Ballard FA Grievances Thread (Merge)

[DougDew]

12 minutes ago, chickenMan said:

I know FA hasn’t officially started, but those guys need to be locked up. Weird that we didn’t do that immediately

I read a tweet that said with a lot of Gs off the market now, the market for Chris Reed is heating up.  Probably Reed's agent LOL.

 

But it would be kind of telling if Ballard signs Mo Alie Cox but loses out on both Glow and Reed.

 

And if Pinter and Fries are such good picks in the 6th round...why was it smart to take a G with the 6th pick?

 

Lots of stuff going on that seems a bit baffling and contradictory at the moment, but maybe it will get straigthened out.

[2006Coltsbestever]

2 minutes ago, Colt.45 said:

 

 

Other teams? Like who? Doesnt even really matter, they all know what position the Niners are in.

You dont bend backwards for a QB who's tier 2 or 3, you just don't.

 

Better or worse than Carson doesnt really matter. This year is a transition year no matter how we spin it, if we pay a high price for an average or slightly good QB, we'll have dug a deeper hole than we are already in. Go cheap or stay out of it. If it's average to slightly good you want then go to the draft, or FA. I'd rather get Jameis in FA than pay a substantial pick for Jimmy G, he just isnt the guy to lift his teammates, we've seen it over time. Folks, there's a reason San Fran mortgaged their future to get Trey Lance. When these teams make these moves, we need to learn and understand the why's instead of rushing in headlong and expecting that we can do things better than them, did we not learn from Wentz? Jimmy G is an average to slightly good QB. If we got him for anything more than that WA 3rd, i think we'd have paid far too much considering the circumstances....and yes i know what Washington gave us for Wentz, and etc etc but it's all about leverage and understanding who you are and what your needs are, and what assets are worth.

Screw it then, lets just roll with Sam and watch this team suck all year. 

[Colt.45]

Just now, 2006Coltsbestever said:

Screw it then, lets just roll with Sam and watch this team suck all year. 

They're being prudent not foolish 

[Dingus McGirt]

Just now, DougDew said:

I read a tweet that said with a lot of Gs off the market now, the market for Chris Reed is heating up.  Poorly Reed's agent LOL.

 

But it would be kind of telling if Ballard signs Mo Alie Cox but loses out on both Glow and Reed.

 

And if Pinter and Fires are such good picks in the sixth round...why was it smart to take a G with the 6th pick?

 

Lots of stuff going on that seems a bit baffling and contradictory at the moment, but maybe it will get straigthened out.

Yes…patience, Grasshopper.  Patience.  I imagine Ballard and Irsay are in total synch at the present.  

[Smonroe]

1 minute ago, 2006Coltsbestever said:

Screw it then, lets just roll with Sam and watch this team suck all year. 

 

If teams were loading the box last season, can you imagine what it would look like if they knew our QB couldn't throw the long ball at all?

[MPStack]

9 minutes ago, stitches said:

Yeah, Grigson has his own sins and will carry his own cross. I can understand being lenient toward new management for a year or two after taking on the team that was in shambles and totally devoid of talent, but we are way past the time Ballard can use Grigson or Luck's retirement as excuses for the situation his team is in.  

[2006Coltsbestever]

1 minute ago, Smonroe said:

 

If teams were loading the box last season, can you imagine what it would look like if they knew our QB couldn't throw the long ball at all?

Rivers couldn't throw the long ball and he was fine because he got the ball out quick which Jimmy does. 

[Colt.45]

1 minute ago, Smonroe said:

 

If teams were loading the box last season, can you imagine what it would look like if they knew our QB couldn't throw the long ball at all?

Remember Peyton's performance against Luck in that playoff game in Denver? i think it was in 2014. The Colts defense gave Peyton the deep throws all game and the dude just couldn't hit. It was painful to watch.

 

That's exactly what it'd look like with Sam running a season. It'd get brutal.

[2006Coltsbestever]

2 minutes ago, MPStack said:

[danlhart87]

5 minutes ago, 2006Coltsbestever said:

Screw it then, lets just roll with Sam and watch this team suck all year. 

They'd win SB with Sam

[Two_pound]

EVERYTHING in the nfl is "baffling and contradictory" I will agree with that.

[2006Coltsbestever]

If Sam is our QB, I predict we go 4-13 at best. Wow, how fun 

[chickenMan]

14 minutes ago, hoosierhawk said:

Are you certain they already aren't resigned?

True, but typically that stuff would be leaked. It’s just frustrating 

[2006Coltsbestever]

1 minute ago, danlhart87 said:

They'd win SB with Sam

I wish he would prove me wrong and we could just roll with him and spend a ton of money at other positions 

[Colt.45]

Just now, 2006Coltsbestever said:

If Sam is our QB, I predict we go 4-13 at best. Wow, how fun 

It'd certainly get us in the position to pick whichever QB we want from the 2023 class. I think a lot of folks have said we should be looking to pick a QB from that class right? 

Just need to be willing to swallow the bitter pill of L's

[Indeee]

Dude @jvan1973 I'm not sure what you think is so funny? You think I like many are over-reacting?

 

This stuff is the same stuff EVERY YEAR since Ballard has been at the helm.

 

Answer me this? 

 

You're telling me it's okay to potentially pay a guard 20mil a year but it's not okay to give a WR 12?

 

Newsflash: Guards don't win games. Guards are not playmakers.

 

If you look at the needs of this team, it's all positions that actually WIN games or are key components to successful teams

 

WR

TE

CB

Edge Rush

LT

QB

 

Laugh all you want dude, but this is truth. Ballard is killing this team by blatantly not addressing the areas voided of talent because he can't get beyond the notion he might overpay

 

I think @NewColtsFan mentioned yesterday about sportrac numbers regarding Cox and how Ballard actually came in a mil less than a perceived value for a guy like Cox. Well, if Ballard is going to follow sportrac when evaluating every player that comes along, this team is screwed. It will never truly compete for Super Bowls. Super Bowls dude, not playoffs, not division champs, Super Bowls!!!

 

Every Colts fan should be tired of this non-sense. Not posting laughing emojis on obviously serious issues with this team. I care. That's why I'm bent. I care!!!!

[chickenMan]

4 minutes ago, 2006Coltsbestever said:

If Sam is our QB, I predict we go 4-13 at best. Wow, how fun 

I like Sam, he seems like a stand-up guy from everything I’ve seen. With that being said, which games could we even win? We will play Chiefs, Chargers, Raiders, Vikings, Broncos, Patriots, Steelers, Cowboys, Giants, Eagles, Commies, and our 6 division rival games. Out of those games I could see us splitting with Houston and Jax and beating NYG, and that’s it.

[DougDew]

3 minutes ago, Dingus McGirt said:

Yes…patience, Grasshopper.  Patience.  I imagine Ballard and Irsay are in total synch at the present.  

Part of this is that folks think we have a 9-8 team.  No we don't.  At the present time, we have a rebuilding team.  Our QB is gone, and so is the LT.  The backup LT is not on the roster.  The starting RG is gone.  The backup G is not on the roster.  The starting TE retired.  Two WRs with significant playing time last year are not on the roster.

 

We have players on defense.  We have a defensive team under contract.

 

When you have no players on offense, virtually, you are now left with having to build it via FA or the draft. 

 

Maybe it works out.

 

But folks who think that this was an intended plan....that Ballard is just sitting by patiently knowing exactly where all of the players are going to land...and the guys that he actually wants will be left alone by other teams just waiting to be plucked by the genius, is simply wishful thinking.

[2006Coltsbestever]

1 minute ago, Colt.45 said:

It'd certainly get us in the position to pick whichever QB we want from the 2023 class. I think a lot of folks have said we should be looking to pick a QB from that class right? 

Just need to be willing to swallow the bitter pill of L's

Yeah basically that would be tanking but we will waste a year of Taylor's career.

[shasta519]

9 hours ago, TaylorTheStudMuffin said:

You guys have to listen to this.  I laughed but it is exactly how I have felt with how they handled Wentz.  He also says he thinks Irsays comments were directed at Ballard about being all chips in. He called them out big time how they handled Wentz.

 

we 

 

Profanity doesn't bother me, but that dude's podcast would be so much better if he knocked it back about 80-90%. But he is entitled to do his own thing.

 

Not sure I really agree with the premise and he comes off a bit like a Wentz apologist to me. Much of the focus is on that ARI game and it's pretty clear that game was smoke and mirrors; a prime example of how a QB can play poorly for most of a game, but it looks good in retrospect (in memory and the stat sheet) because of a couple throws on one drive near the end of the game.

 

I am sure Reich was happy for Wentz for making that play...but the cracks were already there.

[hoosierhawk]

13 minutes ago, stitches said:

Yeah, Grigson has his own sins and will carry his own cross. I can understand being lenient toward new management for a year or two after taking on the team that was in shambles and totally devoid of talent, but we are way past the time Ballard can use Grigson or Luck's retirement as excuses for the situation his team is in.  

So your saying if KC lost Mahomes or Buffalo lost Allen they would bounce back by year 2 no problem?

[stitches]

38 minutes ago, DougDew said:

To the Ballard supporters (and I consider myself an objectivist, I look at each deal/decision as they are made.)

 

How do you know that Ballard knows what he's doing., that he isn't a middle of the road GM kind of flailing around?

No idea if you consider me Ballard supporter but I think I have a balanced view of his tenure... so I will respond to the questions you posed - how do we know he isn't a middle of the road GM kind of flailing around - he might be middle of the road GM. I don't think he's flailing around. I think he's doing exactly what his philosophy is telling him he should do. How do we know - because he's told us so and almost every move he makes confirms that he's going according to his plan. 

 

NOW... I have big problems with some of his stated philosophies and plans(and I love some other philosophies), but IMO it's pretty easy to see that he actually knows what he's doing. 

38 minutes ago, DougDew said:

Why is it that when Ballard is bidding on a player, and the player chooses the other team, why then does it become the other GM being dopey because he spent too much money?    Why don't you say that Ballard got outmatched, outwitted by the other GM?

In most cases Ballard gets outbid for players. This is part of his stated philosophy - he sets a value he won't go over, and doesn't get over it. We can have a problem with that but it is what it is... Also I wouldn't say every other GM is dopey or spends too much money. I think each signing should be judged individually. For some of them IMO Ballard is making the right decision and sets the right price, for others not so much... 

 

For the offensive FAs, IMO the state of our QB position is pretty important aspect of players' decisions. We just cannot expect many offensive weapons who have other options to choose the team with Sam Ehlinger as their QB1. It's just won't happen unless we overpay... and Ballard almost never overpays for outside FAs. 

 

38 minutes ago, DougDew said:

Why is Ballard the litmus test for what other GMs should pay?

He's not. I don't hold Ballard on pedestal. 

38 minutes ago, DougDew said:

Do you know why the Colts have $70m...more than other teams?  Its because we have fewer players on the roster right now.  We don't have a QB more competent than a second year 6th round pick.  We have one competent WR.  Before MAC, we had a second year 4th round TE.  We still don't have a #1 TE.  We have no LT.  

 

We have no team, that's why we have so much money.

 

Why is that evidence to you that Ballard knows what he's doing?

 

What tells you that he is smarter than player agents, or other GMs?

Yep, agreed... we have a lot of roster spots to fill... and we have some huge holes in some of the most important and respectively most expensive positions... That's why we have tons of capspace. We are currently paying 1.5M for QBs, 0 for LT, under 5M for DEs, under 15M for the entire DB group, 7-8M for the entire WR group... 

 

Those are the most important positions in football and we are paying under 30M for them combined. 

[throwing BBZ]

39 minutes ago, MarylandTerrapin said:

Ultimately, all of this can be traced back to when Irsay hired Ryan Grigson.  If the team would have been built in the trenches, then Luck would still be playing.  In fact, if you replace 2012 Grigson with 2017 Ballard, then I believe we would have been a perennial threat.  Ballard has several solid players on O and D, but had solid QB play in only 2 of his 5 seasons here...and guess what...we made the playoffs both years.

 

I get that Jim Irsay is upset with the direction of his franchise.  However, he made his bed 10 years ago, now he has to lie in it.

 

 Absolute Truth!  Irsay stood there at the podium introducing Grigson saying he would be mentoring him.

 What we then witnessed was Irsay doing a lot of GM ing "mentoring". This back when he had serious personal issues that had his family very concerned.  

 I do believe Irsay is well grounded now, and understands that we are in a defensive position in our team build, because of the QB market. 

 He knows this sucks, we know this sucks. What to do?
 

   Deforest Buckner is a great player. But we are going to waste all that energy just trying to be a 9-8 team. lol

 So today, all things considered, i think he needs to go to Philly for one of their 3 first round picks. And more of course, including the great Gardner.
  This puts us in position for a QB or LT.  
  What did you lay awake last night thinking of?  

[2006Coltsbestever]

1 minute ago, chickenMan said:

I like Sam, he seems like a stand-up guy from everything I’ve seen. With that being said, which games could we even win? We will play Chiefs, Chargers, Raiders, Vikings, Broncos, Patriots, Steelers, Cowboys, Giants, Eagles, Commies, and our 6 division rivals. Out of those games I could see us splitting with Houston and Jax and beating NYG, and that’s it.

4 wins isn't many, we could split with Houston and Jacks, maybe pull an upset off against the Giants, maybe even beat Carson and Washington.

[chickenMan]

Don’t know if this has been posted, but the Lions just signed DJ Chark. Another missed opportunity.

 

Deal is 1 year, 10mil guaranteed with another 2mil possible

[MPStack]

3 minutes ago, 2006Coltsbestever said:

Screw it then, lets just roll with Sam and watch this team suck all year. 

Is there a QB out there in FA, who makes the Colts a deep playoff team? I don’t see it. 
 

We are going into year six with our top 10 GM with “ A lot” of holes at premium positions. 
 

The last two seasons the Colts benefitted from pretty weak schedules. 
 

How good are the Colts, if say Taylor gets hurt?

 

The Colts are where they’re at, because Ballard played the QB position cheap the past couple seasons. 

[John Hammonds]

I've talked myself back off of the ledge.  Am back to the "relax, be patient" status.

As @NewColtsFan says, it's only been one day.  Just one.

 

By June, Ballard will have

1 - Obtained a free agent QB.  We just don't know which one that is yet.

2 - Signed a free agent LT.  We just don't know which one that is yet.

3 - Signed the internal free agents he wants to keep.

4 - Possibly signed other external free agents, at whatever price, to help fill needs. (WR? CB? TE? DE?)

5 - Made his draft picks.

 

And we'll be going into training camp with a new roster, a new defense, a new QB, and new opponents to prepare for.

 

Just relax.  We can complain about the roster he's assembled, once he's assembled it.

[2006Coltsbestever]

The QB position is so important that a team with a good one could make a 4 or 5 game improvement with the right one.

2 minutes ago, MPStack said:

Is there a QB out there in FA, who makes the Colts a deep playoff team? I don’t see it. 
 

We are going into year six with our top 10 GM with “ A lot” of holes at premium positions. 
 

The last two seasons the Colts benefitted from pretty weak schedules. 
 

How good are the Colts, if say Taylor gets hurt?

 

The Colts are where they’re at, because Ballard played the QB position cheap the past couple seasons. 

I actually do like Winston. He looked good last year before he got injured. He even cut down in the INT's.

[Two_pound]

Maybe I shouldn't put this on here, but in regard to Sam Ehlinger, wasn't there once upon a time a lowly regarded 6th round pick who never saw the field as a rookie suddenly found himself the starter in his second year and actually won some games. How many "experts' at the time saw that coming. You NEVER know. And no, I'm not comparing Sam to anyone at any time in the history of the nfl. Everyone is his own self. If you get an opportunity all you can do is make the best of it.

[chad72]

21 minutes ago, gspdx said:

 

I want to exclude QBs.  And I want to see where the high priced FAs landed in comparison to the team at least reaching the Super Bowl.

 

 

To be honest, I would rather part with draft picks to get experienced FAs, a little bit like the Rams (not all the way) if you find the contract affordable since it is hard to outbid most teams in free agency. That is the best way I can fill my roster holes with proven talent at positions of need. Just need to find the right balance there. Certain positions like pass rush, corners and safeties do take time to flourish unlike the skill positions that it is worth to pony up draft picks to get the proven talent.

[stitches]

2 minutes ago, hoosierhawk said:

So your saying if KC lost Mahomes or Buffalo lost Allen they would bounce back by year 2 no problem?

The problem of this team is not just the QB. We are devoid of talent at some of the most important positions in football - QB, WR, DE, LT, CB, TE... 

 

And it will be 3 years after Luck retired in August. So yeah. That's plenty of time to address QB. 

[Flash7]

Not saying we should roll with Ehlinger, but he did show some good things this season. Obviously, the coaches thought so by promoting him from a rookie third stringer to the back-up QB. During the pre-season (yes, I know, preseason) he has shown good poise, understanding of the offense, and the ability to make all of the throws, including deep throws.

 

 

[MPStack]

1 minute ago, stitches said:

The problem of this team is not just the QB. We are devoid of talent at some of the most important positions in football - QB, WR, DE, LT, CB, TE... 

 

And it will be 3 years after Luck retired in August. So yeah. That's plenty of time to address QB. 

 

 

[throwing BBZ]

3 minutes ago, stitches said:

No idea if you consider me Ballard supporter but I think I have a balanced view of his tenure... so I will respond to the questions you posed - how do we know he isn't a middle of the road GM kind of flailing around - he might be middle of the road GM. I don't think he's flailing around. I think he's doing exactly what his philosophy is telling him he should do. How do we know - because he's told us so and almost every move he makes confirms that he's going according to his plan. 

 

NOW... I have big problems with some of his stated philosophies and plans(and I love some other philosophies), but IMO it's pretty easy to see that he actually knows what he's doing. 

In most cases Ballard gets outbid for players. This is part of his stated philosophy - he sets a value he won't go over, and doesn't get over it. We can have a problem with that but it is what it is... Also I wouldn't say every other GM is dopey or spends too much money. I think each signing should be judged individually. For some of them IMO Ballard is making the right decision and sets the right price, for others not so much... 

 

For the offensive FAs, IMO the state of our QB position is pretty important aspect of players' decisions. We just cannot expect many offensive weapons who have other options to choose the team with Sam Ehlinger as their QB1. It's just won't happen unless we overpay... and Ballard almost never overpays for outside FAs. 

 

He's not. I don't hold Ballard on pedestal. 

Yep, agreed... we have a lot of roster spots to fill... and we have some huge holes in some of the most important and respectively most expensive positions... That's why we have tons of capspace. We are currently paying 1.5M for QBs, 0 for LT, under 5M for DEs, under 15M for the entire DB group, 7-8M for the entire WR group... 

 

Those are the most important positions in football and we are paying under 30M for them combined. 

 

 You are a Rock buddy!   I enjoy Doug also.  It's a shame Castonzo got rich and quit to join QUITTER Andrew.  Irsay and Ballards Bane.

[chad72]

13 minutes ago, danlhart87 said:

They'd win SB with Sam

 

Knowing you have the magic touch of jinxing with your threads ("Buccaneers are paper tigers in 2020, remember?"), I will definitely take your word for it.  

[throwing BBZ]

6 minutes ago, 2006Coltsbestever said:

4 wins isn't many, we could split with Houston and Jacks, maybe pull an upset off against the Giants, maybe even beat Carson and Washington.

 

 4 wins next season actually sounds quite good in our situation.

 Just saying.

[2006Coltsbestever]

1 minute ago, throwing BBZ said:

 

 You are a Rock buddy!   I enjoy Doug also.  It's a shame Castonzo got rich and quit to join QUITTER Andrew.  Irsay and Ballards Bane.

[DougDew]

29 minutes ago, stitches said:

Those are the most important positions in football and we are paying under 30M for them combined.

Your post can be summarized by that sentence.

 

So this means that we are in a rebuilding point, right?   Today, March 15, we need to rebuild the offense.

 

The only way to remedy the problem and to get us back to the 9-8 team that we were a few weeks ago is to hope....hope...that players who are both good enough AND meet Ballard's salary limits are available this free agency period.

 

Hope that the draft falls the way that you need it to.

 

Hope doesn't sound like a plan.  

[2006Coltsbestever]

Just now, throwing BBZ said:

 

 4 wins next season actually sounds quite good in our situation.

 Just saying.

If we don't get a good QB that is where we are headed. Mariota would give us 7 or 8 wins, then we won't even a top 10 pick lol. We either tank with Sam or we go for Winston or Jimmy G is the way I look at it. Some may disagree. 

[Moosejawcolt]

12 hours ago, Bert Johns said:

Free agency has started and he only has signed one of his own players staying out of the first day feeding frenzy. This is his pattern. First week goes by and waits to see what's left it seems like while most difference makers are all gone. 

Players have got to want to come here!!