Colts Signing Antwaun Woods

[Zoltan]

Just got the alert on ESPN App, don't know much about him

[Smonroe]

Not sure if he makes the team.  But he'll be battling for a back up DT spot.

[CR91]

Not sure how much this helps us. The cowboys run defense was terrible.

[adubb84]

Chris Ballard just keeps adding folks to increase the level of competition amongst every position 

 

[Shadow_Creek]

[Restinpeacesweetchloe]

The colts arent messing around with the dline. It’s clear even Ballard knows why they lost to the Bills.

[Patrick Miller]

Just looking at his career so far .

..dude seems like a scrub to me. 

[Colts1324]

Just now, Patrick Miller said:

Just looking at his career so far .

..dude seems like a scrub to me. 

He started 2 full season(the games in which he played). It can't hurt to bring in a vet with starting experience. 
 

I love this from Ballard. Now, he can compete with Stallworth for snaps in a battle he should be able to win.

[MB-ColtsFan]

Well, I don’t see this move making us worse, so let the competition begin!

[jbaron04]

12 minutes ago, Wentzszn said:

The colts arent messing around with the dline. It’s clear even Ballard knows why they lost to the Bills.

And Titans , the dominated us up front and Henry wasn’t getting touched till the second lv  3rd sometimes 

[CR91]

2 minutes ago, jbaron04 said:

And Titans , the dominated us up front and Henry wasn’t getting touched till the second lv  3rd sometimes 

 

First game wasn't too bad. It was the second game. Unfortunately we didn't have Buckner or Autry for that game.

[Restinpeacesweetchloe]

1 minute ago, CR91 said:

 

First game wasn't too bad. It was the second game. Unfortunately we didn't have Buckner or Autry for that game.

I believe Okereke and Willis was out too. We were missing like 6 or 7 starters. I think smith missed that game too with a hand injury.

[JediXMan]

2 minutes ago, Wentzszn said:

I believe Okereke and Willis was out too. We were missing like 6 or 7 starters.

Yeah that game didn’t surprise man they were clearly outmanned. Also didn’t help the Offense sucked that game also.

[Four2itus]

Let us not forget the possibility of before season injuries. Can't say I've ever seen this much depth available at DT as a Colt fan.

 

Huzzah......

[NewColtsFan]

I think we’re going to be making a number of small off-season moves like this.   They don’t hurt the team.  Guys like Woods are low risk investments with likely zero guaranteed money.  So it will cost us nothing if/when we cut them.  But better competition in camp is always a good thing. 
 

I think it’s a good sign the roster is getting better when we only signed 5 undrafted free agents.   That’s our smallest number under Ballard by far.   And we’ve already cut one of them.   So the overall 90-man roster is getting better, even if it still has a few holes in it.   
 

 

[LiveAndLetAddai]

Churning the roster, if you can replace your worst player with a better player, you do it.  Not saying this is the case, but it certainly makes sense.

[GoColts8818]

different position on the line but a lot like the day signing last year.  Hoping he can make an impact if not you can let him go with no harm no foul.  Hopefully this works out better than day.

[DougDew]

32 minutes ago, NewColtsFan said:

I think we’re going to be making a number of small off-season moves like this.   They don’t hurt the team.  Guys like Woods are low risk investments with likely zero guaranteed money.  So it will cost us nothing if/when we cut them.  But better competition in camp is always a good thing. 
 

I think it’s a good sign the roster is getting better when we only signed 5 undrafted free agents.   That’s our smallest number under Ballard by far.   And we’ve already cut one of them.   So the overall 90-man roster is getting better, even if it still has a few holes in it.   
 

 

Its getting more obvious that Ballard cares about the compensation pick formula.  He's not going to sign front tier guys.  So if its going to be vets signed to a team friendly contract, where that pool of players bring basically the same skill set.  may as well wait until after the comp pick formula dates pass to do more of these signings.

[NewColtsFan]

7 minutes ago, DougDew said:

Its getting more obvious that Ballard cares about the compensation pick formula.  He's not going to sign front tier guys.  So if its going to be vets signed to a team friendly contract, where that pool of players bring basically the same skill set.  may as well wait until after the comp pick formula dates pass to do more of these signings.

Honestly?   I think that date just passed.  I think it was Monday or Tuesday of last week.  That’s my understanding at least.  
 

So I believe any team is now free to sign anyone they want without fear of it impacting the comp pick formula.   That’s why I think we were able to move so quickly on Fisher.  
 

I’m sure I’ll be corrected if I’m wrong....

[Shive]

5 minutes ago, NewColtsFan said:

Honestly?   I think that date just passed.  I think it was Monday or Tuesday of last week.  That’s my understanding at least.  
 

So I believe any team is now free to sign anyone they want without fear of it impacting the comp pick formula.   That’s why I think we were able to move so quickly on Fisher.  
 

I’m sure I’ll be corrected if I’m wrong....

I believe the new CBA moved the date up the Monday after the draft. That's why Baltimore had a pre-arranged agreement with Villanueva to sign him after the draft and they signed him first thing that week.

[CR91]

14 minutes ago, NewColtsFan said:

Honestly?   I think that date just passed.  I think it was Monday or Tuesday of last week.  That’s my understanding at least.  
 

So I believe any team is now free to sign anyone they want without fear of it impacting the comp pick formula.   That’s why I think we were able to move so quickly on Fisher.  
 

I’m sure I’ll be corrected if I’m wrong....

 

Fisher was released so it wouldn't have impacted the comp formula

[John Hammonds]

I don't foresee him keeping the #99 jersey.  Because, reasons.

[DougDew]

1 hour ago, NewColtsFan said:

Honestly?   I think that date just passed.  I think it was Monday or Tuesday of last week.  That’s my understanding at least.  
 

So I believe any team is now free to sign anyone they want without fear of it impacting the comp pick formula.   That’s why I think we were able to move so quickly on Fisher.  
 

I’m sure I’ll be corrected if I’m wrong....

That's what I meant.  The comp pick date has passed.  I think that was his strategy all along, to wait until that date passed before we would see more FA signings, since the quality of player he was going to sign was about the same as the players that were available before the date.

[1959Colts]

Seems like another good signing.

[joecolts]

Competition, challenging others, demanding improvement...this is Ballard beating the bushes for "players" to make other players better.  He may not make the roster but, because he's pushing others, the roster will be better.  I have no issues with this signing and hope that he comes in here and EARNS a spot.  If he does, he elevated the lever of competition.  

[JackOLantin]

Completion has always server us well!

 

thought we might pinch a Dallas outcast!

[csmopar]

12 hours ago, DougDew said:

Its getting more obvious that Ballard cares about the compensation pick formula.  He's not going to sign front tier guys.  So if its going to be vets signed to a team friendly contract, where that pool of players bring basically the same skill set.  may as well wait until after the comp pick formula dates pass to do more of these signings.

Eh maybe but I think it was more of let’s see how the draft shakes out and who is cut yet to make room to sign the rookies they picked. There’s still teams that have to cut some players just to get under the cap once the rookies sign. 

[throwing BBZ]

15 hours ago, CR91 said:

Not sure how much this helps us. The cowboys run defense was terrible.

 

 Nice post. 

  But i think I will trust others that say he is a slightly above average run defender.

 And that Ballard and his staff chose to add him now and not wait to find someone that you like better.

 They are pleased to get him. That is how CB operates.

[MikeCurtis]

16 hours ago, adubb84 said:

Chris Ballard just keeps adding folks to increase the level of competition amongst every position 

 

100% Agree

 

I think that you will see this shuffle until final cuts

 

If we can improve the team, even with depth moves like this, without significant costs, CB will pull the trigger

 

I expect CB to add and subtract, but maybe at the bottom end of the roster for the most part

 

 

The one thing you HAVE to respect about Ballard is he sticks to his plan

 

 

 

 

 

[joecolts]

13 minutes ago, MikeCurtis said:

The one thing you HAVE to respect about Ballard is he sticks to his plan

Spot on.  He believes in the formula and has a plan.  He refuses to be pushed by the media, fans or the league to "do it" as it "is done" by most other GM's.  He's in it for the long haul and big picture, not the "now." 

[DougDew]

2 hours ago, csmopar said:

Eh maybe but I think it was more of let’s see how the draft shakes out and who is cut yet to make room to sign the rookies they picked. There’s still teams that have to cut some players just to get under the cap once the rookies sign. 

I think Ballard looks at the college draft for players who can start or develop into starters, or players who can start in a situational role.  Granson for example is going to play immediately, but, on a limited basis because his role does not require him to be on the field every play.  So you can get that part time role player in the 4th round, but he is going to start from day one in that role, IMO.  Hines too.  He is a "starter" for the types of plays Frank wants to run.  He's not really a backup RB.

 

I think Ballard looks to the FA market for backups...(exception being this week where he had to sign Fisher to fill a big hole).   I think guys like Woods can be had any time from March until September depending upon when they get released from their team, so there is no point in rushing to sign a player like him when it would count against the comp picks. 

 

I'm not saying its a perfect defining line in the sand, but I think that could be the general approach to the FA market.

[lollygagger8]

Hey, the last guy named Woods we had on the D-Line wasn't too shabby.....

[csmopar]

2 hours ago, DougDew said:

I think Ballard looks at the college draft for players who can start or develop into starters, or players who can start in a situational role.  Granson for example is going to play immediately, but, on a limited basis because his role does not require him to be on the field every play.  So you can get that part time role player in the 4th round, but he is going to start from day one in that role, IMO.  Hines too.  He is a "starter" for the types of plays Frank wants to run.  He's not really a backup RB.

 

I think Ballard looks to the FA market for backups...(exception being this week where he had to sign Fisher to fill a big hole).   I think guys like Woods can be had any time from March until September depending upon when they get released from their team, so there is no point in rushing to sign a player like him when it would count against the comp picks. 

 

I'm not saying its a perfect defining line in the sand, but I think that could be the general approach to the FA market.

Eh maybe. But then how to do you explain guys like Stewart, Glow, Ebron, Burton, Houston, Rhodes etc.

[DougDew]

5 hours ago, csmopar said:

Eh maybe. But then how to do you explain guys like Stewart, Glow, Ebron, Burton, Houston, Rhodes etc.

Building the roster until the drafted players take their place.  I think Glow was a hole-filler, but the other guys were good stop gap starters until a younger player steps up.  He had to double dip on Rhodes since the drafted corners have not really stuck well.

 

Now that Ballard has had a few drafts to build out the roster, I think his FA moves will be even less eventful than in the past.  But he'll still have to plug a hole here and there as draft picks fail or move on to bigger contracts elsewhere.

[1USCTrojan]

I love this kid....what a great story he has to tell.

 

Hope he works out for you.  

[NewColtsFan]

9 hours ago, DougDew said:

I think Ballard looks at the college draft for players who can start or develop into starters, or players who can start in a situational role.  Granson for example is going to play immediately, but, on a limited basis because his role does not require him to be on the field every play.  So you can get that part time role player in the 4th round, but he is going to start from day one in that role, IMO.  Hines too.  He is a "starter" for the types of plays Frank wants to run.  He's not really a backup RB.

 

I think Ballard looks to the FA market for backups...(exception being this week where he had to sign Fisher to fill a big hole).   I think guys like Woods can be had any time from March until September depending upon when they get released from their team, so there is no point in rushing to sign a player like him when it would count against the comp picks. 

 

I'm not saying its a perfect defining line in the sand, but I think that could be the general approach to the FA market.

Just out of curiosity...   how do you think the other 31 GMs look at the draft?   Pretty much the exact same way.   
 

The difference is at FA.   Most other GMs are willing to spend big time buy starters.   Ballard and Irsay are not.   
 

But the draft is pretty much the same league wide, unless I’m not understanding the meaning in your post? 

 

[richard pallo]

I love this signing.  Another big man to compete and stuff that run.  

[Caffrey]

He has a similar body type to Stallworth, and I think they will compete for a roster spot got for the back-up DT/NT.  To back-up Grover Stewart, can also play the NT, good complement to DeForest Bucker.  Although Antwaun Woods was an UDFA, we was a Co-Captain at USC his senior year, which is a good endorsement.  Also started a bunch of games for the Cowboys and fans on youtube said he was decent, I read a comment the defense played better with him starting.  He may also have a bone to pick with his first team, Tennessee Titans, which is good internal motivation against our primary division rival this year.  I wonder how much he signed for?

[DougDew]

15 hours ago, NewColtsFan said:

Just out of curiosity...   how do you think the other 31 GMs look at the draft?   Pretty much the exact same way.   
 

The difference is at FA.   Most other GMs are willing to spend big time buy starters.   Ballard and Irsay are not.   
 

But the draft is pretty much the same league wide, unless I’m not understanding the meaning in your post? 

 

I'm sure that most look at the draft that way too.  But I also think that Ballard takes into account the comp pick formula when both drafting and signing FAs more than most.  

 

There is no doubt in my mind that Mack was intended to earn us a comp pick, Hooker too, but they both got hurt and could not perform.  I think if either stayed healthy and performed like expected Ballard still would have let both leave.  Autry was let go and to be replaced by a draft pick, partly because it factored into the comp pick formula. 

 

I'm not so sure Hines gets extended, but rather is encouraged to play well to get the highest contract from another team as possible.  Depends upon what Ballard thinks a replacement would cost in terms of draft capital.

 

I suspect Glow will be pushed on and not resigned at his market value.

 

The convo can drift here, but I think my original point that Ballard takes into consideration the comp pick formula in overall roster management moreso than many GMs.

 

His plan got foiled a little bit this year by the Hooker and Mack injuries, IMO.