Why did so many expect the Colts to hit FA hard?

[RockThatBlue]

I seriously wanna know.

 

Months ago Irsay and Grigson hinted that we would try to get younger and that the main focus will be on the draft. Not only that, but I saw someone post on here that we only had 15-20 million in cap space, which isn't exactly a lot. You can't buy many free agents with that cap space. 

[SilentHill]

I don't think any of us expected FA to be hit hard, but it's a FACT that we cannot address all of the needs on this team in the draft. We need some pieces from FA this season to compete.

 

We also have 21-23m in cap space (depending on what site you use)

[MPStack]

3 minutes ago, RockThatBlue said:

I seriously wanna know.

 

Months ago Irsay and Grigson hinted that we would try to get younger and that the main focus will be on the draft. Not only that, but I saw someone post on here that we only had 15-20 million in cap space, which isn't exactly a lot. You can't buy many free agents with that cap space. 

I admit I thought that there would be a signing or two. However, recognizing that one or two potential FA`s is NOT going to turn the Colts into instant contenders, I`m content with Grigs focusing on signing Luck and building through the draft. This team is a couple seasons away from possibly being a legit SB contender. Part of being a fan is being patient.  

[Qcolts]

There is a difference between not hitting free agency hard and not doing anything at all. We are not doing anything. Tolzien is irrelevant. With the talent on this roster, if Luck goes down, it is very unlikely we are winning games.

[OffensivelyPC]

This is what happens when we do a thousand mock drafts and read the opinions of the "experts" and take them both too seriously, IMO.  People develop unrealistic expectations, there becomes this prevailing group thought and then we seem to forget that just because it appears on these forums doesn't mean that's the direction that the Colts really want to go.

[RockThatBlue]

7 minutes ago, SilentHill said:

I don't think any of us expected FA to be hit hard, but it's a FACT that we cannot address all of the needs on this team in the draft. We need some pieces from FA this season to compete.

 

We also have 21-23m in cap space (depending on what site you use)

Most of the holes can't be fixed by free agency either. I think it's a pretty good bet that it may take at least 2 off seasons to address most of the holes 

[crazycolt1]

2 minutes ago, OffensivelyPC said:

This is what happens when we do a thousand mock drafts and read the opinions of the "experts" and take them both too seriously, IMO.  People develop unrealistic expectations and seem to forget that just because it appears on these forums doesn't mean that's the direction that the Colts really want to go.

I agree with you comment 100%.

[SilentHill]

1 minute ago, RockThatBlue said:

Most of the holes can't be fixed by free agency either. I think it's a pretty good bet that it may take at least 2 off seasons to address most of the holes 

 

This is the NFL, and we have a top 5 QB.

 

We need to compete now. Grigson needs to make it happen. I don't want to hear that it's two years off, that is just making excuses for poor talent acquisition.

[RockThatBlue]

6 minutes ago, SilentHill said:

 

This is the NFL, and we have a top 5 QB.

 

We need to compete now. Grigson needs to make it happen. I don't want to hear that it's two years off, that is just making excuses for poor talent acquisition.

Well, I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but it is at least two years off. 

 

I want us to compete every year, but this past season (even though winning 8 was impressive with 5 different qbs) showed this team had a ton of holes. And we lost a few good players to FA. Its gonna probably take some time whether we want to admit it or not.

[pgt_rob]

I thought we would have addressed a Center and maybe a Guard in FA. Then use the draft for defense. But sounds like our 1st rounder could potentially be a Center or one of many spots for our defense.

[SilentHill]

3 minutes ago, RockThatBlue said:

Well, I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but it is at least two years off. 

 

I want us to compete every year, but this past season (even though winning 8 was impressive with 5 different qbs) showed this team had a ton of holes. And we lost a few good players to FA. Its gonna probably take some time whether we want to admit it or not.

 

I hope Grigson doesn't concede defeat as fast as you.

[IndyD4U]

It's fun to speculate who we'll sign or who we could sign that would hypothetically solve our problems. Overlooking the fact that the FA spending spree of the years past has offered little reward. I never thought about free agency in the Polian years because we weren't very active. Grigsons big spending is exciting, I suppose, and that's what people get caught up in. He's doing the right thing this year in pulling back the reigns. I still expect we'll sign a FA or two. Specifically OL and secondary

[ColtsArmy84]

We still have to sign 1-2 players in FA even if they are cheap deals. We only have 6 draft picks and you cant depend on Undrafted free agents. You may find a gem but you cant count on it. I knew we would be quiet this year but I didn't think it would be this quiet.

[Steamboat_Shaun]

15 minutes ago, SilentHill said:

 

This is the NFL, and we have a top 5 QB.

 

We need to compete now. Grigson needs to make it happen. I don't want to hear that it's two years off, that is just making excuses for poor talent acquisition.

You're going to be disappointed.

[Yoshinator]

A lot of our future success is going to depend on last year and this year's draft. It looked like Grigson did well last draft, we need a duplicate performance of that. FA's aren't really going to happen this year. It's going to be about getting younger for the most part. I want us to fill in some weakness, whether it be O-Line, Pass Rush, stopping the run. Just fix something and turn it into a strength via the draft. That's the only way we will have a chance to be a SB contender. Our 1st round pick this year will dictate what weakness we will fill and what type of team we will lean toward being IMO. There are lots of good choices, hopefully Grigson chooses the right one.

[jameszeigler834]

43 minutes ago, RockThatBlue said:

I seriously wanna know.

 

Months ago Irsay and Grigson hinted that we would try to get younger and that the main focus will be on the draft. Not only that, but I saw someone post on here that we only had 15-20 million in cap space, which isn't exactly a lot. You can't buy many free agents with that cap space. 

Ya but we have a little bit more than that after cutting AJ so that's more than enough to go out and get atleast two maybe three players that can start and help us this year it looks more to me that instead of improving the team they just gutted it.

[crazycolt1]

6 minutes ago, SilentHill said:

 

I hope Grigson doesn't concede defeat as fast as you.

Building is not conceding defeat. We have had multiple threads on negativity so why turn this one in that direction?

[jameszeigler834]

29 minutes ago, RockThatBlue said:

Most of the holes can't be fixed by free agency either. I think it's a pretty good bet that it may take at least 2 off seasons to address most of the holes 

Ya after he was an * for more than two years not fixing anything also just created more holes after letting so many good players walk out the door.

[jameszeigler834]

I for one didnt expect to be this silent and not go after anyone.

[crazycolt1]

2 minutes ago, jameszeigler834 said:

Ya after he was an * for more than two years not fixing anything also just created more holes after letting so many good players walk out the door.

So many good players walk out the door? Please list them so we will all know.

[gacker65]

I thought we would get a Solid Center and maybe another player.  Not the big names, but solid players.

[SilentHill]

15 minutes ago, crazycolt1 said:

Building is not conceding defeat. We have had multiple threads on negativity so why turn this one in that direction?

 

I didn't say it was, but not expecting to compete for a championship this season is.

[TheRustonRifle#7]

When you have to start paying your own players it cuts into the cap allotment for outside FA's. Re-signing Allen coupled with both TY's and Costanzo's extensions kicking in took up a lot of space. That trend will only continue as the team either extends or re-signs the likes of Luck, Moncrief, et al. It is one of the reasons I value the first round pick so much as you are afforded the 5th year on the Rookie Contract.

 

That said, I don't expect them to be major players in FA in the near future? While they may sign some 2nd and 3rd tier players to help fill out the roster, the days of throwing stupid money around are probably over?

[Coffeedrinker]

1 hour ago, RockThatBlue said:

I seriously wanna know.

 

Months ago Irsay and Grigson hinted that we would try to get younger and that the main focus will be on the draft. Not only that, but I saw someone post on here that we only had 15-20 million in cap space, which isn't exactly a lot. You can't buy many free agents with that cap space. 

There are two reasons:

 

One, the Madden effect.  With all the football games and simulators out there it's easy for people to play the GM and make all sorts of things happen in the virtual world.  People try different scenarios and find some that work and then, like everyone in the world, they fall in love with their own idea and convince themselves that not only is it possible but would actually work.

 

The 2nd is fans are short sighted.  They look at the people who played the past year and for those that did not play well they think they need to be replaced immediately.  They don't consider that a player can improve from one year to the next or that a player that did not play much last year can step in and take that role this year or next year.  One example, I've seen a lot of people say the Colts need to sign a FA CB to replace Toler.  Fewer people have been saying they believe Smith is here for that reason.  Or sign a RT when the team has indicated they are comfortable with Reitz and Good.  Not to say they won't try to upgrade but they will do it with the draft and 2nd and 3rd tier FAs.

[crazycolt1]

1 minute ago, SilentHill said:

 

I didn't say it was, but not expecting to compete for a championship this season is.

Sounds like you concede defeat? We have both been around long enough to know how things can change in the NFL.

[SilentHill]

Just now, crazycolt1 said:

Sounds like you concede defeat? We have both been around long enough to know how things can change in the NFL.

 

I'm not conceding defeat, I have hopes that Grigson can salvage this season.

[crazycolt1]

Just now, SilentHill said:

 

I'm not conceding defeat, I have hopes that Grigson can salvage this season.

Me too.

[jchandler7]

Nobody was expecting the Colts to go all out in free agency,  not sure where your getting that from. We all know that building through the draft is smart. However, many of us are just upset we didn't address 1 or 2 needs in FA because everyone knows we cant address everything through the draft. We have several holes on this team.

[LJpalmbeacher2]

We had many needs entering free agency.

As of today we have a bit more!

[crazycolt1]

14 minutes ago, LJpalmbeacher said:

We had many needs entering free agency.

As of today we have a bit more!

IMO I don't think we have that many needs. This roster is not the doom and gloom bunch as believed by some. I could be wrong but only time will tell. As bad as last season was there was still good play out of most.

[OffensivelyPC]

1 hour ago, crazycolt1 said:

I agree with you comment 100%.

I just want to say for the record that I don't think there's any problem with mocks or sharing thought, even if highly disagreeable.  They can be a lot of fun, and at the end of the day, it does make us more intelligent football fans.  Nor am I calling anyone out in particular or meant anything derogatory by putting "expert" in quotes (which by the way, that was meant more for the media/blog writers).  

 

So I don't mean to offend anybody.  I just think we let our expectations get out of control sometimes (daresay some of us think we could run the team better than the current GM/HC, but I digress) and the result is things like, "he doesn't know what he's doing," "we need to sign this guy instead of that guy - better system fit," or "fire everybody."  

 

Felt like I needed to clarify my intentions.

[crazycolt1]

2 minutes ago, OffensivelyPC said:

I just want to say for the record that I don't think there's any problem with mocks or sharing thought, even if highly disagreeable.  They can be a lot of fun, and at the end of the day, it does make us more intelligent football fans.  Nor am I calling anyone out in particular or meant anything derogatory by putting "expert" in quotes (which by the way, that was meant more for the media/blog writers).  

 

So I don't mean to offend anybody.  I just think we let our expectations get out of control sometimes (daresay some of us think we could run the team better than the current GM/HC, but I digress) and the result is things like, "he doesn't know what he's doing," "we need to sign this guy instead of that guy - better system fit," or "fire everybody."  

 

Felt like I needed to clarify my intentions.

I don't follow college football close enough to have an idea as to how good a lot of these players are. I  stay away from the debates regarding the draft. All I really know is every year there is so much put into the draft and it seems no one gets it right. Sometimes it's close but when a team goes out of what is considered the order it then changes the rest of the draft. The only thing I can add is the GMs have a lot more information and sources to make their choices on than the average fan. After all it is a gamble on any players taken. There have been #1 pick bust all the way down to 7th round players taken who made an impact on their team. It does make the off season more interesting for sure.

[needanoline63]

Entire afc south has gotten better, we have done nothing. We're in a bit of trouble

[jskinnz]

2 hours ago, RockThatBlue said:

I seriously wanna know.

 

Months ago Irsay and Grigson hinted that we would try to get younger and that the main focus will be on the draft. Not only that, but I saw someone post on here that we only had 15-20 million in cap space, which isn't exactly a lot. You can't buy many free agents with that cap space. 

 

Yes - they told us as much.  I don't understand the outrage.

[OffensivelyPC]

6 minutes ago, crazycolt1 said:

I don't follow college football close enough to have an idea as to how good a lot of these players are. I  stay away from the debates regarding the draft. All I really know is every year there is so much put into the draft and it seems no one gets it right. Sometimes it's close but when a team goes out of what is considered the order it then changes the rest of the draft. The only thing I can add is the GMs have a lot more information and sources to make their choices on than the average fan. After all it is a gamble on any players taken. There have been #1 pick bust all the way down to 7th round players taken who made an impact on their team. It does make the off season more interesting for sure.

February to April is probably my favorite time of year, save for maybe Christmas break where I get undisturbed family time for a week or two.  I enjoy all the games especially if we are making a playoff run, but I mostly enjoy the film watching and breaking down of college players and coming up with my own list of guys I hope we draft.  My mock is never right, but honestly it's the most fun as a failure you could ever have, lol.  

 

I usually only do one mock, right before the draft, because a billion things change between the Superbowl and the draft - which is funny because all these people's mocks and big boards change a hundred times over after the combine, and no real football has actually been played.

[crazycolt1]

2 minutes ago, OffensivelyPC said:

February to April is probably my favorite time of year, save for maybe Christmas break where I get undisturbed family time for a week or two.  I enjoy all the games especially if we are making a playoff run, but I mostly enjoy the film watching and breaking down of college players and coming up with my own list of guys I hope we draft.  My mock is never right, but honestly it's the most fun as a failure you could ever have, lol.  

 

I usually only do one mock, right before the draft, because a billion things change between the Superbowl and the draft - which is funny because all these people's mocks and big boards change a hundred times over after the combine, and no real football has actually been played.

I am glad there are fans like you who enjoy those things. If not I would be totally out to lunch. I do get a general idea on these players before the draft by reading what you and other fans say in their opinions.

[lollygagger8]

I don't know about hitting FA hard per se, but considering Grigson's past FA tendencies, I thought the Colts would at least go after somebody or be in the running for a playmaker. 

 

With all the holes on this team, it's not going to get fixed in one draft. Especially when Grigson isn't picking 1st in every round like his first year. 

[Yoshinator]

14 minutes ago, crazycolt1 said:

I don't follow college football close enough to have an idea as to how good a lot of these players are. I  stay away from the debates regarding the draft. All I really know is every year there is so much put into the draft and it seems no one gets it right. Sometimes it's close but when a team goes out of what is considered the order it then changes the rest of the draft. The only thing I can add is the GMs have a lot more information and sources to make their choices on than the average fan. After all it is a gamble on any players taken. There have been #1 pick bust all the way down to 7th round players taken who made an impact on their team. It does make the off season more interesting for sure.

I don't follow a lot of college, but i do watch a ton of tape. I guess you could say it gives me some form of control temporarily and makes me more informed on who we could get. Grigson has taken 6 players I have wanted in the past 4 years, so I guess we are close on our scouting. This is like christmas time. Lots of new players are available and we don't know which ones we'll unwrap.

[crazycolt1]

3 minutes ago, Jared Cisneros said:

I don't follow a lot of college, but i do watch a ton of tape. I guess you could say it gives me some form of control temporarily and makes me more informed on who we could get. Grigson has taken 6 players I have wanted in the past 4 years, so I guess we are close on our scouting. This is like christmas time. Lots of new players are available and we don't know which ones we'll unwrap.

Very good way of putting it. I do get pretty pumped up after the draft after reading up on the players the Colts have picked.

[Valpo2004]

2 hours ago, RockThatBlue said:

I seriously wanna know.

 

Months ago Irsay and Grigson hinted that we would try to get younger and that the main focus will be on the draft. Not only that, but I saw someone post on here that we only had 15-20 million in cap space, which isn't exactly a lot. You can't buy many free agents with that cap space. 

 

I didn't expect them to hit FA hard.  But I expected them to fill a couple needs.  

 

A CB2 would not have been that expensive.  A 3rd down back could have been obtained cheaply.  These are 2 positions that needed to be shored up really really bad.  

 

I wanted 3 guys in FA.  Prince Amukamara, Bidal Powell, and Drew Stanton (however to be fair he re-upped with the Cards before FA happened).

 

Prince signed a 1 year contract for 5M with 3M guaranteed.  So 5 Million for a good CB2

Bidal Powell signed a 3 year contract for 11.25 M with 6 M guaranteed.  Thats 3.75 M a year.  

 

If we replicated those contracts it would still leave us with 13.25M in cap space and we would have a good CB2 and a 3rd down back who can catch passes from Luck as well as be a backup for Gore.

 

What did the Colts do?  They signed a backup QB which is fine but they signed a BAD backup QB.  If you are going to go that route then why not just save the money and sign some UDFA?  Stick with Stephen Morris. . . 

 

Heck I didn't like the idea of sticking with Josh Freeman but if I knew that the guy they where going to bring in was going to be freaking Scott Tolzien I would have said to stick with Josh Freeman.