BeanDiasucci

Weird double post. Sorry!

This brings to mind that worn out quote: 'Insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results. ' But Ballard has done different things in bringing in a new coach and drafting a new quarterback. I still want to see if he can realize he might need to do different things at positions that are more important than they used to be in an increasingly passing-dominated league: WR, DE, CB. He talks now about needing more explosive players. Let's see it. And let's see a more aggressive defense against the passing game, which probably requires a new DC.

I don't hate or even dislike Ballard, and agree he has many great qualities. But I think we may need a GM with a higher RAS—quicker, better wingspan, more explosive, and with a higher ceiling.

Let's wait until someone declares that the season is over before asking everyone to wait before declaring it.

Sorry, the ridiculousnesd of Beavis and Butthead saying, "He said dill, heh, heh, heh, heh, heh," came to mind.

He said "if the defense continues to collect a large amount of sacks, stays within the top 20 and we make the playoffs?' Don't you have to be already in the top 20 to stay in the top 20?

Who had the Colts in the top 20 on defense? I see them at 24th in yards allowed and 28th in points allowed.

How? They don't even have the RAS scores yet! 😜

When I look at his injury history, it does seem a little concerning for a guy who has started only 13 games for Florida and five for the Colts. I'm still optimistic about the Richardson/Steichen pairing, but I'm going to be nervous until Richardson proves he can run Steichen's Pistol and RPO and stay in the game. Anthony Richardson, Indianapolis Colts - The Fantasy Doctors 10/03/2019 Shoulder - Right (throwing) shoulder injury, AC sprain vs. clavicle fracture 03/11/2021 Hamstring - Hamstring strain, Spring practices 09/11/2021 Hamstring - Hamstring strain, possible reinjury, likely grade 1 10/30/2021 Concussion 11/05/2021 Knee - Right knee, sprained it dancing 11/27/2021 Knee - Right knee injury, 'Tore it (meniscus) off bone' (per player) 12/11/2021 Knee - Right knee surgery, likely meniscectomy, cleared in March 09/10/2022 Ankle - Ankle injury, no details 09/24/2022 Stinger - Left shoulder, likely stinger, returned to game 09/17/2022 Hamstring - Hamstring strain, reinjury from 3/2021. Grade 1 vs. 2 09/17/2023 Concussion - Traumatic brain injury 10/08/2023 Shoulder- Right. Type III AC sprain, season-ending surgery Dr. Neal El Attrache on 10/24/23 https://www.thefantasydoctors.com/players-injury/anthony-richardson-injuries-history/

Let's not get ahead of ourselves and put too much weight on technicalities like the receivers' drop rates and college production. We need to wait for the more critical data, their RAS scores. 😜

He was coming off an ankle surgery, though, and continued to have a nagging ankle injury through that All Pro season in 2021. His later back surgery in 2022 was described as needed because of two discs in his back that were pushing down on various nerves, causing pain down his leg and a functioning issue with the ankle. Then he played on three games in 2022. https://www.indystar.com/story/sports/nfl/colts/colts-insider/2021/08/08/indianapolis-colts-news-darius-leonard-signs-contract-extension/8045740002/ https://coltswire.usatoday.com/2022/06/13/indianapolis-colts-darius-leonard-injury-update-nerve-back-ankle-calf/

Ballard has talked about building the team from the inside out, emphasizing strength in the trenches, since he arrived in Indianapolis. This may have resulted in less emphasis on elite talent at perimeter positions like WR and CB. In addition, the Colts have prioritized using high picks for defensive ends throughout Ballard's tenure, but have failed so far to pick elite pass rushing talent. The emphasis on line personnel fit well with Frank Reich's philosophy of emphasizing the running game and a short passing attack. I'm hoping that with a different coach and an obvious NFL trend to prioritize the passing game, Ballard will evolve. We've seen some signs of that, such as picking a smaller receiver Josh Downs in the third round last year. But other things make you wonder - like making Jonathan Taylor the NFL's third-highest-paid running back and going with a shaky, low-cost group of DBs.

So we should only share opinions about things about the team we have some control over? Isn't that going to limit the conversation a bit?

I think that should be a goal of every team now - let's be great, not good - at QB, DE, WR, LT, and CB, the most important positions in a passing-dominated league. The Colts are hopefully improving at most of these positions, but still have some teams ahead of them. They need AR to work out, as everybody knows, and still need to get better to be elite at DE, WR, and CB. Yes, I think almost everyone already knows all of this, but it's hard not to keep talking about it because it's the story of the Colts' offseason and 2025 season. Are they on the right track at these positions?

And we don't know how durable he will be, although we're certainly hoping very much that last season was a fluke. One of the downsides of having started only 13 games in college is that the sample size for Richardson proving his durability is smaller than most college quarterbacks. I heard a college coach talking this winter about what he looks for in the transfer portal - players with proven production and durability over players with impressive athletic potential who haven't played as much. He said that a risk he doesn't like with guys who haven't as much is that they haven't demonstrated their ability to remain healthy through a season or multiple seasons. That makes some sense to me.