[Merge] Colts free agency complaints and overreaction thread

[Four2itus]

13 minutes ago, relkins said:

73 million dollars and we still have the same crappy team. 

The team may be the same, but the fan base in general has certainly went down hill. 

[BlueShoe]

We are taking a beating by the national media. 

 

Wowsers!!!!!

 

I hope Chris Ballard knows what he is doing, because he has made himself an easy target by doing very little over the past few days. 

[Flash7]

As a fan, how could you not like Jacksonville's approach to the draft and Free Agency as opposed to the Colts strategy.

 

The Jaguars philosophy: Get the best players in FA and the draft.

 

The Colts Philosophy: Build through the draft. Use FA to build on depth.

 

[2006Coltsbestever]

1 minute ago, Flash7 said:

As a fan, how could you not like Jacksonville's approach to the draft and Free Agency as opposed to the Colts strategy.

 

The Jaguars philosophy: Get the best players in FA and the draft.

 

The Colts Philosophy: Build through the draft. Use FA to build on depth.

 

For the amount of Cap Space the Jags have had, they have nailed Free Agency IMO. They have drafted well over the last 5 years too but they have always picked high due to stinking. They still have a shaky QB though so I don't see them winning a SB.

[1959Colts]

Found this on twitter, thought it was appropriate for this thread, for everyone who thinks we need to spend, spend, spend...

 

Ryan Grigson's FA signings:

 

[IinD]

56 minutes ago, Four2itus said:

The team may be the same, but the fan base in general has certainly went down hill. 

In fairness, I've never seen a 'sane' nfl fan base. Every board hates their team to some extent.

[cdgacoltsfan]

21 hours ago, Trace Pyott said:

Could the lack of free agent acquisitions be related to Andrew lucks health?  Is there any way that Ballard knows something we don't and has decided that we won't be competing next year and to stay put?  I'm not saying this is what's happening I'm just asking could it be??  I just cannot for the life of me understand why he's being so stingy with the cap money. We have to get an o line or luck is going to get killed.  It's like he thinks it's coming out of his own pocket.  Oh well if he doesn't care about fielding a winning team why should we?  

Bingo...I really think CB and the big name free agents know AL won't be back. Don't be shocked if we stay put in the draft and take a QB at #3

[Steamboat_Shaun]

1 hour ago, Flash7 said:

As a fan, how could you not like Jacksonville's approach to the draft and Free Agency as opposed to the Colts strategy.

 

The Jaguars philosophy: Get the best players in FA and the draft.

 

The Colts Philosophy: Build through the draft. Use FA to build on depth.

 

 

Because they're going to be in salary cap hell in no time. It'll be a fun product to watch for a season or 2, but then they're gonna have to pay their young guys like Jalen Ramsey once their rookie deals are up. And let's not forget, this isn't the first time the Jaguars have "won the offseason," & it has yet to materialize into a Super Bowl ring.

[P'Son]

36 minutes ago, cdgacoltsfan said:

Bingo...I really think CB and the big name free agents know AL won't be back. Don't be shocked if we stay put in the draft and take a QB at #3

 

As I mentioned earlier, we need to drop back, garner a couple of picks, then draft a QB (B.Mayfield).

[Flash7]

13 minutes ago, Steamboat_Shaun said:

 

Because they're going to be in salary cap hell in no time. It'll be a fun product to watch for a season or 2, but then they're gonna have to pay their young guys like Jalen Ramsey once their rookie deals are up. And let's not forget, this isn't the first time the Jaguars have "won the offseason," & it has yet to materialize into a Super Bowl ring.

 

As @ColtsBlueFL stated in another post:

Jaguars roster is setup in a way where they can save huge chunks of cap space if they really need to. Allen Hurns cut would save 7 million, but he likely restructures and stays while lowering his cap hit. Releasing Ivory saved around 3.5 million. Bortles extension saved 9 million, there was a cap space increase around 10 million, etc...

 

They are loading up for a 2 year Super Bowl window run.  After that, in 2020, the Jags can cut a (almost) 34-year old Calais Campbell and save $17.5 million or a 31-year old Malik Jackson to save another $15.5 million. Going even further they can cut an over 30’s Barry Church and Tashaun Gipson to save a combined $15.35 million. By that time, the Jags will have hoped to have drafted their replacements and that they’re ready to step in and take over. It's aslo a possibility (though not probable) that after the 2018 season they can cut Marcell Dareus and save $11.58 million in cap room.

 

As noted above, Tom Coughlin has been there before, and directing this ship once more. They will sign and structure things to fit.

So they can get out of the big contracts of the older aging guys when it's time to re-sign guys like Ramsey and Jack, etc. 

[coach kline]

2 hours ago, Four2itus said:

The team may be the same, but the fan base in general has certainly went down hill. 

You proved it

[Coffeedrinker]

I'm going to approach this from a different angle.  I think Ballard is being smart, not just because the high profile FAs rarely turn out to live up to their FA hype but because I think when a new CBA is signed in 2020 the NFL is going to experience something it has not experienced before and that is a lowering of the salary cap.

 

It's no secret that ratings in the NFL have dropped steadily the last two years, so I am betting that networks will not bid as much which means the salary cap will go down.  

So rather than setting the Colts up for a major purge in 2021, he's setting them up to make the transition fairly smoothly.  Or maybe he just has not thought any of the FAs are worth the money.

 

I also think that is why we are seeing more 3 year contracts this offseason.

[bluephantom87]

Forget what Ballard is NOT doing but the landscape of the NFL is changing. Emerging are a bunch of HUNGRY teams with aggressive gms swallowing as much talent as possible. Stacked teams in the NFC like the defending champion Eagles, Vikings, Saints and Rams are either spending or making moves to add MORE playmakers. The lowly 49er's now look like contenders in less than a year just like the Rams did a season before. Even the Packers under a new gm are making moves in FA this year (which is unusual) because they BELIEVED to a fault in building through the draft and by getting "bargain" type of players who turned out to be avg at best in the long haul. Teams around the Packers have elevated quickly and the narrative over the past few years has been that the Packers have minimum to no talent around Rodgers.

 

On to the AFC in which Brady and big Ben are entering their last few seasons and teams are posturing to become the NEXT alpha of the conference. The Raiders with Gruden and a young Carr in their division are a team to watch. The Broncos WILL sort out their qb problems and the Chiefs are making moves to surround their young qb. Look at our own division as it makes moves (while the Colts stand pat) to become better by adding TALENT and PLAYMAKERS across the board. The Jags, Texans and Titans will fully be in the mix next season.

 

Right now I don't know what Ballard's plan is. He flipped last year's roster by nearly 50% if not more with marginal players that resulted in half the win total (4) than from the previous season of 8. The team finished near the bottom of almost every offensive category. I know Luck was out last season BUT we have seen teams have success with backup qbs before. Did Ballard address that woeful o-line going into last season? Well a league high 56 sacks allowed says no! On to the defense that MATCHED it's counterpart in ranking near the BOTTOM of the league in most of the major categories.  Even the draft class from last season netted mixed reviews. Teams in the NFL void of talent and playmakers do not contend for titles PERIOD! The Colts are in a position to drastically upgrade their talent level with huge cap space available and to not take advantage of that is questionable. Signing guys with subpar talent like Vujnovich but letting his own guys walk that showed flashes like Melvin and Mingo is puzzling.

 

Some will defend the first time gm Ballard by making excuses like they did for Grigson and Pagano until the train completely derailed. That's fine but I'm still not sold yet based on what I see. Hard to believe that the Browns who have won 1 game out of 32 in the last two seasons can "attract" talent under their new gm but we can't?  We can only follow Ballard's plan for now. I just hope it doesn't take ANOTHER 6 years before Irsay realizes that it might be a bad one. MAYBE Josh saw that sooner rather than later but it worked out for us because I'm glad we have Frank instead. Rivalry back on BUT with who because with this talent level and LACK of urgency while having Luck as qb we better start with the bottom feeders first.

 

 

[NewColtsFan]

Are you glad you got that out of your system?

 

It always feels better after a big barf.   And this was a whopper!

 

Enjoy your day!     

[BlueShoe]

I just lost an entire reply because of a thread getting migrated into this this clump of garbage.

 

Do we want to waste people’s time when they participate around here? 

 

That’s total nonsense!

[chad72]

18 hours ago, IinD said:

In fairness, I've never seen a 'sane' nfl fan base. Every board hates their team to some extent.

 

Everyone is mad with the groundhog and relentless winter  

[IinD]

4 minutes ago, chad72 said:

 

Everyone is mad with the groundhog and relentless winter  

Gonna be a long and agonising off season.

 

I just hope we look better then a bottom 5 team which we look like right now when training camp starts.

[Flash7]

Just now, IinD said:

Gonna be a long and agonising off season.

 

I just hope we look better then a bottom 5 team which we look like right now when training camp starts.

What would it take to not look like a bottom 5 team?

[chad72]

3 minutes ago, Flash7 said:

What would it take to not look like a bottom 5 team?

 

Gotta have Andrew Luck healthy for game 1 and starting. That is the elephant in the room, no two ways about it.  

[bluephantom87]

19 hours ago, 1959Colts said:

Found this on twitter, thought it was appropriate for this thread, for everyone who thinks we need to spend, spend, spend...

 

Ryan Grigson's FA signings:

 

 

That was the problem with Grigson. It was WHO he spent the money on. Signed 2nd and 3rd tier players with some potential for starter money and OVERPAID for past their prime washed up players with "names"

[Flash7]

1 minute ago, chad72 said:

 

Gotta have Andrew Luck healthy for game 1 and starting. That is the elephant in the room, no two ways about it.  

If we're bottom 5 without Luck, then I think we're doing a major disservice to him.

 

If Ballard continues this approach of adding average talent through FA (hoping they over perform, like Woods has done) and only a few building blocks through the draft (Hooker, Q. Wilson, Hairston) and allowing guys who worked hard to get better (Melvin, Desir) to test Free Agency, it will be a long while until we improve. It's a few steps forward and a few steps back with marginal improvement.

[HectorRoberts]

I remember when polian was gm, we never had anything to do with free agency yet, we were a contender every year.

[OffensivelyPC]

2 minutes ago, HectorRoberts said:

I remember when polian was gm, we never had anything to do with free agency yet, we were a contender every year.

It's crazy to me that people still want the Grigson splurges in FA, but on the "right" people.  As if that were something that could be set in stone before anyone puts ink on a contract.  It's easy to say that Ballard should spend money on guys who are supposed to be good, but too often they don't live up to that contract or at bare minimum, don't outplay their contract.  It's just a wonder to me how anyone could be so ready to spend in free agency as if it were a shopping spree after a GM like Polian followed by a GM who failed hard in free agency.  "Well he spent on the 'wrong free agent.'"  Yeah, we know that now, but nearly everyone was ecstatic about the Landry, Art Jones, and that OT from Detroit signings a few years ago.  We were all wrong, so let's do it again!

[Myles]

59 minutes ago, Flash7 said:

What would it take to not look like a bottom 5 team?

WR's, a RB, O-line help, pass rushers and depth at almost every position.   Too much to get in the draft. 

[Myles]

21 minutes ago, OffensivelyPC said:

It's crazy to me that people still want the Grigson splurges in FA, but on the "right" people.  As if that were something that could be set in stone before anyone puts ink on a contract.  It's easy to say that Ballard should spend money on guys who are supposed to be good, but too often they don't live up to that contract or at bare minimum, don't outplay their contract.  It's just a wonder to me how anyone could be so ready to spend in free agency as if it were a shopping spree after a GM like Polian followed by a GM who failed hard in free agency.  "Well he spent on the 'wrong free agent.'"  Yeah, we know that now, but nearly everyone was ecstatic about the Landry, Art Jones, and that OT from Detroit signings a few years ago.  We were all wrong, so let's do it again!

So you are saying that you would rather not sign anyone than take a chance on signing the wrong player?

[JColts72]

41 minutes ago, HectorRoberts said:

I remember when polian was gm, we never had anything to do with free agency yet, we were a contender every year.

Had way better team back then.

[IinD]

1 hour ago, Flash7 said:

What would it take to not look like a bottom 5 team?

I agree with your post a few posts down.

 

As of right now of course, we can't predict past today, slow steady improvement will be tough, and that means a high hit percentage on drafted guys.

 

I'm just concerned because when you (all Colts fans, not saying that's you fyi) take off the homer glasses, we literally have holes EVERYWHERE more or less...RB, WR, TE (Swoop is no savior), CB, LB, OL (Plural), DE...

 

That's a lot, flat out, regardless of who your GM is. 

 

[OLD FAN MAN]

On 3/13/2018 at 10:25 PM, jameszeigler834 said:

Well we better get somebody worth a crap soon or this team wont be worth watching in 2018 fact.

 

On 3/14/2018 at 7:37 AM, chrisfarley said:

no, "chris" never goes to sleep.  thanks for being behind me, the count-down has begun, T-minus 8h22m47s 

could it be that he thinks there are not any free agents as good as the guys we have

[King Colt]

Indiana passed a law recently to allow sales of booze on Sundays. This could in response to the Colts recent performance for the past two years.

[strt182]

1 hour ago, IinD said:

Gonna be a long and agonising off season.

 

I just hope we look better then a bottom 5 team which we look like right now when training camp starts.

hmm as of right now for the 2018 season all 32 teams are WINLESS . That means that all teams are at the bottom. I don't think it matters what any team looks like on paper it still has to be put into play on the field and there is this big thing called the "human factor" that takes place every week in the NFL. 

[strt182]

41 minutes ago, IinD said:

I'm just concerned because when you (all Colts fans, not saying that's you fyi) take off the homer glasses, we literally have holes EVERYWHERE more or less...RB, WR, TE (Swoop is no savior), CB, LB, OL (Plural), DE..

EVERY NFL team has its flaws, holes and could be better and they ALWAYS will. 

[Flash7]

11 minutes ago, strt182 said:

EVERY NFL team has its flaws, holes and could be better and they ALWAYS will. 

Are they all equal?

[FalseStart]

Seeing a lot of venom, uncertainty, and/or generalized ballyhoo on how our team has been or is doing this off season.  Wanted to start a topic so that the Colts Nation can voice his/her concerns.  And here we go...

 

 

[Indy1996]

Vinny curry just got released i would love for us to sign him he is young and good

[Flash7]

There's already a thread for this...

 

 

I feel a merge coming on.

[strt182]

 

16 minutes ago, Flash7 said:

Are they all equal?

i would have to say that is relative in a sense. But as an exact answer No they are not all the same.

 

We have to remember we are consumers and the NFL is a product. If we don't like the product don't buy it just like anything else we consume. 

[coltsfansince65]

[jameszeigler834]

1 hour ago, OLD FAN MAN said:

 

could it be that he thinks there are not any free agents as good as the guys we have

That's just plain not true there are plenty of guys out there that are better than what we have.

[chrisfarley]

1 hour ago, King Colt said:

Indiana passed a law recently to allow sales of booze on Sundays. This could in response to the Colts recent performance for the past two years.

Us Colts fans already plan way ahead to get our tailgate alcohol before Sunday rolls around, then we drink it all in the van down by the river before we walk over to the game.

[OffensivelyPC]