Three Stories on the Website Right Now!

[NewColtsFan]

 

Continued Importance of Culture on the Team

 

https://www.colts.com/news/locker-room-culture-remains-critical-as-colts-begin-free-agent-discussions

 

Colts want more O-line Depth

 

https://www.colts.com/news/colts-want-to-continue-to-add-offensive-line-depth

 

Colts Top Off-Season Priority:   More Pass Rush!

 

https://www.colts.com/news/colts-top-offseason-priority-ramp-up-that-pass-rush

 

 

I keep seeing posts about Mocks showing the Colts taking a WR in the first.     Or what about this great safety.    Or linebacker.     Or make a trade for Antonio Brown or sign Bell.      People, Chris Ballard is giving you the answers to an open book test and you're ignoring them!    Hello?!?

 

The information is right in front of you and some of you are not willing to look, read and consider.    Simply becasue you don't agree.    You want him to do something different.     Look, ANYTHING is possible.     Yes, we might take a WR,  or a Safety or some other position,  but none of those are likely.

 

Ballard has repeatedly said that other than Quarterback,  pass rush (and especially an attacking DRE) is our priority.    And this draft offers TONS of that.    You may not know all the names,  but Ballard and his team does.    Trust that they know what they're doing.     The answers are not hard to find.

 

The liklihood is extraordinarily high that the Colts are taking pass rush first.    And not signing Bell or trading for Brown.    And we'll be selective who we bring in in FA due to culture reasons.     It's right there in front of you.    All you have to do is click and read.

 

[chrisfarley]

Wanting to add o-line depth is very smart.  I think Ballard wants this to be a building through the draft year again to solidify weaknesses that could take you out of a solid run to the Super Bowl.  Once built, the team could sustain a critical injury here or there and still get to and possibly win a Super Bowl.  Of course it only sweetens the pie if you get there earlier than anticipated, but the foundation has to continue to be built and, as we know, many many areas need to be bolstered but I think we are beyond the straw house now but just in a 2nd stage (sticks) if you will.  Once built to 3rd stage, the only thing that could "trick us"  is BB trying to come down the chimney of the brick house, but only to find that Ballard will be waiting for him with a cauldron of boiling water.

[#12.]

Not a great thread.

 

Depending upon how it unfolds, the Colts could take any number of positions in the first.   

 

Internet speculation aside, I highly doubt Ballard has settled on a first round position on February 1st.  

[shasta519]

1 hour ago, #12. said:

Not a great thread.

 

Depending upon how it unfolds, the Colts could take any number of positions in the first.   

 

Internet speculation aside, I highly doubt Ballard has settled on a first round position on February 1st.  

 

Yeah...these articles are just three articles based off his interview on 1070, which was discussed in another thread. 

 

I sort of hope that Ballard surprises us with that pick...just to see what people do. 

[Jackie Daytona]

I get the logic behind people speculating that maybe they could take a WR at 26.  It would be a scenario something like this.....  in the first 25 picks, it ends up being the top 8 Edge/Rush guys....  3 DT's....  3 LB'ers.....  1 RB....  3 Corners  3 OL  1 Safety 1 WR and 2 QB's go....  which is totally feasable... 

 

These posters are figuring a scenario like this happens, or something similar.  That's 25 picks....  these fans are thinking, do you take the 9th best Edge rusher (hypothetically) or the WR that Ballard thinks is the 2nd (or maybe first on his board) in the whole draft.

 

WR is a big need, even though CB and Co.  says they really, really like what we have on the team already there....   

 

Also, most fans are used to GM's NOT doing exactly what they say.  So far Ballard has been the opposite here, but more casual, or overall NFL fans of the whole league and football in general especially, are conditioned to try to read between the lines of GM and coach speak....  Fans who primarily focus on the Colts and pay less attention to the rest of the league as a whole, are probably more conditioned to be receptive to taking what Ballard says at face value just based on individual experiences.....

 

All this said, who knows what he'll take.  Hooker fell into his lap, he had no plan to draft him, didn't think he'd be there....  He was BPA, according to CB, they had him as a top 10 guy on the Colt's draft board...  It's entirely possible he has a certain WR in his top 15, that falls to 26.  I can totally see him taking his top 15 OVERALL ranked player even if he's a WR and not a Pass Rusher  if there are no rushers he has in his top 26 left, but say 5 rushers are left on his board that he has ranked between 28 and 40.....

 

 

I guess what I'm getting at with this post that has evolved into the longest post I think I've made in all my time here... There's no point scoffing at, or OMG'ing people who speculate about draft picks and possible selections, no matter what the GM says.  Since quite simply..... No one knows who might be available, or where Ballard will have them in his board rankings. ( Rankings which are going to change and change and change again and again between now and the draft. )

[Jackie Daytona]

Just realized I said a Hooker fell into CB's lap.... oops!  

[Jdubu]

9 hours ago, shastamasta said:

 

Yeah...these articles are just three articles based off his interview on 1070, which was discussed in another thread. 

 

I sort of hope that Ballard surprises us with that pick...just to see what people do. 

Kicker? That be a big enough of a surprise for you 

[aaron11]

i think he will go with the best player like he did in the previous two first rounds.  safety was not the biggest need when we took hooker, nor is he on the trenches 

 

he went with biggest needs in the second and beyond though, or he could trade up

[DougDew]

Most are simply playing their own junior GM and going through options as if they were in Ballard's shoes.  I don't think many are seriously trying to predict what the Colts will actually do. 

 

This Fantasy GM role playing is separate from the real world, and personally, I'm not interested in much about what Ballard says ahead of time.  That's the real world, and I'll find out who the Colts sign and pick as those facts happen.

 

The Fantasy GM role is what keeps the forum alive in the offseason.  Otherwise many would just wait for Ballard to say or do something and then play cheerleader or critic.  I try not to do either.

[shasta519]

1 hour ago, Jdubu said:

Kicker? That be a big enough of a surprise for you 

 

Ok...not that big of a surprise. I still can't believe the NYJ did that.

[jskinnz]

21 minutes ago, DougDew said:

Most are simply playing their own junior GM and going through options as if they were in Ballard's shoes.  I don't think many are seriously trying to predict what the Colts will actually do. 

 

This Fantasy GM role playing is separate from the real world, and personally, I'm not interested in much about what Ballard says ahead of time.  That's the real world, and I'll find out who the Colts sign and pick as those facts happen.

 

The Fantasy GM role is what keeps the forum alive in the offseason.  Otherwise many would just wait for Ballard to say or do something and then play cheerleader or critic.  I try not to do either.

 

A reasonable way to look at it I suppose.

 

I go the other way and look at things as if would Ballard really consider the proposed trade, draft or free agent that the forum offers up.  And if the answer is clearly no then the point of the thread or topic du jour is lost on me.

[HarryTheCat]

One thing is certain: No matter who the Colts draft at #26, half of this forum will blow up, fully convinced that Ballard has just killed our chances of making a Super Bowl in the next decade. The other half will be equally convinced that he just drafted a can't-miss future Hall of Famer who will take us to the Promised Land. 

 

But that's what makes this forum fun and worth reading. Colts fans are passionate about their team now, not like the early days in Indy when a touchdown would elicit a polite "golf clap" from the 50,000 or so customers in the seats. We're a bit rowdy. We yell at the field. We yell at our TV screens. And we yell at each other here. 

 

And it's all great fun. 

 

Go Colts!

[2006Coltsbestever]

2 minutes ago, HarryTheCat said:

One thing is certain: No matter who the Colts draft at #26, half of this forum will blow up, fully convinced that Ballard has just killed our chances of making a Super Bowl in the next decade. The other half will be equally convinced that he just drafted a can't-miss future Hall of Famer who will take us to the Promised Land. 

 

But that's what makes this forum fun and worth reading. Colts fans are passionate about their team now, not like the early days in Indy when a touchdown would elicit a polite "golf clap" from the 50,000 or so customers in the seats. We're a bit rowdy. We yell at the field. We yell at our TV screens. And we yell at each other here. 

 

And it's all great fun. 

 

Go Colts!

Yep it would be boring in here if everyone agreed on everything.

[onebad150]

Ignore all the Hype, How well did all these "draft Experts" do last year.  Take-it-to-the-BANK, we are not drafting a WR with our #1 pick. Earliest I see a WR being drafted is the 4th round and I would be surprised if it was not later. 

THE FIRST 3 PICKS WILL BE ALL BE DEFENSIVE PLAYERS

[jskinnz]

4 minutes ago, onebad150 said:

Ignore all the Hype, How well did all these "draft Experts" do last year.  Take-it-to-the-BANK, we are not drafting a WR with our #1 pick. Earliest I see a WR being drafted is the 4th round and I would be surprised if it was not later. 

THE FIRST 3 PICKS WILL BE ALL BE DEFENSIVE PLAYERS

 

Typing in all caps does not make your point more valid.

 

If WR is the top rated player at the time of the pick, it is not unreasonable at all to think they won't take that player.

[DougDew]

1 hour ago, jskinnz said:

 

A reasonable way to look at it I suppose.

 

I go the other way and look at things as if would Ballard really consider the proposed trade, draft or free agent that the forum offers up.  And if the answer is clearly no then the point of the thread or topic du jour is lost on me.

Yeah, I think different people find the offseason interesting in their own way.  I noticed it when arguments happen.  The source of the arguments are usually two people having a different approach to the offseason and don't realize it.

 

Certainly I can see the interest in trying to predict what Ballard/Colts will actually do, in which case paying attention to the clues he provides is certainly a big piece of that.  And I look at that too sometimes, but normally my mock draft fantasy is trying to pick players for the Colts at particular value as if I was GM. 

 

I don't play Fantasy Football during the regular season, I tend to play it in the off season, so to speak.

 

What I DON'T do is criticize Ballard for any pick he makes.  He's the GM and has much more information at his disposal than me, so I'm in no position to second guess his picks.  I find it odd that people do.  There are times when I don't understand them, and say so to gain a better understanding, but I also realize that is the result of my shortcomings, not his.

[LJpalmbeacher2]

13 hours ago, Shafty138 said:

I get the logic behind people speculating that maybe they could take a WR at 26.  It would be a scenario something like this.....  in the first 25 picks, it ends up being the top 8 Edge/Rush guys....  3 DT's....  3 LB'ers.....  1 RB....  3 Corners  3 OL  1 Safety 1 WR and 2 QB's go....  which is totally feasable... 

 

These posters are figuring a scenario like this happens, or something similar.  That's 25 picks....  these fans are thinking, do you take the 9th best Edge rusher (hypothetically) or the WR that Ballard thinks is the 2nd (or maybe first on his board) in the whole draft.

 

WR is a big need, even though CB and Co.  says they really, really like what we have on the team already there....   

 

Also, most fans are used to GM's NOT doing exactly what they say.  So far Ballard has been the opposite here, but more casual, or overall NFL fans of the whole league and football in general especially, are conditioned to try to read between the lines of GM and coach speak....  Fans who primarily focus on the Colts and pay less attention to the rest of the league as a whole, are probably more conditioned to be receptive to taking what Ballard says at face value just based on individual experiences.....

 

All this said, who knows what he'll take.  Hooker fell into his lap, he had no plan to draft him, didn't think he'd be there....  He was BPA, according to CB, they had him as a top 10 guy on the Colt's draft board...  It's entirely possible he has a certain WR in his top 15, that falls to 26.  I can totally see him taking his top 15 OVERALL ranked player even if he's a WR and not a Pass Rusher  if there are no rushers he has in his top 26 left, but say 5 rushers are left on his board that he has ranked between 28 and 40.....

 

 

I guess what I'm getting at with this post that has evolved into the longest post I think I've made in all my time here... There's no point scoffing at, or OMG'ing people who speculate about draft picks and possible selections, no matter what the GM says.  Since quite simply..... No one knows who might be available, or where Ballard will have them in his board rankings. ( Rankings which are going to change and change and change again and again between now and the draft. )

 

4 hours ago, DougDew said:

Most are simply playing their own junior GM and going through options as if they were in Ballard's shoes.  I don't think many are seriously trying to predict what the Colts will actually do. 

 

This Fantasy GM role playing is separate from the real world, and personally, I'm not interested in much about what Ballard says ahead of time.  That's the real world, and I'll find out who the Colts sign and pick as those facts happen.

 

The Fantasy GM role is what keeps the forum alive in the offseason.  Otherwise many would just wait for Ballard to say or do something and then play cheerleader or critic.  I try not to do either.

 

I agree.

There's clickBait all over the internet and what you read is not all going to be Gospel. Lol

 

There's no telling who will be available when we make our top 3 picks. And we don't know what Ballard's board looks like now or come Draft Day.

 

As far as our mocks and arm chair GM'ing is concerned. Since many are pretending to be GM it's ok to mock what you would do in charge. What's the fun in pretending to be GM and then mock what you think ballard will do?

 

So Mock away and let's get that WR, stud LB'er, S, and RB. 

[Tombstone]

Take it for what it's worth but Chris did say in an interview that pass rushers can be found in the later rounds.  Now that being said is not implying that he will not take one with the first pick.... 

[LJpalmbeacher2]

52 minutes ago, Tombstone said:

Take it for what it's worth but Chris did say in an interview that pass rushers can be found in the later rounds.  Now that being said is not implying that he will not take one with the first pick.... 

 

Yes, pass rushers, WR's, RB's and all other positions can be found in the later rounds. Finding Impact/Playmakers in the later rounds is a more difficult task.

[Hoose]

Its really amazing how many misses occur in the first round. Yes, those impact players are very hard to find, and past first rounds are littered with picks who proved to be either abject failures or far from impactful. The two most difficult impact players to find are, in this order, QBs and Pass Rushers. 

That is why, if Ballard sees a guy he believes will make a difference at pass rushing DE, I'm betting he's going to take him. Even if it means straying a tad from the Big board. 

[NewColtsFan]

22 hours ago, #12. said:

Not a great thread.

 

Depending upon how it unfolds, the Colts could take any number of positions in the first.   

 

Internet speculation aside, I highly doubt Ballard has settled on a first round position on February 1st.  

 

Yeah....    I didn't think I'd gain any popularity points with this thread.    Apologies,  this will be a long-ish post.

 

And while YOU think Ballard hasn't decided on a first round position,  I'd respectfully disagree.   I thnk he wants pass rush.    I think he'd prefer a DE, but would be willing to take a DT.    But he wants pass rush which he prizes above all else.    And, the strength of this defensive rich draft just happens to be Pass Rush.    So, is it possible that he takes someone else?    Sure.   No way to know who will fall to him.    But I believe his preference is rushing the QB.    To not pick pass rush in a draft filled with pass rushers would be the most un-Ballard thing he's done as our GM.   It's possible.    But it's not likely.

 

By the way,  Ballard pretty much figured out he wanted Nelson in Mid-March when he saw him in person at the ND Pro Day.     That was the ONLY pro day that Ballard attended and he said Nelson's workout was so impressive and made his selection obvious.    But if Nelson had been gone I think he would've gone Chubb or Smith.

 

Also...  while you scoff at the idea of not making up your mind this early,  about 10-14 days ago,  Sports Illustrated did a series on the re-birth of the Browns.   And in one story with their GM John Dorsey,  he revealed that when the Chiefs fired him early in the 2017 season,  he scouted heavily out of his own home.    And by late October of 17, he thought Baker Mayfield was the obvious top QB.    Now he didn't know he'd eventually become the Browns GM,  but he thought he stood a chance to become the GM of some team picking high and his preference was Mayfield.   I confess I was a bit surprised,  but this shows that decisions can be made much sooner than anyone might imagine.

 

 

[NewColtsFan]

9 hours ago, DougDew said:

Yeah, I think different people find the offseason interesting in their own way.  I noticed it when arguments happen.  The source of the arguments are usually two people having a different approach to the offseason and don't realize it.

 

Certainly I can see the interest in trying to predict what Ballard/Colts will actually do, in which case paying attention to the clues he provides is certainly a big piece of that.  And I look at that too sometimes, but normally my mock draft fantasy is trying to pick players for the Colts at particular value as if I was GM. 

 

I don't play Fantasy Football during the regular season, I tend to play it in the off season, so to speak.

 

What I DON'T do is criticize Ballard for any pick he makes.  He's the GM and has much more information at his disposal than me, so I'm in no position to second guess his picks.  I find it odd that people do.  There are times when I don't understand them, and say so to gain a better understanding, but I also realize that is the result of my shortcomings, not his.

 

Doug.....

 

The line which I put into bold may be a new position of yours.    But it has NOT beem your approach in the recent past.    About 3-4 weeks ago,  you made a claim about and I used the words "revisionist history".    You denied it and encouraged me to go to the archives.   Unfortunately,  I'm not great at using archives,  and with the new format of this website,  I find using them even harder now.   

 

BUT....

 

The official 2018 Colts draft thread which had been on the draft page is NOW pinned at the top of the NFL Page.

 

And a few weeks ago,  I had some free time and spent an hour or scanning through it.   To your credit,  I mean,  your EVER LASTING CREDIT,  you were very reasonab le on the 2nd night.   I confess I was shocked.   In real time you said you liked the Leonard pick, AND the Smith pick.    And you admitted that while you didn't know anything about Turay and Lewis you liked that Ballard was addressing the DL.    I was wrong,  you were not among the masses screaming for Ballard's head.   Your posts were fair and reasonable.

 

BUT....

 

On Day One...   when we drafted Quenton Nelson....   I'd guess about 30-40 percent of the posters were not happy.  And the number one unhappy poster with Chris Ballard......   was you.    By far.    Doug, you literally said Ballard was worse than Ryan Grigson.   You literally said that Ballard refusal to trade down with Buffalo at 12 and pick up two 2nd picks to take a guard was indefensible.   Post after post after post by you was anti-Ballard and his decision.    You got a lot of push back from other posters and you didn't yield at all.

 

So, when you say TODAY that what you don't do is criticize Ballard for picks,  the claim is false.    By the way,  this comes a year after you ripped him for drafting Malik Hooker.   A pick you ripped throughout his rookie year.  

You may be taking a new approach this year and in the future.   But you've never hesitated to rip Ballard his first two years.    

 

By the way,  here is the link to the 2018 official draft thead.   You don't have to take my word for it.   But your posts won't be hard to find.

 

https://forums.colts.com/topic/57919-2018-nfl-draft-thread/

 

[crazycolt1]

15 minutes ago, NewColtsFan said:

 

Yeah....    I didn't think I'd gain any popularity points with this thread.    Apologies,  this will be a long-ish post.

 

And while YOU think Ballard hasn't decided on a first round position,  I'd respectfully disagree.   I thnk he wants pass rush.    I think he'd prefer a DE, but would be willing to take a DT.    But he wants pass rush which he prizes above all else.    And, the strength of this defensive rich draft just happens to be Pass Rush.    So, is it possible that he takes someone else?    Sure.   No way to know who will fall to him.    But I believe his preference is rushing the QB.    To not pick pass rush in a draft filled with pass rushers would be the most un-Ballard thing he's done as our GM.   It's possible.    But it's not likely.

 

By the way,  Ballard pretty much figured out he wanted Nelson in Mid-March when he saw him in person at the ND Pro Day.     That was the ONLY pro day that Ballard attended and he said Nelson's workout was so impressive and made his selection obvious.    But if Nelson had been gone I think he would've gone Chubb or Smith.

 

Also...  while you scoff at the idea of not making up your mind this early,  about 10-14 days ago,  Sports Illustrated did a series on the re-birth of the Browns.   And in one story with their GM John Dorsey,  he revealed that when the Chiefs fired him early in the 2017 season,  he scouted heavily out of his own home.    And by late October of 17, he thought Baker Mayfield was the obvious top QB.    Now he didn't know he'd eventually become the Browns GM,  but he thought he stood a chance to become the GM of some team picking high and his preference was Mayfield.   I confess I was a bit surprised,  but this shows that decisions can be made much sooner than anyone might imagine.

 

 

I don't know how Ballard could have in more obvious terms.

When questioned he was ask and he said he knew the fans wanted a receiver but that was not his first priority.

How it falls is anyone guess but I believe him when he says what he wants.

 

[Jackie Daytona]

1 hour ago, NewColtsFan said:

 

Yeah....    I didn't think I'd gain any popularity points with this thread.    Apologies,  this will be a long-ish post.

 

And while YOU think Ballard hasn't decided on a first round position,  I'd respectfully disagree.   I thnk he wants pass rush.    I think he'd prefer a DE, but would be willing to take a DT.    But he wants pass rush which he prizes above all else.    And, the strength of this defensive rich draft just happens to be Pass Rush.    So, is it possible that he takes someone else?    Sure.   No way to know who will fall to him.    But I believe his preference is rushing the QB.    To not pick pass rush in a draft filled with pass rushers would be the most un-Ballard thing he's done as our GM.   It's possible.    But it's not likely.

 

By the way,  Ballard pretty much figured out he wanted Nelson in Mid-March when he saw him in person at the ND Pro Day.     That was the ONLY pro day that Ballard attended and he said Nelson's workout was so impressive and made his selection obvious.    But if Nelson had been gone I think he would've gone Chubb or Smith.

 

Also...  while you scoff at the idea of not making up your mind this early,  about 10-14 days ago,  Sports Illustrated did a series on the re-birth of the Browns.   And in one story with their GM John Dorsey,  he revealed that when the Chiefs fired him early in the 2017 season,  he scouted heavily out of his own home.    And by late October of 17, he thought Baker Mayfield was the obvious top QB.    Now he didn't know he'd eventually become the Browns GM,  but he thought he stood a chance to become the GM of some team picking high and his preference was Mayfield.   I confess I was a bit surprised,  but this shows that decisions can be made much sooner than anyone might imagine.

 

 

That's true.  I'm sure he prioritizes pass rusher.  So do 31 other teams in the NFL.  Right behind franchise QB.  That's why this being a deep DL draft doesn't mean you are gonna get a sure fire guy at 26.  there could very easily be a record number of DE/EDGE players selected in the first round this year....  if we picked in the top 15, or decide to trade UP into that range...... then he'd have his pick from several pass rushers he has as first round talents, for sure.  If he stays at 26, he could EASILY have no more EDGE guys as first rounders.  but maybe solid options he can get with the 1st pic kin round 2...  

 

The very idea of there being a lot of prospects at one of the hardest to fill, most highly sought after positions in football directly will lead to a disproportionate number being selected before the Colts pick....  are there THAT many that a sure fire 1st rounder makes it all the way to 26?  I don't know, we'll see...  but to act like it's practically a guarantee for CB to pick one, just because there are a lot of prospects, and he said he prioritizes a pass rusher (who doesn't?)  doesn't mean other GM's are gonna pass over these guys for other spots....  most GM's place that position just as high as CB...

[NewColtsFan]

1 hour ago, Shafty138 said:

That's true.  I'm sure he prioritizes pass rusher.  So do 31 other teams in the NFL.  Right behind franchise QB.  That's why this being a deep DL draft doesn't mean you are gonna get a sure fire guy at 26.  there could very easily be a record number of DE/EDGE players selected in the first round this year....  if we picked in the top 15, or decide to trade UP into that range...... then he'd have his pick from several pass rushers he has as first round talents, for sure.  If he stays at 26, he could EASILY have no more EDGE guys as first rounders.  but maybe solid options he can get with the 1st pic kin round 2...  

 

The very idea of there being a lot of prospects at one of the hardest to fill, most highly sought after positions in football directly will lead to a disproportionate number being selected before the Colts pick....  are there THAT many that a sure fire 1st rounder makes it all the way to 26?  I don't know, we'll see...  but to act like it's practically a guarantee for CB to pick one, just because there are a lot of prospects, and he said he prioritizes a pass rusher (who doesn't?)  doesn't mean other GM's are gonna pass over these guys for other spots....  most GM's place that position just as high as CB...

 

First....   many of the teams play a 3-4.   And CB is not looking for a 3-4 OLB.

 

He's looking for a 4-3 DE or a 4-3 DT.     And player who are built around speed.     So, no, I'm afraid the other 31 GM's are not valueing the DL the way CB does.    

 

The concept that I've tried to share,  and some here seem to understand but too many others don't, is that the further you get away from the first pick, or the top, 5,  the more GM's see players differently.   They're ranked different.   They're valued different.    32 teams; 32 different boards that don't look as much alike as one might think.

 

So,  a year ago,  I'd bet Darius Leonard was a first round pick on Ballard's board.   And Smith may have been too.    I'm confident they weren't ranked 36 and 37.    Just as I believe Turay and Lewis were likely ranked higher than 52 and 64 respectively.    People see the same things differently.

 

So, when we get to our pick 26 and 34 this year,  other teams may be looking at OL, or WR,  or QB,  or LB,  or CB.    I believe good quality DL that Ballard values will be available because of the depth in this year's draft.     That's why I don't think Ballard will trade pick 34 to move up.    He can stay there and likely get a player he has as a first round player on his board.

 

Look....   in all of my posts, I've allowed that CB might not pick a DL.    Perhaps a player that he has ranked much higher somehow slips to him.    That is possible.    I just don't think it's likely and I think Ballard's desire --- his stated desire --- is to build his DL.    With a deep and talented pool this year,  it just seems too obvious not to do that.

 

Just my two cents...   and I get that many are just not going to agree.

 

 

[crazycolt1]

Ballard wants a pass rush. It can come from a defensive lineman or a linebacker. Pressure from any angle and every angle is what he will be trying to do. How that will work out is yet to be determined but IMO that is his #1 priority.

It wouldn't surprise me at all for him to do some trading to get what he would like to have. He knows the best way to win games is stopping the other team, not out scoring them.

Yes we need another receiver but till we have the trenches and the pass rushing squared away I don't think he will go with a receiver in the first couple of picks.

 

[SouthernIndianaNDFan]

Nobody knows how free agency is gonna play out, and they therefore have no clue how anything following that is gonna play out. They could land edge help or WR help before the draft even happens, lending it to play out exactly the way you DID NOT see it playing out. It's all just a bunch of people wanting to show that they're the most knowledgeable Colts fan in a forum full of knowledgeable Colts fans. 

 

Chris Ballard doesn't even know. He's going to make a hundred adjustments between now and the draft. The scouting combine will alter things, and obviously free agency will alter things...hell, Lev Bell may become a philanthropist and decide he wants to play in Indy so bad that he's willing to take a lesser amount to be a part of what's getting ready to happen for this franchise for the next however many years. (Joking about that last part...kinda)

[Jackie Daytona]

19 hours ago, NewColtsFan said:

 

First....   many of the teams play a 3-4.   And CB is not looking for a 3-4 OLB.

 

He's looking for a 4-3 DE or a 4-3 DT.     And player who are built around speed.     So, no, I'm afraid the other 31 GM's are not valueing the DL the way CB does.    

 

The concept that I've tried to share,  and some here seem to understand but too many others don't, is that the further you get away from the first pick, or the top, 5,  the more GM's see players differently.   They're ranked different.   They're valued different.    32 teams; 32 different boards that don't look as much alike as one might think.

 

 

As to the 3-4/4-3 point, I agree.  and half of those playing 3-4 will have 3-4 olb, and the others will be willing to take a DE and convert him, if the talent level is as "Deep" as everyone says it is this year..... just watch, there will be several do this, regardless of whether the player can make the switch or not.....    

 

As for the second point here..... yep.  Your evaluation of GM's evaluations here is exactly what I said too.  they value different players differently, and there is no way of knowing who they will take, or what position, when they pick.  I said no one knows what players at what positions will be available on Ballard's board when he picks if he stays at 26, or even if he trades up, glad to know you agree!