GM Candidates, including Jimmy Raye (merge)

[NewColtsFan]

3 minutes ago, Superman said:

 

I spent the last half a day getting excited about the possibility of DeCosta, when I've spent the last two years telling everyone that DeCosta doesn't want to leave Baltimore.

 

"He can change, I know he can!"

 

I feel like such a fool.

 

I hope you're kidding?      

 

You wanted a great guy and my hunch is the reason he's not even interviewing is that he knows he's going to replace Ozzie.      And since Baltimore has struggled, I think, for a good number of years now,  it may be sooner than later.      

 

So, he likes the franchise,  the city and he knows he's the heir apparent.      Nice for hm, sucks for us.

 

But you found the right guy....          

 

[Superman]

5 minutes ago, BProland85 said:

Why not be patient and see if Nick Caserio from New England will interview as well? Irsay has taken his time to cut bait with Grigson so why not take a little time to make the best GM hire possible?

 

I'm not that thrilled about Caserio as a prospect, and I think he's the de facto GM in New England and probably doesn't want to go anywhere. JMO

[VocableLoki]

20 minutes ago, Jared Cisneros said:

I would rather be 2-14 with Andrew Luck. At least that would get us Myles Garrett in the draft this year and we'd, in reality, be much better than that with a franchise QB. 8-8 is the worst you can be, just bad enough to miss the playoffs, and just good enough to be out of contention for elite draft picks. We aren't even like a Giants type 8-8 that can possibly beat elite teams. The Pats and Steelers beat us every time, and we don't have much chance against any playoff team.

People bring up the Pats and Steelers record a lot but other than those two (the best teams in our conference) Chuck isn't inept against elite teams. He has a winning record against Denver, Green Bay and Kansas City and has beaten Seattle, Haurbaugh's 49ers, etc.

 

The consistency isn't there but we have been more competitive against good teams than most would think in the Luck era.

[Superman]

1 minute ago, NewColtsFan said:

 

I hope you're kidding?      

 

You wanted a great guy and my hunch is the reason he's not even interviewing is that he knows he's going to replace Ozzie.      And since Baltimore has struggled, I think, for a good number of years now,  it may be sooner than later.      

 

So, he likes the franchise,  the city and he knows he's the heir apparent.      Nice for hm, sucks for us.

 

But you found the right guy....          

 

 

Just being silly. DeCosta was my favorite in 2012. He has basically said he's staying in Baltimore, whether Ozzie retires or not, because he and his family like it, his wife and her family are from Baltimore, he likes the people he works with/for, and he has a very significant and fulfilling role with the Ravens. I was hopeful that he'd accept the invitation to interview, but didn't really expect him to. 

[richard pallo]

5 hours ago, Defjamz26 said:

That is not an impressive list though. Kerr is just a rotational guy, Harrison was horrible at center, and Good lost his job to Haeg. I don't expect UDFAs to be pro-bowlers but using those 3 as claims to fame does more harm than good. If anything I want to know who found Jack Doyle and Chester Rodgers. Who was responsible for Swoope?

Not sure Good lost his job to Haag.  I thought he was injured the last few games.  Could be wrong though. 

[krunk]

I have never seen Irsay at any point in time seek out New England people to head his staff.  Not to say he wouldn't but I haven't seen it.

[OffensivelyPC]

49 minutes ago, Superman said:

 

Several people in this very thread are laying the faults of the Colts front office at Raye's feet. He's guilty by association.

Which is hilarious, because, before Saturday, not one person has ever done that...

[krunk]

8 minutes ago, OffensivelyPC said:

Which is hilarious, because, before Saturday, not one person has ever done that...

Before Saturday half of these people probably didn't even know the dudes name!  LOL

[BProland85]

28 minutes ago, Superman said:

 

I'm not that thrilled about Caserio as a prospect, and I think he's the de facto GM in New England and probably doesn't want to go anywhere. JMO

 

Why aren't you thrilled about Caserio as a GM prospect? He has been around the New England culture and has helped build that consistent franchise. The Titans hired Jon Robinson as their GM last offseason, and he also grew in the New England culture and that has seemed to work out for them.

[krunk]

1 hour ago, Jared Cisneros said:

Two reason for this. One, he's associated with the Colts and the old regime. Most people here want someone new, with fresh ideas, and someone that can complete take us away from the Grigson/Pagano madness. Two, Raye's guys he drafted as a GM are offensive guys. He got Tomlinson, got Gates as a UDFA. We need a GM that can scout and draft talent at defense, which is what most of the other top candidates do.

Not true on the Offensive statement.   He was responsible for Antonio Cromartie, Quentin Jammer, Luis Castillo, Shawn Merriman, Shaun Phillips among others.  All very good to great players in their younger days.  Looks like you can add Eric Weddles name to the list as well. Defensive players.

[Superman]

2 minutes ago, BProland85 said:

 

Why aren't you thrilled about Caserio as a GM prospect? He has been around the New England culture and has helped build that consistent franchise. The Titans hired Jon Robinson as their GM last offseason, and he also grew in the New England culture and that has seemed to work out for them.

 

1) I'm not thrilled with New England's drafting. They get good players, but I feel like they've missed a number of big picks since he took over. The obviously have really good rosters, but how many mistakes are covered up by Brady and Belichick, and how many mistakes are ignored because they go to the SB so often (which is primarily because of B&B)?

 

2) There's the usual "New England assistant" hesitation. Everyone who leaves New England struggles, including personnel people (like Pioli). We'l see how Robinson works out in Tennessee. 

 

3) He's kind of the de facto GM in New England already, probably gets paid like it, and I don't think he's very motivated to leave. He was offered the Miami job a couple years ago, and turned it down.

[Zach Boyd]

Casserio doesn't seem like a Irsay guy to me 

[stitches]

Something I think Irsay needs to realize - he's getting some big time GM prospects for interviews. There is no reason to think he wouldn't be able to get some big time coaches too. The job of being Andrew Luck's GM or coach is a very very attractive one it seems. He shouldn't settle for Pagano. Get the best GM you can get and let him choose his coach or let him interview the best options you can get in the building...

 

I don't feel like wasting another year with Pagano is a good option.

[OffensivelyPC]

16 minutes ago, stitches said:

Something I think Irsay needs to realize - he's getting some big time GM prospects for interviews. There is no reason to think he wouldn't be able to get some big time coaches too. The job of being Andrew Luck's GM or coach is a very very attractive one it seems. He shouldn't settle for Pagano. Get the best GM you can get and let him choose his coach or let him interview the best options you can get in the building...

 

I don't feel like wasting another year with Pagano is a good option.

What are the big coaching names being tossed around?  I've seen guys like McDaniels, but many of hte names on lists are guys who have already had HC coaching positions.  They may have name recognition, but that's not necessarily the same thing as desirability.  I think most of us can agree that Irsay tried to get an HC here, but couldn't seal the deal.  Whatever those candidates were, the "big names" you are referring too may be a shorter list htan you think.  I obviously have no clue, but just playing the flipside of the coin.

[stitches]

1 minute ago, OffensivelyPC said:

What are the big coaching names being tossed around?  I've seen guys like McDaniels, but many of hte names on lists are guys who have already had HC coaching positions.  They may have name recognition, but that's not necessarily the same thing as desirability.  I think most of us can agree that Irsay tried to get an HC here, but couldn't seal the deal.  Whatever those candidates were, the "big names" you are referring too may be a shorter list htan you think.  I obviously have no clue, but just playing the flipside of the coin.

I think if they choose the GM quickly enough, they might swoop into the Kyle Shanahan sweepstakes. Tell me he wouldn't absolutely love working with Luck?

 

Get a GM with proven record of building strong defenses(Ballard, Paton, one of the Seahawks folks?) and then get the offensive prodigy for your head coach. That's my dream scenario right now.

[stitches]

http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2017/01/25/uninterested-in-49ers-job-chris-ballard-will-interview-with-colts/

 

 

Quote

 

Uninterested in 49ers job, Chris Ballard will interview with Colts

 

 

Chiefs director of player personnel Chris Ballard was the first, second, and third choice of the 49ers for the still-vacant G.M. position. The interest wasn’t mutual.

Ballard feels differently about the G.M. job in Indianapolis. And for good reason. The Colts: (1) have a franchise quarterback; and (2) don’t have a non-ownership, non-football executive who is involved in football operations without the same accountability to which football employees are subject.

As to the 49ers’ job, Ballard wasn’t inclined to interview. Technically, the Chiefs exercised their prerogative to deny permission because the team’s season had not yet ended. As to the Colts’ job, Ballard is indeed interested and will proceed.

The depth and quality of the G.M. candidates in Indianapolis make it less likely that Jimmy Raye III will be promoted from within the organization, assuming that the G.M. comes in with full control over the roster and the ability to change coaches after 2017, if the G.M. sees fit to do so.

Yes, owner Jim Irsay can be a handful. But the bar is currently low in Indianapolis and the space is ready for a variety of banners to be raised. With the most important position in pro football filled for years to come, the task of building a true contender should be easier than it would have been, say, in San Francisco.

 

 

[Jackie Daytona]

2 hours ago, krunk said:

threads or posts.  the bulk of the entire forum knows his faults well and they've been stated over and over again ad nauseum sometimes to the point where no one even knows what the guy does well.  that's how bad the anger is.  problem is a lot of it extreme.  it's as if we are being coached by Jerry Glanville or somebody which is silly.

 

fair enough.  I agree many are overplaying that hand.

[Bluefire4]

2 hours ago, Colts_Fan12 said:

That's why I hate 8-8 too the Pacers do the same % just miss the lottery picks and still miss the playoffs it blows 

The Pacers only missed the playoffs one time since Paul George was drafted and that was when Paul George broke his leg and in that draft we got Myles Turner so I don't know what you are talking about.

[Bluefire4]

2 hours ago, Jared Cisneros said:

I would rather be 2-14 with Andrew Luck. At least that would get us Myles Garrett in the draft this year and we'd, in reality, be much better than that with a franchise QB. 8-8 is the worst you can be, just bad enough to miss the playoffs, and just good enough to be out of contention for elite draft picks. We aren't even like a Giants type 8-8 that can possibly beat elite teams. The Pats and Steelers beat us every time, and we don't have much chance against any playoff team.

8-8 is only worse in your eyes because that is enough to keep Pagano around. There are plenty of franchise quarterbacks who didn't make the playoffs this year. Only 12 of 32 teams do. It takes more than Andrew Luck to win games.

 

That's why I predicted before the season we would be 7-9. Everyone criticized me but I said it before and I'll say it again, Andrew Luck is not God.

[Superman]

20 minutes ago, stitches said:

I think if they choose the GM quickly enough, they might swoop into the Kyle Shanahan sweepstakes. Tell me he wouldn't absolutely love working with Luck?

 

Get a GM with proven record of building strong defenses(Ballard, Paton, one of the Seahawks folks?) and then get the offensive prodigy for your head coach. That's my dream scenario right now.

 

I think indications point to Irsay wanting an experienced head coach, not a first timer. That's my own interpretation, not a statement of fact, but if that's the case, I don't think Shanahan would be on the list to begin with. That's not to say that a new GM couldn't put Shanahan on the list.

 

Bigger than that, I think the Shanahan sweepstakes are over. They've done everything but put pen to paper, and he's working with the Niners on choosing a new GM as we speak, based on reports. That could change also, but I think he's spoken for already.

[Superman]

1 minute ago, Bluefire4 said:

8-8 is only worse in your eyes because that is enough to keep Pagano around.

 

It's probably not, at least not moving forward.

[rockywoj]

Pat Kirwan just made a rather astute observation about the Colts GM search ...

 

It is SMART of Irsay to bring all of these highly regarded GM candidates in for interviews.  Each of them will tell Irsay what they think is wrong with the Colts and how to fix it.  To hear 5 smart guys tell you their opinions, it is illuminating and informational.  You then take that info and move forward with all of that virtually free golden information you just received helping you to figure out what direction to go in.

 

I like.

[Colts_Fan12]

8 minutes ago, Bluefire4 said:

The Pacers only missed the playoffs one time since Paul George was drafted and that was when Paul George broke his leg and in that draft we got Myles Turner so I don't know what you are talking about.

Before pg when we were sucking *** with granger we would be out of the playoffs but would never draft as high as we should have 

[stitches]

11 minutes ago, Superman said:

 

I think indications point to Irsay wanting an experienced head coach, not a first timer. That's my own interpretation, not a statement of fact, but if that's the case, I don't think Shanahan would be on the list to begin with. That's not to say that a new GM couldn't put Shanahan on the list.

 

Bigger than that, I think the Shanahan sweepstakes are over. They've done everything but put pen to paper, and he's working with the Niners on choosing a new GM as we speak, based on reports. That could change also, but I think he's spoken for already.

I read somewhere that there is still some uncertainty about it and it's not a done deal. If we manage to hire the GM by the Super Bowl, we might have a chance for an interview with him. It's unreal just how much better the Colts job is compared to 49ers job. 

 

Irsay's stance is weird. If it were me, I'd want to hire the best option and not to limit in any way the opportunity to make the right decision.

 

I think people go overboard trying to overcorrect for previous mistakes - Pagano and Grigson were bad choices not because they were first time head coach and GM, they were a bad choice because they were not particularly good head coach and GM. To me it doesn't matter if the guy has had 20 years head coaching experience or if he's a young coordinator. Evaluate him for his knowledge of the game and ability to communicate and implement his ideas on the field, not on his age or number of years in the league.

[Bluefire4]

1 minute ago, Colts_Fan12 said:

Before pg when we were sucking *** with granger we would be out of the playoffs but would never draft as high as we should have 

And we didn't need to. We still drafted Paul George and Myles Turner with picks outside the top ten and avoided the many busts in front of them. It's stupid to want your teams to tank or do worse than they would do otherwise.

[Colts_Fan12]

1 minute ago, Bluefire4 said:

And we didn't need to. We still drafted Paul George and Myles Turner with picks outside the top ten and avoided the many busts in front of them. It's stupid to want your teams to tank or do worse than they would do otherwise.

We could have had even better team if we tanked us being a small market makes the draft the only way to get elite talent 

[Jason_]

3 minutes ago, Colts_Fan12 said:

We could have had even better team if we tanked us being a small market makes the draft the only way to get elite talent 

 

yeah, no elite free agent would want to come to a team with a QB like andrew luck. 

[1959Colts]

Uninterested in 49ers job, Chris Ballard will interview with Colts  

...As to the 49ers’ job, Ballard wasn’t inclined to interview.  As to the Colts’ job, Ballard is indeed interested and will proceed.

The depth and quality of the G.M. candidates in Indianapolis make it less likely that Jimmy Raye III will be promoted from within the organization, assuming that the G.M. comes in with full control over the roster and the ability to change coaches after 2017, if the G.M. sees fit to do so...

[Colts_Fan12]

4 minutes ago, Jason_S said:

 

yeah, no elite free agent would want to come to a team with a QB like andrew luck. 

Not even talking about football 

[stitches]

 

[will426]

It shouldn't be hard getting a new gm ask them two questions "do you think we need some talent on defense?"  Second "how do you like those 5-7 step drops there to die for (literally) aren't they?"  

[OffensivelyPC]

17 minutes ago, rockywoj said:

Pat Kirwan just made a rather astute observation about the Colts GM search ...

 

It is SMART of Irsay to bring all of these highly regarded GM candidates in for interviews.  Each of them will tell Irsay what they think is wrong with the Colts and how to fix it.  To hear 5 smart guys tell you their opinions, it is illuminating and informational.  You then take that info and move forward with all of that virtually free golden information you just received helping you to figure out what direction to go in.

 

I like.

Eh, I don't think it takes a rocket scientist to tell you what's wrong with the Colts and how to fix it, and then hand that information over to your interim GM.  I mean, no matter who you choose, you could take all that information whomever you eventually end up hiring anyway.  No GM is going to be bound by those advisories, even if they could help, which I doubt it reallly could.  How to fix the team in general terms is a much different question than how to fix a team with the minutia details - and you're not going to get the minutia in an interview or two.

 

And besides, just because Irsay gets all this information and sends it over to GM [Pick your favorite] - that doesn't mean he'll accomplish the referendum.  He still has to find ways to fix the time while everyone else is fixing theirs from the same pool of potential players.  You may know how to tweak your car on a racetrack when you're the only one on it, but those will be much different tweaks and the effects of such tweaks are much different with 31 other cars on the track.

[OffensivelyPC]

15 minutes ago, Colts_Fan12 said:

We could have had even better team if we tanked us being a small market makes the draft the only way to get elite talent 

I disagree with that.  The reason big markets attract certain players in other sports is because they don't have a salary cap and can simply throw more money at players because they have a larger pool of money to draw from.

 

In the NFL, that's different.  Franchises may have more money or less money than a different franchise, but they all operate under a hard cap, and teams don't have a problem spending up to the cap - at least I've never heard of a team so strapped for cash that it couldn't dabble in free agency since the cap's implementation.

 

Guys may be drawn to certain markets, but they generally prioritize money/contract terms first, and then some hierarchy of team situation, fit with the team, city amenities, and a few other less important factors.  Money may not be the first factor for every free agent but generally speaking, it's first and then the rest are personal preference.

[stitches]

 

[Colts_Fan12]

7 minutes ago, OffensivelyPC said:

I disagree with that.  The reason big markets attract certain players in other sports is because they don't have a salary cap and can simply throw more money at players because they have a larger pool of money to draw from.

 

In the NFL, that's different.  Franchises may have more money or less money than a different franchise, but they all operate under a hard cap, and teams don't have a problem spending up to the cap - at least I've never heard of a team so strapped for cash that it couldn't dabble in free agency since the cap's implementation.

 

Guys may be drawn to certain markets, but they generally prioritize money/contract terms first, and then some hierarchy of team situation, fit with the team, city amenities, and a few other less important factors.  Money may not be the first factor for every free agent but generally speaking, it's first and then the rest are personal preference.

Well the Pacers owner also refuses to go into the luxury tax that also kinda sucks cause several other owner will and that allows them to buy championships just about 

[OffensivelyPC]

Just now, stitches said:

 

I didn't think it would.  Good news!

[OffensivelyPC]

3 minutes ago, Colts_Fan12 said:

Well the Pacers owner also refuses to go into the luxury tax that also kinda sucks cause several other owner will and that allows them to buy championships just about 

Well, the Pacers have a lot more problems than jsut that lol.

[Colts_Fan12]

15 minutes ago, OffensivelyPC said:

Well, the Pacers have a lot more problems than jsut that lol.

Totally agree we are going in the wrong direction 

[RockThatBlue]

JMV said he was told Raye won't be the GM, and that we will know who the hire is very soon. 

[Superman]

55 minutes ago, stitches said:

I think people go overboard trying to overcorrect for previous mistakes - Pagano and Grigson were bad choices not because they were first time head coach and GM, they were a bad choice because they were not particularly good head coach and GM.

 

I agree with that, in general. And it looks like Irsay is looking for fresh candidates at GM, which is typical.

 

In this case, if it were me, I'd be looking for an experienced head coach because, no matter how good a first-timer is, no matter how good he becomes, there's still a learning curve. He's still going to be inundated at first, in many ways. He has to put together a staff, and he likely has fewer connections than most experienced head coaches (probably not true of Shanahan, but it is in general). He has to learn how to lead a staff, how to work with players on both sides of the ball, how to work with the scouts and the GM in preparation for the offseason. It doesn't matter how bright you are or how prepared you are, the job is going to expose you to new things, and you'll have to figure it out on the fly.

 

Irsay has alluded to that learning curve several times, with reference to both Pagano and Grigson. I think his idea was for those two to come up together, forge a bond as they did so, and by now be clicking on all cylinders. I don't think he's as willing to go through such a steep learning curve with a coach and a GM at the same time, not going into Year 6 of Luck. 

 

And specific to head coaches, I'm pretty sure Pagano is the only guy Irsay has ever hired with zero head coaching experience. Even Jim Caldwell was a head coach in college for several years, and Irsay didn't quite choose him, either. I just think Irsay would prefer an experienced head coach at this point, hoping to cut down on the time needed to get everything running smoothly.

 

Other side of this argument is that if he hired a first time guy this year, it would be similar to giving Pagano an extra year when all signs point to him being gone a year from now...