NewColtsFan

Kwity is a DE not a DT. The two other DT’s helping are Bryan and Dayo. I think both have been decent.

Well…. Those facts aren’t clear to PFF. They have Shaq graded comfortably higher than both Franklin and Speed. I think it’s roughly 6-8 points better for Shaq.

We have him. Josh Downs says HELLO!!

Moose always claims to be right. He thought he was right when he didn’t like Shaq and Q in their early years when BOTH were playing at a Hall of Fame level. The beauty of Moose, he’s never wrong.

If I had to guess, I’d say yes. With Las Vegas the possible new home. Harbaugh and Michigan were about to sue the Big-10 a week or two back. Then the Big-10 presented their evidence to Harbaugh and Michigan. Suddenly, abruptly, Harbs and Mich reversed themselves and stopped any legal proceeding. They accepted a the Big-10’s additional 3- game suspension this year. But I’ve read the NCAA may want to suspend Harbs for the entire 2024 season. I don’t see him putting up with that. So I see him trying to return to the NFL. If interim coach Antonio Pierce does a good job in LV, maybe he holds on, but owner Mark Davis may want a big glamorous sexy name to excite the fan base. Im not predicting this will happen, but I’d say the odds are better than 50/50.

Nice rankings, that was a fun read!

I also think Ballard trades his first pick. But to be clear, I think he trades down, roughly 1-4 spots, collects picks, then trades down again in the second round as he did last year and collects more picks. Don't think he’ll trade down in the 3rd round, he didn’t last year, and it will make sure the Colts get a top-70 player there. On Day 3, wash, rinse, repeat from last year where the Colts traded down for more picks with almost every pick they had. In short, I see history mostly, but not entirely repeating itself.

I think those who have participated in this interesting thread should go back and read what they wrote in Sept and then notice how things changed in Oct and changing more still in Nov. Performance in the NFL can go up and down over the course of a long season. Few, if any teams just get better and don’t have some dips in performance. Hey, it’s a loooong season, stuff happens. And often it’s stuff that none of us sees coming. Me very much included. Good discussion.

From your perspective. But from my perspective fans don’t have much to complain about when we’re talking about 2018 to 2023. But you, and others who I think of as Ballard-haters insist on including 2017 on his record. Technically you’re right. But you constantly use 2017 when you talk about Ballard and you use it as a weapon. Ballard didn’t have his HC of choice, his coordinators of choice, nor the rest of his staff. It was Pagano and his staff. CB didnt even have his franchise QB. But you and others who don’t like Ballard always include the 2017 record of 4-12. It’s the argument of a hater. I think you’re a very smart guy but I think the argument is beneath you, not worthy of you. Clearly, we see this very differently.

So? The next time I hear about a player having two hamstring injuries and it ended their career will officially be the first time, at least for me. And that’s more than 55 years of following the NFL.

Ever? Why would you think two hamstrings are career ending? Or is that not what you meant?

Interesting to note the setback is to Woods’s OTHER hamstring. So both have been damaged. I’d say the odds are high that Woods does not play again this season.

What were you expecting this year?

About 6-7 weeks ago I made a post about how guarded Steichen is in interviews. How it seems he measures every word worried that it could be turned into something negative. I’ve given that post some thought if late and realize I overlooked an important aspect of Steichen’s background. In 2021, Steichen’s first year in Philly, he had to watch as the notoriously brutal Philadelphia media ripped Sirianni almost from Day One. Sirianni was judged to be a terrible interview at his introductory press conference. Overwhelmed by the big moment. Then, things got much worse. The Eagles started 1-3 and 2-5 and Philly media were openly wondering if Sirianni would survive past his first year? A possible one and done. Of course Philly turned things around and finished 9-8 then went to the Super Bowl in 22, after that the Colts hired Steichen. My point is that I can now see and understand Steichen being a little gun shy and overly cautious with the media after seeing what his friend and boss went through. So I now see him in a more understandable and forgiving light. His lack of media presence makes more sense to me. Of course this is all speculation by me. A total hunch on my part. This might be the real Steichen even if things were smooth and easy in Philly. But this seems reasonable to me. Full Disclosure: Steichen was my first choice. I liked his background and success both in San Diego and Philly. I’ve been happy with his performance so far but believe he’ll be better in the years to come. He’s never been a head coach at any level until now, so I’ve expected growing pains which we see from time to time. I think his best days as HC are ahead for him.

Also…. Thanks for doing this. Your post may get the most traffic here for the rest of the season!

Chiefs and Eagles in a Super Bowl rematch in MNF!! Ya think that might get great ratings?!? I typically don’t care too much about non-Colts games, but this one? I’ll be parked in front of my big screen. Should I count the number of Taylor Swift references?

You make a fair argument. But here’s the thing for me. Would it have been an insult if Jones were 6th or 7th? Would you have shocked if he wasn’t top-5? I know all teams play with the same salary cap, but I believe there are advantages to being a big market team vs a small market team. And Dallas is the biggest of the big market teams. Isn’t Jones the richest owner? Aren’t there considerable advantages for him? Im not trying to conflate two issues…. Salary cap and franchise value, but I think there’s some connectedness there. Jones can make a mistake in any area of his football business more easily than Irsay can. Joneses pockets are considerably deeper. I think it makes his GM job much easier. Again, I think he does a good job. I think he makes for an easy target. I just didn’t expect to see him as top-5, so I don’t think it’s an insult. At least it’s not intended as one.

Just wanted to say thanks for the article about the heart condition. I just had a chance to look at it. I find science fascinating but confusing, a lot of this doesn’t stick with me. But I think I have the basics here. Appreciate it.

I don’t think it’s a good idea to trade a premium pick for a veteran player at the trade deadline. I’d rather try to draft that player. But maybe that’s just me. Once the Colts passed on Sweats in 2019, I don’t think they’d do a 180 and trade for him in 2023. Their medical opinion is not going to change. As for Burns, Carolina may not be able to retain him, but they COULD use a tag on him. I think the Panthers think they might be able to get more for him in March or April when there is the most value available. As for the article…. What’s important to me, is how the NFL responded in real time. Sweats was a top 10/12 player. And he fell all the way to pick 26 even though he played a premium position. I think it’s the most revealing. And I’m not surprised that the team willing to draft him was Washington — not a well run team.

Sweat’s heart condition was misdiagnosed according to a doctor hired by Sweat’s own agent. That proves nothing. There’s a reason why Sweats, a projected top-10/12 pick fell all the way to pick 26. NFL Team doctors couldn’t trust what they were seeing. If a player with a condition gets drafted and something goes wrong the two people who get sued are the owner and team doctor. Nobody wants that. As for the trade deadline. Deals done at the trade line only return pennies on the dollar in most deals. So at this trade deadline, there were 15 total deals. 10 were the following: one team gives a player and a 7 in exchange for a 6. That’s pennies on the dollar. There were 5 deals involving Day 2 picks. 4 of them involve teams trying to make a deep run in the playoffs like SF trading for Young. Only one team with a losing record made a big trade. Chicago trading for Sweats. Just as Chicago did a year ago when they traded for WR Chase Claypool. That cost Chicago the 33 pick in the 2023 draft. That didn’t seem to work out too well. Bottom line: Trading at the deadline when you’re not looking to make a deep playoff run rarely pays off. The best time to make a trade for the most value is March and April leading up to the draft. That’s when you get the most value.

I have no real issue with Ballard’s ranking. 14th seems about right. It’s not unreasonable. But I admit that the first tier had some names I wasn’t expecting to see that high…. Duke Tobin. Cincy Jerry Jones. Dallas Bill Belichick. NE. How long has Tobin been in Cincy? They had a stretch of 6 straight seasons where they won 2-6 games. Was that in his watch? If so, how does he merit top tier? Jerry Jones? Top tier? Really? I don’t think he’s as bad as some make him out to be, but top tier? Not for me. Finally what I often read is that GM Belichick often lets down HC Belichick. He might’ve been top tier years ago, but I don’t think as much of late. All just my two cents…. Good post, John!

Not sure I follow…. Ballard had a chance to pickup the third one but they were all too expensive. Are you talking about Sweat and Young?

I think he’ll get votes from his fellow NFL players. But, you may be right, the fans vote may hurt him. I think it was just a year or two ago, that 7 Colts made the Pro Bowl. So, I hope the voting goes Kelly’s way. I think he’s deserving.

How about Ryan Kelly? Isn’t he having his best year? Isn’t he the highest graded center in football this year? I hope Kelly gets recognition this year.

I doubt Mahomes has asked. He appears not to be driven by money. When he signed his second contract he got ripped by other agents as taking too friendly a team deal. Agents said they’d get fired by their clients if they negotiated a similar deal for them. Way way too team friendly. Mahomes seems most interested in helping his own team win. He’s sacrificing short term dollars for long term success. Impressive young man.