DougDew

I think its the first time that I've seen players like RYS, Moore, and some of Leonard step up and not give clear support to the direction. And Wentz said at his presser that he was surprised. You might think its all player speak, bitterness from the players that aren't here, but being surprised to be traded, and complacency in the last two weeks does ring true in the ears of many prospective players. They also don't know why Wentz was traded and they do think there was some complacency. Like I said, it takes more money than normal if you have to overcome some uncertainties. Need to throw more dollars at the situation.

You're adding in some things that go beyond what I was saying, but leads to my point anyway. Yes its good to pay your own, and Indy might struggle with getting some free agents because of location and culture (which is actually a good thing). Others may want to come here because of culture too. But paying your own means that the only way a player gets paid is by getting drafted by the Colts. That's not something that attracts free agents that have already succeeded elsewhere. It helps the FA who agrees to be bought on the cheap first. Its seems to me that the last two week collapse and the retooling of the defensive coaches, and the trading of Wentz, has created an image of uncertainty around the Colts, when teams like CIN, LAC, LVR, BUF, KC, maybe CLE now; are either clearly winning teams or ascending teams "doing what it takes". I'm probably missing a couple of teams in the NFC. Players who allow themselves to get bought cheap to bet on themselves are going to want to come to a team that looks like it has its * together. The Colts don't really look that way now, especially if the Owner is meddling in the most important position for reasons that seem unclear and don't seem to align with how the players felt about the QB. It seems like the image of the Colts organization has dropped a few notches, so the only way to get FAs...at all... is money. Which Ballard won't do.

I said that this year was the exception, and that's because we signed players who were drafted, not really free agents brought here by the contract. And that the Colts don't seem to be creative with the cap. That's perceived in many circles as "not doing what it takes to win". These players believe that stuff. If the goal of the FA player is to screw over the new team by an overpay, then the Colts have the reputation of letting let themselves be screwed over. That might be great from a fans perspective, but the players are going to avoid that team. Just sayin, it looks like that reputation is starting to build.

If fans think that Ballard is doing the same old same old, you wonder how free agents and current players think. Looks like Moore, RYS, and even Leonard are having some thoughts. If we're a team that values operating under the salary cap by a good margin (this year being the exception) or not creating ways to make more cap like other teams do, then a player might not think that the Colts provide the best setting for shining his talents. Those one year "prove it" deals may go elsewhere if they feel that GM is going to surround them with better players that allow them to shine brighter. Just saying...we lost the TE from NYG and that Justin Jones. We probably know that the big named guys don't bother to look our way, the lesser tier guys might be thinking that focusing on other teams are in their best interest.

Ballard has lost out on Justin Jones and the TE from NYG, Engram?, two material rotational players. Lots of players starting to sign cheaper deals, but we seem to be losing out on even those.

Yeah, sure, after they said they were not going to meet his other demands that he told them about at the meeting. We don't know what was said at these meetings. Watson must want to discuss something, and visa versa. Or else the meetings wouldn't happen.

Part of the reason is because they get good players that can stay productive for as long as the team pushes out the cap hit, Their core players matter. Kittle and Armstead are two impact positions and will be with the 9ers for a long time. I don't know where the Saints stand, but they have pretty good players outside of the QB.

As expected. They aren't going to just cut JG, IMO.

A reasonable plan for this offseason, IMO, is to prepare for getting your young QB next year. That means to draft all of the position you need on offense to have them have a year of experience, and to grow together with the young Qb over the years. Assuming Ballard drafts all offense, that's a lot of hitting on all of your picks from 42 through the 4th round just to have a decent team. It will take on the appearance of this being a rebuilding offseason in year 5 of his tenure. And its in stark contrast to those who think that we are a QB away, or are close to being a real contender.

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Well then, I guess it comes down to calling people unsmart because they expect a plan to have more than an ounce of proactiveness to it.

You act as if you know how one works. Did they have all 4 of the most important offensive positions all on the same time line? Or did they have to be concerned with just 1 spot. Was there at least one successor to our's ever drafted in 5 years? And PC was an immediate draft for slot need, not a future Z. That was just a "what if he could do it"

But a constantly changing plan is not the context people use to compliment Ballard. They act as if he just sits around eating popcorn knowing that the exact players he wants 2 weeks from now will be there.

Yes, when you lose out signing Engram, you start a new plan to find a TE. There is always a plan. But that kind of a plan isn't a complement. Going into the offseason with virtually no offense under contract is a plan? I understand that yeah, 2 months ago that may have been the plan when you decide to trade Wentz and let Fisher walk a long walk. But knowing for 3 to 4 years that AC, TY, and Doyle are getting old....and after you sign a 39 year old QB that you know you will have to replace too, somebody with a more proactive plan would have seen this coming. He backed himself into a corner that he now needs help/luck to get out of successfully. JMO.

And, from the get go in college, the reports were that Luck was kind of a weird personality...not your traditional football player mindset (whatever that means). His love or heart for the game may not have ever been there, and it took less adversity for him to walk away.

A plan is proactive. A plan that changes frequently is not a plan. That's called being reactive. Point is, with silence, nobody KNOWS that he has an actual plan...that is working....or if he's just slow to pull a trigger.

That is my basic point also. Why is it important to save a few million dollars if the guy you want is available? Watson is unrealistic. Who is a better option at this point than MM or JG?. Is there a reason to NOT have a deal done now? Is he haggling with SF over a 2nd or 3rd round pick? There are many who would say to relax, because they KNOW Ballard has a plan. That the silence is going exactly to plan. No, they don't know, and, he may be having to change plans daily, because he's continually a step late and a dollar short.

Its odd that no rumors at all are around MM. He could already have a deal done with the Colts, with both parties being tight lipped about it.

I've read about every post in this thread, and I haven't seen anything resembling that.. Absolutes....Not knowing anything.....are pretty extreme positions.

I don't think Wentz ever bashed his own team, not even passively. Not even Philly.

The results of what happens is not really the issue. The issue is that he went into the offseason far away from having an offensive roster. He'll find players that fill the slots, great. But come June, don't make it sound like going into the offseason with the offense in this kind of shape was part of a plan born from personnel management prowess. It seems highly reactive, not very proactive.

By way of a plan or incompetence? LOL

The offense barely has any players on the roster. That's a fact. There are only two sources, free agency and the draft. His plan is to not have anybody under contract on offense, and then to rely upon getting them in free agency or have the players fall to him in the draft the right way? Does that sound like a plan? Not just a different plan than mine, but any reasonable plan at all? Or is the situation a culmination of previously bad decisions coming to a head in one offseason?

I said that it will be filled by the end of the draft. I'm sure of it. The roster will be filled with free agents and rookies. How do you know that it will be good? How do you know that Ballard knows that good players will be in all of these positions of need, waiting there when he chooses to sign them or draft them? Does that sound like a good plan to build a playoff roster? A guy that's ahead of the curve?

Other teams have holes, yes. An incomplete roster, no. We have a defense under contract that could play a game. We need a couple of holes to fill to make it better. And even so, it is not an elite defense. We went into FA not being able to field an offense. I see a GM who now has to work from behind, not a master that's in front of the curve.