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One Piece at a Time (Ryan Grigson Article)

Andy

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Andy Walk On

Andy

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A little piece I wrote on Grigson. I put a lot of time into this one :)

 

 

One Piece at a Time

 

Ryan Grigson is starting his 2nd season now, and he is putting pieces in place for the team to succeed immediately and down the line.

 

            Ever since he accepted the job as the general manager of the Colts, Ryan Grigson has had a giant impact on the team. His aggressive, bold theories and moves haven’t been seen by Colts fans in a long time, as the predecessor, Bill Polian had a “build through the draft type of mentality.” As we’ve learnt from Grigson, he’s not afraid to make a lot of moves in free agency, as well as adding pieces through the draft.

 

            Since he’s taken over, the Colts have installed the long-term pieces of their offense, with essentially all of them coming via the draft. Last year’s draft class was arguably the best out of any team (up there with the Redskins, and the Seahawks). He was able to get Andrew Luck, the franchise quarterback, Dwayne Allen and Coby Fleener, the long-term tight ends, and a receiver that he will targeting for the next several years. He also made a very solid addition in the later rounds by getting Vick Ballard, who took over the starting running back position by mid season.

 

            Drafts like that are rare. It’s rare that you get teams that get 5 starters in one draft; 5 starters that start at one point in their career is pretty rare. In the Colts’ case, they got 5 starters that had an impact from Day 1. As mentioned before, he installed the long-term pieces of our offense, and because of it, they don’t have to worry too much going forward.

 

            This year’s draft will be just as important, the defense is still trailing the offense, and there are still positions that must be addressed in the draft. If the Colts can have a similar draft to last year’s draft, except this time for the defense, that would put the Colts up there with the Super Bowl contenders.

 

            That’s right, a big defensive draft could put the Colts up there with the Super Bowl contenders. That may be a bit of a bold statement, but it’s true. The Colts had a top 10 offense last year, and that was with a bunch of rookies and one outstanding veteran. Now they are one year older, more mature and more developed. That offense has nowhere to go but up. The defense is still at the bottom of the barrel; they showed great flashes last season, but they still lack consistency, and they lack the long-term pieces that the offense has. A case could be made that all of the current 11 starters will not be on the team in 3 years. That’s what I mean by getting pieces, getting some young solid talent will automatically make this defense much better, and if the Colts have a respectable defense, watch out, because they’re dangerous.

 

            Last year’s draft helped, but that’s not the thing I’m most impressed about with Grigson and the new front office. His aggressiveness is what I love. From what I saw from Bill Polian, he seemed to only target players at the right price, and that’s rare to find in free agency. Let’s face it, if you want a player that’s better than average, you’re going to have to pay a lot of money. Polian didn’t seem to want to pay top dollar, which is why I think he was so silent during free agency, it’s not a bad thing, but had he had a different team, I don’t think that mentality could have worked. And I’m not knocking Polian in any shape, way, or form; I thought he was outstanding for the Colts. Grigson is different.

 

            Grigson is willing to pay top dollar for a lot of guys. Did he slightly overpay for some free agents during this year’s free agency? Yes,, he did. Did he not fill or at least help the majority of the Colts’ needs, maybe all of them? He did. Do the Colts still have a good amount of money left? Yes. If a GM can say yes to those last 2 questions, he’s doing a good job. Grigson is doing a good job.

            On top of having the young talent they have on offense, they installed a lot of pieces on defense, dating back to last season. Let’s start there:

 

            Last year’s pieces included Cory Redding, Jerrell Freeman, and Vontae Davis. The only concern is that they have contracts coming up soon, so resigned them will have to happen if they intend to stay on the team, so I can’t call them long-term pieces yet (especially Redding, who’s getting up there in age). However, what it gave the Colts were impact starters. With a young team, you need impact starters. He was aggressive and got Redding for a good price and Davis for a 2nd round pick, which seems to be worth it. If I got a Vontae Davis in the 2nd round this year, I’d be thrilled.

 

            Then there’s this year. It was clear that he was more defensive minded, but didn’t shy away from helping out the offense. He got more long-term starters: Gosder Cherilus will probably be around for a while, and is a good fit as a right tackle, which was a need after Justice was gone. Did he get too much for his contract? No, because needs need to be filled, and unless you pay a Joe Flacco-amount of money, it’s not too much. He also added Thomas, who should be a big upgrade over the current starters.

 

            He made an impact on the defensive side by signing many solid players. Laron Landry stood out to me. He didn’t get a huge deal, and if healthy, he’s a top 10 safeties in this league. That’s not me talking out of my butt, that’s a fact. The guy was an absolute beast in Washington, going to Pro Bowls, and being dubbed as the next great safety. Injuries have prevented him from reaching that status, but a fully healthy 2012 campaign last year, proved he could go a year without injury. Greg Toler was my favorite signing. If you read my stuff, you know I’m a big fan of him, and I think he could have a big impact right away. For the last few years, many have referred to him as one of the more underrated and best tackling cornerbacks in the league. His ceiling is high. Erik Walden is a pretty good signing. He got a lot of money, but as I said before, he did help out that need, but that outside linebacker spot is still very much of position that people should keep an eye on (and worry about). Aubrayo Franklin provides mentorship for Chapman and a great short-term solution. At first, I was skeptical of the Ricky Jean Francois, and here’s why:

 

            At first, Francois’ deal seemed big, big for a guy that is a little unproven and hasn’t seen the field that much. He was a backup on a great team. Originally, I saw this as a “Kevin Kolb” kind of signing, in the sense that we’re really giving that to a guy who hasn’t proved much. But after looking more into, you see that he’s a guy that can only help out this team. Will he? That’s not sure, and that’s a bit nerve-racking, but he really can’t hurt this team. Cassius Vaughn can hurt the team by being on the field, but not Jean-Francois. And looking more into the deal, it’s a cap friendly deal for this season, which is why I started to like the deal more now.

 

            A lot of Colts fans felt that way after some of the deals, but that could be because of an instant reaction kind of thing. Look more into these deals, and you’ll find that Grigson really didn’t overpay anyone, and actually made signings that will only help this team.   

 

            So, after recapping Grigson’s offseason, it’s safe to say he’s been aggressive. That could be because his boss, owner Jim Irsay, is aggressive, crazy and eccentric all rolled into one, but I saw a similar things in Philadelphia.

 

            It was 2011 and the lockout had just finished. Ryan Grigson was the director of player personnel on the Eagles, and although he didn’t have the final say in transactions (free agency and/or draft), he did have a fairly big say, just as all player personnel directors do; it’s a very important job. That offseason, the Eagles went completely crazy. If you think the Colts made a lot of deals this year, you don’t know how many the Eagles did in 2011. They signed every big name under the sun. Literally, they signed Nnamdi Asomugha, Jason Babin, Evan Mathis, Ronnie Brown, Cullen Jenkins, Jarrad Page and of course Vince Young. Well, it was safe to say that that backfired, and 2 years later, all but Mathis are gone from the team.

 

            I’ve never met Grigson, but I truly believe that that offseason shaped his mentality going into free agency. He isn’t as reckless and didn’t target one big name this free agency, and even last year too. Instead, he targeted the guys that can get the job done, and that could help right away. There aren’t really any potential signings, which are big deals to guys who haven’t proved much. Toler and Thomas are a bit of potential signings, but not really. Paul Kruger, getting 8 million a year is a potential signing, and after the dust has settled, I’m happy the Colts didn’t target him. I get the feeling the Browns could be in for a big disappointment next year…

 

            As this article is starting to wind down, I should address a couple more things. Super Bowls aren’t won through free agency; free agency is there to help add pieces to your team. What Grigson has done is add to this team. He didn’t break the bank on 3 guys like the Dolphins did and then lose more players than they signed. Super Bowls are won by teams that work well as one (CHEMISTRY). If you go back to the beginning of this article (and the title), I mentioned pieces. Installing guys that will be together for the next several years is how championships are won. If you start going crazy in free agency every year, constantly changing your team’s image (cough cough Eagles, cough cough Dolphins), you will not win championships. Chemistry is the most important thing you need as a team. The Colts are building that with the pieces they’ve added over the last two years, and that’s why they are well on their way to a championship. Actually, championships.

 

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Andy Walk On

Andy

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You really seen the RJF signing like the Kevin Kolb trade and signing???

 

Kevin Kolb - 6 yrs. 61 million

 

RJF - 4 yrs. 22 million

 

That is an enormous difference.

Let me re-explain that for you.

 

I saw them as two similar deals in the sense that they gave deals that were bigger than what the player actually deserved.

 

I never actually said that the money values were similar and didn't want to imply that.

 

Hope that clears that up.

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Balzer40 Walk On

Balzer40

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Let me re-explain that for you.

 

I saw them as two similar deals in the sense that they gave deals that were bigger than what the player actually deserved.

 

I never actually said that the money values were similar and didn't want to imply that.

 

Hope that clears that up.

 

 

 

I see.

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Narcosys Practice Squad

Narcosys

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You really seen the RJF signing like the Kevin Kolb trade and signing???

Kevin Kolb - 6 yrs. 61 million

RJF - 4 yrs. 22 million

That is an enormous difference.

That's only 2 mil a year difference really. And kolb is a qb, but was an unproven. High for a qb like that. Same as cherilus except he's a guard. Pretty equivalent IMO.

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dgambill Practice Squad

dgambill

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You really seen the RJF signing like the Kevin Kolb trade and signing???

 

Kevin Kolb - 6 yrs. 61 million

 

RJF - 4 yrs. 22 million

 

That is an enormous difference.

4 years 22 million for a dt is pretty dang big. thats pretty equivilant to the kolb deal actually....except I see way more potential in RJF...he played 3 positions and had more playing time than Kolb.

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southwest1 Walk On

southwest1

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It is quite evident that you did spend considerable time constructing this article Andy & yes it was very well written. Nice work!  :thmup:

 

"Since he’s taken over, the Colts have installed the long-term pieces of their offense, with essentially all of them coming via the draft. Last year’s draft class was arguably the best out of any team (up there with the Redskins, and the Seahawks). He was able to get Andrew Luck, the franchise quarterback, Dwayne Allen and Coby Fleener, the long-term tight ends, and a receiver that he will targeting for the next several years."

 

Two problems with that statement Andy or rather what I bolded. Ryan Grigson is not responsible for landing Andrew Luck. Jim Irsay knew where he was going in the draft long before Grigs was even hired by Jim Irsay. Therefore, he does not deserve credit for that selection IMHO. Also, Ryan acquiring Allen & Fleener doesn't exactly make Grigs a genius considering that 31 other teams had no real need for a couple of dominant tight ends. Yes, Grigs made 2 fine player selections here, but it's not as if he had to massage & manipulate the draft board to land them either. There was no biding war & draft picks traded to prevent another franchise from landing a player that the Colts really coveted or craved.

 

I wanna see what Grigs does with draft picks when he really wants a guy & what he's willing to do to get him in a blue horseshoe uniform. How well does Grigs manipulate the draft? That's the real question. 

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ColtJ82 Walk On

ColtJ82

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Let me re-explain that for you.

 

I saw them as two similar deals in the sense that they gave deals that were bigger than what the player actually deserved.

 

I never actually said that the money values were similar and didn't want to imply that.

 

Hope that clears that up.

Mr. Aziz.......every deal signed in the first few days of free agency is more than deserved. Not to knock you, but that is a stretch in my opinion. Kolb was overpaid to come in and be a star. RJF is simply signed slightly above market to come in and be a solid (hopefully) starter. While play on a team with A. Luck, the Colts probably do have to overpay somewhat to attract people to Indianapolis....IMO

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SLILLINGTON10 Practice Squad

SLILLINGTON10

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It is quite evident that you did spend considerable time constructing this article Andy & yes it was very well written. Nice work!  :thmup:

 

"Since he’s taken over, the Colts have installed the long-term pieces of their offense, with essentially all of them coming via the draft. Last year’s draft class was arguably the best out of any team (up there with the Redskins, and the Seahawks). He was able to get Andrew Luck, the franchise quarterback, Dwayne Allen and Coby Fleener, the long-term tight ends, and a receiver that he will targeting for the next several years."

 

Two problems with that statement Andy or rather what I bolded. Ryan Grigson is not responsible for landing Andrew Luck. Jim Irsay knew where he was going in the draft long before Grigs was even hired by Jim Irsay. Therefore, he does not deserve credit for that selection IMHO. Also, Ryan acquiring Allen & Fleener doesn't exactly make Grigs a genius considering that 31 other teams had no real need for a couple of dominant tight ends. Yes, Grigs made 2 fine player selections here, but it's not as if he had to massage & manipulate the draft board to land them either. There was no biding war & draft picks traded to prevent another franchise from landing a player that the Colts really coveted or craved.

 

I wanna see what Grigs does with draft picks when he really wants a guy & what he's willing to do to get him in a blue horseshoe uniform. How well does Grigs manipulate the draft? That's the real question. 

while i agree with you about andrew luck, fleener and allen imo the credit goes to grigs. we could have and some argue we should have gone a different route during those rounds. especially with allen going back to back TE doesn't happen too often. so i think those guys added with ty, vick, brazil, and harnish round out a pretty darn good draft, toss in the andrew luck pick and offensively the best draft of last year maybe last few years. imo

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seeblu Walk On

seeblu

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IMO, Grigson has done an exceptional job rebuilding this team.  What appeared to most of us as a hopeless situation, because Bill Polian left us cap strapped and staffed with players at the end of their careers, our new GM pulled rabbits out of his hat like a magician with a ouija board. 

 

What's up next is the NFL draft.  After that, Colts fans will have a lot of choices to argue about.  All signifying nothing but one fans opinion opposed to another fans opinion.  That is what keeps bringing all of back to this forum.  In order to read something about our Colts team. 

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jbaron04 Team Captain

jbaron04

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Let me re-explain that for you.

 

I saw them as two similar deals in the sense that they gave deals that were bigger than what the player actually deserved.

 

I never actually said that the money values were similar and didn't want to imply that.

 

Hope that clears that up.

u have to pay a little extra for covered guys and based on what we expect him to do that not alot of money when its not fully guranteed

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SC-Coltsfan Practice Squad

SC-Coltsfan

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Considering this is only my second post you know I must be impressed to get me to post. Great job and what I like more than anything else is the chemistry reference. Our team could not have had nearly the amount of success they had last year without the team working together as well as they did. Add more talent with that same chemistry and I like our chances going forward.

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chad72 Ring of Honor

chad72

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I am glad Grigson learnt his lessons with the Eagles and not the hard way with the Colts in free agency :). It will only serve us well.

 

Grigson's best choice, IMO, was Pagano, IMO. With Pagano, came Arians and all the wealth of knowledge/personnel from playing in the league and AFC North for years.

 

Best choice in the draft, hands down, was Vick Ballard. I never thought we'd get a starter for a key position from that pick.

 

He showed us in one draft he can sure draft offense, ala Bill Polian. Now, we are going to see this draft as to how he drafts on the defensive side.

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unitaswestand Walk On

unitaswestand

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andy if i tell you your better then brad wells is that a complement or an insult?

 

Andy can actually talk realistically about Bill Polian.  Brad Wells cannot ever say a single good thing about Bill Polian ever since Polian made a comment about gay men.  Wells and his husband attack everyone on their blog.

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funktacious2 Active Roster

funktacious2

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Good read, Andy.

The way I feel about the off season is that we added a bunch of guys who actually fit the system. It's something we wanted to do last year but couldn't. With this bolstering of guys who fit the schemes we're poised for the 2013 draft and future drafts to build some nice depth. Some people may not have been sold on Butler as a starter, but most of agree that we like having him as a backup. That's where we're headed. Soon those question mark starters will be solid backups or comfortably expendable. I can't wait to see our team come camp and preseason.

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