Rally5
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3 minutes ago, 2006Coltsbestever said:
Andrew Luck is better than Cam Newton, that will make a huge difference. Anyone that ever thought Cam was better was foolish. Funchess now has a QB that is accurate. Look at how Ebron did with Luck and he had Stafford when he underachieved.
I think that's fair, there are very few plays where he is open by design or by second or third looks, so that's very possible.
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Colts Fans,
Man, I just couldn't take anymore of the talk about Funchess, his drops, his speed, he's not a legit number two receiver etc. I do live in NFC South country so I do see a lot of Panther games and always thought highly of Funchess so I went to all the video I could find and here are my humble conclusions on the guy.
1. He catches almost everything with his hands, he let's very few balls get in on him and when he does that's when he has some trouble but this guy has very strong hands!
2. He catches the ball in traffic extraordinarily well, I would go so far as to say 4.5/5.
2a. You could make the case he lacks separation speed but that's not necessarily what the tape shows. More what the tape shows is a lot of designed throws to Funchess no matter the coverage and Newton seemed to throw to him in traffic without hesitation, that to me speaks volumes. The throws in traffic could be the reason for the drops, frankly, what I saw I would rate him well above the likes of Pierre Garcon as an example we can relate to.
3. He can and will run every route.
4. He plays faster than his 40.
5. He high points the ball very well.
6. I see a guys who's every bit of a number two receiver, in fact, he appears to be closer to a one than a three.
7. He plays to his size (a lot of big WR's don't).
I would be very excited about Hilton, Funchess, Inman combo. Ok to call me crazy. I've been wrong before...I'll be wrong again!
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50 minutes ago, a06cc said:
Time to move on from AC if possible.
Stunning. I think the Colts went 9-2 when AC played, check on when the Oline started ballin' and the Colts got hot...
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On 3/31/2019 at 2:46 PM, stitches said:
Here's the lines for our division:
Colts 9.5
Texans 8.5
Titans 8.5
Jags 8.0
That's really hard not to like to over. History tells us a healthy Luck gets 11 consistently. I may have to drop a dime on this one.
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9 hours ago, NewColtsFan said:
I’ve written the answer in another post, but I’m happy to write it again here....
On the day he made his big trade down with the Jets a year ago, Ballard gave an interview on camera where he said the conservative approach he’s taking while he rebuilds the roster won’t last. That he will eventually spend more in free agency, but not until he’s rebuilt the roster and the locker room.
I originally thought the three rebuilding years were 17, 18, and 19. Turns out they’re 18, 19, and 20. I take that to mean the purse strings won’t loosen until 21.
This thread is dedicated to all the posters here (and there are many) who have complained for the last two years that we’ve had tons of free agent money to spend and we didn’t spend it. That Ballard is wasting Luck’s prime years.
Hope this clarifies...
Thanks. I think we're living the new normal. I think after three years Ballard is showing us very clearly how we plans to manage this franchise and I'm 100% ok with it to this point. Obviously, things can change. If he keeps drafting well, we'll need all the cap money for our own guys and then some. I don't believe at all this is a re-build anymore, we're in this to win now, are we the most talented team on paper, no, does that always matter, no. Let's go Colts!
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24 minutes ago, NewColtsFan said:
I guess it means we’ll be taking a conservative approach to roster building for one more year — 2020.
It appears Ballard won’t loosen the purse strings until 2021. This frustrated fans last year and this year. I expect it will be frustrating next year too.
Perhaps I'm confused. This is a good roster, I don't expect us to just 'buy' players now or in the future. I'm not frustrated in the least about where we are or what we're doing, in fact, I think it's a winner and a winner right now. If this is about splashy free-agents, I find that to be fools gold, Ballard is preparing this team financially to re-sign the guys we have for years to come, I'm not so sure there's a free agent extravaganza on our horizon just because we are well-positioned cap-wise. That money will be used sparingly and for re-signing our own guys. I think we're living the plan right now and this team can and will win right now. It's not outrageous to say we were a top-six team last season. So help me understand what I'm missing here, and I do understand the roster can improve as every roster in the NFL can improve, that's basic, is there a bigger master plan here that I'm not quite grasping?
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1 hour ago, throwing BBZ said:
With a number of positions we must get better at, and then needing to add quality prospects to develop to become good depth and future starters, we have a ways to go.
Experience playing together in a system has to happen too.
Irsay is sounding educated about our prospects and future. The Mentor has been Mentored, and that is someting to be very thankful for.
Just write the checks please!
What're your expectations for this season?
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On 3/28/2019 at 5:14 PM, 2006Coltsbestever said:
They have nowhere near the fanbase we have or history we have. Whenever I watch them and the Colts play in Tennessee, half the people sound like Colts fans in the stands.
My experience is we have great fans when we win. When you're 1-5 and the stadium is full and raucous, then you have great fans. When at 1-5 and the stadium is empty, you don't have great fans. We are great front runners though!!!!
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6 hours ago, NewColtsFan said:
.... and I'm not sure how I feel about it. Not too sure how you'll feel about it either.
At the owners meeting, Irsay gave an interview to Colts.com.... the story is on the website.... and the topic is right at the top.... the state of the franchise.... and at the start of his answer, Irsay says LAST YEAR, 2018, was Year One in Ballard's 3-year franchise rebuild. I always thought that clock started when Ballard arrived. So, I thought last year was Year two and this year, 2019, was Year three. Apparently, I'm wrong. (Not the first time, won't be the last) But here's the set-up and Irsay's answer.
» Irsay is very encouraged about the state and direction of the franchise: Last year at the owners meetings, Irsay talked about entering what he considered Year 1 of a three-year rebuilding process to get to where he believed the team would once again be among the best of the best in the NFL. Fast forward 365 days, and the Colts have accelerated that process greatly after a 10-6 season and a road win in the playoffs. A healthy, elite quarterback and one of the better draft classes in recent memory are huge factors in the rise, Irsay acknowledged, but the Frank Reich effect and his “one-day-at-a-time” approach was clearly instrumental, as well. “You always just felt that this team was going to play to win and was going to succeed and get it done. You just had this almost quiet certainty that you felt,” Irsay said. “I just felt even when we weren't winning a lot of games early on that, you know what, this team can. And I think it can this year. And we have enough games. It's going to be tough but we have enough games. If we get on a run we can do it. … The arrow keeps pointing up.”
So, if 2019 is indeed Year two of a 3-year rebuild, are you ready for another year of rebuild in 2020?
Here's what I very much don't like about this conversation coming from our owner. It creates built-in excuses and blurs the line of expectation. Now maybe Irsay is so smart that it's his way of taking pressure off a young team and inexperienced staff, I'd love that to be the case. Perhaps this is true. In my crude way of thinking after you go 10-6 it's no longer a re-build, to the point in the post above, you're always in some state of flux and re-build, this league is about winning and this team should be expected to do very well this year. I predicted a 10 win season last year and this should be an 11-12 win team this year even with a more difficult schedule. Some nuance to this opinion, I'm not the type of person that says the only successful outcome is winning the Super Bowl, I understand how many uncontrollable factors contribute to that result, yet I do expect this team to be a force in the AFC, I do expect a home playoff game, and I do expect us to be a serious contender. If we want to call that a re-build that's fine as long as we win big along the way!
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17 hours ago, LJpalmbeacher2 said:
Why would you be shocked of we went WR in the first 3 rounds??Outside of Hilton last year we probably had one of the worst WR groups in football. This year we added DF but only on a 1 year deal.
Just based on what I hear Ballard say, I don't think he puts a high value on that position. He tells us he drafts inside out, we know pass rush and dline is a premium this year. I also could see him getting depth at OL and DB before receiver. Offensively, as a coach, you look at the totality of your weapons. You have two Pro Bowl TE's, a Pro Bowl WR, a Pro Bowl QB, a stud Oline and an explosive RB with a couple of guys who can catch it out of the backfield. You sign Funchess and there's two guys on the roster you drafted last year that will get a look. So, if you say we need a number 2 or 3 that's fair. In the context of the offense, we're not lacking talent. Now, if somebody spectacular falls, I don't think he's stubborn to a fault either, he may jump on an opportunity. Just my gut man, Colts haven't called and asked my opinion so if you think we're going WR early, you may be totally right.
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On 3/27/2019 at 3:45 AM, ManningGM said:
@ 1:57, 2:20, and 4:32
Good looking player. He runs routes well it seems, we see a lot of the 'phenom' receivers simply running go routes and catching wide open passes which never impresses me, in fact, it's usually a red flag when there's nothing in a highlight package that shows any route running ability. I do like this highlight reel, I'm not sure where or if we draft a WR but this kid wouldn't break my heart. It's somewhat interesting I suppose that he's a senior, meaning he didn't come out early.
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On 3/21/2019 at 1:15 PM, JPFolks said:
Okay, let me be more specific. Do you think we use one of our top 3 picks on a WR if we resign Inman? I say no (though I have been advocating FOR doing just that, perhaps even with our first pick, as well as considering picking a high profile TE if one falls to us) but as much as I like Inman (and I do) there just isn't room. It would likely mean of a 5 person roster, we have to lose Cain or Pascal at least. (Plus Fountain which I fully expect short of camp injuries). I though Pascal was on an upward arc last season and Cain is a complete ? So, do we use a top pick, say one of our first 3, which will force us to cut at least one of the above 5 WRs.
3I'll be shocked if we draft a WR in the first three rounds, there's a chance we don't draft one at all...I think the only way we go WR early is if somebody falls to us that just shouldn't be there and can't be ignored. I suspect dline, oline and DB's will be our focus early.
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21 hours ago, NewColtsFan said:
Very pleased about the news of working on extensions for the core four. Very pleased.
Very concerned if there is any truth to this rumor about releasing Sheard. I won’t believe it until there’s something more concrete. The guy has graded in or near the 90’s in his two seasons with us. There aren’t many players in the NFL who grade out that way. Ballard himself has noted that Sheard is a locker room leader. Cutting a guy like that sends the exact wrong message at this important point in the rebuild.
This is a very smart front office. I’ll believe it when it happens and not a minute sooner.
I wouldn't worry about Sheard, I can't see him being released unless he gets outplayed in camp. There's a multitude of reasons why players get extended or released, you'll go crazy trying to sort out the unknown. I was gutted when we cut Simon last year! I'm thrilled we're forward thinking and extending keys guys to stay cap healthy. These great drafts will lead to challenges in future years so if these guys are to mature together and win for years together we need to map that out now, which I'm sure we are.
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2 hours ago, Superman said:
I'm glad you offered this clarification. In my mind, there are still a lot of question marks. Not necessarily glaring needs, more opportunities to upgrade. I think sometimes fans have a tendency to overrate mediocre players on their own team.
For example, I think Desir, Geathers, Walker, Hunt, Sheard are all average to slightly above average. Hooker has had injury issues. Wilson is inconsistent, but has shown flashes; Lewis and Turay are still unknowns. Autry, Moore and Leonard are above average to great, still with room to improve, but rock solid pieces. I think Houston is going to be solid for us. So nine of our core defensive players are question marks, to varying degrees. And this is for a defense that wasn't very good last season (based on certain metrics and with sufficient context).
We could have the same discussion for the offense, although it's further along than the defense.
So my thinking is we still need to add a lot of good players, at a lot of positions. Those players who represent opportunity to upgrade either need to get better or be replaced, and I think competition in camp and early in the season will provide answers to a lot of those question marks, positive or negative. We'll know at the end of the 2019 season whether Wilson can be counted on, we'll know whether Walker is good enough to start at Mike for a real contender, we'll have a better idea whether Turay can rush the passer, whether Smith is a good RT, etc. And if the front office continues to draft well and the coaching staff continues to develop players, we'll have fewer opportunities for upgrade going into 2020.
So I would still approach the draft with the objective of adding as many good players as possible. I don't know if this is the right time to give up picks to add one player who will still need to prove whether he can play in the NFL. I'd rather move back and add more players right now. Ultimately, it depends on the board, which won't change for me no matter how our roster looks, because I think the draft is more about the roster two years from now than it is about this year.
I think I'll always be what people call a BPA guy, but there will be times when I'll be more receptive to trading up for a "special" prospect. And don't get me wrong, if Ballard trades up for a guy I like, I'll be happy about it, but I think it's a little early to get ambitious right now.
Very good, I think there's a lot of nuances lost in translation on the board at times. My sense is we totally agree I just may be a bit more half full at the moment! Looking forward to reading your draft analysis again this year! Go Colts!
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3 hours ago, SouthernIndianaNDFan said:
What happened against that stellar KC defense in the playoffs then? Why does KC routinely score 30+? Because they have playmakers around their stud QB. You can't compare anything to NE, they have the best coach and QB of all-time, during the same dominant timeframe, they're the exception to every rule.
First I never said anything about "stellar" so keep your argumentss honest. Second, I can compare whatever I want and I also included Philly which you ignored. To pull the KC game out as your shining example is picking the fly crap out of the pepper. Our offense was top 10 second half of the year and our defense was top one in some metrics in the last third of the season. So conveniently you also don't point to the win streak or the slaughter of the Cowboys or beat down of the Texans, that's fine, your prerogative. I happen to disagree. I also predicted we'd be a playoff team and win 5 in a row when we were 1-5 and that's on record so I feel reasonably confident in my assessment of this team. The key to this team in 2019 will be winning the south, gaining home field, getting a year older (coaches included), staying healthy and having a bit of Luck. That should be our expectation, there's no way anyone can predict anything beyond that given the volatility this league provides. I'll give you the last word because I sense you mostly just want to argue anyway.
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14 hours ago, NewColtsFan said:
By the start of the season, Ballard’s remodel will be 3-years old, not two.
17, 18, and 19... three free agency periods... three drafts...
Details, details....
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9 hours ago, SouthernIndianaNDFan said:
If you believe that's enough to hang with the high-powered offenses in the league (the ones that made the "Final Four" last year), you're probably in for a rude awakening. I hope they draft a playmaker at WR like Marquise Brown, Parris Campbell, or Deebo Samuel, someone that can do something after they get the ball in their hands. Let TY, the TE's, and Funchess play the traditional roles, and insert one of the guys above, lined up everywhere, for jet sweeps, screens, slot-WR, a swiss army knife of you will. I think those guys could be our Tyreek Hill, a true difference maker, or playmaker. Add THAT to what we have on offense, and I think we're getting close to what the other contenders are doing on offense, but we could potentially have the best defense of the bunch if the chips fall in the right spots the rest of the offseason. I think they grab either a S, 3T, or Edge with 26, and hopefully a legit playmaking WR with the Jets pick, and we'd be looking SB-level formidable entering next season.
I'm not in for any rude awakenings. Go tell me about the superstars on the Philly SB offense or the stellar New England wideouts. If we get a superstar offensive player that's great, I don't expect to see that happen but hey...
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13 hours ago, Superman said:
Something just occurred to me while reading your post.
I remember when the Colts signed Trent Cole. Ryan Grigson was super excited about it, and he told a story about how Cole was in the building, but was walking out of Mike Bluem's office shrugging and shaking his head. Apparently, Cole and his agent were looking for a bigger contract than the Colts were prepared to offer. Grigson pulled him back into Bluem's office and by the end of the day, they worked out their difference. Grigson said something like 'when you have 'The Hunter' in your building, you don't let him leave,' implying that they increased their offer because he was that important to them.
That story paints a picture of a very disciplined and maybe even rigid contract negotiator / cap manager in Mike Bluem.
Pair him up with Chris Ballard, the man who says stuff like 'we have a value on every player, and we're not going to overpay,' or 'we're comfortable walking away and going to the next plan,' or 'we want to have these guys back, but if they get more from another team we're happy for them...' And now you have the two guys who are responsible for the cap and contract structure speaking the same language, with the same strict approach to negotiations, willing to walk when the number gets too high.
I'm not offering a judgment about this approach, or the previous approach. But it struck me just now that Bluem and Ballard are probably on exactly the same page when it comes to negotiations and structure, and that helps me to better understand how the Colts are able to sit on the sidelines and wait, even if that means they don't get a guy that they all really like in free agency.
Now that's insight!
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On 3/17/2019 at 10:11 PM, NewColtsFan said:
I’m guessing sarcasm?
It helps if you use emoji’s!
Stay sharp!
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On 3/21/2019 at 9:26 PM, horseshoecrabs said:
The recent power ratings from just FA signings of the NFL for what it's worth had some teams minus or plus so far.
Ours stayed the same at power rating #5th . Sounds good but, After rating us 30th at the beginning of last season, I think that it should be taken, with a grain of salt. Nice though, they think so highly of us now. LOL
Interesting, however, my strong preference is to stay as far away from hype like this as possible, we see how wrong it can turn out anyway...
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6 hours ago, Rackeen305 said:
Does the Colts have a backup C? Over the years Kelley gets banged up for a few weeks, and when he isn't in the lineup its night and day of a performance by the Oline. Do we have a dominant DT play (you need two), how about the CB position or solid #2 WR?
There are plenty holes with this team. Once again, these areas of concern are emphasized and brought out once Colts play high seeded teams the likes of PITT, NE, SAINTS, RAMS, Philly, etc.
Yes, good points, I'll take a shot at each for fun.
I know we're talking to Boehn about re-signing, Ballard has FA's in priority order so you can see who he prioritized and we're now getting to some of the 'less critical' guys signed. I do expect him re-signed and I think he's a solid back up.
As far as a dominant DT is concerned, we got very solid play up front last year, I wouldn't call DT a weakness, could it be upgraded, perhaps but I'm not sure who you think is "dominant" that is a fit for us, which is likely why you will see addressed on draft day (my guess).
I happen to agree with you on CB, I'd like to see an upgrade here even with the emergence of Desir, Moore and an improving Wilson, I'm up for an infusion of raw talent at CB but not over a DT early ( to your earlier point),
As for a number 2 WR, I would prepare yourself for that answer already being on this roster (I assume we'll re-sign Inman). I fully expect our number two to be Funchess or Inman. If you look across the spectrum of weapons and you see: Doyle, Hilton, Ebron, Mack, Funchess, Inman, and Cain (for those of you living that dream), then I don't see WR2 as a super high priority given the totality of talent, buuuuut....that's just me.
Final point, both players and coaches will be in year two of these systems...
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11 hours ago, Superman said:
I don't think Ballard is done, but I do think we're in good position. We'll see how things go over the next few weeks, and how the draft plays out.
But at the same time, I think there are several spots on the roster that still need improvement. On offense, RT is a question mark, and while Smith might provide the organic upgrade in his second year, that's not a given. I still think WR2/3 is a question mark, even with Funchess (I'm hoping we come away from the draft with one of these slotty receivers), and TE is a question, depending on Doyle's ability to stay healthy and return to form. Even RB, can Mack stay on the field, and if not, do we have another guy who can fill in for him?
On defense, we have questions at CB, which might be okay depending on how well Desir and Wilson play. I think we can do better at safety and while I like Autry and Lewis I would love to have a game-wrecking three tech (two more positions I think the draft will help with). There are questions about the young edge rushers. I think Walker is adequate at Mike, but we could do better.
Long story short, I think the roster still needs a lot of work. I like where it's headed, but we're counting on the development of a lot of young guys, and other positions are manned by average to slightly above average players. I think we're still behind established contenders -- New England, Rams, Saints, Chargers, Eagles... jury's out on the Chiefs, considering the best part of their defense just took two big hits.
Very fair assessment, maybe I'm parsing words but there's a difference for me between glaring needs of a team and opportunities to upgrade. Given what I think I know about you and our conversations in the past about the draft this team is positioned perfectly for what you believe in terms of philosophy, right? If there was ever a time where we could BPA a draft and move up and down without 'fear' this is it. I mean, I'm looking to Superman this draft, I'm in your boat for a change!
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10 hours ago, Scott Pennock said:
With every starter returning on defense and pencilling in Funchess as WR2 then our entire starting offense is intact as well as our special teams. Having said that, this is literally the first year of my fandom that we can truly draft BPA.....
Could a spot or two be improved (talent wise) here and there, absolutely.
Position number one, in my humble opinion where we can obtain a day 1 starter with picks 26, 34 or 59 would be interior defensive line.
Number two would be safety. Someone to pair with Hooker that has ball skills in the deep halves. Geathers still has his role as the nickel/dime "joker".
Number three, and least likely in my opinion, would be wide receiver. I believe they want Funchess for more than a year, but want him to "prove it". T.Y.'s eventual replacement 'may' be on the roster already in Cain - yes I know.....late round pick.....injured....etc......was often rated as a 2nd round talent but with background concerns. The latent talent is there, does he bring it everyday though, that will determine that situation.
As a caveat to the Houston signing, I would now think that we may not see a twitchy defensive end drafted until the middle rounds now as a developmental project like Ben Banogu (TCU), Maxx Crosby (Eastern Mich.), Shareef Miller (Penn State) and Carl Granderson (Wyoming).
Yeah, I'm with you, I'm going to enjoy watching a draft where I'm not pining for us to fill some position of need! I wouldn't be surprised if we move in the draft, up or down, just based on the flexibility we have.
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38 minutes ago, Jared Cisneros said:
I'm going minority and saying CB here. Players like Baker, Murphy, Williams, and Oruwariye can all be there as BPA. I see D-Lineman going quickly to where there's no value, and Safety in the 2nd round as well as WR later. O-Line is a slim possibility, but I'm going CB here.
Baker would be super tempting in this defense. He has the talent and is a system fit. But if I had to bet...Dline. The man says what he means...inside out!
My review of Devin Funchess
in Colts Football
Posted · Edited by Rally5
Please delete.