GM's End of Season Press Conference

[CR91]

5 minutes ago, twfish said:

That'd be scheme not the player himself. 

 

Perhaps. Let's see how he does this weekend

[CR91]

5 minutes ago, Chloe6124 said:

Baker had a child as a HC. Once that team gets a guy who is a adult they will be fine. Josh Allen Is improving. He will keep getting better and they need a couple more weapons.

 

He still had a good oline, two really good RBs, and very good weapons in Landry and Beckham. You can't win only 6 games with that much talent

[zibby43]

2 hours ago, Chloe6124 said:

Rivers is a statue and didn’t even make the play offs. They had a worse record then us. Why does anyone think he is going to take us to the playoffs.

 

Well, the one intriguing thing about Rivers is that he threw for 4,615 yards (4th in the league), whereas Brissett threw for only 2,942. 

 

He was also the 5th quickest in TT (time-to-throw) at 2.63 seconds.  Brissett?  Second to dead last in the entire league at 2.93s! (3 tenths is an eternity in terms of getting the ball out). 

 

Behind the Colts' offensive line, Rivers' mobility could be a non-issue. 

[hoosierhawk]

2 hours ago, Chloe6124 said:

Rivers is a statue and didn’t even make the play offs. They had a worse record then us. Why does anyone think he is going to take us to the playoffs.

No Chloe, we don't want the statue. He was talking about the QB for the Chargers!

[EastStreet]

1 hour ago, CurBeatElite said:

 

We just went 3-3 in the division this past year, splitting with each team.  With some minor improvements and good health on our side next year, I don't see why we can't go at least 4-2 in the division or better.  

IMO, a lot hinges on what they do at QB. JB is just not built well for Reich's system. IMO, better in a Chud like O. But I agree with someone that can execute quicker and with better vision, and a few other improvements, we could do better. 

 

The AFCS is going to improve though IMO. TN and Houston will likely both be better, and I think Jax will take a nice step forward. They have some nice pieces, and just need to get the O figured out.

1 hour ago, CurBeatElite said:

 

Every team in the division plays the AFC North (Bengals, Ravens, Steelers, Browns) and NFC North (Vikings, Packers, Bears, Lions).  Then each team has 1 game each vs. the AFC East and AFC West.  Since we're the 3rd seed in the AFC South, we get the 3 seeds from those divisions (we get the Jets and the Raiders).  The Texans get the Pats and the Chiefs, the Titans get the Bills and Broncos, the Jags get the Dolphins and the Chargers.  

I'd almost rather have the Bills and Broncs lol. Jets and Raiders are both improving. 

1 hour ago, CurBeatElite said:

 

All said and done, we have an easier schedule than the Texans and Titans (arguable, as I see Raiders being potentially better than the Broncos next year, but certainly don't see Jets being tougher than Buffalo).  

Buffalo will continued to be limited by their O, and I think this is about as good as it gets for them. I think the Jets could take a few good steps forward.

1 hour ago, CurBeatElite said:

 

If I had to guess right now, I'd say 9-7 or 10-6 may very well win the AFC South again next year.  I think we're equal to Houston and Tennessee (this past year, even with all our injuries, we literally could have won the AFC south without the missed kicks).  

I think we win 5-7 with JB. With someone that can execute, and a few other tweaks, I agree with 9-7 to 11-5. With a ready made guy like Carr, perhaps 11-5 to 12-4.

 

1 hour ago, CurBeatElite said:

Personally, I don't think the Bengals, Lions and Bears are really any good.  We should be able to win those 4, plus against CLE,  NYJ and OAK.  If we split our division again and win those 6, we're 9-7.  I think we've got a very good shot at going >.500.

The Bengals are missing a lot, so agree. Lions and Bears could take big steps forward as they have some really nice units/pieces. 

[Restinpeacesweetchloe]

41 minutes ago, CR91 said:

 

He still had a good oline, two really good RBs, and very good weapons in Landry and Beckham. You can't win only 6 games with that much talent

No there oline is bad. That’s why mocks have them taking one in the first round.

[Restinpeacesweetchloe]

We are not getting another stop gap for one year of if draft a QB. We already have Jacoby under contact. We just have to hope there is a QB in the draft Ballard loves and Jacoby works his butt off this off season. With some upgrades weapons we will ride out next year with having while a rookie sits. 

[CR91]

17 minutes ago, Chloe6124 said:

No there oline is bad. That’s why mocks have them taking one in the first round.

 

Bitino is one best guards in football. Tretter is good too. They also draft Austin Corbin last year. 

[Restinpeacesweetchloe]

This year has really drove colt fans nuts. I have seen so many people so desperate for a QB. Even seen someone saying we should get Chase Daniels from Chicago.  Everyone just needs to be patient. Four months until the draft. It’s going to drive some to the nut house because we aren’t going to have answers for awhile.

[Restinpeacesweetchloe]

6 minutes ago, CR91 said:

 

Bitino is one best guards in football. Tretter is good too. They also draft Austin Corbin last year. 

They have a huge hole at LT the most important position on the line.

[CR91]

Just now, Chloe6124 said:

They have a huge hole at LT the most important position on the line.

 

Corbin was supposed to fill it, but he got hurt I believe

[rockywoj]

14 hours ago, aaron11 said:

https://www.kansascity.com/sports/spt-columns-blogs/for-petes-sake/article224076765.html

 

they got a lot of Cs from the experts and most of them complained about giving up a third round pick 

Well, I specifically recall hearing Pat Kirwin say, well before the draft, that one of the personnel guys he most respects basically said to the effect of, forget all the other QB prospects, that Mahomes throws by far the best ball, can makes all the throws, and that this kid will be the best of the class.  Maybe it was a KC personnel guy.  Looking rather prophetic, but regardless, debunks the notion that no personnel guys saw Mahomes coming.  Maybe a lot of talking head prognosticators (experts, meh) didn’t, but sure sounds like there were a few actual personnel insiders that saw it.  

[ClaytonColt]

It's probably not ideal but I wouldn't be against going down the route that the Titans did with Tannehill. Try to find a relatively low cost but previously highly rated QB who had problems with their previous teams.

 

It probably gives us more upside than an established/regressive vet and doesn't require the long term commitment. 

 

Of course finding a future QB through the draft should be the primary option but just thinking of other ideas to give us potential improvement.

[BleedBlue4Shoe86]

54 minutes ago, ClaytonColt said:

It's probably not ideal but I wouldn't be against going down the route that the Titans did with Tannehill. Try to find a relatively low cost but previously highly rated QB who had problems with their previous teams.

 

It probably gives us more upside than an established/regressive vet and doesn't require the long term commitment. 

 

Of course finding a future QB through the draft should be the primary option but just thinking of other ideas to give us potential improvement.

Who would you look at.  The only player I think of that fits that bill would be who Tannehill replace, Marcus Mariota 
 

[ClaytonColt]

30 minutes ago, BleedBlue4Shoe86 said:

Who would you look at.  The only player I think of that fits that bill would be who Tannehill replace, Marcus Mariota 
 

It depends how left field we want to go. The problem with it is that any name which you throw out at this point sounds ludicrous but I suppose that if anyone had suggested Tannehill last year it would have sounded ridiculous as well.

 

At the moment I suppose it's just Bortles and Mariota, I was thinking RG3 as well but he's got another year. None of them are actually appealing but it's just rolling the dice on a change of scenery/scheme to provide genuine competition rather than sticking with the status quo. 

[DougDew]

17 hours ago, Chloe6124 said:

We are not getting another stop gap for one year of if draft a QB. We already have Jacoby under contact. We just have to hope there is a QB in the draft Ballard loves and Jacoby works his butt off this off season. With some upgrades weapons we will ride out next year with having while a rookie sits. 

I think there is a greater than 50% chance that JB's time here is up.  I think Ballard will move on with another vet if he doesn't get a QB he likes in the draft.  If he can. 

 

If he can't draft a rookie this spring,  he'll still need to find the future, but he won't allow the JB/Hoyer combo to be the QB situation next season.  JMO.

 

We won't know until draft day, since no vet will be available until then, except for maybe Eli.  Yes. I think Eli for two years would be a better option than JB, but I wouldn't expect Eli to be the vet Ballard goes with.

 

Dalton, Rivers, Newton, and Carr won't be available until after their current teams secure a new QB.  Newton would be the least likely to be a Colt, IMO.  Dalton might be, depending upon of his contract expires before the draft.

[superrep1967]

On 1/2/2020 at 10:57 AM, DougDew said:

He's been the one saying that more than Irsay. 

 

But he's the GM.  Its his job to plan and put the pieces in place.  I'm sure he is a bit * at Luck for leaving him in a tough spot, and probably doesn't really want him back thinking that Luck could just up and do that again. 

 

Ballard has probably moved on even more than Luck has. He's got a job to do and can't be thinking about a waffler.

I do think there is some truth to your post for sure. 

[MikeCurtis]

1 hour ago, DougDew said:

 

 

Dalton, Rivers, Newton, and Carr won't be available until after their current teams secure a new QB.  Newton would be the least likely to be a Colt, IMO.  Dalton might be, depending upon of his contract expires before the draft.

Isnt Rivers a FA?

[AustexColt]

I don't see this happening but if it did...

 

If Rivers is willing to come to the Colts, the negotiation will be for only a few years. JB will stay on because he is insurance and he is a team player. (If Andrew did not retire JB would have been given that money as backup anyway. )

 

Win-win for Rivers and the Colts is that both Reich and Siriani coached him. Rivers is a competitor and a very likable guy, and a natural leader. He might help JB develop his leadership as well. Colts offense is a good fit for Rivers and Rivers reads defenses really well. 

[DougDew]

17 minutes ago, MikeCurtis said:

Isnt Rivers a FA?

Yeah, he is, and Dalton, Newton, and Eli are.... I think.

 

I think the chatter has said that Eli is moving on because the NYG already has their QB.  I don't know if the other teams and QBs are going to be certain enough about their position before the draft to close the door on resigning their vets.  Once it gets closer to the draft and those teams can be more assured of getting who they wont in the draft, I think then the chatter will start to sound like the chatter about Eli.   

 

Dalton is the most likely to clearly be available the earliest, since Cincy can start negotiating with Burrow way before the draft.  

 

I'm just seeing that no team is going to get into a bidding war for any of them before the draft comes either.  

[chad72]

45 minutes ago, DougDew said:

Yeah, he is, and Dalton, Newton, and Eli are.... I think.

 

I think the Panthers still have Cam Newton's contract for 2020, he is unrestricted free agent (UFA) only in 2021. So are Drew Brees, Tom Brady, Jameis Winston, Marcus Mariota, Teddy Bridgewater, and Ryan Tannehill. This is probably the deepest FA class of QBs I have seen in a while. 

 

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

 

[Fisticuffs111]

Don’t want to make this its own post so I’ll just put it here, but AC is apparently going to decide in the next 2-3 weeks if he’s going to retire or not.

 

If he retires...

[DougDew]

8 minutes ago, chad72 said:

 

I think the Panthers still have Cam Newton's contract for 2020, he is unrestricted free agent (UFA) only in 2021. So are Drew Brees, Tom Brady, Jameis Winston, Marcus Mariota, Teddy Bridgewater, and Ryan Tannehill. This is probably the deepest FA class of QBs I have seen in a while. 

 

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

 

Thanks.  That's alot.  Some of them will be resigned by their clubs, and some are obviously going to be available.  And others are unknown.

 

More than a few of those names on that list that I would consider to be a short term upgrade over JB.  Give us time to find our QB of the future.  JMO.

 

The interesting part is that free agency takes place before the draft.  So if one of those teams fails to sign their own starting QB, then they are relying upon finding a new QB in the draft, for the most part.  

 

[GoColts8818]

35 minutes ago, chad72 said:

 

I think the Panthers still have Cam Newton's contract for 2020, he is unrestricted free agent (UFA) only in 2021. So are Drew Brees, Tom Brady, Jameis Winston, Marcus Mariota, Teddy Bridgewater, and Ryan Tannehill. This is probably the deepest FA class of QBs I have seen in a while. 

 

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

 

I’d bet Tannehill gets re-signed by the Titans and if Brees keeps playing I’d bet on him staying in New Orleans.  
 

I know your point was just to say whose contract is up just adding to it.

[Moosejawcolt]

My big question regrding Castanzo is why did it get this far??  Ballard says he loves to sign his own guy. AC apparently had his best year. Why didn't Ballard lock him before or during the season?? Oh,I forgot we signed Doyle the good old boy for the 2nd time before he was a free agent.  Oh brother.

[krunk]

Ballard said the jury was still out on Jacoby so that means he's really not sure who our starting QB is in 2020.  Based on that to me you have to give Kelly a shot along with whoever else it is you think can take over the position. 

[GoColts8818]

3 hours ago, Moosejawcolt said:

My big question regrding Castanzo is why did it get this far??  Ballard says he loves to sign his own guy. AC apparently had his best year. Why didn't Ballard lock him before or during the season?? Oh,I forgot we signed Doyle the good old boy for the 2nd time before he was a free agent.  Oh brother.

Because AC is thinking about retiring.  My guess is that he’s not interested and the Colts aren’t interested in signing him to an extension until he makes that decision.  Just because we found out about AC thinking about retirement after the season doesn’t mean that’s when the Colts found out.  Also re-signing Doyle, the team’s second best pass weapon at the moment, has nothing to do with AC.  The Colts have more than enough money to sign both if they want too.

[lincolndefan]

On 1/4/2020 at 8:33 AM, ClaytonColt said:

It's probably not ideal but I wouldn't be against going down the route that the Titans did with Tannehill. Try to find a relatively low cost but previously highly rated QB who had problems with their previous teams.

 

It probably gives us more upside than an established/regressive vet and doesn't require the long term commitment. 

 

Of course finding a future QB through the draft should be the primary option but just thinking of other ideas to give us potential improvement.

He's already on the roster. The name some are calling him is Swag. 

[stitches]

20 hours ago, Fisticuffs111 said:

Don’t want to make this its own post so I’ll just put it here, but AC is apparently going to decide in the next 2-3 weeks if he’s going to retire or not.

 

If he retires...

This would be brutal... we are losing elite talent in its prime faster than we can replenish it. You lose great in their prime LT and QB two consecutive seasons to retirement. This would be horrible luck for Ballard. 

 

I really hope he comes back for at least 2 more years. 

[Fisticuffs111]

12 hours ago, stitches said:

This would be brutal... we are losing elite talent in its prime faster than we can replenish it. You lose great in their prime LT and QB two consecutive seasons to retirement. This would be horrible luck for Ballard. 

 

I really hope he comes back for at least 2 more years. 

 

Man, exactly. Ballard has already had tough luck, but losing a franchise QB and then potentially losing a solid LT? 

 

I have mad respect for Ballard. He came into what seemed like a great situation and, even though he’s done a solid job so far, could still be dealt a crappy hand, losing two of the most important positions on offense? I feel for him. I just hope that he’s as committed as it seems, because we need a GM like him to get us through this. Even if AC comes back, he’s got to start a search on a future LT. I don’t envy his job.

[NewColtsFan]

1 hour ago, Fisticuffs111 said:

 

Man, exactly. Ballard has already had tough luck, but losing a franchise QB and then potentially losing a solid LT? 

 

I have mad respect for Ballard. He came into what seemed like a great situation and, even though he’s done a solid job so far, could still be dealt a crappy hand, losing two of the most important positions on offense? I feel for him. I just hope that he’s as committed as it seems, because we need a GM like him to get us through this. Even if AC comes back, he’s got to start a search on a future LT. I don’t envy his job.

If AC comes back, as I suspect he will,  on a 4-5 year deal, the need to find AC’s eventual replacement drops way down the need list, IMO.   To be clear, we will need to find an acceptable backup, but that player doesn’t have to be AC’s eventual replacement.  
 

We have so many more pressing  needs...   (again, assuming AC comes back).   I believe those other needs have to be addressed sooner.

 

Just a different perspective. 

[GoColts8818]

4 minutes ago, NewColtsFan said:

If AC comes back, as I suspect he will,  on a 4-5 year deal, the need to find AC’s eventual replacement drops way down the need list, IMO.   To be clear, we will need to find an acceptable backup, but that player doesn’t have to be AC’s eventual replacement.  
 

We have so many more pressing  needs...   (again, assuming AC comes back).   I believe those other needs have to be addressed sooner.

 

Just a different perspective. 

If AC is thinking about retiring now he’s not coming back on a 4-5 year deal. It’s more likely to be a 1 to 2 year deal.  Again, left tackles rarely play 15 years in the NFL.  The life span of a good tackle is about 10 years maybe a little longer if you are lucky.

[NewColtsFan]

5 minutes ago, GoColts8818 said:

If AC is thinking about retiring now he’s not coming back on a 4-5 year deal. It’s more likely to be a 1 to 2 year deal.  Again, left tackles rarely play 15 years in the NFL.  The life span of a good tackle is about 10 years maybe a little longer if you are lucky.

You maybe right.   But AC has all the leverage with us.   We need to pay him pretty close to his ask.   Players who get that kind of leverage, rarely ask for less.

 

Look what Nate Soldier got from the Giants.   And I think AC is better.   Players rarely leave that kind of money in the table.   The key will be how much is guaranteed?  But again, AC has leverage....   so...  

[GoColts8818]

4 minutes ago, NewColtsFan said:

You maybe right.   But AC has all the leverage with us.   We need to pay him pretty close to his ask.   Players who get that kind of leverage, rarely ask for less.

 

Look what Nate Soldier got from the Giants.   And I think AC is better.   Players rarely leave that kind of money in the table.   The key will be how much is guaranteed?  But again, AC has leverage....   so...  

If they make unreasonable demands like asking for a 4 to 5 year contract after openly talking about retirement no GM will give him that.  He might get a very nice money offer from the Colts but it would still probably only be  for one to two years.  

 

AC gave up some of his leverage when he started to talk about retiring at least in terms of years on the deal.  Also, I don’t think AC was looking for or needs leverage.  The Colts already want him and he’s said he wants to be here (also giving away some leverage on his part) I don’t think the money part of is going to be an issue as I don’t expect AC to do something like ask for franchise QB money.  He might ask for franchise left tackle money but I think the Colts were already prepared to give him that.  

[NewColtsFan]

2 minutes ago, GoColts8818 said:

If they make unreasonable demands like asking for a 4 to 5 year contract after openly talking about retirement no GM will give him that.  He might get a very nice money offer from the Colts but it would still probably only be  for one to two years.  

 

AC gave up some of his leverage when he started to talk about retiring at least in terms of years on the deal.  Also, I don’t think AC was looking for or needs leverage.  The Colts already want him and he’s said he wants to be here (also giving away some leverage on his part) I don’t think the money part of is going to be an issue as I don’t expect AC to do something like ask for franchise QB money.  He might ask for franchise left tackle money but I think the Colts were already prepared to give him that.  

He may ask for 4-5 years, but that doesn’t mean we stuck on a 4-5 year deal.   It can always be written with early outs.  Almost all contracts are structured that way.   
 

So even in the “worst case scenario” he’d get 5 years, but the Colts would have an out after 3 years.  The guarantees would be done after 3 years.   If he’s still playing at a high level after 3 years, then he keeps playing.   If not, he gets cut with minimal damage.   Win-win for both sides. 

[jameszeigler834]

On 1/2/2020 at 9:16 AM, Dingus McGirt said:

Summing it up, in advance.

 

"We love Jacoby Brissett.  He's a great leader in the locker room, and a great human being.  He's our starting quarterback going forward."

 

 

And he's a loser.........

[GoColts8818]

1 minute ago, NewColtsFan said:

He may ask for 4-5 years, but that doesn’t mean we stuck on a 4-5 year deal.   It can always be written with early outs.  Almost all contracts are structured that way.   
 

So even in the “worst case scenario” he’d get 5 years, but the Colts would have an out after 3 years.  The guarantees would be done after 3 years.   If he’s still playing at a high level after 3 years, then he keeps playing.   If not, he gets cut with minimal damage.   Win-win for both sides. 

If he’s thinking about retiring now I doubt he’s looking for that long of a contract because he knows he’s never going to see the back end money.  I could see him doing a 2 year deal set up with the second year or maybe even a third year set up that way but odds are if he comes back he’s probably going to be looking at a shorter deal too.  AC already got his big money contract from the Colts.  I don’t think he’s looking to suck up every penny he can for long term security.  If he comes back he’s the type of guy who is going to want to be paid what he’s worth but also do a deal that’s team friendly in terms of years.  That’s what makes sense for both sides here and my guess is if he comes back Ballard and his agent aren’t going to have a hard time reaching a short term deal that pays AC well but also doesn’t lock the Colts or AC into a contract with money both sides know is never going to be paid or waste time doing opt outs in years they know the player has no intention of ever playing.

[NewColtsFan]

10 minutes ago, GoColts8818 said:

If he’s thinking about retiring now I doubt he’s looking for that long of a contract because he knows he’s never going to see the back end money.  I could see him doing a 2 year deal set up with the second year or maybe even a third year set up that way but odds are if he comes back he’s probably going to be looking at a shorter deal too.  AC already got his big money contract from the Colts.  I don’t think he’s looking to suck up every penny he can for long term security.  If he comes back he’s the type of guy who is going to want to be paid what he’s worth but also do a deal that’s team friendly in terms of years.  That’s what makes sense for both sides here and my guess is if he comes back Ballard and his agent aren’t going to have a hard time reaching a short term deal that pays AC well but also doesn’t lock the Colts or AC into a contract with money both sides know is never going to be paid or waste time doing opt outs in years they know the player has no intention of ever playing.

I hope you’re right.   I don’t think you are, but I sincerely hope you’re right.  I’d be very happy if you are.  

[GoColts8818]

7 minutes ago, NewColtsFan said:

I hope you’re right.   I don’t think you are, but I sincerely hope you’re right.  I’d be very happy if you are.  

I am pretty sure I am closer to right than wrong.  There is no sense to knowing if you are already thinking about retiring and you know the other side knows that too to go and say give me a four or five year deal.  Both sides know they are waisting time and money coming to an agreement like that.  Honestly if AC’s agent walked and said that and held to it Ballard would probably say no and just put the franchise tag on him and let him play under that.  

 

Again, AC has made it known if he plays next year it will be with the Colts and the Colts want him back.  This isn’t a case of a guy looking to get as much money as he can for as long as he can.  This is a guy who knows his career is winding down and if he keeps playing just wants to stay where he is, very rarely do guys like that seek or get long term deals.

[NewColtsFan]

1 hour ago, GoColts8818 said:

I am pretty sure I am closer to right than wrong.  There is no sense to knowing if you are already thinking about retiring and you know the other side knows that too to go and say give me a four or five year deal.  Both sides know they are waisting time and money coming to an agreement like that.  Honestly if AC’s agent walked and said that and held to it Ballard would probably say no and just put the franchise tag on him and let him play under that.  

 

Again, AC has made it known if he plays next year it will be with the Colts and the Colts want him back.  This isn’t a case of a guy looking to get as much money as he can for as long as he can.  This is a guy who knows his career is winding down and if he keeps playing just wants to stay where he is, very rarely do guys like that seek or get long term deals.

 

Again....    I sincerely hope you'r right.

 

But, personally,  I think you have spectacularly over-analyzed this to death.   Seriously.

 

There's no way to know.   And when AC announces,  we'll know step 1.   To play or retire.

 

And if he's playing,  we'll know when he signs a new contract and the details are revealed.

 

Maybe we'll know in February?     Maybe March?   

 

Crossing my fingers and hoping for the best.