shasta519

September 5, 2023

31 minutes ago, Superman said:

I think if JT wanted three years, $18m, the Colts would do that in the blink of an eye. I don't know if the Hines deal is relevant. And the precedent that was set is the Colts will negotiate extensions before contracts expire, not necessarily that they'll agree to an extension the minute a player is eligible. Nelson played out Year 4 of his contract, and clearly was not thrilled about it, but he got a new deal on the eve of Year 5.

Now, there are extenuating circumstances, and the Colts not jumping to extend JT is defensible. I get JT not liking it, and your point about his usage is legitimate as well. But I don't think the Colts are pulling the rug out from under him at all.

I'd love to hear some specifics from someone who doesn't appear to be being fed info from JT's agent. We don't know that he received any valid contract offers; in fact, the Dolphins were supposed to be the team most motivated to get him, but the GM says there were no trade offers exchanged, which would probably mean there were no contract discussions. During the week when JT had permission to talk to other teams, there were rumors that he just wanted out of Indy and would even take a lesser contract offer to facilitate a trade. Lots of noise... I'm not sure any of it was substantial. Looking back, it seems like a campaign to make the Colts look unreasonable.

The Hines deal isn't really relevant. Different times and different players and different commitment. But Hines is still an example of how this team has approached keeping players.

But mostly, if Hines were still in IND, I think far more people would be on JT's side in this...because it would be unfair for JT to not only have to play out his rookie deal (Hines didn't), but also make less than the guy behind him on the depth chart when he is eligible for an extension. I think that would be a big talking point.

I am not sure if we have gotten any real facts so far. But this is far from done I would expect it to lever up as we get to mid Oct.

September 5, 2023

1 minute ago, iuswingman said:

Rookie contracts are all the same length. Of course, players that do well WANT to get to the next contract sooner.

He is still on contract though. He should suck it up and honor it.

We will just have to agree to disagree about him honoring his contract. Teams don't honor contracts. They cut players all the time.

This is an understood part of the CBA. Players are eligible to get extensions after year 3 (or year 2 for UDFAs). Him asking for a new deal is not any different than when other good players do it.

And considering that many of JT's teammates didn't have to suck it up and honor their deals, I can see where he is coming from.

September 5, 2023

7 minutes ago, iuswingman said:

I could agree with much of that if JT wasn't still on contract. He has another year to go on his current rookie contract.

And I see nothing wrong with the Colts being smarter about how they are handing out contracts. Stinks for JT sure but again he is still on contract.

JT should have played out his contract (like PIttman is doing) and gotten paid or traded next offseason.

I have no respect for how JT handled it. He is still on contract.

But several of his teammates were still on their respective rookie contracts when they got big extensions. JT is not getting that treatment for reasons out of his control (unless he is actually hiding an injury).

You can't compare his situation to MPJ. The franchise tag for MPJ will pay him 2x what it will pay JT. And WRs have much longer careers than RBs. And the market has exploded in recent years. MPJ knows he will get paid by somebody, even if it's not the Colts.

And more importantly, MPJ wasn't an All Pro like JT. He hasn't been a top 5 player at his position like JT. He doesn't have the track record to be chirping about a new contract.

I just think it's an unfair comparison. And I actually wouldn't be surprised to see MPJ get an in-season extension at some point.

September 5, 2023

12 minutes ago, iuswingman said:

I bet it might be a little different if Taylor was at the end of his current contract. He is fighting for more money when he is still on contract. That isn't going to earn him much support, especially when complaining about making such an awful $4 million per year. Most people don't pity millionaires.

But he's a RB. He won't have the same earning potential as other positions and could be out of the league by his late 20s even. He's likely only getting one shot at a huge contract. And he's going to be worth more at age 24 than he is age 25 or even age 26 (if he gets tagged). Plus, injuries are a major risk to that earning potential as well.

Look at what happened to his own teammate, Marlon Mack. Tore his Achilles in Week 1 of the last year of his rookie deal. The Colts threw him a bone last year, but Mack will makee a fraction of what he would have made if he got an extension early OR got to hit FA.

And Mack isn't on JT's level. The difference in earning potential for JT in that scenario would be tens of millions.

September 5, 2023

1 hour ago, stitches said:

1. Who is MOST to blame for this contract standoff?

I think Taylor and Kawa have absolutely picked to worst possible strategy to get paid. My stance is still that the best chance he had to get paid was from the Colts and now he's almost certainly eliminated that option for himself. I think the Colts have overall a reasonable stance and have handled this thing MUCH better than Taylor and his agent.

2. Will Taylor play any games for the Colts this season?

I think so. I think he will play some games and then fake another injury and hope we don't franchise tag him next off-season. Doubt this goes his way either.

3. Has local Indy media covered this standoff effectively?

No... but that's not anything new. I think there were questions that had to be asked early during this whole ordeal that were not asked. And now I think they keep trying to both-sides this thing when the two sides are really not on the same footing. With that said - the national media has been even worse and more toxic.

4. Should the Colts re-sign Taylor, trade him, or tag him?

I thought the Colts should trade him before this whole thing and I still think they should trade him. But that's not to say they should just gift him to whoever gives you a bag of chips for him. If we get 2nd and 3d IMO we should trade him.

5. How has this contract standoff influenced your opinion of Colts' management?

I don't think it really has changed my opinion much. Ballard has been professional and solid overall. Steichen has refused to comment, which I would have done too in his place. Irsay is... Irsay... his heart is in the right place and AGAIN... technically he's right about what he said. BUT with that said... he lacks some self-control and self-awareness and doesn't know when him saying the truth out loud is not in his or the team's best interest. This should have been just the next contract dispute alongside Bosa, Chris Jones, Brian Burns, etc... and instead it has turned into a public %show...

6. How has this contract standoff influenced your opinion of Taylor?

This seemed totally out of character for Taylor so I would be lying if I said this didn't influence my opinion of him in a negative way, but I don't feel super strongly about it. Some people online have a lot of venom for Taylor right now and I can't muster that. I'm disappointed in how he's handled it, but not to the point to wish any ill on him. He wants to get paid, I can understand that... it's just... he really did make bad choice after bad choice this summer starting from saying how he is good playing on his contract just 3 months ago to hiring that disaster of an agent, to... liking childish tweets, etc...

Oh well... I think Irsay is ultimately right. Some day Jonathan Taylor won't be a Colt anymore and quite honestly... I don't think this will make or break this franchise. We have much more important things going on on this roster than whether Jonathan Taylor plays or not... (and I think it's wild that journalists and analysts don't seem to get that... the scarcity of money for RBs have not yet driven the point... lets hope in a few years they will learn - RBs are very fun to watch but also they are the most replaceable and one of the least important positions for winning). We will survive!

1. The Colts haven't even made him an offer though.

2. I think he gets traded by the TDL if he's healthy. There will be injuries around the NFL, which will provide them with some leverage. And obviously, there shouldn't be questions around his health like there were a week or two ago. If the Colts come out slow, they are likely fading in the AFCS race, which makes JT a bit of a luxury.

3. Agree. But like you said, this is nothing new.

4. I was hoping they would have traded him, but that seemed more like a dog and pony show all along.

5. My stance on the FO and mgt. hasn't changed either. They are allowed to change their approach. And they did allow him to "test the market." But maybe at least acknowledge that this is a shift though. That's where the media comes in. Maybe I missed it, but did anybody ask them about this?

I don't think the "situation just sucks" is a valid explanation from the GM. But that's more on the media than the GM.

6. My stance on JT hasn't really changed either. From all accounts, he is very intelligent. Unless he is hiding an injury, I think he's playing the only hand he can if he truly wants out to get out of IND and/or get paid. If we step back a bit, he's not the first player to request a trade out of IND in the last calendar year either. Those were different situations, obviously, but JT is allowed to look after #1 too.

September 5, 2023

3 hours ago, csmopar said:

Wow: not one by two questions with 100 percent so far. Who will be the one to break that

I didn't break it, but I am certainly one of the few who voted the other way.

Here's my take on it. I don't think either side is blameless. And there is also the RB market overall that is part of the issue.

But the Colts FO set a precedent on paying guys early. Ballard has long preached about paying your own and he has practiced what he preached...several times. He even did so at the same position as JT. And he's been praised for this philosophy.

And now, when it's JT's turn, they say "well let's wait and see." They want him to prove his worth (again), except this time in a new system with a first time HC and mobile QB who isn't going to check down to him, will likely take 8-10 carries of his...AND will vulture goal line TDs.

In his mind, it will be very difficult to put up close to his AP year and get the contract that he seeks. Now maybe JT overvalues himself, given the overall RB market. But he is one of the best RBs in the NFL.

Miles Sanders played in this system on an elite offense with an elite QB, made a PB and still only got $6M AAV. JT won't be playing in an elite offense or with an elite QB.

So I don't blame JT for feeling a sense of urgency or wanting to get out. He doesn't want to burn another year of his career on a rebuilding team in the hopes that he MIGHT get paid. And with how the FO has shifted their mindset into doing things they haven't done before, I wouldn't trust them to not use the franchise tag either...even though they haven't since Ballard got here.

Meanwhile, Jim Irsay is on Twitter saying silly stuff about how nobody would care if JT was out of the league.

JT did hire a questionable agent. And he has continued to employ him. But that same agent got his teammate, Shaq Leonard, nearly $100M out of contract negotiations with the same GM. And he apparently was able to get valid contract offers from teams when he was seeking a trade. So was it really that questionable of a choice?

JT moping around practice is on him though. But he's been dealt a bad hand.

September 5, 2023

6 hours ago, Jackie Daytona said:

Dang.....I really have been wanting to like Kravitz again lately...lol but he makes it hard every time I really wanna.

Two to three wins tops he says?

Good lord .... This team is HALF or LESS as good as that tripe last year?

He imagines somehow that Steichen WITH a QB.... is somehow winning at the same clip as JEFF SATURDAY with guys like Matt Ryans Corpse and Whoever the guy claiming to be an NFL QB is as our current 3rd stringer?? ( I swear Ehlinger came from central casting, he can't be a Football player)

I'm not really surprised, I just had hope that his takes would be more thought out, reasoned, and representative of a critical and experienced mind, now that he's a freelancer basically....but nope. I guess Leopard can't change their spots!

(Not that I think we're gonna be amazing, but man....HALF of last years total!?)

Here's why I think there is some validity to this. The offense should be better. It has to be.

However, the defense is what kept last year's team in games. And I think the defense has a chance to be far worse than we are accustomed to seeing. The secondary is full of young and/or unproven players.

Even with Gilmore, Rodgers and McLeod playing really good ball last year, the Colts were bottom 3 in passer rating and comp % against. They were #18 in pass defense EPA.

And the LB room lost Oke, who filled in at WILL for Shaq. Oke is now gone and there are big question marks about Shaq coming back, let alone being the same player he was before. That leaves the starting LB duo as Franklin and Speed without much depth. From a pass coverage standpoint, that is not ideal.

The potential is there for the pass defense to be swiss cheese against the pass. And if that happens, the Colts will find themselves with far less margin for error and playing catchup far more often. That's just not an ideal situation for a raw rookie QB who is still developing as a passer.

I can see a scenario similar to CHI last year.

September 5, 2023

6 hours ago, 2006Coltsbestever said:

That is what some are doing as in not factoring in what division we play in and our overall schedule isn't that tough. We could go 3-3 in the division alone, especially if we win Sunday. Even I wasn't a Colts fan, I would look at our team and schedule and think, the Colts should win at least 6 games unless AR flat out stinks. I think AR will be average at worse as a rookie. Our defense IMO, will be better than most think as well. I am worried about having young Corners but our D kept us in a lot of games last season where we could have won 3 or 4 more games. Not having Taylor hurts but if we can go 2-2 without him, we can be an 8 win team which isn't farfetched.

The Colts went 1-4-1 against the lowly AFC South last year.

JAC is clearly on the way up and are the favorites.
Colts haven't beat TEN in the past 5 games. They fired their awful OC and added DHop, which can only help their offense. The defense is still stout.
HOU hired a new coaching staff, including the passing game coordinator from SF. They drafted the QB2 prospect and hvae added a lot of talent in the draft the past two years, in addition to adding several vets in FA.

Meanwhile, the Colts did draft a QB as well. And they hired a new HC to install a new scheme. But the defense lost key players and they are relying on a very unproven secondary. They will be without JT for at least 4 weeks (2 of which are AFCS games). If JT is out for 6 weeks, he will miss 4/6 AFCS games.

Not really sure I see 3 wins, unless AR is far better than I think. Even then, the defense could be far worse than we have seen before.

September 5, 2023

15 hours ago, Moosejawcolt said:

I don't think Ballard would get a lot of credit if Richardson succeeds. From all the info coming out, it was Brown, I believe that was his name, and Steichen who felt that Richardson could was legit. I was listening to a Colts podcast and love him or hate him, Venturi felt this was a meh roster. I said about a week ago that this roster reminded me of a expansion team roster. Yes, I was being dramatic, but I am hoping that guys like Pierce, Granson, Raimann, Ogletree, Paye and Adengbo(spelling) become those guys. It is funny but I just think of the Chiefs and the superstar elite players that they have drafted; Mahonnes,Hill, Kelce, Jones. Those 4 players are arguably the best at their positions. I am craving for an elite postion player to develop under Ballard's leadership.

Ballard will get so much credit if AR pans out. If he doesn't, Ballard will be accountable, but Brown will be the scapegoat.

Dodds has wisely made it known that he had reservations about AR during the scouting process. The fence-sitting will likely serve him well.

September 5, 2023

On 8/28/2023 at 2:18 PM, Zoltan said:

If it was grade 3, we would know it because that would require surgery and someone would have reported it, my guess using the word torn is just because they didn't know which grade it was because even a grade 1 is a tear. Hamstrings take a very long time to heal though and can get re-aggravated easily. I know my tear took 6 months to fully recover and it was painful, after work I couldn't sleep with any pressure on that leg just because of the pain.

The worst part is that this was a reaggravation of a hamstring injury he suffered back in spring. Hamstring injuries are really tricky. And Woods is a huge person. Hopefully they give him plenty of time to heal up.

August 28, 2023

4 minutes ago, IndyColtsFan411 said:

Updated cut list:

DB Aaron Maddox

WR Zavier Scott

RB LaMichael Pettway

RB Michael Tutsie

WR Tyler Adams

WR Kody Case

G Emil Ekiyor

TE Nick Eubanks

K Lucas Havrisik

TE Michael Jacobson

T Matthew Vanderslice

RB Kenyan Drake

S Teez Tabor

WR Breshad Perriman

LB Donovan Mutin

Looks like the WR room is shaping up:

MPJ

Pierce

Downs

McKenzie

Rodgers

Strachan

August 28, 2023

5 minutes ago, Rhodelesstraveled said:

I'd start selling now to get Marv's kid or the USC QB.

Probably won't be able to get Williams unless they have #1 pick. But Maye could be a possibility. If they land a top 3 pick, Ballard will just trade it back and then grab a DL/OL player.

August 28, 2023

1 hour ago, stitches said:

Not a doctor but from what I gather a strain is actually a tear so it probably is still a strain but more severe?

A fully torn hamstring is a grade 3 strain. A partially torn is a Grade 2 strain. And a grade 1 strain is really just a pulled hammy.

I am guessing it's at least grade 2 strain if they are using the word "torn." Not good for a bigger guy who is also a pass catcher.

August 28, 2023

On 8/23/2023 at 7:29 PM, Jackie Daytona said:

I keep seeing this.... But we were very nearly a 6-7 win team with all the crap last year....I think people are forgetting just how dysfunctional this team was all year.... AR will have mistakes.....and growing pains ....and very well could have a better TD/TO ratio than our QBs last year by a decent margin

They had a few they could have won and a few they should have lost. Their estimated win total was <4 last year. They were a really bad team.

August 8, 2023

1 hour ago, Restinpeacesweetchloe said:

You don’t request a trade or contract extension if his ankle is still bad. I don’t understand why colts continue to just make up stories about injuries.

This guy uses the term "erratic" to describe AR's 7-on-7 play and also says he went 4/5 with an INT. But then says it was by no means a "bad" day haha.

I guess this is about as close to being critical of AR as Colts Twitter gets.

August 8, 2023

3 hours ago, Archer said:

Yeah, this is taking the most pessimistic view of each of these position groups. Pittman/Pierce/Downs has as much talent as any team in our division. This same OL may have been bad last year on average, as we played with a RG and LT who failed, followed by replacements completing unplanned OJT. By the end they were good. Not just “passable”, but good. And the secondary has a lot of young investments who can sep up, if we give them a chance…

Not just at WR, but I think JAC certainly has more overall receiving talent. Ridley was a top 5 WR before the mental issues and suspension. And Kirk was better than MPJ last season. Zay Jones is a pretty good WR3 as well. Plus, they have a pass catching weapon in Etienne and Engram at TE.

After that, it's probably a toss-up, though I would give TEN the nod as the best remaining duo with DHop and Burks.

August 8, 2023

6 minutes ago, Smonroe said:

If the Oline is truly back, then I think the offense can be special - with or without JT. If you listened to Reggie compare AR to AL on Bowen's show, and if what he says is in fact true, the Colts could be as good as that 2012 team.

What has to concern everyone is the D. I think the CBs could be good given time. But the rookies have missed so much, it's going to be a while before they start playing as a unit should. The raw talent is definitely there. The LBs should be very good if Leonard is back to form. The interior D line is top notch.

But will we have a pass rush from the outside guys? Has Ebukam even practiced yet? Are we counting on Kwitty too much?

To be clear though, I'm not anywhere near as negative as Doyle. I'm super excited for this season.

Wasn't Reggie the one comparing Matt Ryan to Peyton Manning just a year ago? I take a lot of what Reggie says with a grain of salt, as he is a current employee.

Luck threw 627 passes as a rookie. Even if AR plays the whole season, I wouldn't be surprised if he has 200 less PAs...even with the extra game. It will just be a very different offense, so I don't really see the comp.

Plus, the 2012 team had Reggie playing at a HOF level, well beyond anything we have seen from MPJ...and TY, who is better than MPJ or Pierce as well. Plus, Allen and Fleener were there.

That 2012 team just had a much better offense IMO, which allowed them battle back and win games that they probably should have lost. Their Pythagorean win total was 7.2 and their estimated win total (DVOA) was 6.2. But they managed to win 11 games.

I do think this year's defense will be better than 2012...that's for sure. If it's not, the Colts aren't winning many games.

August 8, 2023

I think Doyel is extreme in his view of this roster. But this is still a 4-win team that just drafted like 12 rookies. including a raw QB. They also lost their 3 best DBs from last year from a secondary that was about middle of the pack. And the defense is what kept this team in games last year.

They are clearly in rebuilding mode, which is why I think this team has as good of a chance at picking #1-2 next year as any team out there. Right now, Vegas has only two teams with worse odds to make the SB.

But what I don't get is the outrage from Doyel. Just seems forced or fake. What they are doing is necessary. I might disagree with Ballard being the one to do it, but it had to be done.

August 8, 2023

On 8/4/2023 at 6:59 PM, Dark Superman said:

Poor thing! She deserves to live out the rest of her life in comfort conditions. The story behind Keiko the killer whale from Free Willy broke my heart when they released him into the wild after being held captive for like 25 years. His former pod was gone and he would be seen hundreds of yards away from other pods watching the other killer whales interact while he was all alone. People started to ignore him because they wanted him to adapt and be able to hunt on his own which was heartbreaking finding out they found him dead all alone in the middle of the ocean. Poor guy.

That's awful. I think they believe the mother is still alive and near that area. But she also has a dolphin buddy she can hang out with.

August 4, 2023

52 minutes ago, Dark Superman said:

Not sure how long the whale's been held in captivity, but if it's been many years, it's probably better off staying in captivity. It won't last very long out in the wild.

She's been in captivity since the 70s. I believe she is the second-longest orca in captivity. But also has been in the smallest enclosure as well.

August 4, 2023

18 minutes ago, Jackie Daytona said:

Not a protected area.... They just track the pod.

She will be a 15-acre netted area, based on what I read.

August 3, 2023

On 7/31/2023 at 12:14 PM, Superman said:

He definitely has some ego, and sometimes people with ego come across as insincere, arrogant, and unlikeable. To me, Williams still seems sincere and engaging. Some people probably won't like him, but it's not going to bother me unless he really takes a turn this season.

And as far as his game, I think he checks all the boxes. I'm sure everyone will pick him apart during draft season, but from what I've seen so far, he's a rock solid prospect who can be a franchise QB pretty quickly. And I'd have to be strongly convinced that we already have a franchise QB before I'd pass on him in the draft.

I agree. The Colts likely have development milestones and certain standards for AR for this season. And while I don't think they just throw those out, I do think their evaluation process would tighten up significantly if Williams is sitting there.

I think he could be also be a franchise QB very quickly. I would even go as far to say I think he could be a top 15 QB as a rookie. And then sky's the limit.

July 31, 2023

On 7/19/2023 at 1:58 PM, Superman said:

I haven't been as impressed with a QB prospect since Andrew Luck. That's just my novice opinion. Not saying he'll be better than all those other guys -- Watson, Lawrence, Herbert, Burrow, etc. -- but I think he's right up there as a prospect.

I forgot to mention, Williams got hurt in the second Utah game. And for whatever reason, the Utes had SC's number last year. Tulane also ran their defense into the ground, despite another fantastic performance from Williams. I think he's the real deal.

What do you think the warts are? I think it's just size, and I figure he's 6'1", 215 pounds, which is sufficient. With his arm, play making, presence, vision, decision making, the size isn't going to be a problem. I was skeptical at first, but I'm in SoCal so I watched a bunch of SC games, and was always impressed.

Maye, I'll have to watch more of. I like how he throws, but I think his motion has some potential to breakdown when pressured. I also don't remember seeing a lot of off platform throws, anything out of structure, etc. It's been a few months so I could be foggy.

I think some people might not like Williams' persona. That's really what I was talking about. But I am fine with it if he's out there making plays everywhere. And I like my QB to have confidence.

But I think a very casual football fan could turn on a game and see Caleb Williams...and just know he's different. He is that good. I think it's being downplayed right now (don't want to overshadow the recent NFL draftees before they take a snap), but it will ramp back up in Oct. and Nov.

July 19, 2023

49 minutes ago, Superman said:

Absolutely. I'm not as thrilled with Maye so far, but I'm 100% a believer in Caleb Williams. If we had the #1 pick and Anthony Richardson hasn't lit the world on fire -- and how could he if we wind up with the #1 pick? -- I fully endorse taking Williams. The optics don't matter, admitting failure doesn't matter. Caleb Williams is that good.

I stumbled upon the USC/UCLA on some Sat night. Great game. DTR was doing everything he could do keep up. But Williams is just on a different level. It felt like Williams made every single throw in that one single game. He's not without some warts, but I honestly don't see many. He has the pocket presence, can evade pressure, can run and seems to always have high eyes downfield...and can make every throw.

As for Maye, I just love how he throws. The short, compact, quick release should play so well in the NFL. Just seems like he has so much touch on his passes too...like he's throwing hard but the ball comes in soft. Not sure how else to describe it. If he gets drafted over Williams, it means he had an incredible season though. But I think a Maye/Downs reunion would be really cool.

Regardless of AR, I will be paying some attention to the college QBs and where they end up. I think this could be a very deep class.

July 19, 2023

4 minutes ago, AwesomeAustin said:

It’s so far away it depends where people are ranked based on how they perform this year. Maybe QBs go 1-3, maybe 3 in the top 10 or maybe 3 in the first round. If MHJ or a DE grade as the top in the draft and QBs go 1-2 I would run the pick up to the podium bc we need elite talent at those positions. This is of course all based off AR5 not flopping and maybe that happens too. Im just going to assume the coaches and FO will want to see more from him before moving on…of course a generational talent has emerged and sitting there for us. So many moving parts it’s hard to say what the team should do besides saying take BPA if it’s a high value non QB position.

Yeah...this is really much more of a conversation for December. A lot of those moving parts will be much clearer.

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