r a y s k i

Trading back and still pick him up? LFG

Exactly, I started to talk myself into Brian Thomas Jr at 15 and it stings the Jags got him instead but we got an elite talent at a premium position at 15. Could be a steal.

It's definitely 100% wasn't the player I wanted but the more I think about it the more I can't be mad at this pick. We got one of the few elite talents in this draft. Lot depends on these two rounds coming up though

People keep underestimating how Indianapolis keep being in the bottom part of the league in terms of a free agency location. Especially in this "self (digital) promotion" age of the players as well I believe we offered more money to Hunter than anyone else and he choose to play elsewhere

Make your strength stronger. Classic football stuff

Time will tell if this is what we need but we basically got the best defensive player of the draft at #15 No way I can objectively be mad about that

Marvin Harrison Jr. No matter what.

Don't know what people are so crazy on this, Diggs isn't the guy you want on your team

People seem to forget that signing the player isn't like in Madden. There is more than the compensation and the money at play.

Buckner, Stewart, Franklin, Paye, Speed.....the list isn't as bad. Also I'd say the OL is in a good position too. AR will be the make or break for him.

If people want free agency warriors as their team, there is plenty of out there. Deal with it, Indy has never been an FA team, it isn't a Ballard thing, fans being surprised about this must have been here for about 5 mins

This needs to happen

Meh, running backs, they come and go, draft cheaper

We need to trade up to 4 for Maserati Marv. He is exactly what we need and it makes so much sense. Trade the farm if we must lol I can't bear to see him in another uni.

I just don't believe any of those guys were "star" prime of their career players. As much as I loved having Gore and he was somewhat productive for us, a 32 year old running back just wasn't a star signing imo. Probably the biggest name as far as FA signing of the past 30 years and thats telling. Same with Johnson, he requested a trade from Texas and couldn't find anyone willing to give up a pick for him. Twilight of their career signings. My comments are on the state of some of the fans who expect us to sign 25 year old studs, which just doesn't happen for us. Anyway, we can look at the same thing from different perspectives. I just think location matters to athletes and Indy isn't a sexy one and never has been and it's definitely a factor. Anyway, that's as much as I can say about this topic without repeating myself.

Thats just the matter of perspective. I don't believe Ballard is the same mold, he is very much willing, to a certain financial extent. He just isn't willing to jeopardise our financial sheet for someone who doesn't fit us in every possible way, athleticism etc etc and especially personality wise. As far as Grigson goes, he had no problem to spend for sure, but that elite level of talent that most complain about not spending on, never was on the table and thats my point. There is a hidden tax on our team due to location if you will. He spent a lot, on average talent. Most he signed were twilight veterans, not difference makers people point out we should have gone after all the time w Ballard. The Grigson years are still upsetting lol

So true.

Come on, yes, Frank Gore and Andre Johnson too. None of these were in their primes or were coveted high profile athletes at the time. These were hand me downs, coming to play in the twilight of their career. Maybe Gilmore because he might have thought we can win with Ryan but again, he got traded for a 5th for a reason.

It's not about expensive. It's about the lifestyle.

That being said, we never really brought anyone in from the outside when were we one of the winningest franchises with a HoF QB or with Luck. You need a certain type of a personality to stay in Indy. Ballard has put an emphasis on that. I'd certainly take less money to live in either of the coasts than Indiana as a professional athlete. As they say in property. Location location location!

I think, given the fact how insanely poor this team was when he took over, he has done pretty well. But the issue still remains, we always have and always will struggle to sign quality free agents because of the location of the franchise. Same with Pacers. Even Mcafee mentioned it before how much of a pain in the bum it is to have his show in Indy. Pro athletes in the social media age are now looking beyond contracts and beyond their playing time and can carve out second careers much easier than ever before when given the right platform and I just don't believe that platform exists in Indiana. I could be wrong, I just don't blame Ballard the same way I didn't blame Grigson or Polian for the lack of quality signings throughout the last 30 years.

Because there is no both in Indy. We always been a drafting team. The very reason we have Ballard as the GM who has been linked as one of the best scouting front office personal in the league well before his tenure in Indy (CHI, KC) is because he can draft. If we don't have a good drafting GM and we have an injury, ala Manning or Luck, we go 2-15. One could argue, that getting Buckner in, was the best FA/Trade move in the past 30 years.

Even with Manning, one of the winningest franchises of the 21st century, the Colts have struggled to sign meaningful FAs, again its a historical issue.