Colts reportedly sign Matt Hasselbeck (update)

[dw49]

If we gave him 4 mill per season , I see why he signed quickly with the Colts. Now if it's a cap hit of around 2 - 2.5 for 2013 , that would be fine.

[Superman]

I had always liked Sorgi, it was after we let him go I was ticked with out B/U QB situation.  Painter clearly showed he wasn't 'it' when we pulled the 'we don't want to go undefeated' crap and Painter snatched defeat from the jaws of victory.  Hasselbeck is over the top but he's ours, declining skills and big cap hit and all.  

 

I don't think anyone knows what category Sorgi would have fit into. He never played, and when he did, it was with a skeleton crew and a third of a gameplan. 

 

I still contend that Painter wasn't as bad as he looked, and blame a lot of his ineptitude on the coaching staff. But as bad as he looked, he was much better than Collins and should have started ahead of him to begin with. 

 

Anyways, I hope we never need Hasselbeck, but as I said earlier, I think he's ideal.

[Bubba]

Not sure of the details, but a big waste of $$$$ IMO. If that was the big signing he has been referring to the last few days..........what disappointment for Colts fans.

[PrincetonTiger]

If we gave him 4 mill per season , I see why he signed quickly with the Colts. Now if it's a cap hit of around 2 - 2.5 for 2013 , that would be fine.

agreed

[PrincetonTiger]

Not sure of the details, but a big waste of $$$$ IMO. If that was the big signing he has been referring to the last few days..........what disappointment for Colts fans.

it was not since MH was just let go by Tenn.

[GoColts8818]

Not sure of the details, but a big waste of $$$$ IMO. If that was the big signing he has been referring to the last few days..........what disappointment for Colts fans.

It's not the "big" signing Irsay was talking about the past few days.

 

1.  Irsay told the world that was/is a WR.

 

2.  Hasselbeck wasn't on the market till today so it couldn't be him if the Colts had been working on it for a week that or there is some major tampering going on.

 

Also IF Luck gets hurt I doubt people are going to say it was a major waste of money.  Again for years people complained about the Colts not having a back up for Peyton and after getting away with for 13 years they killed Polian the one year they needed it and didn't have it.  Grigson is making sure we will never have that issue again and people are still upset with the move. 

 

People seem to want a good back up QB and not pay anything for them.  It doesn't work that way. 

[Superman]

Not sure of the details, but a big waste of $$$$ IMO. If that was the big signing he has been referring to the last few days..........what disappointment for Colts fans.

 

Yes, for several days now, the team has been considering signing a player that was only released this afternoon. And they announced it to the world, despite the league's rules against tampering.

 

/sarcasm

[Bubba]

Yes, for several days now, the team has been considering signing a player that was only released this afternoon. And they announced it to the world, despite the league's rules against tampering.

 

/sarcasm

Really, are you that naive to think teams and players don't talk before things transpire.......oh I'm sure that never happens (sarcasm)

[bahhummbug]

Phillip B Wilson ‏@pwilson24

Star colleague @bkravitz confirmed from #Colts source, QB Matt Hasslebeck to agree to $8-mil, 2-year deal Tuesday to be Andrew Luck backup.

[Dustin]

Really, are you that naive to think teams and players don't talk before things transpire.......oh I'm sure that never happens (sarcasm)

He said it was a WR.

[Superman]

Really, are you that naive to think teams and players don't talk before things transpire.......oh I'm sure that never happens (sarcasm)

 

Call it naive if you want, but I'm relatively certain that the Colts weren't talking to Matt Hasselbeck before he was released from the Titans. I'm more certain that they wouldn't have announced it to the world if they were in fact breaking league rules.

[GoColts8818]

Really, are you that naive to think teams and players don't talk before things transpire.......oh I'm sure that never happens (sarcasm)

Let's just pretend for a second what you said here is true in this case. 

 

How did he end up released by the Titans then?  What did Hasselbeck release himself or did Jim Irsay some how make the Titans do that?

[Pelt]

Not sure of the details, but a big waste of $$$$ IMO. If that was the big signing he has been referring to the last few days..........what disappointment for Colts fans.

I'm fairly sure that this isn't the big signing that Irsay was referring to.

 

And, IMHO, this is a great signing by the Colts. The guy is coming here with a complete understanding of his role on the team, with a wealth of knowledge to help further Luck's development and a personality that will be absolutely great in the locker room.

 

With his years of being under Holmgren's tutelage, playing in the West Coast offense, I think he'll be a huge asset in training camp in helping the offense transition to Pep's system. And if, God forbid, Luck should go down, I would sooner trust Hass in stepping into the game with this system than Harnish.

 

I'm not sure how anyone could not like this signing.

[dw49]

It's not the "big" signing Irsay was talking about the past few days.

 

1.  Irsay told the world that was/is a WR.

 

2.  Hasselbeck wasn't on the market till today so it couldn't be him if the Colts had been working on it for a week that or there is some major tampering going on.

 

Also IF Luck gets hurt I doubt people are going to say it was a major waste of money.  Again for years people complained about the Colts not having a back up for Peyton and after getting away with for 13 years they killed Polian the one year they needed it and didn't have it.  Grigson is making sure we will never have that issue again and people are still upset with the move. 

 

People seem to want a good back up QB and not pay anything for them.  It doesn't work that way. 

 

 

I like Stanton a whole lot last year at around 1.4 mill. than this situation. If it's 4 mill for this year , that is really a high priced back up. BTW... Polian was right all those years with the bad back-ups. Not saying smart but , he did get away with it. Even his last year .. what's the difference between 2 wins and maybe 5?

[Bubba]

It's not the "big" signing Irsay was talking about the past few days.

 

1.  Irsay told the world that was/is a WR.

 

2.  Hasselbeck wasn't on the market till today so it couldn't be him if the Colts had been working on it for a week that or there is some major tampering going on.

 

Also IF Luck gets hurt I doubt people are going to say it was a major waste of money.  Again for years people complained about the Colts not having a back up for Peyton and after getting away with for 13 years they killed Polian the one year they needed it and didn't have it.  Grigson is making sure we will never have that issue again and people are still upset with the move. 

 

People seem to want a good back up QB and not pay anything for them.  It doesn't work that way. 

I agree with your comment. That is a very rational response compared to what I have been getting.

[GoColts8818]

I like Stanton a whole lot last year at around 1.4 mill. than this situation. If it's 4 mill for this year , that is really a high priced back up. BTW... Polian was right all those years with the bad back-ups. Not saying smart but , he did get away with it. Even his last year .. what's the difference between 2 wins and maybe 5?

First of all Hasselbeck is a better QB.  He is probably the best back up QB in the league.  Also $4 million for a QB in the NFL is not a tone of money. 

 

Second of all that was a different situation in which the Colts got Stanton because he forced the Jets to trade him. 

 

I didn't say Polian wasn't right about all those years of not having a back up for Manning.  I said despite the fact he was right for 13 years didn't get him any credit the one year he was wrong about it.  Fans tore him apart for it and called him for his head and kept saying "I told you so." ignoring the fact he was right for 13 years.  So Grigson is fixing some thing that was viewed as a "mistake" from the Polian era.  Again the fans who spent years screaming for a legit back up QB should thrilled.

 

For the record I was one of those who spent years saying it didn't matter who the back up QB was they weren't Peyton Manning and if Manning went down we were done.

[southwest1]

Better than Kerry Collins! Lol

Funny, you mention Kerry Collins Lollygager. Kerry had sandbags for feet in the pocket when he started in place of Painter & Hasselbeck has lingering back issues & how much punishment can his body really take? A great film study & sideline mentor though. Matt can still win games as long as he doesn't get hit though. He proved that more than once in Tennessee. A tough as nails clutch QB. Just protect him in the pocket & he can still generate several W's. 

[ColtsBlueFL]

If we gave him 4 mill per season , I see why he signed quickly with the Colts. Now if it's a cap hit of around 2 - 2.5 for 2013 , that would be fine.

 

Now how would we work that out-

 

500,00 base, 2 mil signing bonus for 2013 and a 5.5 million non-guaranteed (and very cuttable) base for 2014?  He'd never sign that.  We will pay, one way or another.  1 year or two. We will pay.  I'm waiting for contract details.  At least at 38 and rapidly declining skills Hasselbeck may actually still move the ball in our new dink and dunk system.

 

http://www.rotoworld.com/content/playerpages/playerbreakingnews.asp?sport=NFL&id=519&line=258359&spln=1

[GoColts8818]

Funny, you mention Kerry Collins Lollygager. Kerry had sandbags for feet in the pocket when he started in place of Painter & Hasselbeck has lingering back issues & how much punishment can his body really take? A great film study & sideline mentor though. Matt can still win games as long as he doesn't get hit though. He proved that more than once in Tennessee. A tough as nails clutch QB. Just protect him in the pocket & he can still generate several W's. 

I think the game plan is to not find out.  Like Irsay said this is an insurance policy that if you need it you would hopefully call on for a game or two before you got Luck back.

 

Frankly in today's NFL if just about any team loses their starting QB for an extended period of time they are in big trouble.  Yes there are exceptions that rule but it's important to recognize that those are exceptions. 

[corgi]

Lets not forget, the Hasselbeck led Titans almost beat the Luck lead Colts last year.

[ColtsBlueFL]

Let's just pretend for a second what you said here is true in this case. 

 

How did he end up released by the Titans then?  What did Hasselbeck release himself or did Jim Irsay some how make the Titans do that?

 

Earlier in the year he (MH) hinted to the Titans he would take a pay cut.  Then in negotiations he didn't make good on that, or at least to the level the Titans expected, so they dropped his 5.5 million salary and took a 2 million dollar dead money cap hit.  Hasselbeck's agent has certainly known for awhile things weren't going well in negotiations and likely had feelers out for Matt's market.  Those good agents have ways to do that without blatantly thwarting tampering rules.

[southwest1]

Wow, an intelligent capable back up in INDY...Imagine that...Did Christmas come early this year?  Sorry Painter. Thanks for the brutal history lesson though. Thank God, GM Grigson won't make the same mistake Bill Polian did. "Trust but verify." Can your backup QB play NFL ball or not?  

[HGRekks]

Wow, an intelligent capable back up in INDY...Imagine that...Did Christmas come early this year?  Sorry Painter. Thanks for the brutal history lesson though. Thank God, GM Grigson won't make the same mistake Bill Polian did. "Trust but verify." Can your backup QB play NFL ball or not?  

Don't forget that Polian tried this very thing - signing an aging veteran fresh from a tenure with the Titans.

 

I don't think it will follow that pattern, but it's not like this is something Polian would never do.

[GoColts8818]

Earlier in the year he (MH) hinted to the Titans he would take a pay cut.  Then in negotiations he didn't make good on that, or at least to the level the Titans expected, so they dropped his 5.5 million salary and took a 2 million dollar dead money cap hit.  Hasselbeck's agent has certainly known for awhile things weren't going well in negotiations and likely had feelers out for Matt's market.  Those good agents have ways to do that without blatantly thwarting tampering rules.

Being willing to take a pay cut doesn't mean you will take ANY pay cut.  He might not have wanted to take the cut the Titans wanted him to take.  Again, let's just say he was doing this because he knew he had a secret deal with Indy why would he turn down 5.5 for 4 million this year and want to go to a team where his chance to play is probably less than what it is with the Titans? 

 

I am with Superman I don't think that teams don't break tampering rules.  I do think teams are smart enough not to announce it to the world that they are breaking them especially in a year where Goodell just reminded teams about the tampering rules and are clearly looking for violations of them. 

 

I also don't think the Colts broke any rules here though.  I think Hasselbeck got released and the Colts jumped on it. 

[southwest1]

I think the game plan is to not find out.  Like Irsay said this is an insurance policy that if you need it you would hopefully call on for a game or two before you got Luck back.

 

Frankly in today's NFL if just about any team loses their starting QB for an extended period of time they are in big trouble.  Yes there are exceptions that rule but it's important to recognize that those are exceptions. 

You nailed it GoColts8818. Like a glass encased fire axe, it comforting to know that if the glass must be shattered; your season hopes won't be. It's rare to land a QB with years of Playoff experience these days. 

 

[colts 101]

If we gave him 4 mill per season , I see why he signed quickly with the Colts. Now if it's a cap hit of around 2 - 2.5 for 2013 , that would be fine.

If Hasselbeck signed for 2 years, what will the Colts do with Harnish? Doubt they will carry 3 qbs on the roster. I also doubt they could hold him on the ps that long without getting picked up on waivers. Is a trade possible?

[GoColts8818]

You nailed it GoColts8818. Like a glass encased fire axe, it comforting to know that if the glass must be shattered; your season hopes won't be. It's rare to land a QB with years of Playoff experience these days. 

 

Yep I think the Colts now have the best QB situation in the league right now.  A rising young star, a veteran back up QB to help mentor that QB who can probably still get the job done for a game or two if need and a third young QB who can be groomed to maybe one day be the back up. 

[southwest1]

Don't forget that Polian tried this very thing - signing an aging veteran fresh from a tenure with the Titans.

 

I don't think it will follow that pattern, but it's not like this is something Polian would never do.

Judgment is the issue here. Not just pulling the trigger, but making the right evaluation call. Polian admitted he dropped the ball on Painter's field general winning capabilities. 

[ColtsBlueFL]

First of all Hasselbeck is a better QB.  He is probably the best back up QB in the league.  Also $4 million for a QB in the NFL is not a tone of money. 

I would take Matt Moore, and even Jason Campbell or Kyle Orton over a 38 y/o declining MH as a backup.

 

Second of all that was a different situation in which the Colts got Stanton because he forced the Jets to trade him. 

 

I didn't say Polian wasn't right about all those years of not having a back up for Manning.  I said despite the fact he was right for 13 years didn't get him any credit the one year he was wrong about it.  Fans tore him apart for it and called him for his head and kept saying "I told you so." ignoring the fact he was right for 13 years.  So Grigson is fixing some thing that was viewed as a "mistake" from the Polian era.  Again the fans who spent years screaming for a legit back up QB should thrilled.

 

I was fine with Sorgi.  He played soime with the 'one's' and had QB ratings in the 90's.  Painter lost our game to the Jets with the 'one's', and in pathetic fashion. To keep him on as backup the next season was foolish.   That is why people were mad.  We already knew Painter couldn't cut it.  With Sorgi, you always thought he could pull a Matt Cassell taking over for Brady performance.

For the record I was one of those who spent years saying it didn't matter who the back up QB was they weren't Peyton Manning and if Manning went down we were done.

I was ok with it while Peyton was Young and Sorgi was the backup. When Peyton aged and Painter was kept on even after his Epic fail when we were 14-0 and he had a lead in game 15.  That is when I was disheartened.  When Peyton was a no go the next season, I was then livid.

[Warhorse]

#1 The best back up QB in the history of Colts football in Indy, IMO.

 

#2 Don't underestimate how effective BA was in Andrews ear last season. He is a QB mentor. Bringing in Pep and MH goes a long way towards extending that comfort zone one more year till he has his game intact.

 

#3 Thank the universe that fans here know so much about FA values. I am guessing that teams are scouring this board for hard to fill hires for their respective teams. At least we know front offices come here to access value to players.

 

#4 I also want to question the notion that a back up QB doesn't earn their money. Since I have never been a back up QB, I guess I can't say for sure, but it would be my guess that frankly...... the only difference is game day play. I would appreciate it if all the back up QBs here would straighten me out on this notion.

[dw49]

First of all Hasselbeck is a better QB.  He is probably the best back up QB in the league.  Also $4 million for a QB in the NFL is not a tone of money. 

 

Second of all that was a different situation in which the Colts got Stanton because he forced the Jets to trade him. 

 

I didn't say Polian wasn't right about all those years of not having a back up for Manning.  I said despite the fact he was right for 13 years didn't get him any credit the one year he was wrong about it.  Fans tore him apart for it and called him for his head and kept saying "I told you so." ignoring the fact he was right for 13 years.  So Grigson is fixing some thing that was viewed as a "mistake" from the Polian era.  Again the fans who spent years screaming for a legit back up QB should thrilled.

 

For the record I was one of those who spent years saying it didn't matter who the back up QB was they weren't Peyton Manning and if Manning went down we were done.

 

 

 

You think 8 million was fine , I think too much. I would much rather spend that money on a decent guard , but I'm not a GM anymore than you are. Just all opinion here. I repect yours but to be honest you could write about 58 pages on this and you aren't going to change my mind. Hassleback jumped at this contract and I don't blame him one bit. I also don't understand your Stanton analogy. Yes he was peeved at the Jets and made the trade happen but he did sign a contract for around 1.4 mill last year. Also doesn't really make a difference what Polian did during the Manning years. All that matters is if this was the best way to spend that cap money. I think no , you think yes. 

[buccolts]

Wow, an intelligent capable back up in INDY...Imagine that...Did Christmas come early this year?  Sorry Painter. Thanks for the brutal history lesson though. Thank God, GM Grigson won't make the same mistake Bill Polian did. "Trust but verify." Can your backup QB play NFL ball or not?  

 

Actually, it had been reported that Polian tried to bring MH on prior to the 2011 season, but MH thought he'd get more playing time with the Titans. Went 2-14, and the rest is history.

[GoColts8818]

I would take Matt Moore, and even Jason Campbell or Kyle Orton over a 38 y/o declining MH as a backup.

None of those QBs have ever been half the QB MH was.  I am not saying MH is the same player he was but he was able to get a team to the Super Bowl.  Outside of Orton none of those three you mentioned have even been able to get a team in the playoffs.  People are making a big deal out of the fact Matt is old.  As has been pointed out by Superman we aren't looking for Hasselbeck to come in here and be the guy who takes us to the promise land.  That is Luck.  Frankly, we will probably benefit more from Hasselbeck's experience and what he can teach Luck more than we will ever benefit form anything he does on the field.  Like I said before he becomes sort of another QB coach for Luck.  One who has been where you hope Luck can take us one day.  Those are the kinds of things you are looking for in a good back up QB for a young QB like the Colts have in Luck. 

I was fine with Sorgi.  He played soime with the 'one's' and had QB ratings in the 90's.  Painter lost our game to the Jets with the 'one's', and in pathetic fashion. To keep him on as backup the next season was foolish.   That is why people were mad.  We already knew Painter couldn't cut it.  With Sorgi, you always thought he could pull a Matt Cassell taking over for Brady performance.

I was ok with it while Peyton was Young and Sorgi was the backup. When Peyton aged and Painter was kept on even after his Epic fail when we were 14-0 and he had a lead in game 15.  That is when I was disheartened.  When Peyton was a no go the next season, I was then livid.

I was too, again, to my main point though MOST were not.  In fact he only became hugely popular with Colts fans once he left.  I don't know how many times I saw him called noodle arm or every pre-season people yelling for him to be cut for whatever camp arm we brought in that year.  Even his last year here people liked what they saw from Painter so much against other teams numbers threes they were saying cut Sorgi and go with Painter as the back up.  If you weren't one of those people then me saying I find it ironic that most here complained about having a young back up for Manning with little playing experience that was a sixth round pick but yet are okay with going with a guy who is a seventh round pick and has no real NFL experience as the back up for Luck doesn't apply to you. 

 

As for Painter I thought the kid was awful at Purdue and got worse in college rather than better.  With that said to put the whole Jets game on his shoulders is not fair.  He had plenty of help.  He didn't give up the long return for a TD before we pulled the starters that kept the Jets in reach and if I recall his big mistake came on play where he just got creamed because the guy blocking completely missed his block.  No QB in the world was going to hold on to that ball.  Also there aren't many QBs in the world who taking their first ever real NFL snaps with back ups against another team's starters who is literally fighting for it's playoff lives and is down to their last breath is going to preform well.  Add to that the fact home fans were booing them out of the building at that point and it's a no one situation for any QB in the NFL. 

 

Polian kept him as a back up because he was doing what had "worked" the past 13 years.  Keep a cheap back up who knows the system so you can use him in practice with the scout team and hope to heck you don't have to use him because if you do you are in deep trouble.  The Colts knew Painter wasn't a real back up that's why they tried to bring in Hasselbeck that off-season (something Hasselbeck has confirmed and isn't just Polian trying to rewrite history) and once it was clear Peyton was going to miss time Polian went out and got a QB right away.  By that point though there wasn't much out there.  They had five realistic options, go with Painter, go with Orlovsky, try to talk Favre out of retirement, try to talk Bulger out of retirement, or try to talk Collins out of retirement.  Polian picked the guy he knew the best in that situation.  It clearly didn't work out.  It's still what most people would do it that situation pick the one you know the best. 

 

People can't have it both ways though, they can't be fine with keeping a cheap back up who really shouldn't be a back up for 13 years when it works but then scream about how the GM did the wrong thing the one year it didn't.  Most people, and again if you aren't one of these people then this doesn't apply to you, were not happy with not having a cheap back up at all.  They wanted a real one and waited 14 years to get say see I told you so.  Those people under Grigson now have what they spent years calling for under Polian.  Those people should be thrilled with this signing it's what they spent years asking for and for the record I think most of those people are happy with this signing. 

 

Also for the people, and this isn't so much directed at you, trying to compare the Hasselbeck signing to the Collins signing that is apples to oranges.  Yes both are older players and yes both used to play for the Titans.  After that the similarities end.  Collins had been retired and while in shape was clearly not in game shape and if anyone has played sports you know the difference between the two.  Collins also missed almost all of training camp and had all of two weeks and a pre-season game to learn the Colts offense and then had to go out there and replace Peyton Manning as the starter out of the gates.  He was then given less than a month to pick up the full offense before the Colts were done with him.  How many starting QBs do you know can pick up a full offense in just five weeks and run it as smooth as Peyton ran our offense?  I want to be clear here I am NOT saying had we given Collins longer that he would have proven to be the answer.  Yes I think he would have gotten better but I don't think he was ever going to be our answer.  With Hasselbeck though he has been keeping himself in shape because he was never retired and planned on playing this season.  Hasselbeck is also going to have a full off-season of OTAs, training camp and four pre-season games to learn the Colts offense.  He's also already familiar with the west coast offense.  Collins wasn't really familiar with the colts offense at all because Peyton's offense was extremely unique to him.  So that should help Hasselbeck.  So this is not the Colts sign Kerry Collins 2.0.

[dw49]

None of those QBs have ever been half the QB MH was.  I am not saying MH is the same player he was but he was able to get a team to the Super Bowl.  Outside of Orton none of those three you mentioned have even been able to get a team in the playoffs.  People are making a big deal out of the fact Matt is old.  As has been pointed out by Superman we aren't looking for Hasselbeck to come in here and be the guy who takes us to the promise land.  That is Luck.  Frankly, we will probably benefit more from Hasselbeck's experience and what he can teach Luck more than we will ever benefit form anything he does on the field.  Like I said before he becomes sort of another QB coach for Luck.  One who has been where you hope Luck can take us one day.  Those are the kinds of things you are looking for in a good back up QB for a young QB like the Colts have in Luck. 

I was too, again, to my main point though MOST were not.  In fact he only became hugely popular with Colts fans once he left.  I don't know how many times I saw him called noodle arm or every pre-season people yelling for him to be cut for whatever camp arm we brought in that year.  Even his last year here people liked what they saw from Painter so much against other teams numbers threes they were saying cut Sorgi and go with Painter as the back up.  If you weren't one of those people then me saying I find it ironic that most here complained about having a young back up for Manning with little playing experience that was a sixth round pick but yet are okay with going with a guy who is a seventh round pick and has no real NFL experience as the back up for Luck doesn't apply to you. 

 

As for Painter I thought the kid was awful at Purdue and got worse in college rather than better.  With that said to put the whole Jets game on his shoulders is not fair.  He had plenty of help.  He didn't give up the long return for a TD before we pulled the starters that kept the Jets in reach and if I recall his big mistake came on play where he just got creamed because the guy blocking completely missed his block.  No QB in the world was going to hold on to that ball.  Also there aren't many QBs in the world who taking their first ever real NFL snaps with back ups against another team's starters who is literally fighting for it's playoff lives and is down to their last breath is going to preform well.  Add to that the fact home fans were booing them out of the building at that point and it's a no one situation for any QB in the NFL. 

 

Polian kept him as a back up because he was doing what had "worked" the past 13 years.  Keep a cheap back up who knows the system so you can use him in practice with the scout team and hope to heck you don't have to use him because if you do you are in deep trouble.  The Colts knew Painter wasn't a real back up that's why they tried to bring in Hasselbeck that off-season (something Hasselbeck has confirmed and isn't just Polian trying to rewrite history) and once it was clear Peyton was going to miss time Polian went out and got a QB right away.  By that point though there wasn't much out there.  They had five realistic options, go with Painter, go with Orlovsky, try to talk Favre out of retirement, try to talk Bulger out of retirement, or try to talk Collins out of retirement.  Polian picked the guy he knew the best in that situation.  It clearly didn't work out.  It's still what most people would do it that situation pick the one you know the best. 

 

People can't have it both ways though, they can't be fine with keeping a cheap back up who really shouldn't be a back up for 13 years when it works but then scream about how the GM did the wrong thing the one year it didn't.  Most people, and again if you aren't one of these people then this doesn't apply to you, were not happy with not having a cheap back up at all.  They wanted a real one and waited 14 years to get say see I told you so.  Those people under Grigson now have what they spent years calling for under Polian.  Those people should be thrilled with this signing it's what they spent years asking for and for the record I think most of those people are happy with this signing. 

 

Also for the people, and this isn't so much directed at you, trying to compare the Hasselbeck signing to the Collins signing that is apples to oranges.  Yes both are older players and yes both used to play for the Titans.  After that the similarities end.  Collins had been retired and while in shape was clearly not in game shape and if anyone has played sports you know the difference between the two.  Collins also missed almost all of training camp and had all of two weeks and a pre-season game to learn the Colts offense and then had to go out there and replace Peyton Manning as the starter out of the gates.  He was then given less than a month to pick up the full offense before the Colts were done with him.  How many starting QBs do you know can pick up a full offense in just five weeks and run it as smooth as Peyton ran our offense?  I want to be clear here I am NOT saying had we given Collins longer that he would have proven to be the answer.  Yes I think he would have gotten better but I don't think he was ever going to be our answer.  With Hasselbeck though he has been keeping himself in shape because he was never retired and planned on playing this season.  Hasselbeck is also going to have a full off-season of OTAs, training camp and four pre-season games to learn the Colts offense.  He's also already familiar with the west coast offense.  Collins wasn't really familiar with the colts offense at all because Peyton's offense was extremely unique to him.  So that should help Hasselbeck.  So this is not the Colts sign Kerry Collins 2.0.

 

 

This signing , as you say,  has nothing to do with the Collins signing , nor having Painter as a backup. Heck... how could Collins have been familiar with the Colts offense when it took about 10 weeks for Caldwell and the boys to figure out what it was ? It just has nothing to do with Sorgi , Painter or Collins. It's all to do with spending 4 mill on your backup QB when you have a stout guy to begin with. 

[GoColts8818]

This signing , as you say,  has nothing to do with the Collins signing , nor having Painter as a backup. Heck... how could Collins have been familiar with the Colts offense when it took about 10 weeks for Caldwell and the boys to figure out what it was ? It just has nothing to do with Sorgi , Painter or Collins. It's all to do with spending 4 mill on your backup QB when you have a stout guy to begin with. 

Right now go tell that to people in this thread who have said things like "we down this road before with an old TItans QB" in this thread and the people who have been saying this was not really a need and seemed to be content with Harnish as the back up. 

[Nobody]

technical

[Nobody]

Sorry,

[Nobody]

problems!

[Nobody]

$4 million a year. Now Grigs is just trolling us. We certainly don't have the cap for a big WR now. There are plenty of capable backups available for less. Why must we continuinly overpay?

[GoColts8818]

$4 million a year. Now Grigs is just trolling us. We certainly don't have the cap for a big WR now. There are plenty of capable backups available for less. Why must we continuinly overpay?

As I told someone else in this thread earlier.  Welcome to free agency.  99 times out of 100 guys don't take home town discounts to go to a new team.  It's why Polian avoided it so much because he knew to get free agents you were most likely going to end up over paying to get them to pick you. 

 

Also worth saying just because a guy signs for more than what we deem their market value should be does not mean we over paid them.  We have no idea what those players real market value is to the rest of the league.  Grigson is in a far better position than us to know that.  For example the Titans seemed to think Hasselbeck was still worth 5.5 million because that's what they were trying to get him down too.  We got him for about a 1.5 less than that.  It's not unreasonable to think that other teams weren't offering what we were offering for him.

 

Again, and again Nobody if this doesn't apply to you then it doesn't apply to you, I've been here since 2003 and just about every off-season I would listen to fans complain about how we needed a real back up QB to Manning in case Manning got hurt and how we didn't have one.  I then watched fans scream for Polian's head in 2011 for that reason and got his head.  Grigson is doing exactly what fans have been saying we should do for years.  Make sure we have a proven back up QB just in case we need him. 

 

Also Kravitz reported tonight that the Colts are still in play for the mystery WR after we signed Hasselbeck so I wouldn't give up on him just yet.