also, Ballard has repeatedly stated that he and Steichen see eye-to-eye on the concept of building the trenches. So I think there will be continued investment there.

1987- no memories 1995- too young to enjoy 2006- felt like a champion 2009- Lombardi slipped through fingers 2012- luck put team on back 2014- promising, but holes exposed 2020- wentz and covid stink (wrong year my bad…) rivers awesome, sad he left 2023- division slipped through fingers

I like the idea of addressing skill positions in free agency and doubling down on DE/DT if the value is there. Verse and Jenkins being who I like the most.

expectations are high. That’s for sure

it comes down to matchups in the tournament. They should have a chip on their shoulder from last season. They are also more complete than last year. Braden Smith is a legit point guard. Guards generally take over in the tournament. Last year it was, shut edey down, and problem solved. I don’t think it’s that simple this year. the thing I give Purdue credit for is that they are going to get everyone’s best effort. That’s life at the top of the food chain. But then again, they did last year

time will tell. I wouldn’t bet against her. That’s for sure.

that’s the case for most programs in America. Have you ever seen the essay the leaked from North Carolina. They are not held to the same standards by the schools. It’s a joke.

I think it’s just him posturing. He knows they have leverage with the tag and that they want to keep him. So he’s playing the game to try and max that deal. At the end of the day, he’s still our number 1 and hasn’t realized his potential because of the qb situation. He has leverage in that we can’t afford to let him walk without a major plan to replace him. And that’s a huge risk that might not turn out in our favor. Ballard re-signs his own. It’s part of his fundamental belief. I think the hesitation has been his camp all along, or else he would have extended already. And he’s not wrong… the cap increase shows he understands the business.

That’s an interesting thought that I hadn’t considered. Watch them go answer questions and then immediately announce the tag. 😂

You don’t think Moore is replaceable? You aren’t concerned about him dropping off in a year or two? I’m not against re-signing him. I just wonder if it wouldn’t be better to find more versatile players in the secondary that we can stack on the roster. Finding a safety or two that can cover in that spot gives us more versatility.

I don’t think he wants to play somewhere else. I think he wants to play the game his buddy Jonathan Taylor played to ensure he gets paid what he feels he deserves. He’s sitting in a pretty good spot… I just don’t see him going anywhere. I’d say he’s probably tired of playing with a new qb every year though, so a lot of his satisfaction looking forward (as far as playing goes) will depend on Richardson’s health and performance.

I really want to see Purdue make a run. I couldn’t believe my eyes when they lost to Virginia in the elite eight a few years ago. They had that game in the bag and watched it slip out of their hands. They would have been favorites to win the whole thing that year. Carsen Edwards was not going to be slowed down, let alone stopped. Regardless, what Matt Painter has done at Purdue is incredible. He just needs a final four on his resume. A national championship would be icing on the cake.

Why? Did they not fulfill their agreement to being an athlete for the year they were there? It’s not a 4 year contract. It’s year to year. The schools can stop it at any time. And the player previously could transfer at any time. The difference is now transfers don’t have to sit out a year. Which was always the case for graduate students. There were too many inconsistencies.

It’s going to change the game in a way that none of us like, I can almost guarantee that. There is a reason some of the top coaches are retiring or looking to bolt to the nfl. I would too. The entire thing is in the benefit of the player. And I don’t necessarily disagree with it, because they have been taken advantage of. When Texas a & m is allowed to profit a reported $500 million off one player in Johnny Football Manziel, and he doesn’t see a single dime of it, the system is completely broken. This isn’t about education, it’s about money. It always has been. So the sorry old “but they get a free education” argument just never held weight. These top athletes weren’t there for education. They were there to win and bring in the dollars.

I don’t see it dying off. Like you said the wnba game is not good. But Caitlin Clark is unbelievable. People will watch her. Her game isn’t going to slow down in the pro’s. You can’t guard 26 feet lethal shooting. She’s going to average 5 or more 3pointers a night at the next level. And her scoring is just one aspect of her game. Like haliburton, she sees it all and can make passes you just don’t see at the women’s game. not to mention these young gals have it figured out. The media isn’t creating them, they are using alternative forms of media for the attention they get. The old media is just capitalizing. They have brought a passion to the game, creating rivalries and drama. I’ve never seen it before in this game. Really not even at the men’s level. There is not much passion there anymore like there used to be. It’s too easy to be a crybaby and transfer out.

I don't know about necessarily challenging for it this year. Pascal Siakam was a very big pickup, and he's only played 17 games with them. They were 3-6 in his first 9 games in Indy. They are 6-2 in the last eight. I think a player of his magnitude takes some time to get accustomed to. But I think where they are situated in the standings right now is far from where they should be and are more than capable of being. I think they can easily be a top 3 team in the Eastern Conference, which would certainly give them a good shot at competing for a title. While not a huge basketball fan, I have longed for the Pacers to be back in a title fight. I grew up watching Reggie and have vivid memories of the brawl in Detroit. Which I knew at the time was going to be detrimental to what was the best team in the league at that point, in my opinion. It's been said that they may have some serious players looking to come to Indy to pair with Siakam and Haliburton. They have a pretty young talented roster as it is. I respectfully disagree. Women's college has been poorly attended, for better or worse for some time. Never has a single player been a draw like she has. Iowa just lost in Bloomington a few days ago, and it was a complete sell-out, 17k, with Vic Oladipo sitting courtside. If she declares (still debatable if she will) and she is Indianapolis, people will pay to watch her play. Maybe not sell-outs, but major increase in attendance. Opposing teams are currently experiencing 150% increase in attendance when she is in town. tv ratings sky high. 1.5 million plus. When they lost to Ohio State in overtime, it peaked at just under 4 million. Last year's national championship game? Up 100 plus % to almost 10 million viewers. I think you grossly underestimate the draw. She's the steph curry of women's basketball.