Ballard FA Grievances Thread (Merge)

[GoColts8818]

4 minutes ago, TaylorTheStudMuffin said:

Actually the mistake might of been bringing rivers in with Jacoby already under contract. Why not just start Jacoby again and get the highest pick you can. Sets you up in the draft. Players loved him as a leader. Ballard said he was a elite leader. 

Because they were trying to win a Super Bowl not be in position to draft a QB.  They felt they were really close with Rivers.  Clearly it didn’t work out but the mind set is win a Super Bowl not be in position to draft a QB.  If that was the case they would have tried to be on position to get Lawerence last year.  

[Restinpeacesweetchloe]

3 minutes ago, GoColts8818 said:

Because they were trying to win a Super Bowl not be in position to draft a QB.  They felt they were really close with Rivers.  Clearly it didn’t work out but the mind set is win a Super Bowl not be in position to draft a QB.  If that was the case they would have tried to be on position to get Lawerence last year.  

When you need a long term QB and it’s a good draft class you have to think ahead. It actually set us back. It’s not like players didn’t like Jacoby. They loved him. 
 

Instead of yelling rivers that they would look for a upgrade why not tell him they might draft and ask him to help with that. Maybe he comes back because of assured him a year instead of being in limbo. 

[Tsarquise]

1 hour ago, MPStack said:

Here’s the problem with the Andrew stuff. If, he set the franchise back, then don’t throw 20M a year at Brissett as your QB, don’t sign an aging Rivers, because you think you roster is good enough. Don’t make the mistake of throwing a way a 1st and 2nd on a QB, (Wentz) who you get less for the next season in trade. He was a huge risk and cheap IMO. Ballard gambled and lost!

 

Teams win their divisions and playoff games without a dynamic QB, because they’ve assembled a good team around the that non dynamic QB, with good core players and coaches.  Hint, they’re in our division. 
 

Ballard has not won a division title or playoff game without Andrew.

 

What’s that tell you about the organization?

He hasn't won the division WITH Andrew. 

[MPStack]

4 minutes ago, Tsarquise said:

He hasn't won the division WITH Andrew. 

Correct and poorly worded on my part.

[BProland85]

Another quality CB Ballard could have had is gone. Rasul Douglas resigned with the Pack, 3 years $21 mil. Would’ve been a sneaky good signing for Indy. 

[aReggie7]

Some more thoughts on Ballard with regards to his free agent approach:

 

I've never been a fan of teams spending money just for the sake of spending money. History has shown that in a lot of cases the highest paid free agent signings are not viewed positively a couple years later. After all there is a reason teams let guys become free agents.

 

Having said that there are always some guys you can sign that will help your team that won't win the headlines or break the bank. Ballard has made some of them over the years:

 

Jabaal Sheard, Denico Autry, Eric Ebron (even if only for 2018 he was worth it), Xavier Rhodes, Justin Houston. 

 

In 2021 free agency was used to replace Castanzo with Fisher and improve o-line depth. The rest was keeping our own and status quo. I didn't have a big issue with it last year.

 

After the way 2021 unfolded I don't think another year of status quo and relying on rookies is the correct approach. Too many needs to not use free agency a little more this year, IMO. I know Ballard's philosophy and not saying he needs to go in a totally different direction but the way things have unfolded warrants a little more activity in free agency, IMO.

 

The needs:

• Veteran Edge Rush (Yannick Ngakoue)
• DT (based on attempted Justin Jones signing, probably need another big guy for Bradley's scheme)
• CB (signing Facyson isn't enough after trading Rock)
• S (Gus likely wants more of a FS, Blackmon coming off an injury, Odum leaves)
• QB (maybe comes via trade)
• Proven pass catcher (could be WR or TE, I also think drafting one early is needed)
• LT (unless they are content to roll with Matt Pryor and sacrifice o-line depth)
• RG (could just bring back Chris Reed and start him or Pinter and maintain some of that depth)

I can't look at this list and think it's ok to not use free agency to address some of this. Using free agency doesn't require you to make Christian Kirk $20+ million type of deals. I'm not expecting everything to get crossed off the list but I hope a few more do before the draft. (which there is still time)

 

 

 

[Rhodelesstraveled]

Honestly, Ballard moves have sunk this team and I think Reggie's post above nailed it.  Buckner has been good but he has not been worth what gave or paid.  And I think trading that pick could have solved the QB piece.  Fields would have been magic with Taylor and this OL.  

 

I hate to be a pessimist but I think right now we are screwed because of the QB problem.  Without that solved, the rest of the pices are are like "G" in lasagna.  Useless for the task at hand.  

[NFLfan]

6 hours ago, TaylorTheStudMuffin said:

He gives you the illusion he wants a SB team. But his actions don’t prove  it. Just the opposite. 

 

I disagree. Of course he wants to build a Super Bowl team, but his approach is different from what the fans want. Most fans seem to want dream teams. Ballard does not. 

 

He will not let fans or moves by other teams deter him from what he wants to do. That's a confident GM. Give him time.

 

Would you prefer the Jaguars GM (Trent Baalke) who signed several high-priced free agents? 

[Rhodelesstraveled]

Jax has to overpay because the place is a tarpit for NFL careers. But they always seem to play us like a T Rex.  

[TheNextGM]

Robert Woods to TEN for a late pick?? c’mon Ballard, do something.. he would have fit nicely beside Pitty

[Indyfan4life]

Irsay telling Ballard to get us a QB and a WR. 
 

Ballard - 

[Dobbinblitz]

Does Ballard get shopping points for forum clicks.

There has to be an incentive for this Three Toed Sloth pace in free agency.

He does have some pocket change!

[King Colt]

Why not just direct snaps to Johnathon Taylor????

[Indyfan4life]

I’ve been really calm and collected during all this, but now I’m actually getting annoyed with Ballard. What’s he plan on doing? Just running every play and hoping the defense scores for us? 
 

I’m over it. 

[Mr.Debonair]

2 minutes ago, Indyfan4life said:

I’ve been really calm and collected during all this, but now I’m actually getting annoyed with Ballard. What’s he plan on doing? Just running every play and hoping the defense scores for us? 
 

I’m over it. 

[DougDew]

2 hours ago, Reggie said:

LT (unless they are content to roll with Matt Pryor and sacrifice o-line depth)

Great point.  Many folks are satisfied with giving Pryor the chance to start.

 

If so, then we'll have the same backup LT problem that we had the year before.   Re-sign Tevi?  LOL.

 

Maybe we will re-sign Fisher.  To a backup's level contract.   Still won't advance the situation much past what we had last year.  Fisher and Pryor, another year of going sideways.

 

Could still get Armstead.  But it seems like TA may be waiting on something, no rumors of interest from any team.

[r a y s k i]

2 hours ago, Reggie said:

Some more thoughts on Ballard with regards to his free agent approach:

 

I've never been a fan of teams spending money just for the sake of spending money. History has shown that in a lot of cases the highest paid free agent signings are not viewed positively a couple years later. After all there is a reason teams let guys become free agents.

 

Having said that there are always some guys you can sign that will help your team that won't win the headlines or break the bank. Ballard has made some of them over the years:

 

Jabaal Sheard, Denico Autry, Eric Ebron (even if only for 2018 he was worth it), Xavier Rhodes, Justin Houston. 

 

In 2021 free agency was used to replace Castanzo with Fisher and improve o-line depth. The rest was keeping our own and status quo. I didn't have a big issue with it last year.

 

After the way 2021 unfolded I don't think another year of status quo and relying on rookies is the correct approach. Too many needs to not use free agency a little more this year, IMO. I know Ballard's philosophy and not saying he needs to go in a totally different direction but the way things have unfolded warrants a little more activity in free agency, IMO.

 

The needs:

• Veteran Edge Rush (Yannick Ngakoue)
• DT (based on attempted Justin Jones signing, probably need another big guy for Bradley's scheme)
• CB (signing Facyson isn't enough after trading Rock)
• S (Gus likely wants more of a FS, Blackmon coming off an injury, Odum leaves)
• QB (maybe comes via trade)
• Proven pass catcher (could be WR or TE, I also think drafting one early is needed)
• LT (unless they are content to roll with Matt Pryor and sacrifice o-line depth)
• RG (could just bring back Chris Reed and start him or Pinter and maintain some of that depth)

I can't look at this list and think it's ok to not use free agency to address some of this. Using free agency doesn't require you to make Christian Kirk $20+ million type of deals. I'm not expecting everything to get crossed off the list but I hope a few more do before the draft. (which there is still time)

 

 

 

Unfortunately, history tells us Indianapolis with or without Ballard has never been a dream location for the higher talent of the nfl, it is what it is and Ballard has proved to be disciplined not throwing money after every chum and even when he would they CHOOSE to play elsewhere. It’s a two way street and the reason why Ballard is our gm in the first place is his skill set as a talent evaluator to draft because that’s what we do. 
Looking back at our free agency through Manning and Luck we have never been an active free agency franchise even w a HoF at quarterback.

 

[AlanNC]

2 hours ago, BProland85 said:

Another quality CB Ballard could have had is gone. Rasul Douglas resigned with the Pack, 3 years $21 mil. Would’ve been a sneaky good signing for Indy. 

No good players will sign with the Colts without a QB.  We can only get a good player through a trade.  

[r a y s k i]

2 hours ago, BProland85 said:

Another quality CB Ballard could have had is gone. Rasul Douglas resigned with the Pack, 3 years $21 mil. Would’ve been a sneaky good signing for Indy. 

Why would he have left gb?

[aReggie7]

Just now, rayski said:

Unfortunately, history tells us Indianapolis with or without Ballard has never been a dream location for the higher talent of the nfl, it is what it is and Ballard has proved to be disciplined not throwing money after every chum and even when he would they CHOOSE to play elsewhere. It’s a two way street and the reason why Ballard is our gm in the first place is his skill set as a talent evaluator to draft because that’s what we do. 
Looking back at our free agency through Manning and Luck we have never been an active free agency franchise even w a HoF at quarterback.

 

 

While i'm sure that the location has caused some free agents to not sign with the Colts I don't think that has as much of an impact in the NFL as the NBA. I think money is a bigger factor. 

 

I think the main reason the Colts didn't use free agency as much during the Manning era was how well they drafted. They hit on a number of guys that they ended up giving second contracts to. IIRC they choose not to re-sign Edge so they could keep Reggie. Plus, the Colts were so good at premium positions in that era.

 

I think Luck landed the Colts some free agents. Frank Gore and Andre Johnson immediately come to mind. I think Gore was going to sign with the Eagles but he changed his mind. I'm pretty sure one of them said in an interview after they signed something along the lines of they were talking to each other about free agency and both agreed you can win a Super Bowl with Luck at QB. I believe it was last year that Justin Houston said he was upset about Luck's retirement because part of the reason he choose Indy was because of Luck.

 

I will stand by this: I'm not advocating for Ballard to use all of the cap space and sign huge deals. I do believe that the Colts should be more active in free agency this year than they were last. There are too many needs. While this team has talent and will be competing right in the thick of things they are not head and shoulders above everyone where they should gloss over free agency. I think it's important for Ballard to evaluate free agent talent (Autry, Sheard, etc) in addition to the draft. 

[NFLfan]

1 hour ago, TheNextGM said:

Robert Woods to TEN for a late pick?? c’mon Ballard, do something.. he would have fit nicely beside Pitty

 

Marquez Valdes-Scantling seems more like a Ballard type guy. He is still available. 

[Four2itus]

Another title for this thread, could have been........Fans doing the same old same old. 

[PRnum1]

6 hours ago, Reggie said:

 

I think Luck's retirement absolutely had the most profound impact on 2019 but beyond that I think Ballard's decisions (can probably include Irsay and Reich in there too) have had the most profound impact.

 

I agree there have been chances that he hasn't taken advantage of.

 

The most desirable avenue for acquiring a QB is drafting one and you have to do so in the first round. Some years there are not true franchise QB but when there are ones you have to identify them and get him. That's the difference between where the Buffalo Bills are right now and the Colts.

 

In 2020 the Colts held the 13th overall pick. The Colts traded that pick for Buckner. Miami took Tua at 5 and the Chargers took Herbert at 6. The Colts would have had to trade up to 3 or 4 to get the right guy which turned out to be Herbert. Difficult? Yes. Possible? I think it's reasonable to say yes. You make the right move here and you likely set your franchise up for success for the next 10+ years. You don't and you remain in purgatory. For the record I like Buckner and think he has been a good addition but this was likely a missed opportunity.

 

In 2021 the Colts could have drafted Justin Fields. Over the last several months I have heard different people within Colts media (Kevin Bowen being one) who have said that if the Colts knew Fields would have fell to where he did they would not have traded for Wentz and instead have made a move up to get Fields. Is Fields going to turn out to be an elite QB? I have no idea but it seems the Colts thought highly of him. I would also add here that Ballard put the Colts on a path to be out of drafting a QB last year. After the season while he said they wanted Rivers back and he said he also told him he had to explore their options for the long-term. Perhaps a different message to Rivers and he would have returned. I'm speculating here but my point is i'm not convinced that the Colts couldn't have done something different to convince Rivers to play one more year. (thus potentially have Fields now)

 

These are not easy decisions to make in the moment but we have to acknowledge that getting some tough decisions right is necessary to win big. You either do or you don't.

 

I say this as someone who likes a lot of what Ballard has done and believes in him. He hasn't gotten some big decisions right though and the very top of the roster is not where it needs to be. Job security can change quickly in the NFL. 

To this day I continue to believe that Rivers wanted to return and Frank wanted Rivers back. Frank would always say that Rivers "still had a few good years of football left".

 

I thought Rivers played well in the Buffalo game was coming back. I was shocked when he suddenly retired.

 

Perhaps Ballard didn't package the message well enough and that caused Rivers to suddenly retire. Maybe Ballard told Rivers at the end of the Buffalo game that they had intentions of trading for wentz.

 

Rivers wasn't done with football and there was talk of him coming back for the saints.

 

But we may never know what really happened 

[GoColts8818]

3 minutes ago, PRnum1 said:

To this day I continue to believe that Rivers wanted to return and Frank wanted Rivers back. Frank would always say that Rivers "still had a few good years of football left".

 

I thought Rivers played well in the Buffalo game was coming back. I was shocked when he suddenly retired.

 

Perhaps Ballard didn't package the message well enough and that caused Rivers to suddenly retire. Maybe Ballard told Rivers at the end of the Buffalo game that they had intentions of trading for wentz.

 

Rivers wasn't done with football and there was talk of him coming back for the saints.

 

But we may never know what really happened 

Your last line is spot on.  So I’d be careful about believing reports about it.  Maybe Rivers didn’t give them them impression he was really in it maybe Ballard got greedy and thought they could get better who knows.  

[NewColtsFan]

4 hours ago, TheNextGM said:

Robert Woods to TEN for a late pick?? c’mon Ballard, do something.. he would have fit nicely beside Pitty

The pick wasn’t the problem.   His salary of $16 mill per was one and coming off major knee surgery was the other.   I love Woods….  But still….  

[BProland85]

With how the AFC is stacked with talented QBs, I don’t see the Colts contending for a Super Bowl until they find their elite QB via the draft. With that said, I’m not sure if it makes any difference who they get for 2022 with what’s available. And honestly it may work better in their favor to have a down year, get a top 12 pick or so, and get your franchise QB in the 2023 draft. 

[GoColts8818]

14 minutes ago, BProland85 said:

With how the AFC is stacked with talented QBs, I don’t see the Colts contending for a Super Bowl until they find their elite QB via the draft. With that said, I’m not sure if it makes any difference who they get for 2022 with what’s available. And honestly it may work better in their favor to have a down year, get a top 12 pick or so, and get your franchise QB in the 2023 draft. 

Problem with that is if they have down year Frank and Ballard might very well get fired so they aren’t going to be on board with that.  They are going to try to get the best guy they can and do the best they can with him and worry about next year when and if they get to it.

[GoColts8818]

Looks like the mods pinned this thread so we have somewhere to track and discuss the Colts off-season moves or lack there of.  

[stitches]

10 hours ago, Indyfan4life said:

Irsay telling Ballard to get us a QB and a WR. 
 

Ballard - 

[Yoshinator]

I'm curious right now if it's Ballard or Irsay who got rid of Wentz. If it's Irsay, then he has done huge damage to this team over the last week and put Ballard in a horrible situation where his hands are tied and the Colts are a laughing stock to the fans, media, and players across the league that won't sign with us. If it's Ballard, then I'm about ready to fire him at this point. In that case, he would of released Wentz right before FA, counted on a plan that fully relied on luck to depend which QB would be available for you, sacrificed a week of FA (making the team worse by not being able to fill any needs except re-signing your own and a trade where we made our secondary a huge weakness in exchange for getting an EDGE), is still hesitant to sign or trade for a QB even after Watson was traded, and is still stubborn and bullheaded that he believes his way works when the SB last year and the current landscape of the AFC today shows that his way doesn't work. We probably can't even get a decent QB in the draft either because we don't have a 1st round pick (not that Ballard has attempted to draft a QB before the 4th round anyway).

 

I would rather take a chance on a rookie GM at this point than Ballard if he was willing to learn from his mistakes and try a new approach. You can't teach an old dog new tricks apparently, and Ballard is stuck in his ways, which have become detrimental to this team, and have taken us from a high in 2018 to an all-time low in 2022. Sad to see this once great franchise that I rooted for since 1998 as a 10 year old kid become the dumpster fire it is today because of the last two regimes. 

 

It's ok though, we'll probably trade our 2023 1st round pick for Matt Ryan (who will turn 37 in May), and get another band-aid QB for a year or two and sacrifice the future at the one thing Ballard is actually good at (the draft). 

 

Maybe this will be a blessing in disguise. We'll go 5-12 or something, Ballard and Reich will be fired, we'll get a competent GM and HC for once, and we'll actually draft our QB like a normal team that tries win every year instead of going halfway on it (trading for wentz instead of stafford).

 

The Bengals and the Rams showed two ways to make the SB (very different from each other), our approach isn't close to either team. 

 

A GM and HC change can't come soon enough...

[Smonroe]

Ballard is definitely not changing his stripes yet.  He waits for the prime suspects to be swooped up and then sifts through the remains.

 

So far, not one of the top 100 Free Agents on the CBS Sports list have been signed by the Colts.  16 of the top 20 are gone.

 

Someone reported that the teams that spent the most in Free Agency improved by 3 wins.  That's the difference between sitting home in January and winning the division.

 

I can understand that until we get the QB situation straightened out, everything else is secondary.  But we have glaring holes that could be addressed.  (I know we're all said this a million times.  But I think it was my turn to vent.)

[chad72]

8 minutes ago, Smonroe said:

 

I can understand that until we get the QB situation straightened out, everything else is secondary.  But we have glaring holes that could be addressed.  (I know we're all said this a million times.  But I think it was my turn to vent.)

With an above average QB, we ALMOST made the playoffs though he was BAD for the last 2 games (Wentz).

 

Any QB we get will be above average to good at best setting us up for a playoff appearance at best as a ceiling, IMO.

 

Seahawks, before RW arrived, still kept stockpiling talent for the QB that “would” arrive. So I think strengthening the roster at positions of need can definitely be done in parallel, IMO.

[Indeee]

13 hours ago, NFLfan said:

 

Marquez Valdes-Scantling seems more like a Ballard type guy. He is still available. 

Yes, because he sucks, and he absolutely sucks

[NFLfan]

11 minutes ago, Indeee said:

Yes, because he sucks, and he absolutely sucks

 

He is among the top free agents. I am not a fan of his but he is not as bad as how you seem to describe.

 

You like Sterling Shepard? I would not mind my team signing him.

[DougDew]

1 hour ago, Smonroe said:

Ballard is definitely not changing his stripes yet.  He waits for the prime suspects to be swooped up and then sifts through the remains.

 

So far, not one of the top 100 Free Agents on the CBS Sports list have been signed by the Colts.  16 of the top 20 are gone.

 

Someone reported that the teams that spent the most in Free Agency improved by 3 wins.  That's the difference between sitting home in January and winning the division.

 

I can understand that until we get the QB situation straightened out, everything else is secondary.  But we have glaring holes that could be addressed.  (I know we're all said this a million times.  But I think it was my turn to vent.)

Unlike some, I'm not disappointed by the lack of free agent signings in the first week of free agency.  I think that all of the players have flaws, and are probably huge overpays.   I don't know if signing any of these guys would make the team much better.

 

But I also agree that a team has to spending near the top of the cap...every year...and probably do those restructures and push outs that other teams do...to maximize the talent and keep up with the competition.

 

The problem I have is that there seems to be no avenue for Ballard to get premium players that is consistent with how he wants to get them.  He is not getting them via free agency, and his success rate in the draft is not good enough to solely rely on that.  And if he has a philosophical view that you don't draft WRs in round 1, I don't know that it has served him well.

 

So he needs to start doing something differently, or do what he has been doing better.  It looks like neither is happening so far.

 

 

[Indeee]

10 minutes ago, NFLfan said:

 

He is among the top free agents. I am not a fan of his but he is not as bad as how you seem to describe.

 

You like Sterling Shepard? I would not mind my team signing him.

Sheppard is way better than MVS, however Sheppard cannot stay healthy. He just can't. MVS is not what this team needs. This team does not need guys who 1/2 time get open, and 1/2 time catch the ball no matter if it's a 17 yard clip average when they do.

 

This team needs constant production, constant getting open. Think back to when Colts had Marvin, Reggie, Clark, and Stokes.

 

They were always open, if one wasn't the other 3 were. You get my point. This team, 3 are never open and one barely is. The ratio is upside down. You bring in MVS and that ratio stays the same

[Colt.45]

2 hours ago, Jared Cisneros said:

I'm curious right now if it's Ballard or Irsay who got rid of Wentz. If it's Irsay, then he has done huge damage to this team over the last week and put Ballard in a horrible situation where his hands are tied and the Colts are a laughing stock to the fans, media, and players across the league that won't sign with us. If it's Ballard, then I'm about ready to fire him at this point. In that case, he would of released Wentz right before FA, counted on a plan that fully relied on luck to depend which QB would be available for you, sacrificed a week of FA (making the team worse by not being able to fill any needs except re-signing your own and a trade where we made our secondary a huge weakness in exchange for getting an EDGE), is still hesitant to sign or trade for a QB even after Watson was traded, and is still stubborn and bullheaded that he believes his way works when the SB last year and the current landscape of the AFC today shows that his way doesn't work. We probably can't even get a decent QB in the draft either because we don't have a 1st round pick (not that Ballard has attempted to draft a QB before the 4th round anyway).

 

I would rather take a chance on a rookie GM at this point than Ballard if he was willing to learn from his mistakes and try a new approach. You can't teach an old dog new tricks apparently, and Ballard is stuck in his ways, which have become detrimental to this team, and have taken us from a high in 2018 to an all-time low in 2022. Sad to see this once great franchise that I rooted for since 1998 as a 10 year old kid become the dumpster fire it is today because of the last two regimes. 

 

It's ok though, we'll probably trade our 2023 1st round pick for Matt Ryan (who will turn 37 in May), and get another band-aid QB for a year or two and sacrifice the future at the one thing Ballard is actually good at (the draft). 

 

Maybe this will be a blessing in disguise. We'll go 5-12 or something, Ballard and Reich will be fired, we'll get a competent GM and HC for once, and we'll actually draft our QB like a normal team that tries win every year instead of going halfway on it (trading for wentz instead of stafford).

 

The Bengals and the Rams showed two ways to make the SB (very different from each other), our approach isn't close to either team. 

 

A GM and HC change can't come soon enough...

Jim Irsay hired Bill Polian who ran things like this. 

Maybe what you want is a new owner because this mode of doing business is exactly what Jim wants.

 

If you think Frank and Chris are getting fired if we go 5-12, i'll warn you now, be prepared to be thoroughly disappointed. We won't go 5-12 for starters, and even if we did they wouldn't get fired. Jim extended them (and rightly so IMHO) because he loves what he sees. He had Grigs and Pags running the show with a premium QB and he knows how BAD that was. These two have had no QB and have kept his club from becoming the Detroit Lions, you as a fan may not see how big a deal that is, the owner who has been around this game longer than many on this forum have been alive, he gets it. They'll draft a QB now and/or in 23. 

 

[throwing BBZ]

2 hours ago, Jared Cisneros said:

I'm curious right now if it's Ballard or Irsay who got rid of Wentz. If it's Irsay, then he has done huge damage to this team over the last week and put Ballard in a horrible situation where his hands are tied and the Colts are a laughing stock to the fans, media, and players across the league that won't sign with us. If it's Ballard, then I'm about ready to fire him at this point. In that case, he would of released Wentz right before FA, counted on a plan that fully relied on luck to depend which QB would be available for you, sacrificed a week of FA (making the team worse by not being able to fill any needs except re-signing your own and a trade where we made our secondary a huge weakness in exchange for getting an EDGE), is still hesitant to sign or trade for a QB even after Watson was traded, and is still stubborn and bullheaded that he believes his way works when the SB last year and the current landscape of the AFC today shows that his way doesn't work. We probably can't even get a decent QB in the draft either because we don't have a 1st round pick (not that Ballard has attempted to draft a QB before the 4th round anyway).

 

I would rather take a chance on a rookie GM at this point than Ballard if he was willing to learn from his mistakes and try a new approach. You can't teach an old dog new tricks apparently, and Ballard is stuck in his ways, which have become detrimental to this team, and have taken us from a high in 2018 to an all-time low in 2022. Sad to see this once great franchise that I rooted for since 1998 as a 10 year old kid become the dumpster fire it is today because of the last two regimes. 

 

It's ok though, we'll probably trade our 2023 1st round pick for Matt Ryan (who will turn 37 in May), and get another band-aid QB for a year or two and sacrifice the future at the one thing Ballard is actually good at (the draft). 

 

Maybe this will be a blessing in disguise. We'll go 5-12 or something, Ballard and Reich will be fired, we'll get a competent GM and HC for once, and we'll actually draft our QB like a normal team that tries win every year instead of going halfway on it (trading for wentz instead of stafford).

 

The Bengals and the Rams showed two ways to make the SB (very different from each other), our approach isn't close to either team. 

 

A GM and HC change can't come soon enough...

 

  Complete meltdown #  1,099. 
  Frank is diminished that is true. It's going to be a tough professional year for him. He has a lockerroom to hold onto.

 Irsay isn't perfect, Ballard isn't either. They are adapting to reality.

Manning went 1-15 and that worked out OK. 

[NFLfan]

10 minutes ago, Indeee said:

Sheppard is way better than MVS, however Sheppard cannot stay healthy. He just can't. MVS is not what this team needs. This team does not need guys who 1/2 time get open, and 1/2 time catch the ball no matter if it's a 17 yard clip average when they do.

 

This team needs constant production, constant getting open. Think back to when Colts had Marvin, Reggie, Clark, and Stokes.

 

They were always open, if one wasn't the other 3 were. You get my point. This team, 3 are never open and one barely is. The ratio is upside down. You bring in MVS and that ratio stays the same

 

Ok. I was just saying that he seems like a Ballard-type guy. He is not a star. Ballard is not in a hurry to sign stars like OBJ. 

 

Who else is out there? Julio Jones is a star. AJ Green. I love Emanuel Sanders but I don't know if he is available.

[TaylorStillTruckedYou]

Hoping by the end of FA, we refill our depth.  Don't want to go back a year ago with not having depth.  We all know how that turned out.