Free Agency: Ballard Has Earned the benefit of the doubt (Official Thread)

[MikeCurtis]

I THINK that I am reasonably a smart guy......... 

(My wife of 25 years, may  does think differently

 

During FA last year........  I was clamoring for FA A, or FA B............  

 

Ballard said "I will wait for value in FA"

 

Result - He picked up an egg or two, but we brought in a few needed players..... he dumped the "eggs"

 

HE WAS RIGHT....... I WAS WRONG

 

During the draft last year, I was clamoring for a sexy pick......  Not a GUARD!!!!

 

Ballard SAID........  "I will build the lines FIRST"

 

Result - Believed to be the best single draft of last year. Of 32 Teams..... thats special

 

Its a LONG way from now.........  but there is a decent, not THAT remote, if the player can stay healthy, CHANCE that his top 2 picks MAY wear a yellow jacket some day

 

HE WAS RIGHT........ I WAS WRONG

 

 

This year........  I am hoping for a specific FA pick or two that I think we need.......

 

If we dont get MY choice.....  I am not going to wet my pants

 

I think you have to give benefit of the doubt to CB

 

https://www.stampedeblue.com/2019/3/12/18261988/does-spending-big-in-free-agency-translate-to-success

 

Quote from Article

The raw data shows that just 37% (9/24) of the 6 biggest spenders in Free-Agency made the Playoffs the following year. As the success of a football team depends on a lot of different factors other than free-agency spending, take the data with a grain of salt. Injuries happen, and a player a franchise considered a sure-bet ends up failing.

 

Something to consider.....

 

 

[coltfaninnewyork]

He is ,we are good soon to be great .Stay the course ,he's earned that right .

[Lef]

I am real good with CB’s approach. Build the team with fiscal responsibility for long term success. Hope he keeps doing exactly as he has for past 2 years. Just can’t wait for the live action again though. 

[pacolts56]

I agree.... see what sensibly priced upgrades or re-signings can be had and let the scouting department bears us some draft day fruit.

 

 I prefer THAT approach to the sugar high of this out of control spending we saw this week.

[csmopar]

17 minutes ago, MikeCurtis said:

I THINK that I am reasonably a smart guy......... 

(My wife of 25 years, may  does think differently)

 

During FA last year........  I was clamoring for FA A, or FA B............  

 

Ballard said "I will wait for value in FA"

 

Result - He picked up an egg or two, but we brought in a few needed players..... he dumped the "eggs"

 

HE WAS RIGHT....... I WAS WRONG

 

During the draft last year, I was clamoring for a sexy pick......  Not a GUARD!!!!

 

Ballard SAID........  "I will build the lines FIRST"

 

Result - Believed to be the best single draft of last year. Of 32 Teams..... thats special

 

Its a LONG way from now.........  but there is a decent, not THAT remote, if the player can stay healthy, CHANCE that his top 2 picks MAY wear a yellow jacket some day

 

HE WAS RIGHT........ I WAS WRONG

 

 

This year........  I am hoping for a specific FA pick or two that I think we need.......

 

If we dont get MY choice.....  I am not going to wet my pants

 

I think you have to give benefit of the doubt to CB

 

https://www.stampedeblue.com/2019/3/12/18261988/does-spending-big-in-free-agency-translate-to-success

 

Quote from Article

The raw data shows that just 37% (9/24) of the 6 biggest spenders in Free-Agency made the Playoffs the following year. As the success of a football team depends on a lot of different factors other than free-agency spending, take the data with a grain of salt. Injuries happen, and a player a franchise considered a sure-bet ends up failing.

 

Something to consider.....

 

This year.... This time, I am going to actually, well mostly listen to what CB actually says.........

 

 

Deano

 

[IinD]

People are more interested in freaking out nowadays as witnessed in the top thread on the forum.

 

We aren't one/two guys away from winning it all like some think. Still some building to do. 

[PeterBowman]

22 minutes ago, MikeCurtis said:

I THINK that I am reasonably a smart guy......... 

(My wife of 25 years, may  does think differently

 

During FA last year........  I was clamoring for FA A, or FA B............  

 

Ballard said "I will wait for value in FA"

 

Result - He picked up an egg or two, but we brought in a few needed players..... he dumped the "eggs"

 

HE WAS RIGHT....... I WAS WRONG

 

During the draft last year, I was clamoring for a sexy pick......  Not a GUARD!!!!

 

Ballard SAID........  "I will build the lines FIRST"

 

Result - Believed to be the best single draft of last year. Of 32 Teams..... thats special

 

Its a LONG way from now.........  but there is a decent, not THAT remote, if the player can stay healthy, CHANCE that his top 2 picks MAY wear a yellow jacket some day

 

HE WAS RIGHT........ I WAS WRONG

 

 

This year........  I am hoping for a specific FA pick or two that I think we need.......

 

If we dont get MY choice.....  I am not going to wet my pants

 

I think you have to give benefit of the doubt to CB

 

https://www.stampedeblue.com/2019/3/12/18261988/does-spending-big-in-free-agency-translate-to-success

 

Quote from Article

The raw data shows that just 37% (9/24) of the 6 biggest spenders in Free-Agency made the Playoffs the following year. As the success of a football team depends on a lot of different factors other than free-agency spending, take the data with a grain of salt. Injuries happen, and a player a franchise considered a sure-bet ends up failing.

 

Something to consider.....

 

 

yeah this is pretty much the giant nail on the head.... besides, technically free agency hasn't even started yet and there are solid players out there...oh and that little thing called the draft as well. 

[coltfaninnewyork]

1 minute ago, IinD said:

People are more interested in freaking out nowadays as witnessed in the top thread on the forum.

 

We aren't one/two guys away from winning it all like some think. Still some building to do. 

I disagree,with the chiefs losing Houston and ford and ravens and Steelers hurt bad .Pats lose starters too .We are contenders

[IinD]

7 minutes ago, coltfaninnewyork said:

I disagree,with the chiefs losing Houston and ford and ravens and Steelers hurt bad .Pats lose starters too .We are contenders

I hear you, but if it was that easy we'd be winning titles yearly along with the yearly FA winners.

 

Just got to hope you play well in December and have a healthy squad.

[lollygagger8]

In Ballard We Trust. 

[coltfaninnewyork]

He's taken us this far so fast ,he will take us all the way .

[IndyD4U]

I think your "Official Thread" is unofficial

[Lucky Colts Fan]

Well this thread was a breath of fresh air to wake up to!

 

Thanks @MikeCurtis!!!

 

[Orioles22]

I think Ballard has been awesome, but I can't see why we can't get some 1- or 2-year contracts that won't hurt our long-term financial situation. If you have the money to spend and don't use it then you aren't providing the help the Colts need to win a championship.

[#12.]

He was executive of the year in 2018, but what does Belichick say every year after a Super Bowl?  That was last year.  It's no different for Ballard or anyone in the NFL - you have to keep earning it.  

 

Yes, he'll generally get the benefit of the doubt for 2019, but if the team doesn't progress, that will change.  Luck is 30 and Colt fans won't be content 10-6 playoff appearances.  

[DaveA1102]

8 minutes ago, IndyD4U said:

I think your "Official Thread" is unofficial

 

I am going to put that on all my future threads!

 

Also, this was an "official comment" 

 

Great post though @MikeCurtis

[IndyD4U]

3 minutes ago, DaveA1102 said:

 

I am going to put that on all my future threads!

 

Also, this was an "official comment" 

 

Great post though @MikeCurtis

 

It's like a fresh of breath air here this morning. I was dreading logging on, but happy to see this today!

 

Now let's continue to build this team.

 

 

[Valpo2004]

My only complaint is I feel like if they were willing to play in Indy we could have given 10M a year to Jordan Hicks and Adrian Amos and gotten great value and filled two needs with some good players who are both I believe about 26.  

 

But I strongly prefer Ballard's approach to the GM's who are spending money like drunken sailors and believe in him as GM.  

[Rackeen305]

1 hour ago, MikeCurtis said:

I THINK that I am reasonably a smart guy......... 

(My wife of 25 years, may  does think differently

 

During FA last year........  I was clamoring for FA A, or FA B............  

 

Ballard said "I will wait for value in FA"

 

Result - He picked up an egg or two, but we brought in a few needed players..... he dumped the "eggs"

 

HE WAS RIGHT....... I WAS WRONG

 

During the draft last year, I was clamoring for a sexy pick......  Not a GUARD!!!!

 

Ballard SAID........  "I will build the lines FIRST"

 

Result - Believed to be the best single draft of last year. Of 32 Teams..... thats special

 

Its a LONG way from now.........  but there is a decent, not THAT remote, if the player can stay healthy, CHANCE that his top 2 picks MAY wear a yellow jacket some day

 

HE WAS RIGHT........ I WAS WRONG

 

 

This year........  I am hoping for a specific FA pick or two that I think we need.......

 

If we dont get MY choice.....  I am not going to wet my pants

 

I think you have to give benefit of the doubt to CB

 

https://www.stampedeblue.com/2019/3/12/18261988/does-spending-big-in-free-agency-translate-to-success

 

Quote from Article

The raw data shows that just 37% (9/24) of the 6 biggest spenders in Free-Agency made the Playoffs the following year. As the success of a football team depends on a lot of different factors other than free-agency spending, take the data with a grain of salt. Injuries happen, and a player a franchise considered a sure-bet ends up failing.

 

Something to consider.....

 

 

What’s the cliche, “don’t put all your eggs in one basket”. This is exactly what CB is doing when forsaken FA and depending on the draft. Why?

 

There is no guarantee that any of the draft picks can play on the NFL stage. Not only that, what if the player that you want isn’t there anymore now what? Do we draft the best availabe Kicker or QB because that’s what the board is telling us (BPA stuff)?

 

well, you see that Cornerback that just went 1-2 picks ahead of you? You do realize that you need 2 CB on the field at all times right? You see that MLB that the Pats/Steelers just drafted 3 spots ahead of you? You were banking that those other teams wouldn’t touch him with a 10’ pole, but they did!

 

All in all, study long, lose wrong.

[Lucky Colts Fan]

2 minutes ago, Rackeen305 said:

What’s the cliche, “don’t put all your eggs in one basket”. This is exactly what CB is doing when forsakening FA and depending on the draft. Why?

 

There is no guarantee that any of the draft picks can play on the NFL stage. Not only that, what if the player that you want isn’t there anymore now what? Do we draft the best availabe Kicker or QB because that’s what the board is telling us (BPA stuff)?

 

well, you see that Cornerback that just went 1-2 picks ahead of you? You do realize that you need 2 CB on the field at all times right? You see that MLB that the Pats/Steelers just drafted 3 spots ahead of you? You were banking that those other teams wouldn’t touch him with a 10’ pole, but they did!

 

All in all, study long, lose wrong.

 

What came first?

 

The eggs in the basket?

Or Chicken Little saying the sky is falling?

[Restinpeacesweetchloe]

I saw a tweet from the LA chargers GM. He thinks the same way as Ballard. He said “I don’t hate feee agency I just look for a value. “. That is how Ballard thinks.

[chad72]

Let us wait for a week from now, March 20th, that is when value in FA starts presenting itself, IMO, about a week later than when free agency starts.

[Patrick Miller]

59 minutes ago, coltfaninnewyork said:

I disagree,with the chiefs losing Houston and ford and ravens and Steelers hurt bad .Pats lose starters too .We are contenders

The PatrIOTS are never affected by losing players. They just plug someone else in. Coaching. And maybe a deal with the devil.....

[coltfaninnewyork]

Just now, Patrick Miller said:

The PatrIOTS are never affected by losing players. They just plug someone else in. Coaching. And maybe a deal with the devil.....

Lol,I agree but at some point it has to end ?Doesn't it ?

[CheezyColt]

29 minutes ago, Rackeen305 said:

What’s the cliche, “don’t put all your eggs in one basket”. This is exactly what CB is doing when forsaken FA and depending on the draft. Why?

 

There is no guarantee that any of the draft picks can play on the NFL stage. Not only that, what if the player that you want isn’t there anymore now what? Do we draft the best availabe Kicker or QB because that’s what the board is telling us (BPA stuff)?

 

well, you see that Cornerback that just went 1-2 picks ahead of you? You do realize that you need 2 CB on the field at all times right? You see that MLB that the Pats/Steelers just drafted 3 spots ahead of you? You were banking that those other teams wouldn’t touch him with a 10’ pole, but they did!

 

All in all, study long, lose wrong.

Oh FFS, free agency STARTS TODAY. We will be active in FA, kist like we were last year. We just won't give out long term bad value contracts. Stop crying (not you necessarily, but all the chicken littles) because Papa Ballard didn't give you the present you wanted.

 

When in doubt, look to @PrincetonTiger for famous words of wisdom.

[richard pallo]

32 minutes ago, Chloe6124 said:

I saw a tweet from the LA chargers GM. He thinks the same way as Ballard. He said “I don’t hate feee agency I just look for a value. “. That is how Ballard thinks.

I get it but he hasn't won a SB since he's been there and Rivers is pretty good. 

[ThorstenDenmark]

51 minutes ago, #12. said:

He was executive of the year in 2018, but what does Belichick say every year after a Super Bowl?  That was last year.  It's no different for Ballard or anyone in the NFL - you have to keep earning it.  

 

Yes, he'll generally get the benefit of the doubt for 2019, but if the team doesn't progress, that will change.  Luck is 30 and Colt fans won't be content 10-6 playoff appearances.  

If we win a super bowl after another 10-6 season, Im good ;)

[Yoshinator]

This was a relatively weak FA class besides Collins and a few others. If we didn't sign Collins, then nobody else (in our case) was worth big money. I think we'll get some mid-tier FA's in the next few days. Don't agree with continuing this strategy again, but maybe we'll strike gold.

[dodsworth]

41 minutes ago, Patrick Miller said:

The PatrIOTS are never affected by losing players. They just plug someone else in. Coaching. And maybe a deal with the devil.....

 

39 minutes ago, coltfaninnewyork said:

Lol,I agree but at some point it has to end ?Doesn't it ?

It has to end very soon because they are slowly killing the NFL.

[shasta519]

31 minutes ago, CheezyColt said:

Oh FFS, free agency STARTS TODAY. We will be active in FA, kist like we were last year. We just won't give out long term bad value contracts. Stop crying (not you necessarily, but all the chicken littles) because Papa Ballard didn't give you the present you wanted.

 

When in doubt, look to @PrincetonTiger for famous words of wisdom.

 

85 FAs have signed. I would say FA started already.

 

https://www.spotrac.com/nfl/free-agents/

 

[shasta519]

30 minutes ago, richard pallo said:

I get it but he hasn't won a SB since he's been there and Rivers is pretty good. 

 

He's also 100% a Polian disciple (worked under him in BUF, CAR and IND). So this should surprise no one that he is averse to FA.

[GoColts00]

“We will continue to explore every avenue. We put a value on a player and when it gets out of our reach I just think we are comfortable enough to sleep at night saying we are going to find (another) answer. Sometimes it might not be the household name that everybody wants us to sign and that’s okay. I get it. But we are going to find an answer, whether it’s in that first window of free agency, maybe it’s the second window, maybe it’s the draft, maybe it’s after the draft, maybe it’s at the cut-down day. There are times to acquire players at all points during the season."

 

When CB doesn't pick your player in FA just refer back to what he has already stated above...

[Rackeen305]

2 hours ago, Lucky Colts Fan said:

 

What came first?

 

The eggs in the basket?

Or Chicken Little saying the sky is falling?

And this is what you bring to the game in which you play Mahomes, Brady, or Brees?

 

* Eggs and chickens? This won’t get the Colts the ring they are looking for. And chicken little will be watching the playoffs at home telling you to pass a cold one while watching KC, Pats, even the Browns lol play for it all. 

 

“There’s always next year” and “At least we won the division for an NFL record 20 years in a row. Take that Pats” (Colts fan voice) smh 

 

Lastly, Saving money to “sign our own”. FYI the Colts didn’t win the Super Bowl until they reached out and got a Bugger McFarlan (might’ve misspelled his name) on the team. A player who was not drafted by the Colts. 

[Colts_Fan12]

People need to stop crying these contracts reported most are ridiculous and the teams are overpaying by a very large margin. Did I want Landon Collins? Hell yes I did! But at that price hell no same with Mosley. Dude isnt very good in coverage and gets paid that contract?? No thanks 

[Rackeen305]

21 minutes ago, Colts_Fan12 said:

People need to stop crying these contracts reported most are ridiculous and the teams are overpaying by a very large margin. Did I want Landon Collins? Hell yes I did! But at that price hell no same with Mosley. Dude isnt very good in coverage and gets paid that contract?? No thanks 

I have no prob with your post. I just remember last year that many Colts fans wanted LB Kitchens and we didnt get em'. If we are not going after big name/money guys, at least have the concrete in place with other key players (LB, CB, Dline) so that the outlook for the draft could bea little clearer. Especially when it comes to possibly trading picks to get key players. Whether thats trading up or down will remain to be seen.

 

But you have the $ to get those tier II players already. We don't want to lose out because of $1-2 M difference. ijs.

[richard pallo]

"Saving to sign our own".  How many of our own do you think Ballard is going to resign?  Can afford to resign?  I can see Nelson and maybe Kelly because he values trench players.  But linebackers and safeties who by everyone's account just got vastly overpaid.  Like the price is coming down when it's there time.  And Luck has to get paid again BTW.  I can see him using the 5th. year option when he can and a franchise tag when he can but I expect he will be trying to trade some of our better players when those options run out.  We thought this years prices were to high.  Wait until it's our turn to pony up for our elite talent.  Oh and he has that spending threshold he needs to adhere to.  We are going to lose players like everyone else.  It's just the way it is.  Let's hope he can continue to find talent in the draft.  That's his primary focus.  So far so good.  Time will tell I guess. 

[Lucky Colts Fan]

1 hour ago, Rackeen305 said:

And this is what you bring to the game in which you play Mahomes, Brady, or Brees?

 

* Eggs and chickens? This won’t get the Colts the ring they are looking for. And chicken little will be watching the playoffs at home telling you to pass a cold one while watching KC, Pats, even the Browns lol play for it all. 

 

“There’s always next year” and “At least we won the division for an NFL record 20 years in a row. Take that Pats” (Colts fan voice) smh 

 

Lastly, Saving money to “sign our own”. FYI the Colts didn’t win the Super Bowl until they reached out and got a Bugger McFarlan (might’ve misspelled his name) on the team. A player who was not drafted by the Colts. 

 

You're funny.

 

You need a snickers?

 

A nap?

[Restinpeacesweetchloe]

1 hour ago, richard pallo said:

"Saving to sign our own".  How many of our own do you think Ballard is going to resign?  Can afford to resign?  I can see Nelson and maybe Kelly because he values trench players.  But linebackers and safeties who by everyone's account just got vastly overpaid.  Like the price is coming down when it's there time.  And Luck has to get paid again BTW.  I can see him using the 5th. year option when he can and a franchise tag when he can but I expect he will be trying to trade some of our better players when those options run out.  We thought this years prices were to high.  Wait until it's our turn to pony up for our elite talent.  Oh and he has that spending threshold he needs to adhere to.  We are going to lose players like everyone else.  It's just the way it is.  Let's hope he can continue to find talent in the draft.  That's his primary focus.  So far so good.  Time will tell I guess. 

Leonard is going to be a 100m dollar man. Kenny Moore, Jack Doyle, Kelly, Luck, Ebron. We have 25 players that are FA next year. The key is not letting our own hit FA. Ballard will pay our own. He has said that multiple times.

[Rackeen305]

7 minutes ago, Lucky Colts Fan said:

 

You're funny.

 

You need a snickers?

 

A nap?

So I give you 3 paragraphs of info and you give me 3 eggs, No chicken? Ok you WIN! I guess my 3 paragraphs were too much to dissect or rebuttal. BTW, why do people as yourself always result in disrespect? Shows a lot. Well not really. “Want a snickers” lol wow. That was amazing!

[NewEra]

Skol!!