Winning NFL free agency often doesn't translate into wins

[NannyMcafee]

https://www.google.com/amp/www.chicagotribune.com/sports/football/bears/ct-winning-nfl-free-agency-does-not-translate-wins-20170306-story,amp.html

 

This is why Ballard is taking the approach that he is in drafting first and only signing smaller FA talent and up and coming starters like Simon from the Texans last year. The logic is free agents aren’t meant to build your team. They’re more like stop gap players until you can find a suitable replacement. 

 

Whats worse than listening to a bunch of complainers talking about how Ballard has failed his first two drafts, and hasn’t signed an worthy FAs? 

 

Watching Ballard sign a bunch of FAs and put us back into cap hell, and lose Andrews entire career to mediocre team play. All to please the fans that didn’t have the patience to wait until the end of season two to complain about lack of FA signings and the current draft class. I would rather listen to the media bash the Colts with their horrible knowledge of our team. At least they’re quite amusing and need to generate views. But to listen to fans complain before season two has even started is honestly giving the media a run for their money! 

 

Keep it up guys with the irrational line of thinking. I’m going to enjoy my koolaid and enjoy this season regardless of what happens because baby it’s officially FOOTBALL SEASON! 

 

 

[throwing BBZ]

Thanks Nanny for the logic. Ballard will get a 2-3 important FA pieces to fill in the cracks when the time is right. That will be appropriate and easier when we look like we are close to a contender.
 It is quite pathetic how so many here have not a clue. 
Reich will build an offense that is very diverse. But it will take more than this season to get so much youth to be able to read and react in concert with Lucky at a SB level. 
 It is time to patiently watch these kids compete and to get better.

And the first half of this season SHOULD be very rough.    

[Defjamz26]

People will come in and try and talk about the Jaguars or Broncos from 3-4 years ago but those teams built through the draft first. The core players were all drafted. Jacksonville had like 4 Top 5 picks in a 5 year span. Denver had guys like Von Miller, Malik Jackson, Derek Wolfe, Chris Harris Jr. (UDFA), Demaryius Thomas, etc... who they all drafted.

 

You can’t buy a contender. You have to build it.

[That Guy]

Why does it have to be one or the other?  If a player is available, and signing/drafting that player helps your team, why should it matter where they came from?  Draft picks are cheaper, but filling a whole roster with players on a rookie deal is unrealistic.

 

What is the real difference between signing a player from free agency and resigning a current player that has reached the end of their deal with the Colts?  If they're past their rookie deal, they should still be considered free agents in my eyes.  They just chose to re-sign with the same team.

 

28 minutes ago, Defjamz26 said:

People will come in and try and talk about the Jaguars or Broncos from 3-4 years ago but those teams built through the draft first. The core players were all drafted. Jacksonville had like 4 Top 5 picks in a 5 year span. Denver had guys like Von Miller, Malik Jackson, Derek Wolfe, Chris Harris Jr. (UDFA), Demaryius Thomas, etc... who they all drafted.

 

You can’t buy a contender. You have to build it.

Denver had Manning, Sanders, Talib, Ware, Vasquez, Darian Stewart, TJ Ward, Vernon Davis, Owen Daniels, Brandon Marshall...

 

Jacksonville has Norwell, Campbell, Jackson, Dareus, Bouye, Gipson, Church, Moncreif, Jermey Parnell...

 

To say these teams built through the draft more than they built through free agency is stretching the truth a little bit.  They hit on the draft for a few years in a row which got them a bunch of real cheap playmakers, and this allowed them to use ridiculous amounts of CAP space on getting the best free agents.  The draft got them in a great position, but free agency took them over the edge.

[aaron11]

we had money to spend though, and not many players due for a big contract

 

there were guys out there that could have helped short term, without hurting us long term

[NannyMcafee]

8 minutes ago, aaron11 said:

we had money to spend though, and not many players due for a big contract

 

there were guys out there that could have helped short term, without hurting us long term

 

The point is you want to build a dynasty. And to build a dynasty you need clean slate players from the draft, ready to buy in to your organization. Ballard has mentioned it once or twice. 

[LJpalmbeacher2]

Not having a roster with talent often leads to a losing team.

Even if you supposedly have a Franchise QB.

[2006Coltsbestever]

Yep, we signed Gore, Johnson, and Cole in 2015 and everyone had us SB bound. How did that workout? It didn't. We went from 11-5 and 1 game away from the SB to 8-8 in 2015 and out of the Playoffs.

[Jay Kirk]

12 minutes ago, LJpalmbeacher2 said:

Not having a roster with talent often leads to a losing team.

Even if you supposedly have a Franchise QB.

May I ask do you not believe there is talent on this team besides Luck ?

[Surge89]

1 hour ago, That Guy said:

Why does it have to be one or the other?  If a player is available, and signing/drafting that player helps your team, why should it matter where they came from?  Draft picks are cheaper, but filling a whole roster with players on a rookie deal is unrealistic.

 

What is the real difference between signing a player from free agency and resigning a current player that has reached the end of their deal with the Colts?  If they're past their rookie deal, they should still be considered free agents in my eyes.  They just chose to re-sign with the same team.

 

Denver had Manning, Sanders, Talib, Ware, Vasquez, Darian Stewart, TJ Ward, Vernon Davis, Owen Daniels, Brandon Marshall...

 

Jacksonville has Norwell, Campbell, Jackson, Dareus, Bouye, Gipson, Church, Moncreif, Jermey Parnell...

 

To say these teams built through the draft more than they built through free agency is stretching the truth a little bit.  They hit on the draft for a few years in a row which got them a bunch of real cheap playmakers, and this allowed them to use ridiculous amounts of CAP space on getting the best free agents.  The draft got them in a great position, but free agency took them over the edge.

 

Oh c'mon ya know how this forum is.  It's black or white no gray.  Either you are a supporter or a hater. 

 

Objective thought? Oh boy watch out you are about to awaken the masses. 

[LJpalmbeacher2]

39 minutes ago, Jay Kirk said:

May I ask do you not believe there is talent on this team besides Luck ?

Of course there is a few others. But probably not enough and certainly lacking in playmakers outside of TY and potentially Mack.

 

Do you like our WR group besides TY ?

Do you like our RB group? 

 

How about our RT situation?

 

Our pass rushers?

Our LB corps?

How about our CB's.

 

How many of our position groups are on par with the better teams? Or even average teams? 

How many position groups will give us an ADVANTAGE over our opponents on the field?

 

The inside of our OL should be ok if not good. 

Our TE's should be decent.

If our Safeties can stay healthy, and thats a Big If, it can be a strenght in a other wise a potentially bad defense.

 

 

[Jay Kirk]

Just now, LJpalmbeacher2 said:

Of course there is a few others. But probably not enough and certainly lacking in playmakers outside of TY and potentially Mack.

 

Do you like our WR group besides TY ?

Do you like our RB group? 

 

How about our RT situation?

 

Our pass rushers?

Our LB corps?

How about our CB's.

 

How many of our position groups are on par with the better teams? Or even average teams? 

How many position groups will give us an ADVANTAGE over our opponents on the field?

 

The inside of our OL should be ok if not good. 

Our TE's should be decent.

If our Safeties can stay healthy, and thats a Big If, it can be a strenght in a other wise a potentially bad defense.

 

 

To early to tell ask me around week five and I will tell you what I like and don't like. Inexperienced yes ,lacking talent maybe. Time will settle that one.

[Defjamz26]

6 hours ago, That Guy said:

Why does it have to be one or the other?  If a player is available, and signing/drafting that player helps your team, why should it matter where they came from?  Draft picks are cheaper, but filling a whole roster with players on a rookie deal is unrealistic.

 

What is the real difference between signing a player from free agency and resigning a current player that has reached the end of their deal with the Colts?  If they're past their rookie deal, they should still be considered free agents in my eyes.  They just chose to re-sign with the same team.

 

Denver had Manning, Sanders, Talib, Ware, Vasquez, Darian Stewart, TJ Ward, Vernon Davis, Owen Daniels, Brandon Marshall...

 

Jacksonville has Norwell, Campbell, Jackson, Dareus, Bouye, Gipson, Church, Moncreif, Jermey Parnell...

 

To say these teams built through the draft more than they built through free agency is stretching the truth a little bit.  They hit on the draft for a few years in a row which got them a bunch of real cheap playmakers, and this allowed them to use ridiculous amounts of CAP space on getting the best free agents.  The draft got them in a great position, but free agency took them over the edge.

You’re missing the point. Those teams had a core of pro-Bowl levels players they drafted first. Denver had drafted players at key positions. They then used FA to fill in the rest.

[Finball]

I think Denver is the only recent team that had major portion of its core azquired via FA. About half of their key/core players came via FA.