Free Agents

[P-Money]

With a new GM and possibly a new head coach how many of you think that our philosophy of not signing big name free agents will change? I personally hope it does to an extent but nothing like the Eagles or Redskins are akin to doing.

[colts52761]

get a NT !

[JoKeR]

Just don't break the cap on them. I'd like to see the Colts spend more $ on the LBers if necessary. Basically if Angerer, Simms, or Connor become really good, spend the money to keep them.

[Shafty13]

i'm not sure we have the money to do anything but bargain basement shop this year.....already around 100 Million in salary, without signing any of our own fa's.....restructuring will not give us any massive amount of cap space past signing guys like garcon or saturday....

[IndyTrav]

Ah, the classic FA thread....this should be brimming with Redskins comparsions. Because as we all know, when you sign a FA, you're the Redskins.

[GoColts8818]

With a new GM and possibly a new head coach how many of you think that our philosophy of not signing big name free agents will change? I personally hope it does to an extent but nothing like the Eagles or Redskins are akin to doing.

Till we get some more cap space (and if we release Manning that might be sooner rather than later) it's not going to change just because it wont be possiable. With that said if you look at the teams Irsay is interviewing people from most of them are teams that have been built threw the draft. That's not to say they might not go after a key free agent here or there.

[P-Money]

Till we get some more cap space (and if we release Manning that might be sooner rather than later) it's not going to change just because it wont be possiable. With that said if you look at the teams Irsay is interviewing people from most of them are teams that have been built threw the draft. That's not to say they might not go after a key free agent here or there.

And I for one hope that we do continue to build through the draft as we have in the past. I just hope that we don't keep Polians philosophy of not even considering it if it would help our team as long as we have the cap space to comfortably make a deal. Polian wouldn't even consider it no matter what.

[ruksak]

Till we get some more cap space (and if we release Manning that might be sooner rather than later) it's not going to change just because it wont be possiable. With that said if you look at the teams Irsay is interviewing people from most of them are teams that have been built threw the draft. That's not to say they might not go after a key free agent here or there.

^^This. We're essentially sitting out of FA this season, with the exception of UDFA's and maybe some "warm bodies" for filler.

[GoColts8818]

And I for one hope that we do continue to build through the draft as we have in the past. I just hope that we don't keep Polians philosophy of not even considering it if it would help our team as long as we have the cap space to comfortably make a deal. Polian wouldn't even consider it no matter what.

This is one of the big misconceptions about Polian. While he would not dip into free agency often he would do it if he thought there was a player out there that make sense, Brandon Stokley, AV, Corey Simon, Reagor, Jeff Burris, Tyrone Poole, Chad Bratzke, Cornelius Bennett, and Ismail just to name a few. He even brought back guys like Wilkins and Rhodes who were former Colts via free agency when they didn't work out with their new teams. Now with that said clearly those all had a different level of success here. Also if you notice the more successful the team was here the less he would dip into free agency because he focused on keeping our players which wasn't a bad thing.

[CR91]

i cant see us doing much with the number of fa on the team we have to sign.

[21isSuperman]

There is nothing wrong with signing a free agent. So many times, we hear about teams like the Pats and Steelers and Pack who build through the draft. But making smart decisions with free agents can have a great impact; look at Carlos Rogers in San Fran. He posted up career numbers in his first year in their defensive system

[coltsblue1844]

Well the cap is supposed to go up really significantly after next season, because the new t.v. contracts and revenue kick in then.

Also, you cant say that the guys we are looking at for GM come from teams that build through the draft n dont really do free agency, because the Ravens and Falcons both do use free agency...the falcons more than the ravens

[Coltswarriors]

Hope so, but like you said not like the Eagles/Redskins do.

[ConBro]

Ah, the classic FA thread....this should be brimming with Redskins comparsions. Because as we all know, when you sign a FA, you're the Redskins.

LOL

[bWild]

If the price is right and the piece fits we make it happen. Look at Vinatieri, Simon, and Stokely. All guys who had multiple teams competing for their services and we went after them aggressively. The same thinking also applies to trading for other players like Booger McFarland or Justin Tryon (who I am still completely shocked about being cut).

[John Dee]

With a new GM and possibly a new head coach how many of you think that our philosophy of not signing big name free agents will change? I personally hope it does to an extent but nothing like the Eagles or Redskins are akin to doing.

If the Colts keep Manning, and draft Luck... there is no way Indy signs any "name" FA's. Only the "undrafted" type.

Mike Chappel discusses here on 1070.... fourth podcast down on the Grady and Big Joe Show.

http://www.1070thefan.com/podcast/Episodes.aspx?PID=2160

It is just unrealistic for Indy to keep Manning and draft Luck and "expect" to be competitive.