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shasta519

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Everything posted by shasta519

  1. Drastically better on paper? They swapped out one middle of the pack QB for another who has been middle of the pack the past few years. And while Ryan has a much better track record, he’s also 8 years older. His MVP season was a long time ago, much like Wentz’s was as well. And he is also going to be 38. Not every QB can be Brady, Rodgers or even Rivers: Ngakoue is no doubt a big improvement in production and performance over Turay, who was previously the pass rushing specialist. Just about any proven pass rusher would have been. But it did come at the cost of their CB1, who finally put together a very promising season. That’s a downgrade until we see how replacement. And starting CBs (in this defense) suddenly being less important with a better pass rush is still theoretical. For now, losing Rock offsets the pass rush improvement. I think this team can still win 9-10 games. But if there is any regression with TOs on defense or if Taylor merely plays at a level below being an MVP…I don’t see this team winning MORE games than last year, let alone being drastically better. There are several holes on this roster. And we will have to see how they get addressed.
  2. Why the name of this thread? So we are equating any Ballard criticism to nothing more than complaining now?
  3. But having MAC as your TE1 isn't a good thing though...that's the point. He shouldn't be a priority. I imagine Franklin being a locker room leader and team captain did play a big role. That's how this team operates. But truthfully, I can't begin to tell you how little that stuff matters to me. That's JMO...I am not criticizing it, but I also don't applaud it. It is interesting that Ballard wouldn't give Odum a long-term deal, but Franklin gets one. Something tells me that won't sit well with Odum.
  4. I might say that if they actually signed anybody. But regardless, I would rather fish where the fish are...so to speak. If there are legit studs available on defense at positions of need in FA (and I believe those two to be studs), I would rather sign them and use my draft capital on offense.
  5. So basically a 9-win team the past 4 years. That's a fringe playoff team.
  6. All I know is Marcus Williams at $16M AAV would have been fine with me. Reddick too. The two most important needs on defense, especially for Bradley's scheme. But it wasn't to be.
  7. MAC and Franklin fill critical spots? MAC is a TE2 and Franklin played less than 20% of defensive snaps. Basically a blocking TE and a STer. I am glad to have them back, but these are tertiary moves.
  8. What's illogical about it about pointing out the holes on this roster? I honestly don't know if anyone has used the word "master," but it wouldn't surprise me. Regardless, Ballard is largely considered by many fans to be a top 5 GM...some even think he is THE best GM. So I have no problem holding him to that standard, even at the QB position. And the QB adversity is not remotely unique in anything but strange timing. Nearly all GMs have to address the QB position (many without a top pick). Ballard getting even one season of a QB like Luck is more than most GMs get.
  9. You didn't ask me, but I will share my thoughts. Given that he was hired AFTER Jeff Fisher, I think it's possible that the GM/HC dynamic in STL/LA was different than most teams. Much like Reid in PHI, it's possible that Fisher had more roster control, given his lengthy track record in the NFL. But Snead definitely had misfires during that time, no doubt about that, including drafting Jared Goff. And I remember reading that Fisher didn't even want Goff...or at least didn't want to trade up to get him. However, once Snead was untethered to Fisher, he was able to hire McVay and the rest is sort of history. And when Fisher left, that is about the same time that Snead started becoming very aggressive. I think Snead and Licht are both examples of how GMs getting extended trials cam ultimately work out for a team. And I am sure Irsay is aware of that. So I don't think Ballard is close to being on the hot seat. If anything, Irsay will give Ballard another chance to hire a HC (like Snead did with McVay and Licht with BA).
  10. I don't disagree. Reich has clearly had a ton of influence over the QB position. So it's not a stretch at all to think Reich was the driving force behind that. And after they gave JB that money, Reich called JB "the guy" and "the answer." I think he not only believed in JB, but also believed that the team would rally around him. Goes to show how a lot of that stuff is just noise when the QB can't get it done on the field.
  11. Let me clarify...I meant that he was essentially given the franchise tag, not officially. The projected tag amount for the following offseason was $28.3M, which was very close to what they gave him. I wouldn't be surprised if they even positioned that extension as such. Or it could been JB's agent who came up with the offer. The thought process was to give JB a raise now that he was the starter, but also gain cost control over him for next season. But the issue was that it pushed a good amount of gtd money into 2020 without even seeing him play that year. I just think there were better ways to handle it without having to end up with JB and Rivers on the books for $46M the following year. Not only that, JB being here certainly didn't help provide a backup QB spot for a rookie QB to learn behind Rivers. And to your point, what would have been so wrong with JB having to play it out and earn a big contract? Isn't that part of their team philosophy?
  12. Oh for sure. Polian had a great track record. This will no doubt be controversial, but if we are objective, let's compare that 5-year period of Colts football to the 5-year period that followed: Had less playoff wins with a better HOF QB Didn't win a SB with HOF QB Didn't fully maximize the roster with HOF QB HOF QB got hurt, eventually had neck surgery and missed a season Successor did not get to use HOF QB Saddled the roster with overpaid, aging vets which put the team in cap space trouble Failed to bring in young talent through the draft Oversaw a roster that regressed and eventually bottomed out to a level I had not seen before (was bit too young to remember '97) Lots of similarities to the guy that followed him (except for the salary cap trouble). Yet very few blame Polian for "ruining" the Manning era of Colts football. And I don't know if I have seen anybody blame him for Manning getting hurt and missing a season. Meanwhile, Grigson gets blamed and criticized for everything...while also getting none of the credit. And I do agree regarding Ballard. There seems to be double standard when it comes to him. Not only compared to his predecessor, but also to other GMs in the NFL.
  13. They gave him the franchise tag before even played a snap that year...$28M. I understand that it was a unique situation, but it was clearly a very questionable business decision at the time. Could have just added some incentives to JB's deal or given him a slight bump, but $28M? After that, they tried really hard to sell us on JB being the guy. It was a very cringe-worthy set of events. The franchise tag would have been there AFTER the season when he had showed he needed another season. And then, when they inevitably learned that they shouldn't be tagging Jacoby Brissett, they wouldn't have done it and wouldn't have been saddled with his $21M cap hit in 2020. Even though it was just cap space, Ballard has gotten a major pass for that gaffe, while other GMs get heavily criticized for how they use cap space. Seems like a different standard. Interestingly, for a GM who doesn't like to overpay players, in that case he did. But Ballard's approach to QB has run fairly contradictory to his overall team approach. It's equally interesting and frustrating.
  14. Yep. Polian is a HOFer, but he allowed his son Chris to erode the Manning era team into an aging roster with bloated vet contracts and very little young talent (from mostly poor drafts), which was a big reason that Manning ended up in DEN. While the Colts did go to the SB in 2009, that season was sandwiched between three first-round losses and the 2011 debacle. Interestingly, that period (from 2007-2011) was also a 5-year period, much like what Grigson had and what Ballard has had to date. So Polian should definitely not get a pass for that "era" of Colts football, especially when his successor is almost universally despised and blamed for his era's downfall.
  15. Yep. And that regime left five full seasons ago. Ryan Kelly was from the last draft class and he is going to be 29 in a couple of months. When a new GM takes over, he often turns over as much of the roster as possible, especially when they switch defensive schemes. And Ballard has had plenty of time to build it in his vision. As others have pointed out, there are definitely holes at very important positions (beyond QB).
  16. And he forced Wentz to request a trade right after the season ended and insisted on keeping Pederson.
  17. No, but you referenced two of the teams that were able to find them once, so I am not sure if it's fair to assume they couldn't do it again. I don't think anybody has said it is easy to address QB, but Ballard is held to a very high standard with this fanbase and around the NFL. We shouldn't say "he's a top 5/10 GM" and then hold him to the standard of the lower 20-25 other teams when it comes to addressing QB.
  18. Not by year 2 maybe. However, they were in a very similar situation with Alex Smith and Tyrod Taylor. KC was a perennial playoff team who couldn't get over the hump and BUF was a fringe playoff team. They both got aggressive in the draft. And while those didn't pan out for a couple years, there was a general direction after a year or two. The difference is, the Colts are heading into their 3rd offseason, and there is no real direction (yet). I hope that changes soon, but if we trade for Jimmy G...I fear that we will still be in a similar situation a year or two from now.
  19. This is such a great point that never gets brought up when people talk about Grigson. Ultimately, his failures are his own, however, Irsay's approach to Grigson was a far cry from his approach to Ballard. He was much more hands-on with Grigson and far less patient. Once Manning left, Irsay's stated goal was a more "balanced team" that didn't rely on "Star Wars numbers." He also clearly wanted to win right away. And while there is nothing wrong with taking advantage of a franchise QB being on a rookie deal, you had Irsay was tweeting about briefcases full of money for FAs. You even had him going flying around to talk to FAs. Very unorthodox for an owner. How much influence he had during that time is not really known. But there was clearly some. And then it culminated with the the serous off-field issues you alluded to. Irsay seems much more grounded now.
  20. Profanity doesn't bother me, but that dude's podcast would be so much better if he knocked it back about 80-90%. But he is entitled to do his own thing. Not sure I really agree with the premise and he comes off a bit like a Wentz apologist to me. Much of the focus is on that ARI game and it's pretty clear that game was smoke and mirrors; a prime example of how a QB can play poorly for most of a game, but it looks good in retrospect (in memory and the stat sheet) because of a couple throws on one drive near the end of the game. I am sure Reich was happy for Wentz for making that play...but the cracks were already there.
  21. Tell them to put it on a French roll, melt some provolone (or swiss if you prefer) and give me a bowl of that au jus But seriously, overcooked prime rib is such a huge letdown.
  22. It can't be Grigson's fault 6 years after he was fired.
  23. Scherff has definitely missed a lot of games the past few years, but he is not a “once-great” G. He has been to 3 straight PBs. His contract is worth up to $17M AAV. Q also missed games last year and there are concerns about his back. And his contract is probably going to be substantially higher. If a Q deal is a good move, then the Scherff deal is too.
  24. And you have to use the bathroom at some point, even in Hawaii.
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