Ballard interview with Dakich

[Restinpeacesweetchloe]

Starts at 15:22

 

 

[Restinpeacesweetchloe]

Ballard basically said Cain was not putting the work in that he needed and was asked to do.

 

He defiantly wants Funchess back. Sounds like it is up to Devin.

[richard pallo]

31 minutes ago, Chloe6124 said:

Ballard basically said Cain was not putting the work in that he needed and was asked to do.

 

He defiantly wants Funchess back. Sounds like it is up to Devin.

I have read on more than one site that Funchess is being linked to many teams as a player those teams would target in FA.  I hope Ballard can resign him but without Luck I would expect him to sign with a contender.  We were a contender when we signed him.  That's all changed.  I think it will take one heck of a sell job by Ballard to get him or any FA worth their salt to sign with us not to mention the money it would take for the top guys.  Huge problem with our QB situation so up in the air.  

[Restinpeacesweetchloe]

1 hour ago, richard pallo said:

I have read on more than one site that Funchess is being linked to many teams as a player those teams would target in FA.  I hope Ballard can resign him but without Luck I would expect him to sign with a contender.  We were a contender when we signed him.  That's all changed.  I think it will take one heck of a sell job by Ballard to get him or any FA worth their salt to sign with us not to mention the money it would take for the top guys.  Huge problem with our QB situation so up in the air.  

The good news is there is a lot of WR In this draft with Devins size if he doesn’t want to come back. He will probably test the waters before he decides if he wants to come back. Ballard clearly likes him a lot.  We can easily get 2 WR in the draft if he doesn’t want to come back. A bigger one with size and one with speed.

[LockeDown]

When Ballard likes someone he wants to keep them. He liked Funchess. Ebron and Cain...not so much.

[JPFolks]

Even if we had our choice of FA QBs, or QBs in the Draft, with our schedule next year, a .500 record would be EPIC. I think with Brissett we might win 5 or 6. (If you haven't seen our home/away schedule I had to have us win all 3 home division games and Cincy just to find 4 home wins and 4 road wins was no easy feat either). 

 

If we go 7-9 or worse with anything other than a promising rookie I think Ballard will be on the hottest of seats and in listening to this interview I think he knows it. He has to roll the dice on a rookie. He has the luxury of sitting him behind Brissett for a year and that buys him another year to debut and succeed against FAR easier competition the next year.

 

I think they'd have to be sniffing the playoffs at that point or we'll have all new coaches and GM and a failing 3rd year QB which could set us back to a place we haven't been since the darkest days. Many forget or are too young to recall but prior to Manning we had Jim Harbaugh Capt. Comeback, so it's going back to the Jeff George/Eric Dickerson Jack Trudeau Mike Pagel etc. Losing dog years. We are a Ballard solution/pick from becoming a basketball city again.  

 

DD could have asked him about that but didn't. Instead he tossed up softball conspiracy theories that even if true weren't going to be answered in any case so it was a missed opportunity.  Our tiny market has been blessed by great success of our two Pro Sports teams. But the risk of becoming irrelevant because FAs don't want to come here without a real chance to win it all is real. That could spiral in a lot of ways. 

 

It all rests in Ballard's hands along with some luck.  I like his chances, not that it matters, nor can we do anything about it anyway. 

[BleedBlue4Shoe86]

5 minutes ago, JPFolks said:

Even if we had our choice of FA QBs, or QBs in the Draft, with our schedule next year, a .500 record would be EPIC. I think with Brissett we might win 5 or 6. (If you haven't seen our home/away schedule I had to have us win all 3 home division games and Cincy just to find 4 home wins and 4 road wins was no easy feat either). 

 

If we go 7-9 or worse with anything other than a promising rookie I think Ballard will be on the hottest of seats and in listening to this interview I think he knows it. He has to roll the dice on a rookie. He has the luxury of sitting him behind Brissett for a year and that buys him another year to debut and succeed against FAR easier competition the next year.

 

I think they'd have to be sniffing the playoffs at that point or we'll have all new coaches and GM and a failing 3rd year QB which could set us back to a place we haven't been since the darkest days. Many forget or are too young to recall but prior to Manning we had Jim Harbaugh Capt. Comeback, so it's going back to the Jeff George/Eric Dickerson Jack Trudeau Mike Pagel etc. Losing dog years. We are a Ballard solution/pick from becoming a basketball city again.  

 

DD could have asked him about that but didn't. Instead he tossed up softball conspiracy theories that even if true weren't going to be answered in any case so it was a missed opportunity.  Our tiny market has been blessed by great success of our two Pro Sports teams. But the risk of becoming irrelevant because FAs don't want to come here without a real chance to win it all is real. That could spiral in a lot of ways. 

 

It all rests in Ballard's hands along with some luck.  I like his chances, not that it matters, nor can we do anything about it anyway. 

Yeah. You lost me at the whole coaching staff will be in the hot seat after next year unless he takes a risks on a rookie QB. 
 

1.  Ballard and Reich are two of the most respected people in the NFL. Ballard is considered by many to be one of the best GMs in the league. 
 

2. The fact he said he just risk it on a rookie QB flies right in the face of what he has said. He won’t reach for one. If he loves one, he will take him, maybe at 13 or maybe at 34. 

[Four2itus]

18 minutes ago, JPFolks said:

I think they'd have to be sniffing the playoffs at that point or we'll have all new coaches and GM and a failing 3rd year QB which could set us back to a place we haven't been since the darkest days.

There is so much I disagree with here.

[crazycolt1]

21 minutes ago, JPFolks said:

Even if we had our choice of FA QBs, or QBs in the Draft, with our schedule next year, a .500 record would be EPIC. I think with Brissett we might win 5 or 6. (If you haven't seen our home/away schedule I had to have us win all 3 home division games and Cincy just to find 4 home wins and 4 road wins was no easy feat either). 

 

If we go 7-9 or worse with anything other than a promising rookie I think Ballard will be on the hottest of seats and in listening to this interview I think he knows it. He has to roll the dice on a rookie. He has the luxury of sitting him behind Brissett for a year and that buys him another year to debut and succeed against FAR easier competition the next year.

 

I think they'd have to be sniffing the playoffs at that point or we'll have all new coaches and GM and a failing 3rd year QB which could set us back to a place we haven't been since the darkest days. Many forget or are too young to recall but prior to Manning we had Jim Harbaugh Capt. Comeback, so it's going back to the Jeff George/Eric Dickerson Jack Trudeau Mike Pagel etc. Losing dog years. We are a Ballard solution/pick from becoming a basketball city again.  

 

DD could have asked him about that but didn't. Instead he tossed up softball conspiracy theories that even if true weren't going to be answered in any case so it was a missed opportunity.  Our tiny market has been blessed by great success of our two Pro Sports teams. But the risk of becoming irrelevant because FAs don't want to come here without a real chance to win it all is real. That could spiral in a lot of ways. 

 

It all rests in Ballard's hands along with some luck.  I like his chances, not that it matters, nor can we do anything about it anyway. 

[DougDew]

At the very end, said accuracy is what's most important for a QB.

 

Can't believe then that he wants to roll with JB next year.

[The Fish]

2 hours ago, BleedBlue4Shoe86 said:

Yeah. You lost me at the whole coaching staff will be in the hot seat after next year unless he takes a risks on a rookie QB. 
 

1.  Ballard and Reich are two of the most respected people in the NFL. Ballard is considered by many to be one of the best GMs in the league. 
 

2. The fact he said he just risk it on a rookie QB flies right in the face of what he has said. He won’t reach for one. If he loves one, he will take him, maybe at 13 or maybe at 34. 

 

 

He didn't lose me, I think it's the best point in the post. I've said it too. If the team is bad or mediocre again next year and the QB situation is unresolved, the fan base is going to clamor, articles will be written laying out the missed picks, the overall record of the Ballard era ect.. 

Not saying I'll be on board because I think Ballard is in a unique situation, but this is an easy prediction on some level.

 

 

[Jackie Daytona]

5 hours ago, richard pallo said:

I have read on more than one site that Funchess is being linked to many teams as a player those teams would target in FA.  I hope Ballard can resign him but without Luck I would expect him to sign with a contender.  We were a contender when we signed him.  That's all changed.  I think it will take one heck of a sell job by Ballard to get him or any FA worth their salt to sign with us not to mention the money it would take for the top guys.  Huge problem with our QB situation so up in the air.  

Top FA sign with crap teams every year.... Sometimes it takes more money, but it's not like the NBA where every star wants a starting lineup filled with top end guys

[a06cc]

We’re going to get a defensive tackle finally! 

[NannyMcafee]

Would be awesome if the Colts had an amazing pass offense next year and Ebron can sit there and regret quitting because we all know he did. 

[Smonroe]

9 hours ago, a06cc said:

We’re going to get a defensive tackle finally! 

I think you’re going to be correct.  As much as we want the next franchise QB, Ballard is going to take the BPA on HIS draft board.  
 

And I suspect he has at least one DT rated higher than the 3rd or 4th QB that will be available at 13. (Burrow and Tua will be gone)

[DougDew]

30 minutes ago, Smonroe said:

I think you’re going to be correct.  As much as we want the next franchise QB, Ballard is going to take the BPA on HIS draft board.  
 

And I suspect he has at least one DT rated higher than the 3rd or 4th QB that will be available at 13. (Burrow and Tua will be gone)

And that's fine too.  What I don't want is to draft a developmental QB at 44 or later, hoping that he'll turn out better than JB in 2 years.

 

If he gets a DT at 13....and he may get it at 34, no telling that he means he's looking DT at 13....then I would hope he trades up into the first to take a Qb that he thinks is IMMEDIATELY better than JB, and will be far above him 2 years from now.

 

And if he doubles up on DT or another BPA, and we roll with JB, that's fine too.  But please no "developmental" QBs who would stink up the field on day 1 if he had to play and may never be better than what we already have.

[coltsva]

12 hours ago, JPFolks said:

Even if we had our choice of FA QBs, or QBs in the Draft, with our schedule next year, a .500 record would be EPIC. I think with Brissett we might win 5 or 6. (If you haven't seen our home/away schedule I had to have us win all 3 home division games and Cincy just to find 4 home wins and 4 road wins was no easy feat either). 

 

 

So you think we can’t beat the Packers, Vikings, Ravens or Jets at home next year? Interesting.

[aaron11]

6 minutes ago, coltsva said:

 

So you think we can’t beat the Packers, Vikings, Ravens or Jets at home next year? Interesting.

 

anything is possible, the first three teams you mentioned are all better than the colts right now though 

 

most people seem to assume the jets suck, they finished with the same record as the colts.  actually beat them with luck the last time they played too

[Restinpeacesweetchloe]

6 hours ago, NannyMcafee said:

Would be awesome if the Colts had an amazing pass offense next year and Ebron can sit there and regret quitting because we all know he did. 

That would be so fun. What better yet is we draft a TE and he lights it up and Ebron is on another team melting down. Apparently they were following and taking a lot of notes on the TE out of Purdue.

[Restinpeacesweetchloe]

10 hours ago, The Fish said:

 

 

He didn't lose me, I think it's the best point in the post. I've said it too. If the team is bad or mediocre again next year and the QB situation is unresolved, the fan base is going to clamor, articles will be written laying out the missed picks, the overall record of the Ballard era ect.. 

Not saying I'll be on board because I think Ballard is in a unique situation, but this is an easy prediction on some level.

 

 

If that happens ballard will be on the hot seat. Especially if he a has a QB like Love at 13 right there to take and he passes. Then he starts somewhere else and plays well. Even if he doesn’t start like you said articles will be written on the missed opportunity. Having mediocre QB play can’t happen next year. I do think that is why they kept Kelly. If the draft falls through and JB hasn’t improved I think he would get a chance.

[NannyMcafee]

1 hour ago, Chloe6124 said:

That would be so fun. What better yet is we draft a TE and he lights it up and Ebron is on another team melting down. Apparently they were following and taking a lot of notes on the TE out of Purdue.

 

His response made it pretty clear to me that Ebron quit but Ballard still wasnt going to throw him under the bus. 

[#12.]

Unless he gets nothing elsewhere, I can't see Funchess returning.   With this offense and Brissett at QB, how does he prove himself to get another contract?  Plus, yes, I'm sure Ballard would want him back... on the cheap.

[DougDew]

13 minutes ago, #12. said:

Unless he gets nothing elsewhere, I can't see Funchess returning.   With this offense and Brissett at QB, how does he prove himself to get another contract?  Plus, yes, I'm sure Ballard would want him back... on the cheap.

Yeah, I agree.  JB does not inspire FA WRs to come to the Colts.  Problem is, FA is before the draft, so its likely we'll have to look to the draft to upgrade receivers.

 

Reportedly, Ballard's staff was checking out TE Bryson Hopkins from Purdue fairly heavily.

 

Also, at the very very end, DD asks CB what "numbers" does he value most in a QB.  CB said accuracy.  IMO, that's a subliminal way of indicating that he can't be happy with JB, despite the favorable comments.

[deedub75]

12 hours ago, Shafty138 said:

Top FA sign with crap teams every year.... Sometimes it takes more money, but it's not like the NBA where every star wants a starting lineup filled with top end guys

This is true for top FAs signing longer term deals but think about a WR like Funchess signing a 1 year prove it deal. Would you rather sign a 1 yr $10M prove it deal with a contender with a great QB or sign a 1 yr $7M prove it deal with a team with a bad QB situation?  

[Fisticuffs111]

I always like when he talks about specific players, can always get a feel for what he really thinks.

 

No surprise that he thinks Willis and Okereke have a future in this league, especially Willis. He likes Rock and Campbell’s mindset but one has to just hopefully keep improving and the other really has to get his health right. And I like that he didn’t really mince words about Banogu and Lewis. Banogu showed flashes but there’s gotta be more than just flashes next season, and Lewis just is at that same point Stewart was last season.

[bigt]

Who, besides Burrow, are the most accurate college qbs in the draft?  It isn’t Love.  

[DougDew]

5 minutes ago, bigt said:

Who, besides Burrow, are the most accurate college qbs in the draft?  It isn’t Love.  

Probably Tua.

 

Fromm too.  Fromm went through a slump during the year.  I looked it up.  A few rain soaked games impacted the numbers, but, like Love, his 2018 season was much better than his 2019.

[jvan1973]

30 minutes ago, deedub75 said:

This is true for top FAs signing longer term deals but think about a WR like Funchess signing a 1 year prove it deal. Would you rather sign a 1 yr $10M prove it deal with a contender with a great QB or sign a 1 yr $7M prove it deal with a team with a bad QB situation?  

I think you reversed the scenarios you were going for

[superrep1967]

3 hours ago, Smonroe said:

I think you’re going to be correct.  As much as we want the next franchise QB, Ballard is going to take the BPA on HIS draft board.  
 

And I suspect he has at least one DT rated higher than the 3rd or 4th QB that will be available at 13. (Burrow and Tua will be gone)

What about Herbert will he still be there?

[aaron11]

14 minutes ago, bigt said:

Who, besides Burrow, are the most accurate college qbs in the draft?  It isn’t Love.  

Tua is really accurate

[coltsva]

3 hours ago, aaron11 said:

 

anything is possible, the first three teams you mentioned are all better than the colts right now though 

 

most people seem to assume the jets suck, they finished with the same record as the colts.  actually beat them with luck the last time they played too

Agree, but my point is that saying “this game is a loss, this game is a win” 7 months before the season starts, before free agency, and before the draft, is bit ridiculous. 

[Lucky Colts Fan]

16 hours ago, JPFolks said:

(If you haven't seen our home/away schedule I had to have us win all 3 home division games and Cincy just to find 4 home wins and 4 road wins was no easy feat either). 

 

If we go 7-9 or worse with anything other than a promising rookie I think Ballard will be on the hottest of seats and in listening to this interview I think he knows it. He has to roll the dice on a rookie. He has the luxury of sitting him behind Brissett for a year and that buys him another year to debut and succeed against FAR easier competition the next year.

 

There are so many factors and unknowns that can happen before next season, it's impossible to know which teams are going to be good next year, much less two years from now.  Perfect examples are the up-and-down last few seasons of the Colts, 49ers, Steelers, Browns, Bears, Chargers, Packers, etc.

 

It seems like every year there are teams that go from worst-to-first in their division or vice-versa.  You have no idea who is going to be "FAR easier" competition two years from now.

 

16 hours ago, JPFolks said:

We are a Ballard solution/pick from becoming a basketball city again.

 

This is laughably false.

[NannyMcafee]

50 minutes ago, Lucky Colts Fan said:

 

There are so many factors and unknowns that can happen before next season, it's impossible to know which teams are going to be good next year, much less two years from now.  Perfect examples are the up-and-down last few seasons of the Colts, 49ers, Steelers, Browns, Bears, Chargers, Packers, etc.

 

It seems like every year there are teams that go from worst-to-first in their division or vice-versa.  You have no idea who is going to be "FAR easier" competition two years from now.

 

 

This is laughably false.

 

Lol, Ballard has 3 more years before hes potentially on the hot seat. Irsay is a very patient man, and Ballard has done more than any GM since Polian. 

 

To think he could or would be on the hot seat before the next 2 seasons is obnoxious. 

[AwesomeAustin]

4 hours ago, Chloe6124 said:

If that happens ballard will be on the hot seat. Especially if he a has a QB like Love at 13 right there to take and he passes. Then he starts somewhere else and plays well. Even if he doesn’t start like you said articles will be written on the missed opportunity. Having mediocre QB play can’t happen next year. I do think that is why they kept Kelly. If the draft falls through and JB hasn’t improved I think he would get a chance.

I totally agree.  Ballard is 22-28 as a GM.  Granted he has had a lame duck coach and a QB that retired. Well, that’s the way it has fell and not his fault but most certainly his responsibility to correct. If the Colts aren’t sniffing the playoffs in 2yrs there will be a major call for change. Sometimes it just doesn’t work out for a player or GM with loads of potential.  If they never fulfill the expectations then it may be time to move one regardless of what they faced.  I hope Ballard will get us back on track bc he sure seems right for the job. 

[deedub75]

3 hours ago, jvan1973 said:

I think you reversed the scenarios you were going for

Oops!  That’s what I get for writing this on my phone. 

[EastStreet]

In general, liked the interview even though I don't like DD. 

 

Liked some of the stuff he said about CK, but he kind of came off as a jerk with the "damn right" comment. Liked that he called on Lewis to come on.

 

 

Funchess - I'm pretty indifferent here. He's a good possession-X or TE-lite with drop issues. Potent weapon in the RZ and a good relief valve (like a TE). Outside of that, he's a limited X. I'd love to have him plus a speed/deep X if we could get a QB with deep skills. There are plenty of possession type Xs in just about every draft though in the middle rounds. I'd love to grab Chase Claypool in the middle rounds this year if Funch is not back.

 

Cain - pretty strange comments. Ballard praised him for doing things the right way pre-2019, so not sure I buy that he was a loafer (that's not really what CB said). IMO, perhaps we asked to much of him coming back from injury. He was moved all over the place (speed/deep X to Z, then from Z to possession X), and also asked to be a possession guy, which he was never that at Clemson. IMO, he's the biggest casualty of Luck retiring. Time will tell, but IMO he's best suited in a vertical O, and won't amount to much if asked to be a possession guy.

 

 

[AZColt11]

4 hours ago, AwesomeAustin said:

I totally agree.  Ballard is 22-28 as a GM.  Granted he has had a lame duck coach and a QB that retired. Well, that’s the way it has fell and not his fault but most certainly his responsibility to correct. If the Colts aren’t sniffing the playoffs in 2yrs there will be a major call for change. Sometimes it just doesn’t work out for a player or GM with loads of potential.  If they never fulfill the expectations then it may be time to move one regardless of what they faced.  I hope Ballard will get us back on track bc he sure seems right for the job. 

I mean this with all respect, but you do realize his generational QB who was supposed to lead the franchise for the next 10 years decided to up and retire at the ripe old age of 29, right?  And that this same QB missed ALL of his 1st year on the job and he was forced to find a sub at the last minute, right?  This is obviously a QB driven league.  He's been behind the 8-ball in that department and has done a decent job considering the circumstances.  This doesn't even factor in being left at the altar at the 11th hour on the coaching search and STILL finding a guy like Reich to lead this team.  And what he has done with the rest of the roster is pretty good as well.  I don't think he should be on the hot seat at all.

[CurBeatElite]

21 hours ago, The Fish said:

 

 

He didn't lose me, I think it's the best point in the post. I've said it too. If the team is bad or mediocre again next year and the QB situation is unresolved, the fan base is going to clamor, articles will be written laying out the missed picks, the overall record of the Ballard era ect.. 

Not saying I'll be on board because I think Ballard is in a unique situation, but this is an easy prediction on some level.

 

 

 

Ballard has hit on far more picks than he's missed on.  Hopefully most reasonable people will pick up on that.

 

 

 

8 hours ago, deedub75 said:

This is true for top FAs signing longer term deals but think about a WR like Funchess signing a 1 year prove it deal. Would you rather sign a 1 yr $10M prove it deal with a contender with a great QB or sign a 1 yr $7M prove it deal with a team with a bad QB situation?  

 

 

We have more cap money than just about everyone (I think we actually have the most cap space in the NFL right now).  Not sure who the contender is that'll outbid us by $3 mil/year.  

[AwesomeAustin]

1 hour ago, AZColt11 said:

I mean this with all respect, but you do realize his generational QB who was supposed to lead the franchise for the next 10 years decided to up and retire at the ripe old age of 29, right?  And that this same QB missed ALL of his 1st year on the job and he was forced to find a sub at the last minute, right?  This is obviously a QB driven league.  He's been behind the 8-ball in that department and has done a decent job considering the circumstances.  This doesn't even factor in being left at the altar at the 11th hour on the coaching search and STILL finding a guy like Reich to lead this team.  And what he has done with the rest of the roster is pretty good as well.  I don't think he should be on the hot seat at all.

Yes I do realize this.  Ballard is t on the hot seat.  I said if they aren’t sniffing the playoffs in 2yrs there will be a rumbling for change.  NFL work is a job.  People are handed a tough job all the time and have things happen that aren’t their fault.  It doesn’t change the fact that leadership will always be responsible regardless of most circumstances.  It’s not fair but that happens a lot in anyone’s career.  Either he responds effectively and all is good or in two years it still looks the same.  Time will tell. I think he is qualified for the job. 

[Restinpeacesweetchloe]

If we don’t draft a QB and we are still having QB issues next season he will be on the hot seat and at that point he might have to reach on QB next year just to save his job. By drafting one he will have a lot longer leash to give that guy time.