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POLL: SHOULD CHRIS BALLARD BE FIRED?

AKB

By AKB
in Colts Football

POLL: SHOULD CHRIS BALLARD BE FIRED?  

190 members have voted

  1. 1. SHOULD CHRIS BALLARD BE FIRED?

    • YES
      90
    • NO
      36
    • GIVE HIM ANOTHER CHANCE WITH A DIFFERENT COACH NEXT YEAR
      65

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Restinpeacesweetchloe Ring of Honor

Restinpeacesweetchloe

Posted
Posted
2 hours ago, coming on strong said:

ballard makes head scratching moves all the time .   how do you go into the 2021 season with lewis turray as pass rushers  draft two guys one being injured and think that is enough at that position ?    most pass rushers take 3 years to be great so starting paye and lewis was going to be a disaster waiting to happen .     

 

now look at this year we lose fisher and ballard goes into the season with pryor a career backup at left tackle drafting a project third round tackle .     this is my issue with ballard he plugs premium spots with no names or drafts guys who take time to fill them .  its like he is rebuilding still and not taking winning seriously .  

 

a win now team gets veterans and puts rookies behind them to learn at least keep autry and draft paye .  stop putting unproven guys in key spots .   

 

ballard gets rid of ty and pascal and the only wr left is really pittman who is worth anything or proven .   ballard starts the season with a rookie pittman and always injured cambell as his wrs .   then he gets rid of doyle and leaves only mo with a bunch of unproven young guys at tight end .  

 

how is ballard planning on being in a win now mode with a veteran QB when you only have one proven wr a backup left tackle and no tight ends .   this is why people were mad in  the offseason half the team is in win now mode the other half is being rebuilt

Preach. This is exactly what Kevin Bowen said. For every rookie there should be a proven vet to go along with them. This has to frustrate Reich to no end.

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Two_pound Active Roster

Two_pound

Posted
Posted

All this talk of Ballards inefficiency reminds me of Bill Tobin the assistant gm of the bears when they built the 85 Super Bowl team. Bob Irsay hired him in 1994. 8-8, 9-7 playoffs, 9-7 playoffs, then Tobin gets the bright idea to fire marchibroda and hire Lindy Infante(the genius offensive coordinator of the Green Bay Packers) we go 3-13 and get to draft Peyton Manning. Was that his plan? I doubt it, he really thought Infante would put the Colts over the top. But that wasn't his only curious move. He somehow felt Ray Buchanon wasn't good enough at corner and let him go, same with Ashly Ambrose. Both those guys were the starting corners for the Falcons when they played the sb in 1998. Tobin also let Siragusa go. See, head scratching and curious moves by a Colt gm are nothing new. Remember when Jim Irsay traded 2 first round picks for Fred Young? I do and that was one of the worst trades in Colt history. Polian also had some real doosies most notably not resigning Mike Peterson after the 2001 season.  Be careful what you wish for, Ballard has done an outstanding job.

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EastStreet Ring of Honor

EastStreet

Posted
Posted
2 hours ago, coming on strong said:

ballard makes head scratching moves all the time .   how do you go into the 2021 season with lewis turray as pass rushers  draft two guys one being injured and think that is enough at that position ?    most pass rushers take 3 years to be great so starting paye and lewis was going to be a disaster waiting to happen .     

 

now look at this year we lose fisher and ballard goes into the season with pryor a career backup at left tackle drafting a project third round tackle .     this is my issue with ballard he plugs premium spots with no names or drafts guys who take time to fill them .  its like he is rebuilding still and not taking winning seriously .  

 

a win now team gets veterans and puts rookies behind them to learn at least keep autry and draft paye .  stop putting unproven guys in key spots .   

 

ballard gets rid of ty and pascal and the only wr left is really pittman who is worth anything or proven .   ballard starts the season with a rookie pittman and always injured cambell as his wrs .   then he gets rid of doyle and leaves only mo with a bunch of unproven young guys at tight end .  

 

how is ballard planning on being in a win now mode with a veteran QB when you only have one proven wr a backup left tackle and no tight ends .   this is why people were mad in  the offseason half the team is in win now mode the other half is being rebuilt

 

You're all over the place, so I'll try to surgical.

  • First, I'm not a Ballard worshiper. Never been. I've critical (but fair) about him plenty, when most pumped sunshine about him....and took crap for them....  Conversely, I'll continue to be fair, when some will hot-take on things. 
  • To be fair....
    • We don't level of Irsay's involvement. Don't forget he was a GM once... And some things have Irsay's fingerprints... 
    • We don't know Ballard's clear responsibilities, and how much power over some things. Like coach hires, choice of schemes (O or D), etc.. Or total power over draft, or how much input from Frank and DC. Several moves have Frank's fingerprints all over them. And things with Flus's fingerprints too. 
    • Keep in mind... every addition, means money comes from some place, and a deletion somewhere... Are additions per only Ballard, or at request from Frank, and Ballard is simple scouting and negotiating....? Likely a combination. I'd love to know %, especially on some changes. We know Frank was the big pusher for Wentz for instance. 
  • So all that said, above...
    • Lines D and O.
      • He has been great with iDL. Nobody should complain with Defo and Grover. Defo was limited by Flus's read/react scheme. 
      • DE has been meh (performance), but scheme has a lot to do with it also. I'm happy to discuss specifics. 
      • Overall DL... again.. scheme... Totally conservative and bend-don't-break. Ballard didn't hire Flus. McDaniels did. And Flus is little aggressive in Chicago. Why? Was he staying overly conservative due to Frank?
      • OL..... DeGug totally remodeled the OL within 5 weeks. Found a great 5 man unit after combos. Wasn't afraid to move guys, and push. Strausser was clearly a Frank's guy. the nice type. And the OL has regressed since. And OL scheme has got more complex/finesse, and less power/man and mean. Anyway, tell me who pushed for Pinter at G. Reich has totally a fan of Pinter since last year. Or is Reed/Glow was a pure cost cutting decision. Reich/Strausser tried to replace with Glow last year with Reed (like 5 or more weeks), until they figured Glow was better. So Pinter over Glow/Reed tells me this Strausser/Reich again. And arguing spending on Nelson is a bit silly at this point. It is what is it. And our OL was desperate in 2018, so I understand the pick regardless (I disagreed with at time)....   And we have 3 top 5ish paid OL guys already. We can't have 4 or 5. And we are not trading Smith or Nelson. Won't happen. No GM would. 
    • QB - Franks fingerprints are all over Rivers and Wentz. Irsay's fingerprints all over getting rid Wentz and getting Ryan. And Irsay's patience, or lack of, and belief we are "close" and "ready now", brings us to now..... Not really Ballard. And doubt Ballard wanted to give Luck unearned money, or unneeded extension for JB... 
    • WR/TE -
      • more scheme issues. Sorry, but we have plenty of evidence now. We've seen several guys look good/great when actually used properly.
      • Dulin has looked great when used.
      • MAC killed it, I'll say it again, killed it yesterday when part of the play calling. And Frank has a huge crush on Granson, just like he did on Burton. That's Frank. 
      • And anyone that doesn't hate the use of Campbell, simply doesn't understand scheme/reads/routes... Reich is trying to make Parris a short possession guy. He's never been that type.
      • And Pierce has looked great on 9s and intermediate and deep slants. Meh shallow possession stuff (which he never did much in college)...
      • On 2021.. We could have used Dulin last year, instead of Pascal. And Dulin is clearly better than Pascal. And we used TY as a shallow possession too. That was horrible use. Blame Reich.. 
    • LB - no issue. I find interesting though that Oke was sitting when Leonard was in yesterday. And Franklin in 100%... So Oke losing his job?
    • DB - Ballard has a decent job here. If anything to complain, it's scheme and personnel use. At least Gus flipped Rodgers with Facyson a bit. The real need is to play Moore only on NB snaps. 

 

If you want, pick one area, and I'd happy to debate with specifics/facts/stats. But stick one thing instead of jumped over all the place. 

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adubb84 Team Captain

adubb84

Posted
Posted
3 minutes ago, TaylorTheStudMuffin said:

For the record Peter king is very good friends with Irsay. He was right about Carson being gone and his source was clearly Irsay.

Yeah I just this too. Peter has some connections….A subpar season just got a lot more interesting in a HURRY. Hope they turn it around. If not - Royal Flush 

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Happy2BeHere Ring of Honor

Happy2BeHere

Posted
Posted

Ballard should be gone IMO. Here’s a great article from sports illustrated discussing Ballard.

 

”The Colts aren't going to get out of purgatory under Chris Ballard. His process is simply not the way to build a team in the modern NFL (if you don't already have a legit quarterback).”

 

https://www.si.com/nfl/colts/.amp/gm-report/ballards-conservative-approach-doomed-colts
 

 

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coming on strong Ring of Honor

coming on strong

Posted
Posted
12 minutes ago, EastStreet said:

 

You're all over the place, so I'll try to surgical.

  • First, I'm not a Ballard worshiper. Never been. I've critical (but fair) about him plenty, when most pumped sunshine about him....and took crap for them....  Conversely, I'll continue to be fair, when some will hot-take on things. 
  • To be fair....
    • We don't level of Irsay's involvement. Don't forget he was a GM once... And some things have Irsay's fingerprints... 
    • We don't know Ballard's clear responsibilities, and how much power over some things. Like coach hires, choice of schemes (O or D), etc.. Or total power over draft, or how much input from Frank and DC. Several moves have Frank's fingerprints all over them. And things with Flus's fingerprints too. 
    • Keep in mind... every addition, means money comes from some place, and a deletion somewhere... Are additions per only Ballard, or at request from Frank, and Ballard is simple scouting and negotiating....? Likely a combination. I'd love to know %, especially on some changes. We know Frank was the big pusher for Wentz for instance. 
  • So all that said, above...
    • Lines D and O.
      • He has been great with iDL. Nobody should complain with Defo and Grover. Defo was limited by Flus's read/react scheme. 
      • DE has been meh (performance), but scheme has a lot to do with it also. I'm happy to discuss specifics. 
      • Overall DL... again.. scheme... Totally conservative and bend-don't-break. Ballard didn't hire Flus. McDaniels did. And Flus is little aggressive in Chicago. Why? Was he staying overly conservative due to Frank?
      • OL..... DeGug totally remodeled the OL within 5 weeks. Found a great 5 man unit after combos. Wasn't afraid to move guys, and push. Strausser was clearly a Frank's guy. the nice type. And the OL has regressed since. And OL scheme has got more complex/finesse, and less power/man and mean. Anyway, tell me who pushed for Pinter at G. Reich has totally a fan of Pinter since last year. Or is Reed/Glow was a pure cost cutting decision. Reich/Strausser tried to replace with Glow last year with Reed (like 5 or more weeks), until they figured Glow was better. So Pinter over Glow/Reed tells me this Strausser/Reich again. And arguing spending on Nelson is a bit silly at this point. It is what is it. And our OL was desperate in 2018, so I understand the pick regardless (I disagreed with at time)....   And we have 3 top 5ish paid OL guys already. We can't have 4 or 5. And we are not trading Smith or Nelson. Won't happen. No GM would. 
    • QB - Franks fingerprints are all over Rivers and Wentz. Irsay's fingerprints all over getting rid Wentz and getting Ryan. And Irsay's patience, or lack of, and belief we are "close" and "ready now", brings us to now..... Not really Ballard. And doubt Ballard wanted to give Luck unearned money, or unneeded extension for JB... 
    • WR/TE -
      • more scheme issues. Sorry, but we have plenty of evidence now. We've seen several guys look good/great when actually used properly.
      • Dulin has looked great when used.
      • MAC killed it, I'll say it again, killed it yesterday when part of the play calling. And Frank has a huge crush on Granson, just like he did on Burton. That's Frank. 
      • And anyone that doesn't hate the use of Campbell, simply doesn't understand scheme/reads/routes... Reich is trying to make Parris a short possession guy. He's never been that type.
      • And Pierce has looked great on 9s and intermediate and deep slants. Meh shallow possession stuff (which he never did much in college)...
      • On 2021.. We could have used Dulin last year, instead of Pascal. And Dulin is clearly better than Pascal. And we used TY as a shallow possession too. That was horrible use. Blame Reich.. 
    • LB - no issue. I find interesting though that Oke was sitting when Leonard was in yesterday. And Franklin in 100%... So Oke losing his job?
    • DB - Ballard has a decent job here. If anything to complain, it's scheme and personnel use. At least Gus flipped Rodgers with Facyson a bit. The real need is to play Moore only on NB snaps. 

 

If you want, pick one area, and I'd happy to debate with specifics/facts/stats. But stick one thing instead of jumped over all the place. 

my main point is how ballard goes into a season with question marks at key spots .    i never said he was horrible at drafting he just struggles at putting the roster together for the season .      so starting the season with pryor i dont get it at all resign fisher who was great a run blocking and would be better a year removed from injury .     you cant be a win now team going into  a year with lewis and a rookie at defensive end  in 2021 .   he did it with the wr and tight ends this year .   sign another cheap veteran tight end

 

these are my problems with him if we had a young QB i wouldnt care its part of rebuilding but if you are in a win now mode you need veterans .    

 

when frank had eric ebron the offense looked great that is what frank needs a elite pass catching tight end .  ballard needs to give frank the tools .  i think you just dont like frank and thats why you give ballard a pass all the time .   frank can be good with a good team ,

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EastStreet Ring of Honor

EastStreet

Posted
Posted
1 minute ago, coming on strong said:

my main point is how ballard goes into a season with question marks at key spots .    i never said he was horrible at drafting he just struggles at putting the roster together for the season .      so starting the season with pryor i dont get it at all resign fisher who was great a run blocking and would be better a year removed from injury .     you cant be a win now team going into  a year with lewis and a rookie at defensive end  in 2021 .   he did it with the wr and tight ends this year .   sign another cheap veteran tight end

 

these are my problems with him if we had a young QB i wouldnt care its part of rebuilding but if you are in a win now mode you need veterans .    

 

when frank had eric ebron the offense looked great that is what frank needs a elite pass catching tight end .  ballard needs to give frank the tools .  i think you just dont like frank and thats why you give ballard a pass all the time .   frank can be good with a good team ,

No GM is perfect. 

Every team has holes at spots. 

I asked you pick ONE area... you're still spraying all over the place. 

 

So pick one... 

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Defjamz26 Ring of Honor

Defjamz26

Posted
Posted
1 minute ago, Happy2BeHere said:

Ballard should be gone IMO. Here’s a great article from sports illustrated discussing Ballard.

 

”The Colts aren't going to get out of purgatory under Chris Ballard. His process is simply not the way to build a team in the modern NFL (if you don't already have a legit quarterback).”

 

https://www.si.com/nfl/colts/.amp/gm-report/ballards-conservative-approach-doomed-colts
 

 

That’s what I believe now. Chris was only going as far as Luck could take him. I think he banked on having Luck for another 7 years and never thought about having to draft a QB. Now he’s made every excuse not to draft one because I don’t think he can. His whole team building philosophy is centered around there already being an elite QB in his prime already on the roster. I don’t think he is going to draft a QB in the first round ever, and I wonder if Irsay has realized as much.

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Happy2BeHere

Posted
Posted
1 minute ago, EastStreet said:

No GM is perfect. 

Every team has holes at spots. 

I asked you pick ONE area... you're still spraying all over the place. 

 

So pick one... 

yea every team has holes, but Ballard doesn’t bring us depth. That is the biggest issue this team has, a clear lack of depth at every position more or less. 

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EastStreet Ring of Honor

EastStreet

Posted
Posted
1 minute ago, Happy2BeHere said:

yea every team has holes, but Ballard doesn’t bring us depth. That is the biggest issue this team has, a clear lack of depth at every position more or less. 

lol... I guess no one... can be specific, or discuss one position unit... 

 

 

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Happy2BeHere

Posted
Posted
11 minutes ago, EastStreet said:

lol... I guess no one... can be specific, or discuss one position unit... 

 

 

QB, honestly Foles is not quality backup; heck even Matt Ryan wouldn’t be much of a quality backup at the moment. I bet Ehlinger would outshine both of those guys cause unlike those two guys behind a squeaky and leaky line he can run to make plays. 

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Restinpeacesweetchloe Ring of Honor

Restinpeacesweetchloe

Posted
Posted
21 minutes ago, adubb84 said:

I posted it earlier. So did @TaylorTheStudMuffinplayers are becoming more vocal about their frustrations. A loss on Thursday will cripple the confidence internally. Need to figure it out. 

Usually a GM and coach are a packaged deal. When one goes the other goes. The only way the GM gets to stay is if they have a track record of winning. Like the eagles GM. Ballard has no track record of winning anything.

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Happy2BeHere

Posted
Posted

This team is constructed of a bunch of once great old timers (who aren’t great anymore) mixed with some promise in draft pick rookies mixed with some no name poor quality backups that have floated around the league here and there. This just isn’t going to win us a Super Bowl 

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Maniac53 Practice Squad

Maniac53

Posted
Posted

Everything about this team from underperforming players to coaching and GM. 

 

I have NO comment it's just heart wrenching... 

 

Had high hopes like every year that Ballard took over.. Guess I will just say maybe next season like every other season.. :facepalm:g 

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EastStreet Ring of Honor

EastStreet

Posted
Posted
Just now, Happy2BeHere said:

Pick one; any one you want. How about RB? Who’s going to carry the load after Taylor? Where’s the quality depth ?

 

That's the most silly position to debate, but OK... 

  • Our RB unit (not RB1) is/was ranked/graded anywhere #1 to #3 by any service or pro... The unit, not RB1. 
  • Very few teams have multiple quality RB1s. 
  • Very few teams use high draft picks on RB1s these years
  • Teams more and more see RB1 or RB in general, see as fungible (easily replaceable)  
  • Frank sees JT and Hines as interchangeable... his words...  which I think is silly... 

So this is your #1 complaint with Ballard?

lol.. okay... 

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Happy2BeHere Ring of Honor

Happy2BeHere

Posted
Posted
5 minutes ago, EastStreet said:

 

That's the most silly position to debate, but OK... 

  • Our RB unit (not RB1) is/was ranked/graded anywhere #1 to #3 by any service or pro... The unit, not RB1. 
  • Very few teams have multiple quality RB1s. 
  • Very few teams use high draft picks on RB1s these years
  • Teams more and more see RB1 or RB in general, see as fungible (easily replaceable)  
  • Frank sees JT and Hines as interchangeable... his words...  which I think is silly... 

So this is your #1 complaint with Ballard?

lol.. okay... 

where did I say it was my number one complaint (in regards to RB), my number one complaint is quality depth at virtually every position; not sure why you can disagree with such an obvious fact

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ShuteAt168 Team Captain

ShuteAt168

Posted
Posted
27 minutes ago, Defjamz26 said:

That’s what I believe now. Chris was only going as far as Luck could take him. I think he banked on having Luck for another 7 years and never thought about having to draft a QB. Now he’s made every excuse not to draft one because I don’t think he can. His whole team building philosophy is centered around there already being an elite QB in his prime already on the roster. I don’t think he is going to draft a QB in the first round ever, and I wonder if Irsay has realized as much.

I find it remarkable that CB said this out loud. He knows the clock starts ticking when he commits to a young QB, so he just doesn’t. Job security, baby!
QUOTE:"Taking one will get y’all off my * for a little bit, but the second that guy doesn’t play well? I’m gonna be the first one run out of the building ... I promise you that position never leaves my mind.”

 

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coming on strong

Posted
Posted
7 minutes ago, EastStreet said:

 

That's the most silly position to debate, but OK... 

  • Our RB unit (not RB1) is/was ranked/graded anywhere #1 to #3 by any service or pro... The unit, not RB1. 
  • Very few teams have multiple quality RB1s. 
  • Very few teams use high draft picks on RB1s these years
  • Teams more and more see RB1 or RB in general, see as fungible (easily replaceable)  
  • Frank sees JT and Hines as interchangeable... his words...  which I think is silly... 

So this is your #1 complaint with Ballard?

lol.. okay... 

be honest ballard bargin bin shops for weapons every year .    ty was already here when he took over and from 2017 to 2020 ty was the only solid wr .   now we only really have pittman   of course pierce can turn into a good wr but it takes time i doubt he puts up more than 500 yards this year .        i just think when you are all in on matt ryan  why not get another veteran ?    odell would be fine it doesnt have to be a high price guy just someone who can go get 700 yards as a starter

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coming on strong Ring of Honor

coming on strong

Posted
Posted
14 minutes ago, EastStreet said:

 

That's the most silly position to debate, but OK... 

  • Our RB unit (not RB1) is/was ranked/graded anywhere #1 to #3 by any service or pro... The unit, not RB1. 
  • Very few teams have multiple quality RB1s. 
  • Very few teams use high draft picks on RB1s these years
  • Teams more and more see RB1 or RB in general, see as fungible (easily replaceable)  
  • Frank sees JT and Hines as interchangeable... his words...  which I think is silly... 

So this is your #1 complaint with Ballard?

lol.. okay... 

look i respect you as  poster on here you are very knowledgeable   but i think you are drinking the ballard cool aid to much .   he is a elite talent evaluator but cant put together a roster to compete .  if you are mostly a build from the draft guy and miss on key spots go out and fill them in free agency .    

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coming on strong

Posted
Posted

i used to hate dan dakich but i get what he is saying now .  i am fully on board he is right grigson was a bad drafter but he held the team accountable had them playing above their talent level .    the guy just won games never had a losing season 10-0 against the titans and won games with josh free man and matt  haslebeck

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Defjamz26 Ring of Honor

Defjamz26

Posted
Posted
5 minutes ago, TaylorTheStudMuffin said:

It kind of makes me excited for the offseason.  
 

Bif question do you guys trust Irsay to hire the right GM and coach?

Yes. Irsay despite his age isn’t stubborn. He gets input from a lot of different people. He talked to several people that pointed him to Ballard. Now Ballard has definitely fallen short of the mark, but no one will say that was a terrible hire. I suppose he’ll let the GM pick the HC again unless he wants a big fish HC like Payton or Harbaugh.

 

1 minute ago, ShuteAt168 said:

I find it remarkable that CB said this out loud. He knows the clock starts ticking when he commits to a young QB, so he just doesn’t. Job security, baby!
QUOTE:"Taking one will get y’all off my * for a little bit, but the second that guy doesn’t play well? I’m gonna be the first one run out of the building ... I promise you that position never leaves my mind.”

 

Yeah I read that quote from the article but I remember when he said it during a press conference. That’s a perfect example of his he practices self preservation. He doesn’t want to get dinged for being the guy that hands out a bad contract or trading picks for a QB bust because of the criticism and threat to his job security. It’s really selfish tbh. 


Also isn’t a little funny that a guy who is supposed to be a great talent evaluator say that “the minute that kid doesn’t play well I’ll be the first one run out of the building?” Why would he not play good? It almost seemed like a lack of confidence in himself to draft a good QB and put him in a good situation. It’s like he was telling us he actually has no idea how to properly evaluate QBs.
 

The funny thing is that the very thing he’s avoided doing because he feels like it’ll cost him his job is going to be part of the reason he loses it.

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