Colts sign Devin Funchess (Merge)

[Superman]

37 minutes ago, stitches said:

The problem with this deal is not that it's one year deal. It's that it's not more(non-guaranteed ones). We get all the downside of a prove it deal, while paying him like he's already proven it, without getting the upside of having him locked for lets say one more year(similar to Ebron's deal) in case he actually works out. So what happens if he works out? He will be up for another deal and an upgrade of the contract, probably not with us.

 

I think the price is way out of whack, but I don't mind the one year deal. Follow the Jeffery strategy if he fits and produces, and it's fine. And even if we let him walk and he gets a big deal, it's a future comp, for a team that otherwise has little in the way of valuable free agents. I actually like the strategy of signing promising FAs to one year deals, for that reason.

 

Maybe the more forward thinking way of doing it is to use the Revis model. Do a multi year contract with a Year 2 option, and if we decline the option he's still a qualifying player.

[NewColtsFan]

2 hours ago, Rackeen305 said:

I would have taken a serious look at LB fowler for the $14 but that's just me. lol

Fowler signed with the Adams BEFORE we could move on him.    

 

And the Funchess deal is for a $10 mill base with incentives that COULD make it $13 mill. 

[JPFolks]

14 minutes ago, NewColtsFan said:

As Ballard himself noted...   Grant was ok until he got nicked up.

 

As for Ebron underachieving... we’ll just have to agree to disagree.

 

As for Ballard having a blind spot for receivers...  he did well enough with a mostly makeshift  undrafted free agent unit that the Cokts offense was pretty good.   Plus, it’s a small sample size.   Again mostly 1 year deals.

 

if you’re going to make mistakes, you try to make small ones.   So again, agree to disagree.

I respect your position and appreciate your politeness.  It is just a massive disappointment for me.  This has all the hallmarks of us DESPERATELY begging for OFFENSIVE LINE HELP and even Ballard admitted that he simply didn't properly address it year one.   It seems he has missed 2 straight years unless the injured kid balls out, but they must not be very confident in that if they are throwing 10 million at this total bust to date.  What was the desperation to sign him? At the very least we should have gotten a team friendly deal.  If I was a player feeling underpaid on the Colts, this would not make me very happy.  

 

For me, I seriously would have been happier if they went purely draft and UDFA's in training camp to find WRs that could play.  Paying him that kind of money for any term seems so Grigsonian to me.  The tape doesn't lie.  And the stats actually back up the tape.  It's just bizarre. 

 

The best I have heard anyone say from the NFL brains is that "he's earned the benefit of the doubt, I guess" a direct quote that was just said on NFL network after they implied they wasted 10 million and said "They have over 100 million in space and they obviously aren't afraid to spend it."  

[2006Coltsbestever]

2 minutes ago, Irish YJ said:

 

All the talk about Ebron underachieving in Detroit is a little strange to me. Indy uses Ebron differently plain and simple. Also, Ebron had a higher catch % in Detroit his last three years, than he did last year with the Colts. in 2016, Ebron had a better YPG and YPC aveage than he did in 2018. He was targeted a bunch more last year because we didn't have a legit #2 WR, so he had more opportunity. And we used him in the RZ a lot more, which translated into a league high for TDs.  He never sucked in Detroit. His catch % was better in Detroit, and has always been far better than Funchess. 

Ebron didn't suck in Detroit but he never came close to 13 TD's in 1 season like he did here either. Most he had was 5. Had we signed Funchess to like a 4 yr deal, I would be pretty upset and complaining but a 1 yr deal for 10 Mill I can live with. Free Agency hasn't really started either, long way to go and we do have a lot of cash. 

[aReggie7]

I'm wondering if this means the Colts do not intend to bring back Dontrelle Inman?

 

At first I thought the contract was a bit rich but that's along the lines of what Donte Moncrief signed for last year and they put up VERY similar numbers in their first 4 years.

 

Funchess probably wouldn't have been my first choice among the free agent wide receivers but he seems to fit the profile of what this staff likes in a wide receiver. Hopefully they can put him in the right spots and get the most production out of him.

[EastStreet]

Just now, 2006Coltsbestever said:

Ebron didn't suck in Detroit but he never came close to 13 TD's in 1 season like he did here either. Most he had was 5. Had we signed Funchess to like a 4 yr deal, I would be pretty upset and complaining but a 1 yr deal for 10 Mill I can live with. Free Agency hasn't really started either, long way to go and we do have a lot of cash. 

like i said before, we used Ebron differently. his core stats (YPC, YPG, and catch %) in Indy were actually worse than his time in Detroit. it would probably be more accurate to say that Indy used Ebron more (targets), and in a way that maximized his skill set (to achieve both yards and TDs), while Detroit did not. if you strip away the TD production, the other stats would tell you he achieved as much or more in Detroit.

[threeflight]

6 minutes ago, JPFolks said:

I respect your position and appreciate your politeness.  It is just a massive disappointment for me.  This has all the hallmarks of us DESPERATELY begging for OFFENSIVE LINE HELP and even Ballard admitted that he simply didn't properly address it year one.   It seems he has missed 2 straight years unless the injured kid balls out, but they must not be very confident in that if they are throwing 10 million at this total bust to date.  What was the desperation to sign him? At the very least we should have gotten a team friendly deal.  If I was a player feeling underpaid on the Colts, this would not make me very happy.  

 

For me, I seriously would have been happier if they went purely draft and UDFA's in training camp to find WRs that could play.  Paying him that kind of money for any term seems so Grigsonian to me.  The tape doesn't lie.  And the stats actually back up the tape.  It's just bizarre. 

 

The best I have heard anyone say from the NFL brains is that "he's earned the benefit of the doubt, I guess" a direct quote that was just said on NFL network after they implied they wasted 10 million and said "They have over 100 million in space and they obviously aren't afraid to spend it."  

It is a messed up world we live in when someone like Devin Funchess, Devin ****** Funchess, gets $13 M a year to play a game he is not very good at.

 

Think about that.

[2006Coltsbestever]

I think bringing Inman back would be a good move at this point and drafting a WR in round 2 or 3.

[Restinpeacesweetchloe]

Yes. The colts out Ebron in a position he could succeed. Detroit tried to make him something he wasn’t.

[2006Coltsbestever]

6 minutes ago, Irish YJ said:

like i said before, we used Ebron differently. his core stats (YPC, YPG, and catch %) in Indy were actually worse than his time in Detroit. it would probably be more accurate to say that Indy used Ebron more (targets), and in a way that maximized his skill set (to achieve both yards and TDs), while Detroit did not. if you strip away the TD production, the other stats would tell you he achieved as much or more in Detroit.

That is the thing though, you can not take away his TD stat. That is a very important stat by the way. He was arguably the best player in the league in the Redzone all year. He wasn't even close to that in Detroit.

[2006Coltsbestever]

5 minutes ago, threeflight said:

It is a messed up world we live in when someone like Devin Funchess, Devin ****** Funchess, gets $13 M a year to play a game he is not very good at.

 

Think about that.

He is only getting 10 Mill unless he performs well, meaning matching his incentives.

[JPFolks]

10 minutes ago, Superman said:

 

I think the price is way out of whack, but I don't mind the one year deal. Follow the Jeffery strategy if he fits and produces, and it's fine. And even if we let him walk and he gets a big deal, it's a future comp, for a team that otherwise has little in the way of valuable free agents. I actually like the strategy of signing promising FAs to one year deals, for that reason.

 

Maybe the more forward thinking way of doing it is to use the Revis model. Do a multi year contract with a Year 2 option, and if we decline the option he's still a qualifying player.

Smartest post I have read.  I just can't figure out why he commanded the money, was there really a bidding war on this guy? If they'd signed him to a much much smaller prove it deal for a year, yawn, no big deal.  But this seems to confirm that we're rolling with Marcus Johnson, Chester Rogers, Devin Funchess, Deon Cain, Pascal and TY Hilton with us not even having resigned Inman who I at this point really hope they do as he would be our #2 most talented/reliable target in this collection.   I think maybe Pascal is the key guy in that they feel he is going to explode forward in his development and with this signing, he's currently the guy I have the most optimism in.   I hadn't thought of the future Comp, thanks for that but your idea of the year 2 option sure sounds smarter.   Why wouldn't they have done it?  Did Funchess REALLY command that much power in the negotiation? 

[dew5150]

FYI - We did make an offer to Collins but we got out bid. Ballard sets a ceiling for what he will spend and won't exceed it... That's what happened here.

[Zoltan]

41 minutes ago, JPFolks said:

And yet he still signed Ryan Grant to a 1 yr deal to solve our WR problem.  And he himself admits to a large number of mistakes.  A blind spot for receivers is apparently one of those things.  And Ebron SHOULD have been even BETTER because he dropped the hell out of the ball last year as well.  When Luck puts it on your hands and you  only seemed focused to be sure you catch it in the END ZONE you have: Ebron.  He still has a lack of reliable hands everywhere else on the field.  So we need someone who can CATCH because that was our current crop of receivers problem... but guess what? Funchess had to be in the top 10 in drops last year from what I saw. 

 

Why are the receivers Ballard signs guys who drop the ball?  Our current WRs signed by him and now Funchess.  In my view Ebron underachieved.  He stayed healthy, that was his biggest accomplishment because Luck puts the ball right on the hands of receivers.  Ebron wasn't making many circus catches.  Only TY does that and it is because Luck trusts him to get it so he puts it in tough spots for the defense to intercept it.  Funchess will NOT get separation, so on the occasions that he IS open, Luck will put the ball on his hands, but history shows he drops it. 

 

Hold on... wait for it....

 

I didn't need to look it up, I knew from watching.  But I did check just now and it is WORSE than I thought.  Funchess had the WORST drop rate in the NFL!!!   https://pantherswire.usatoday.com/2019/02/09/panthers-devin-funchess-kelvin-benjamin-drop-rate-nfl/   So he's slow, and he drops the ball.  I understand others might have been too expensive, but why sign this garbage?  Was he just in the wrong place?  Ironically, Benjamin in that same article left Carolina and STILL couldn't catch it in Buffalo. 

 

No one is perfect.  This appears to be team Colts scouting blind spot.  People who can't catch the ball.  We'd have been better off resigning Moncrief!   

 

Perhaps like Ebron, when it is on his hands in the end zone he might catch it, but we have one of those already.  SMH.   

 

Yes Ryan Grant was a bad pick up last year but it was a one year deal so was there any lasting issues when it comes to getting rid of him... no. As for your talk about Ebron it's ridiculous the dude was 2nd in the league for receiving touchdowns better than T. Hill and just behind Antonio Brown. I swear he could of been the best TE in the league and you would be mad from one drop pass.

 

Lastly Moncrief come on, we've been there done that he had luck and didn't perform Funchess has had a known inaccurate QB for his first NFL contract, and I like how he is betting on himself

[JPFolks]

9 minutes ago, Irish YJ said:

like i said before, we used Ebron differently. his core stats (YPC, YPG, and catch %) in Indy were actually worse than his time in Detroit. it would probably be more accurate to say that Indy used Ebron more (targets), and in a way that maximized his skill set (to achieve both yards and TDs), while Detroit did not. if you strip away the TD production, the other stats would tell you he achieved as much or more in Detroit.

NAILED IT! and next year his production will go WAY down (I predict) because defenses are NOT going to allow him to do it again.  TY has never been a target in the end zone much, so the only positive I can see if them having 2 "Ebrons" in the end zone to make the Defense choose between.  In fact, you just led me to figure out what I think they MUST be thinking here.  Thanks for that! 

[Four2itus]

1 hour ago, akcolt said:

 

We have a lot of young WR talent on this team to develop and we are likely adding  to it in the draft. It wasn’t popular but I have thought all along we like the young guys we have. The coaches a chance to do their jobs.

 

Dead on. 

1 hour ago, 18to87 said:

It's a low-risk move with potentially a big pay off. Ballard strikes again IMO. I can see a WR being drafted in the first three rounds. 

I think that is very possible

[JPFolks]

Between Irish YJ's post and Superman's post, I think I am coming around to what they are thinking with this signing.  (I am progressing through the grieving process to acceptance).  Since I can't do anything about it, I think the reason they are doing this is two fold: 

 

1. Ebron can't be left open anymore to score 13 TDs.  Defenses will respond.  

 

2. Funchess is Ebron 2.0 (complete with the drops) but they will use playcalling to make it impossible to cover BOTH in the end zone so the TD production will remain, but it will be split between those two instead of all lumped into Ebron.   

 

I still hate this signing because I was SOOOO hopeful we'd get a reliable #2 to play opposite TY.  But if Pascal keeps developing (I think he's the most promising WR on the roster after TY) he will be our #2 (or perhaps #3) and Funchess will become another TE on the field, used like Ebron in split out sets etc. giving people a double dose.  Sadly as the #1 dropper of the football, Funchess is of questionable value outside the red zone.  Can you imagine trusting him on crucial 3rd downs? Can you imagine defenses fearing him in the open field? I doubt it.  So Pascal and Hilton (and friends) get us down the field and Ebron and Doyle combined with Funchess terrorize teams in the Red Zone and thus I have found the silver lining in this deal.  

 

If only they had talked to Superman about his idea of a 2nd year option! Ah well.  Somehow Funchess must have either had another suitor, or they are convinced some version of the above is going to work and didn't even want to chance it.  

 

Whew.. or I am completely wrong and he'll still be a 1 year bust as I feared, but at least we won't have paid Ty Williams 50 milllion dollars.  If Ty Williams signs for something reasonable, I will be bummed again.  

 

I love this time of year.  Almost as dramatic as the season.  

[Superman]

37 minutes ago, JPFolks said:

you could have paid that same money to someone who can catch!

 

I'm not worried about his drops. He's had seasons where he was among the best in the league catching contested passes. This isn't like DHB, who had terrible hands. It's not even like Moncrief, who didn't know how to use his physical tools to attack the ball.

[crazycolt1]

3 hours ago, #12. said:

I hope the bargain basement moves aren't all we're going to do at receiver.  It might be enough to get the division, but you need more to get through the final four elite teams.  Gotta match scores.  Funchess ain't tipping the balance in KC or at NE.

 

At times I worry the way Ballard wants to build it today is the way it should have been built 15 years ago while the way Polian built it 15 years ago is how you should do it today.

And how many super bowls did we win with the best QB in the league? 

Polian was good at winning games just not the big ones.

[Archer]

Don’t ever remember us agreeing to terms with someone so soon after the beginning of the tampering period...

[JPFolks]

3 minutes ago, Archer said:

Don’t ever remember us agreeing to terms with someone so soon after the beginning of the tampering period...

Gasp.. clutching pearls..  actually it means they REALLY REALLY wanted him, no matter what.  It makes me more hopeful actually that they are SO convinced it will work they are making sure it happens.  (But not confident enough to go beyond a year).   It makes me think they may have less confidence in Cain etc. becoming a #2, or it's just they plan on Ebron 2.0 in the red zone, which I think is the answer.  If Doyle can come back and play healthy, I can't imagine anyone covering all 3 in the red zone with TY skittering around as well.  If Doyle isn't what he once was, I hope they consider drafting one of those top TE's.  Having a proven young healthy guy we don't have to teach from scratch how to play football seems like a great idea for a team who is devastating with capable TE's all over the field.  I think Funchess is a glorified receiving TE.  If only he had hands like Clark.  

[CR91]

I think what trol.... I mean posters dont get about this signing is that its basically the equivalent of the eagles signing Jeffery. We have the athletic TE like Ertz, the speedster like Alghor, and now the big body WR. Ballard is getting what Reich needs to run his team

[EastStreet]

36 minutes ago, 2006Coltsbestever said:

That is the thing though, you can not take away his TD stat. That is a very important stat by the way. He was arguably the best player in the league in the Redzone all year. He wasn't even close to that in Detroit.

Red Zone Targets 

 

Colts 2018

Ebron 21 (he led the Colts in RZ Targets)

 

Lions 2017

Ebron 12

 

Lions 2016

Ebron 6 (Detroit targeted 4 other players more: Bolden 23, Tate, 17, Jones 15, Riddick 15)

 

Lions 2015 

Ebron 8

 

So I'll say it again. The Colts used Ebron differently. They prioritized him in the RZ. Detroit did not. On average 60% less than the Colts. And again, Ebron's catch %, YPG, and YPC were as good or better in Detroit. 

 

Not underachievement. Used differently.

 

[Restinpeacesweetchloe]

1 minute ago, CR91 said:

I think what trol.... I mean posters dont get about this signing is that its basically the equivalent of the eagles signing Jeffery. We have the athletic TE like Ertz, the speedster like Alghor, and now the big body WR. Ballard is getting what Reich needs to run his team

I remember watching the playoffs and wishing we had a guy like Jeffery.

[JPFolks]

10 minutes ago, crazycolt1 said:

And how many super bowls did we win with the best QB in the league? 

Polian was good at winning games just not the big ones.

It was a CRIME that we didn't win at least one Super Bowl with Manning, Marvin, Wayne, Clark and James.  How was that possible? 

 

Ack! 

[JPFolks]

1 minute ago, Chloe6124 said:

I remember watching the playoffs and wishing we had a guy like Jeffery.

Ebron not equal to Ertz in any way in my opinion.  Ertz doesn't have a drops problem which STILL holds Ebron back even last year.  

[NewColtsFan]

45 minutes ago, JPFolks said:

I respect your position and appreciate your politeness.  It is just a massive disappointment for me.  This has all the hallmarks of us DESPERATELY begging for OFFENSIVE LINE HELP and even Ballard admitted that he simply didn't properly address it year one.   It seems he has missed 2 straight years unless the injured kid balls out, but they must not be very confident in that if they are throwing 10 million at this total bust to date.  What was the desperation to sign him? At the very least we should have gotten a team friendly deal.  If I was a player feeling underpaid on the Colts, this would not make me very happy.  

 

For me, I seriously would have been happier if they went purely draft and UDFA's in training camp to find WRs that could play.  Paying him that kind of money for any term seems so Grigsonian to me.  The tape doesn't lie.  And the stats actually back up the tape.  It's just bizarre. 

 

The best I have heard anyone say from the NFL brains is that "he's earned the benefit of the doubt, I guess" a direct quote that was just said on NFL network after they implied they wasted 10 million and said "They have over 100 million in space and they obviously aren't afraid to spend it."  

I want to be clear about this JP....

 

Im not defending Funchess.  I’m not a fan.    All the things you don’t like, I don’t like.   I’m with you.

 

I’m only modestly defending the deal.  1-year is a blip on a career.   As a fan, I can live with one year even if it doesn’t work out.   We’ll regroup and move on. 

 

Part of the problem with the signing is the optics.    You want the first signing to be a hit with everyone.  Fans, media, coaches and teammates.  This signing isn’t a good look for the Colts.   But in the grand scheme of things, we'll get past this...

[crazycolt1]

2 minutes ago, JPFolks said:

It was a CRIME that we didn't win at least one Super Bowl with Manning, Marvin, Wayne, Clark and James.  How was that possible? 

 

Ack! 

The same feeling that the Bills fans felt the years Polian was in Buffalo I guess?

[esmort]

7 minutes ago, Archer said:

Don’t ever remember us agreeing to terms with someone so soon after the beginning of the tampering period...

 

I agree which makes me think there must be something I am missing (because I was like "what???" when I heard the news).

 

I don't think CB goes out this early in FA and gives out a big contract (even though only 1 yr) without something more than "Ryan Grant 2.0" in mind.

 

Maybe we are all seeing slow WR, where CB/Reich sees some sort of WR/TE (he's got the size and blocking skills) insurance policy in case Doyle is more broken than advertised. 

 

Who knows ....

 

 

[NewColtsFan]

8 minutes ago, JPFolks said:

Gasp.. clutching pearls..  actually it means they REALLY REALLY wanted him, no matter what.  It makes me more hopeful actually that they are SO convinced it will work they are making sure it happens.  (But not confident enough to go beyond a year).   It makes me think they may have less confidence in Cain etc. becoming a #2, or it's just they plan on Ebron 2.0 in the red zone, which I think is the answer.  If Doyle can come back and play healthy, I can't imagine anyone covering all 3 in the red zone with TY skittering around as well.  If Doyle isn't what he once was, I hope they consider drafting one of those top TE's.  Having a proven young healthy guy we don't have to teach from scratch how to play football seems like a great idea for a team who is devastating with capable TE's all over the field.  I think Funchess is a glorified receiving TE.  If only he had hands like Clark.  

Sorry, it does NOT mean we really REALLY wanted him.   If we liked as much as you say, we’d have signed him to a multi year deal.  And we didn’t.

 

Its far more likely it means we were more willing to do a one year deal with Funchess than over-paying for receivers we liked but didn’t love. 

[JPFolks]

2 minutes ago, NewColtsFan said:

Sorry, it does NOT mean we really REALLY wanted him.   If we liked as much as you say, we’d have signed him to a multi year deal.  And we didn’t.

 

Its far more likely it means we were more willing to do a one year deal with Funchess than over-paying for receivers we liked but didn’t love. 

Okay... so if we really didn't want him... they needed to rush (and this was clearly a rush this soon) to get him, obviously assessing he was the only worthy signing so we also aggressively paid him.. but nah.. we didn't really want him? Kind of confusing.  

[EastStreet]

7 minutes ago, CR91 said:

I think what trol.... I mean posters dont get about this signing is that its basically the equivalent of the eagles signing Jeffery. We have the athletic TE like Ertz, the speedster like Alghor, and now the big body WR. Ballard is getting what Reich needs to run his team

I wouldn't compare him to Jeffery. Jeffery is faster, jumps higher, a lot less drops (top 25 catch rate), and had FAR more production. Not comparable. And he's a 13M/year guy too.... 

[2006Coltsbestever]

1 minute ago, CR91 said:

I think what trol.... I mean posters dont get about this signing is that its basically the equivalent of the eagles signing Jeffery. We have the athletic TE like Ertz, the speedster like Alghor, and now the big body WR. Ballard is getting what Reich needs to run his team

It amazes me how many people complain in here because we have a lot of good knowledgeable posters in here. Last year when we drafted Nelson at 6 and signed Ebron there were people non-stop bashing both moves. Saying Ebron sucked and taking a Guard at #6 is plain dumb and should never happen. Had we just signed Williams to a 4 year 52 Mill deal = 13 mill a year, a lot of people would've complained about that and said we over paid for him for that many years. This place is comical sometimes. There were some that even bashed the Leonard pick  . I think Ballard knows more than anyone in here. When he drafted Mack that was even bashed and Mack is pretty good last I looked.

[crazycolt1]

I think automatically assuming Funchess is a bad signing is wrong.

Every year free agents are signed by teams and they go on to show they were worth keeping by the teams that let them go. Sometimes it's a change in scenery, sometimes a coach and sometimes a different system.

It's no doubt that Luck is a better passer than Newton so what he done with Cam has no bearing on what he could do with Andrew.

Now Devin gets to go under the microscope of some Colts fans comparing him to any receiver not signed. How nice.

How about waiting and seeing first before condemning ?

[Restinpeacesweetchloe]

If he has a big year I want everyone condemning this to come back and say how wrong they were.

[Four2itus]

I just watched a all of Funchess that I could find. Here is what I saw:

 

1) Tough. Really tough. This kid will get low and meet a tackler head on. I saw very little to no fear in being exposed while catching the ball. 

 

2) Tall and long. I hope that Andrew can get a chemistry going with him, because him and Ebron would be a nightmare in the redzone for defenses. 

 

3) Effort after catch is real. He tries to get from point A to B after he catches the ball with a vengeance. 

 

I like this signing. 

 

[JPFolks]

2 minutes ago, 2006Coltsbestever said:

It amazes me how many people complain in here because we have a lot of good knowledgeable posters in here. Last year when we drafted Nelson at 6 and signed Ebron there were people non-stop bashing both moves. Saying Ebron sucked and taking a Guard at #6 is plain dumb and should never happen. Had we just signed Williams to a 4 year 52 Mill deal = 13 mill a year, a lot of people would've complained about that and said we over paid for him for that many years. This place is comical sometimes. There were some that even bashed the Leonard pick  . I think Ballard knows more than anyone in here. When he drafted Mack that was even bashed and Mack is pretty good last I looked.

Who complained about Nelson? Seriously.. who? A random poster maybe? But what regular bashed drafting Nelson? Of COURSE Ballard knows more than anyone here.  But are you saying he is perfect?  He doesn't.  He said in a recent interview that he couldn't even count how many stupid mistakes he had already made.  Plenty of people criticized Ryan Grant immediately when the signing happened, when we already desperately needed WR help addressed similarly to how we needed OL addressed and he blew that (he SAID so) in his first go round and too many people to count were quite vocal about it in real time as it was (not) happening. 

 

If we're not allowed to question Ballard's moves, then why not just make it a rule on the boards.. 2006Coltsbestever Proclaims "Thou shalt not disagree with Ballard because he knows more than you do" and we can all just anoint everything he does as PERFECT going forward? 

 

No thanks.  And I still don't believe there were these trol... raging against the Nelson pick.  Sounds like a bogus straw man argument to try and make a weak point like "I think Ballard knows more than anyone in here."  Does that AMAZING observation REALLY add to the discussion? Are there people out there proclaiming they know more than he does? Another straw man insinuation in that comment.  A pattern is clearly evident.  

[CR91]

17 minutes ago, Irish YJ said:

I wouldn't compare him to Jeffery. Jeffery is faster, jumps higher, a lot less drops (top 25 catch rate), and had FAR more production. Not comparable. And he's a 13M/year guy too.... 

 

I didnt say he is Jeffery, I said the equivalent. He has the size to complete the set of what Reich needs to run his offense.

[2006Coltsbestever]

8 minutes ago, JPFolks said:

Who complained about Nelson? Seriously.. who? A random poster maybe? But what regular bashed drafting Nelson? Of COURSE Ballard knows more than anyone here.  But are you saying he is perfect?  He doesn't.  He said in a recent interview that he couldn't even count how many stupid mistakes he had already made.  Plenty of people criticized Ryan Grant immediately when the signing happened, when we already desperately needed WR help addressed similarly to how we needed OL addressed and he blew that (he SAID so) in his first go round and too many people to count were quite vocal about it in real time as it was (not) happening. 

 

If we're not allowed to question Ballard's moves, then why not just make it a rule on the boards.. 2006Coltsbestever Proclaims "Thou shalt not disagree with Ballard because he knows more than you do" and we can all just anoint everything he does as PERFECT going forward? 

 

No thanks.  And I still don't believe there were these trol... raging against the Nelson pick.  Sounds like a bogus straw man argument to try and make a weak point like "I think Ballard knows more than anyone in here."  Does that AMAZING observation REALLY add to the discussion? Are there people out there proclaiming they know more than he does? Another straw man insinuation in that comment.  A pattern is clearly evident.  

I am not going to name names but I can list at least 10 Posters in here that said picking a Guard at #6 was dumb and it should it never happen, several of them good posters in here.

 

By the way I do not have a problem with anyone questioning Ballard but saying this signing is dumb/bad before Funchess has even played a snap here in Indy is a bit off base. Ballard is far from perfect so complain away if it makes you feel better.

[NewColtsFan]

18 minutes ago, JPFolks said:

Okay... so if we really didn't want him... they needed to rush (and this was clearly a rush this soon) to get him, obviously assessing he was the only worthy signing so we also aggressively paid him.. but nah.. we didn't really want him? Kind of confusing.  

 

I don’t think we were alone in wanting him.   I suspect there was a small bidding war and he was the last option that we would sign.    I suspect all the other options were multiyear deals that we were not willing to meet or exceed.   This is the only thing that makes sense to me.