Colts are 4th in Available Cap Space; Go ahead on Fantasize on the 4 players you would get from free agency

[r a y s k i]

19 minutes ago, TimetobringDfence! said:

Yeah we will realisticly resign two of our own free agents and maybe sign one off the market. No way we go spending up the cap. Only way Ballard goes top dollar is if Dak comes knocking. Ballards system of drafting your own only works if there money available to keep the young hungry.

Exactly and he has been doing it very well, he is an excellent talent evaluator if someone is available and worthy, he will spend the money and resources.

I've not yet considered Dak as our option. Hmm 

[csmopar]

5 minutes ago, rayski said:

Exactly and he has been doing it very well, he is an excellent talent evaluator if someone is available and worthy, he will spend the money and resources.

I've not yet considered Dak as our option. Hmm 

Cause he’s not. Jerry Jones will tag him. Again

[2006Coltsbestever]

I would be curious to know what QB's people think would be better than Rivers going into next season?

Eason - No

Jacoby - No

Wentz - No

Dak - No

Darnold - No

Stafford - maybe

Watson - Yes but we would have to give a lot for him.

 

[r a y s k i]

1 minute ago, 2006Coltsbestever said:

I would be curious to know what QB's people think would be better than Rivers going into next season?

Eason - No

Jacoby - No

Wentz - No

Dak - No

Darnold - No

Stafford - maybe

Watson - Yes but we would have to give a lot for him.

 

I mean even the Texans aren't stupid enough to ship Watson to the afc south 

I'd give a chance to Darnold, he'd probably be cheap as well. 

I have not yet seen enough of Eason to say whether he could make it or not.

[2006Coltsbestever]

4 minutes ago, rayski said:

I mean even the Texans aren't stupid enough to ship Watson to the afc south 

I'd give a chance to Darnold, he'd probably be cheap as well. 

I have not yet seen enough of Eason to say whether he could make it or not.

I just don't think Eason will be good in his 1st year (most 1st year starters aren't) so if he steps in I can see a 8-8 season. Of course nobody knows because he hasn't played but we are win now mode IMO. If Eason plays as good as Rivers did this year I would be in amazement. 

[r a y s k i]

Just now, 2006Coltsbestever said:

I just don't think Eason will be good in his 1st year (most 1st year starters aren't) so if he steps in I can see a 8-8 season. Of course nobody knows because he hasn't played but we are win now mode IMO. If Eason played as good as Rivers did this year I would be in amazement. 

I really trust Ballard's skills as a talent evaluator and just can't get rid of the idea of a strong armed qb sitting behind a veteran theme ala Mahomes/Rodgers etc. Who knows, we need to see what Rivers does first.

[2006Coltsbestever]

1 minute ago, rayski said:

I really trust Ballard's skills as a talent evaluator and just can't get rid of the idea of a strong armed qb sitting behind a veteran theme ala Mahomes/Rodgers etc. Who knows, we need to see what Rivers does first.

Yeah if Ballard wants to roll with Eason he knows something we all don't know. That would be reassuring.

[TimetobringDfence!]

39 minutes ago, rayski said:

Exactly and he has been doing it very well, he is an excellent talent evaluator if someone is available and worthy, he will spend the money and resources.

I've not yet considered Dak as our option. Hmm 

Dak will probably work out a deal or be tagged, but if not he will hit the market. Look at his career stats. Hes pretty uh good.

[Stephen]

22 minutes ago, 2006Coltsbestever said:

I would be curious to know what QB's people think would be better than Rivers going into next season?

Eason - No

Jacoby - No

Wentz - No

Dak - No

Darnold - No

Stafford - maybe

Watson - Yes but we would have to give a lot for him.

 

Eason could be like Mahomes.  Especially if  he has been putting  in the work. Rivers is good, but rolling  with Eason would save us a good deal of money.

 

[chad72]

Just now, Stephen said:

Eason could be like Mahomes.  Especially if  he has been putting  in the work. Rivers is good, but rolling  with Eason would save us a good deal of money.

 

 

One thing is 100% sure. We need a normal off season, normal training camp and normal pre-season games to evaluate.

 

However, most of our decisions would have to be taken prior to the draft. There in lies the issue. No doubt, the QB position is the elephant in the room that has a ripple effect on several other decisions.

[csmopar]

18 minutes ago, 2006Coltsbestever said:

Yeah if Ballard wants to roll with Eason he knows something we all don't know. That would be reassuring.

no matter which way Ballard goes, he will always know something about it we don't...

[Orioles22]

2 hours ago, rayski said:

Hate to burst this bubble but that cap is for Braden Smith, Big Q and Leonard 

I'm not clear on when we could sign those guys to a five-year contract or something like that.

I was looking at our list of free agents - thinking we could sign back 10 of 20 - some like Odum for very reasonable deals.

 

 

[Restinpeacesweetchloe]

2 hours ago, csmopar said:

yes, but there's also some ways to get more cap space if we needed it.  Though i will say, the loss of that 30 million from the cap due to covid really stings. That said, given the sheer number of teams at or over the cap, the contracts are no way going to be as large as years passed.  Maybe for a few exceptional players but most will end up taking less than their respective counterparts did just a year ago.  Teams simply don't have the cash. Plus there's a lot of teams that will be having a fire sale just to get to the cap. 

I saw someone say players may end up taking shorter contracts until the cap goes back up.

[compuls1v3]

Philip Rivers

Xavier Rhodes

JuJu Smith-Schuster 

Alejandro Villanueva

[coltsva]

1 hour ago, rayski said:

I mean even the Texans aren't stupid enough to ship Watson to the afc south 

 

Not anymore.

[csmopar]

25 minutes ago, Chloe6124 said:

I saw someone say players may end up taking shorter contracts until the cap goes back up.

That was me in another thread. I think there’s a possibility we will see a lot of players in 1 year deals.

[IndyD4U]

Will Fuller
Mike Hilton
Bud Dupree
Mitchel Trubisky

[shasta519]

That cap space is mostly accounted for...between Q, Leonard and Smith. Other players like Houston and (maybe) Hilton will need to be brought back as well. 

 

And I don't expect Ballard to sign many UFAs...though I think he will be in on vets who are released (from the cap reductions) that will come cheap. 

 

But overall, I think this offseason will be about keeping the core in place...and potentially stacking some comp picks for guys they can't afford to keep. 

 

Just consider that if they did bring back Rivers for $25M...they would have ~$25-30M in cap space (after setting aside the draft cap space). I think it speaks to the necessity of addressing QB via the draft. Having a young cost-controlled QB is going to be imperative for this team to take the next step.

[shasta519]

1 hour ago, csmopar said:

Cause he’s not. Jerry Jones will tag him. Again

 

Right. And even if he did hit the market...the Colts probably aren't in a position to take on a giant QB contract. It's very difficult to have high-priced non-QBs and a QB contract on the books for very long...something would have to give (especially with the cap reduction).

 

I think they would do what was necessary to accommodate Watson...but that trade is never going to happen. If Watson goes anywhere...it will likely be out of the AFC

[Restinpeacesweetchloe]

It’s going to be almost impossible for him to sign who we need to and keep this defense going.  There is going to most likely be a step backward next season. The only way that happens is if we start a rookie or Eason.  We have way to many of our own to sign. Hines needs re-signed also.

[Four2itus]

3 hours ago, csmopar said:

Though i will say, the loss of that 30 million from the cap due to covid really stings. That said, given the sheer number of teams at or over the cap, the contracts are no way going to be as large as years passed.  Maybe for a few exceptional players but most will end up taking less than their respective counterparts did just a year ago.  Teams simply don't have the cash. Plus there's a lot of teams that will be having a fire sale just to get to the cap. 

That's an interesting thought.....whos heads going to pop up?

[JediXMan]

I think with AC retiring we’re 2nd.

[w87r]

21 minutes ago, JediXMan said:

I think with AC retiring we’re 2nd.

That $16m definitely helps to retain our guys, and sign a couple others, but opens a huge hole.

[Two_pound]

Living here in western Pa. and listening to media guys who cover the steelers they can't get Smith-Schuster out the door fast enough. They say he is immature and self-centered. Not a Ballard/Reich kind of player. And I will also say no to Villanueava. Mike Hilton is okay, he could make this team a little better. Our number one priority this offseason has now become ot.

[ColtJax]

We do this every year, and every year we get next to nothing. Ballard build through the draft and pays our own. Nelson and Leonard will need to be paid. Rhoads will want to get paid. What about Mack, do we re-sign him? Rivers and Jacoby count over 40 million combined, we can get a major upgrade at that position. 

[Restinpeacesweetchloe]

The NFL is having record viewership. So the cap most likely goes back up in 22. The colts could be a great place for FA to come play on one year deals then cash in when 22 hits.  Plus some of our own like Smith and Leonard May decide to just play their contracts out so they can get more money.

 

 

[Krushinator]

Sign Rivers on a 1yr team friendly deal, at this point he is playing for a Super Bowl and not chasing the money.

 

Resign Rhodes, Autry, and Pascal.

Resign Houston if the price is reasonable.

Try and find via free agency or trade a WR. Draft a CB round 1 or DE/LB based on best available.

Round 2 look at CB/DE/LB/SS.
Round 3 get a guard or tackle and convert to guard.

Round 4+ best available

[csmopar]

2 hours ago, Four2itus said:

That's an interesting thought.....whos heads going to pop up?

Outside of those with expiring contracts, it’s anyone’s guess. Last I saw the Saints and Eagles don’t even have 50 players under contract for next season and are still way way over the cap. They were way over the cap even before the reduction so this really hurts them.