please let me say my peace

[ruf]

even with a top 5 pick we should NOT reach for a qb

I would go with starting Foles the rest of the way and if good go with him and SamE for next year

We need in that 1st pick This: the best OT if Raiman is proving to be the LT put him at RT and Smith at RG OR put him at LT and move Raiman to RT--we could then draft a qb in the 2nd round

 

If however there is a for sure DE take the de and get the OT in the 2nd round or best RG in the draft

 

one other exception would be if that DT from George is still on the board pick him and put Buckner at DE--draft OT or G in the 2nd

[Dobbinblitz]

The team could do all that, but the only thing that will truly move the needle on this franchise is to find the long term answer at the Quarterback position.

Hopefully, the team sees that in one of the QB's in this draft class.

If so, they should whatever is necessary to go get that QB.

[Gigc]

Unitas, Bert Jones, Peyton Manning, Andrew Luck.

Those are the ONLY times the Colts have been relevant and consistent winners in the 66 years I've been on this planet.

 

If I've learned ONE thing. It's all about the QB...

[Gigc]

Oh yeah, and by the by, while Unitas was a surprise and became one of the greatest QBs ever, Jones was chosen Second overall in the 1973 draft. Peyton and Andrew were the first picks in the draft.

 

Other starting Colt QBs over the years. Pagel, Schlicter, hogeboom, erickson, chandler, trudeau, harbaugh, domres ... you know?

[gspdx]

24 minutes ago, ruf said:

even with a top 5 pick we should NOT reach for a qb

I would go with starting Foles the rest of the way and if good go with him and SamE for next year

We need in that 1st pick This: the best OT if Raiman is proving to be the LT put him at RT and Smith at RG OR put him at LT and move Raiman to RT--we could then draft a qb in the 2nd round

 

If however there is a for sure DE take the de and get the OT in the 2nd round or best RG in the draft

 

one other exception would be if that DT from George is still on the board pick him and put Buckner at DE--draft OT or G in the 2nd

 

If we don't take a QB I wouldn't even mind seeing if we could trade back.  Not sure how all the values work out - I just don't pay that much attention to it - but could we trade back in the 1st round and also pick up another 2nd round pick?

[DougDew]

Don't stray from the formula.

 

QB, EDGE, LT, and Flanker are the most important positions in the NFL.

 

Don't reach for a QB if an elite EDGE is there.  Replace Yannick and play the elite rusher opposite Paye.

 

If neither is there, yes an LT that is truly worth a top 7 pick is a game changer for the oline for 12 years.  Who cares if you have a 3rd round rookie playing pretty well.  Find places for all of the other olinemen if you have to.  Adding a truly elite olineman will advance the talent of the entire unit.

 

If there was truly a flanker worthy of a top 7 pick, then move Pitt or AP to slot and let them all shuffle and settle to the best positions.

 

Maybe the same thing said about DT.....how long will Buck be here...or can he be traded.

 

Never ignore an opportunity to advance the talent at the most important positions in football. 

 

Top 10 picks don't happen often.  Use them correctly.

 

If there are simply no good options for improving those positions, then the draft cards fell against you.  So trade down and pick up more good players at other positions.  Or get another pick next year to push the capital back one more year to move up to then get one of those important players.

[ruf]

3 hours ago, DougDew said:

Don't stray from the formula.

 

QB, EDGE, LT, and Flanker are the most important positions in the NFL.

 

Don't reach for a QB if an elite EDGE is there.  Replace Yannick and play the elite rusher opposite Paye.

 

If neither is there, yes an LT that is truly worth a top 7 pick is a game changer for the oline for 12 years.  Who cares if you have a 3rd round rookie playing pretty well.  Find places for all of the other olinemen if you have to.  Adding a truly elite olineman will advance the talent of the entire unit.

 

If there was truly a flanker worthy of a top 7 pick, then move Pitt or AP to slot and let them all shuffle and settle to the best positions.

 

Maybe the same thing said about DT.....how long will Buck be here...or can he be traded.

 

Never ignore an opportunity to advance the talent at the most important positions in football. 

 

Top 10 picks don't happen often.  Use them correctly.

 

If there are simply no good options for improving those positions, then the draft cards fell against you.  So trade down and pick up more good players at other positions.  Or get another pick next year to push the capital back one more year to move up to then get one of those important players.

agree with everything but the trade down. i think we done that too much with ballard

[ruf]

3 hours ago, Dobbinblitz said:

The team could do all that, but the only thing that will truly move the needle on this franchise is to find the long term answer at the Quarterback position.

Hopefully, the team sees that in one of the QB's in this draft class.

If so, they should whatever is necessary to go get that QB.

and if we give up another 1st and its a bust we are really set back.

i would take the best player especially if it a position of need like OT or DE.

remember we have Lenoard coming back next year and could really help our team with solid players

[Dobbinblitz]

1 minute ago, ruf said:

and if we give up another 1st and its a bust we are really set back.

i would take the best player especially if it a position of need like OT or DE.

remember we have Lenoard coming back next year and could really help our team with solid players

Yes, that will always be the challenge when reaching for a high potential unfinished QB. but at some point this geriatric carousel of QB's needs to end. The Colts may come to the unpopular decision to go another position and it may be for the best - time will tell.

If finding the next QB takes too long the team will just be headed for another rebuild - a non QB position player will only take the team so far.

It will be interesting for sure how the front office views the current QB class.

[jemack]

3 hours ago, Gigc said:

Unitas, Bert Jones, Peyton Manning, Andrew Luck.

Those are the ONLY times the Colts have been relevant and consistent winners in the 66 years I've been on this planet.

 

If I've learned ONE thing. It's all about the QB...

Harbaugh was well kinda relevant...

Right?

 

[Pelt]

3 hours ago, Gigc said:

Oh yeah, and by the by, while Unitas was a surprise and became one of the greatest QBs ever, Jones was chosen Second overall in the 1973 draft. Peyton and Andrew were the first picks in the draft.

 

Other starting Colt QBs over the years. Pagel, Schlicter, hogeboom, erickson, chandler, trudeau, harbaugh, domres ... you know?

Don't forget number one overall pick Jeff George!

 

[jbaron04]

4 hours ago, ruf said:

even with a top 5 pick we should NOT reach for a qb

I would go with starting Foles the rest of the way and if good go with him and SamE for next year

We need in that 1st pick This: the best OT if Raiman is proving to be the LT put him at RT and Smith at RG OR put him at LT and move Raiman to RT--we could then draft a qb in the 2nd round

 

If however there is a for sure DE take the de and get the OT in the 2nd round or best RG in the draft

 

one other exception would be if that DT from George is still on the board pick him and put Buckner at DE--draft OT or G in the 2nd

I’m that 1st pick doesn’t announce as 

young , stroud , Levis , etc… it better be a Qb I’m going to implode like we did on Saturday. 
it has to be QB unless* and that’s a big unless colts plan on taking best LT/Pass rusher and trading back into late first early second to grab Richardson or hooker 

[ruf]

3 minutes ago, jbaron04 said:

I’m that 1st pick doesn’t announce as 

young , stroud , Levis , etc… it better be a Qb I’m going to implode like we did on Saturday. 
it has to be QB unless* and that’s a big unless colts plan on taking best LT/Pass rusher and trading back into late first early second to grab Richardson or hooker 

why trade down? the better LT/DE will be in the earlier pick and we have a early 2nd round to get hooker or even the TCU qb

[Restinpeacesweetchloe]

All I know is I am tired of having old washed up QB and a different one every year. It’s getting old. This next QB and coaching hire have to diver for colts are going to be in apathy and that’s hard to get fans back.

[esmort]

It's has to be QB ... The only way you don't take QB when drafting this high is if they they truly dislike all the top options; in that case you trade down far enough to get a 1st next year. Or like an earlier poster said we are taking an elite edge or LT with the plan to move back up into the bottom of the first to take the QB.  Without a QB in this league everything else is irrelevant.

[Hark]

4 hours ago, ruf said:

we should NOT reach for a qb

This^^^^^^^^^^

 

If there is a guy there we really like, get him. Otherwise take a tackle, WR, or DE

[richard pallo]

5 hours ago, ruf said:

even with a top 5 pick we should NOT reach for a qb

I would go with starting Foles the rest of the way and if good go with him and SamE for next year

We need in that 1st pick This: the best OT if Raiman is proving to be the LT put him at RT and Smith at RG OR put him at LT and move Raiman to RT--we could then draft a qb in the 2nd round

 

If however there is a for sure DE take the de and get the OT in the 2nd round or best RG in the draft

 

one other exception would be if that DT from George is still on the board pick him and put Buckner at DE--draft OT or G in the 2nd

I would much rather reach for a quarterback in the top 5 versus reaching for one in the 2nd round.   You don’t a chance at a quarterback in the top 5 every year.

[LJpalmbeacher2]

5 hours ago, ruf said:

even with a top 5 pick we should NOT reach for a qb

I would go with starting Foles the rest of the way and if good go with him and SamE for next year

We need in that 1st pick This: the best OT if Raiman is proving to be the LT put him at RT and Smith at RG OR put him at LT and move Raiman to RT--we could then draft a qb in the 2nd round

 

If however there is a for sure DE take the de and get the OT in the 2nd round or best RG in the draft

 

one other exception would be if that DT from George is still on the board pick him and put Buckner at DE--draft OT or G in the 2nd

 

Looks like a Ballard blueprint. 

[rock8591]

QB is the position to reach for.

 

In today's league, it is easier to win it all with a star QB and a team of scrubs...than a team of stars and a scrub QB.

[ruf]

44 minutes ago, richard pallo said:

I would much rather reach for a quarterback in the top 5 versus reaching for one in the 2nd round.   You don’t a chance at a quarterback in the top 5 every year.

and you end up with the countless number of qb taken 1st and 2nd overall like CW DR MT etc or like what the 49ers and Jets have now

35 minutes ago, rock8591 said:

QB is the position to reach for.

 

In today's league, it is easier to win it all with a star QB and a team of scrubs...than a team of stars and a scrub QB.

yes and end up with a bust that will give you no qb or OL or pass rush

[GoColts8818]

6 hours ago, ruf said:

even with a top 5 pick we should NOT reach for a qb

I would go with starting Foles the rest of the way and if good go with him and SamE for next year

We need in that 1st pick This: the best OT if Raiman is proving to be the LT put him at RT and Smith at RG OR put him at LT and move Raiman to RT--we could then draft a qb in the 2nd round

 

If however there is a for sure DE take the de and get the OT in the 2nd round or best RG in the draft

 

one other exception would be if that DT from George is still on the board pick him and put Buckner at DE--draft OT or G in the 2nd

Agree or disagree you don’t need to ask our permission to state your opinion here.  It’s welcomed.  

[Timeout]

Please let me say my peace also. If you can't get Young cause Texans better have taken him already. Then you go for Stroud, He will need some coaching but could be great with right team coaching atmosphere. That means if we still have same coach and GM he will fail... I want Colts to draft best players available not for need. We could get that game changer. Plus we can't reach for a QB unless it's for Young or Stroud. I don't think Levis is better than 2nd round JMO

[Shadow_Creek]

10 hours ago, ruf said:

even with a top 5 pick we should NOT reach for a qb

I would go with starting Foles the rest of the way and if good go with him and SamE for next year

We need in that 1st pick This: the best OT if Raiman is proving to be the LT put him at RT and Smith at RG OR put him at LT and move Raiman to RT--we could then draft a qb in the 2nd round

 

If however there is a for sure DE take the de and get the OT in the 2nd round or best RG in the draft

 

one other exception would be if that DT from George is still on the board pick him and put Buckner at DE--draft OT or G in the 2nd

we have been doing that for the last 5 years and look were that's got us ..No a young QB is needed ASAP and then you just build around him like what the bears will do with Fields 

[jbaron04]

7 hours ago, ruf said:

why trade down? the better LT/DE will be in the earlier pick and we have a early 2nd round to get hooker or even the TCU qb

No I said take the best LT/Passrusher and trading back into the late first or earlier second to get hooker/Richardson 

1 hour ago, Shadow_Creek said:

we have been doing that for the last 5 years and look were that's got us ..No a young QB is needed ASAP and then you just build around him like what the bears will do with Fields 

I agree it’s always a reach till it isn’t, then people look back like how did this guy last this long etc…

[colts89]

If Ballard wants this job next year, he needs to get a franchise guy that will stick around at least for a few years.

 

Maybe he goes the route of giving up the capital that would be required to trade for Aaron Rodgers and hope Aaron can carry the franchise for a few years, which would hold true to his historical decisions (albeit I and most Colts fans would mostly dislike this move initially considering the success rate of veteran QBs we've had recently...)

 

Or he puts all his chips into getting the guy he wants this year in the draft and hope he shows enough promise in the next 2 years to keep his job. 

 

Either way, if he wants to keep the job he has one choice left at QB utilizing the high draft pick. Can't be scared about it anymore.

[AwesomeAustin]

All I ask is for the GM and Coach to work together and try to identify a franchise QB. If it is their guy, take him.  If it doesn’t make sense and their is another player they love, take him.  After that, do what ever makes the team better. Just try to identify a qb that can lead us for the next 10-15 years.  That’s all I want. 

[Myles]

17 hours ago, ruf said:

even with a top 5 pick we should NOT reach for a qb

I would go with starting Foles the rest of the way and if good go with him and SamE for next year

We need in that 1st pick This: the best OT if Raiman is proving to be the LT put him at RT and Smith at RG OR put him at LT and move Raiman to RT--we could then draft a qb in the 2nd round

 

If however there is a for sure DE take the de and get the OT in the 2nd round or best RG in the draft

 

one other exception would be if that DT from George is still on the board pick him and put Buckner at DE--draft OT or G in the 2nd

If the Colts did that, they would be a better team and not sniff a top 5 draft pick.   If they are in position to draft a QB they like, take him.  

I'm also fine waiting another year to see how our DE's pan out.  

[ruf]

5 hours ago, colts89 said:

If Ballard wants this job next year, he needs to get a franchise guy that will stick around at least for a few years.

 

Maybe he goes the route of giving up the capital that would be required to trade for Aaron Rodgers and hope Aaron can carry the franchise for a few years, which would hold true to his historical decisions (albeit I and most Colts fans would mostly dislike this move initially considering the success rate of veteran QBs we've had recently...)

 

Or he puts all his chips into getting the guy he wants this year in the draft and hope he shows enough promise in the next 2 years to keep his job. 

 

Either way, if he wants to keep the job he has one choice left at QB utilizing the high draft pick. Can't be scared about it anymore.

the fastest way for him to lose his job is to get one of these qb's and not fix the OL or the pass rush it's all about wins and loses

[GoColts8818]

2 hours ago, ruf said:

the fastest way for him to lose his job is to get one of these qb's and not fix the OL or the pass rush it's all about wins and loses

The counter to that is fixing the oline and pass rush won’t matter if you don’t have a QB.  The pass rush will be hard no question but you can fix the oline and take a QB high in the draft.

[Crush22]

Just bring this guy back and be done with it...........

 

[crazycolt1]

17 hours ago, Pelt said:

Don't forget number one overall pick Jeff George!

 

With respect George had the talent. He did spend most of his time with the Colts looking up at the roof of the RCA dome instead of downfield.  He was very successful with the Vikings and took them to a playoff win. 

[crazycolt1]

4 hours ago, ruf said:

the fastest way for him to lose his job is to get one of these qb's and not fix the OL or the pass rush it's all about wins and loses

It's easier to fix the Oline and find a pass rusher than finding a franchise QB.

[Defjamz26]

It’s okay to reach for and miss on a QB. If you have a GM worth his salt, he can easily rebound from the miss. Does anyone remember/care that the Eagles drafted Wentz #2 overall? 
 

It’s no okay to never take a real swing on getting a QB for fear of it not working out. There’s no job security in that. Ballard hasn’t reached for a QB yet his job is still in jeopardy. If he winds up being let go, it won’t even matter that he didn’t draft a huge QB bust.

[NorthernColt]

22 hours ago, Gigc said:

Unitas, Bert Jones, Peyton Manning, Andrew Luck.

Those are the ONLY times the Colts have been relevant and consistent winners in the 66 years I've been on this planet.

 

If I've learned ONE thing. It's all about the QB...

Yup, and its only become more pronounced. All those Qbs played while the game was more balanced. Now its 100% more of a passing league, all the rules are in place to increase passing offense. You will only go as far as your QB can take you in this league.

[colts89]

5 hours ago, ruf said:

the fastest way for him to lose his job is to get one of these qb's and not fix the OL or the pass rush it's all about wins and loses

You can fix the OL via a few free agency moves, some good mid round picks and a new OL coach if Saturdays not around (they've played better recently and Raimann has improved).

 

I think the pass rush is pretty solid and filled with young players that are going to get better. Maybe you need a new depth piece to replace Lewis since he's often hurt, but not that much more. They look bad/tired in the 4th quarter because our offense can't stay on the field.

 

You can't fix the QB issue without utilizing a top draft pick. It's very rarely the case otherwise.

[crazycolt1]

1 hour ago, colts89 said:

 

You can't fix the QB issue without utilizing a top draft pick. It's very rarely the case otherwise.

Derrick Carr - 108th

Tua - 122nd

Watson- 152nd

Fields- 121st

Rogers- 24th

Mahomes- 10th

These QBs were chosen outside the top picks. There are also a longer list in NFL history so it doesn't necessarily take a 1st round top pick to find a franchise QB. 

The Goat Brady was a 6th round pick. 

 

[Archer]

2 minutes ago, crazycolt1 said:

Derrick Carr - 108th

Tua - 122nd

Watson- 152nd

Fields- 121st

Rogers- 24th

Mahomes- 10th

These QBs were chosen outside the top picks. There are also a longer list in NFL history so it doesn't necessarily take a 1st round top pick to find a franchise QB. 

The Goat Brady was a 6th round pick. 

 

Not sure what those #s are next to Tua, Watson, and Fields, as all were 1st rounders…

[Pelt]

2 hours ago, crazycolt1 said:

With respect George had the talent. He did spend most of his time with the Colts looking up at the roof of the RCA dome instead of downfield.  He was very successful with the Vikings and took them to a playoff win. 

Remember how hard he could throw the football?

 

I was a freshman baseball player and we played Warren Central when he was a senior. He pitched that game and drilled me in the ribs with a fastball. I took my base without shedding a tear. One of my proudest moments.

 

Still fricken hurts to this day just thinking about it...

[colts89]

Just now, crazycolt1 said:

Derrick Carr - 108th

Tua - 122nd

Watson- 152nd

Fields- 121st

Rogers- 24th

Mahomes- 10th

These QBs were chosen outside the top picks. There are also a longer list in NFL history so it doesn't necessarily take a 1st round top pick to find a franchise QB. 

The Goat Brady was a 6th round pick. 

 

Those are all first rounders, and mostly top 15 picks at that...

 

I guess I should have mentioned I consider a top pick being in the first half of the first round.

 

Good luck finding the next Brady  in the sixth lmao. 

 

[crazycolt1]

3 minutes ago, Archer said:

Not sure what those #s are next to Tua, Watson, and Fields, as all were 1st rounders…

I misread what the website said but none of these QBs were top 1st round picks.

I think it was a fantasy football site. 

My point is it doesn't take a top 5 1st rd draft pick to find a franchise QB.