[Destin Adams] Colts expect Bobby Okereke to sign elsewhere as early as today when the NFL legal tampering period begins at noon.

[stitches]

That's a loss... expected but still... 

[wig]

Should be a nice comp pick. And if Leonard is healthy it isn't a big loss. Not the worst situation 

[krunk]

Thats why Ballard wants to keep his picks if he can. Talent need to be replinished.

[Yoshinator]

3 minutes ago, stitches said:

That's a loss... expected but still... 

That sucks. You almost hope he signs for a large amount now so we get a high comp pick next year. We'll still have Leonard, Speed, and Franklin though, so we should be fine at the position.

[Patrick Miller]

I never was impressed with him. Time for an upgrade.

[Yoshinator]

Just now, krunk said:

Thats why Ballard wants to keep his picks if he can. Talent need to be replinished.

True, but it has to be a mixture of FA and the draft. You can't just fill talent through the draft. I hope Ballard can sign some good players in FA that can battle for the starting jobs with our drafted players. 

[krunk]

11 minutes ago, Jared Cisneros said:

True, but it has to be a mixture of FA and the draft. You can't just fill talent through the draft. I hope Ballard can sign some good players in FA that can battle for the starting jobs with our drafted players. 

You know how hes going to move with that. He will sign our own, get a number of bargain key contributing depth pieces in FA and the rest in the draft. Id like to see him sign maybe a name like Leonard Floyd or somebody else. Or resign Ngakoue.

[chad72]

Da Bears are going to sign him, IMO!!

[Yoshinator]

1 minute ago, krunk said:

You know how hes going to move with that. He will sign our own, get a number of bargain key contributing depth pieces in FA and the rest in the draft.

Yep. We've gone through this before lol!  I just hope, at this point, we don't trade up to 3, as those draft picks will be very valuable in filling holes on this team. 

[DougDew]

Good.  

 

Maybe Ballard has learned that you shouldn't pay a lot for ILBs.  Too late for Leonard though.

[Restinpeacesweetchloe]

Ballard has always been good at finding linebackers. We will be fine. With Leonard’s contract we just couldn’t keep him.

[jvan1973]

21 minutes ago, DougDew said:

Good.  

 

Maybe Ballard has learned that you shouldn't pay a lot for ILBs.  Too late for Leonard though.

The Ravens gm would disagree 

[Archer]

We’ve got Leonard and Franklin in a system that typically only has two LBs in there at a time.  Bring back Speed at 1/3 the price…re-signing Okereke doesn’t make much sense for us…

[richard pallo]

I always liked him.  I thought he was our best coverage linebacker on tight ends.  Now I think we are vulnerable there.  I would be shocked if he doesn’t sign with the Bears.

[CR91]

He'll be a bear

[RollerColt]

19 minutes ago, richard pallo said:

I always liked him.  I thought he was our best coverage linebacker on tight ends.  Now I think we are vulnerable there.  I would be shocked if he doesn’t sign with the Bears.

I've been fond of him as well. I knew when we drafted Speed this situation would happen though. I mean it's a good problem to have when you've got a room stacked with talent and can't keep everyone. 

[PeterBowman]

He's gonna get paid. 

Good or him as he's earned it. 

Sucks it won't be with the Colts but the lb room is pretty full 

[Orioles22]

I keep looking for reports on who wer'e are signing. I'd like a corner or two and an offensive lineman and not wait until the end looking for bargains

 

[GoColts8818]

Wouldn’t surprise me you can’t keep everyone and since they Colts defense really requires two linebackers and they have Franklin and Leonard under contract playing well this is the kind of guy you lose.  I’d watch linebacker in round two or three of the draft though.  Speed is a free agent too and they will need depth.  

[richard pallo]

11 minutes ago, GoColts8818 said:

Wouldn’t surprise me you can’t keep everyone and since they Colts defense really requires two linebackers and they have Franklin and Leonard under contract playing well this is the kind of guy you lose.  I’d watch linebacker in round two or three of the draft though.  Speed is a free agent too and they will need depth.  

Well they better sign Speed then I would think.

[Goatface Killah]

Dont really care about this too much, he doesnt seem like a difference maker to me. We have depth there. 

[GoColts8818]

5 minutes ago, Goatface Killah said:

Dont really care about this too much, he doesnt seem like a difference maker to me. We have depth there. 

Not saying they have to keep Bobby O but Speed is also a free agent.  Once you get past Shaq and Franklin who will start who is left as depth? 

[shasta519]

Will be interesting to see how he is valued. Personally, I think $14M AAV is wild. That's top 10 money. And the last two seasons prior to this, he was grading in the 40s and 50s for PFF. 

 

But he did just have a really good season. And even if there is some recency bias, that's how it works in the NFL. 

 

I think the Colts scheme is LB-friendly and I bet they can replace him fairly easy. Every LBers they have plugged in has had success. So I think paying big money for a MIKE isn't necessary.

 

Leonard was a bit of a different situation, because he was a face of the franchise and TO machine who is/was on a HOF trajectory.

 

But this is what great orgs do. Their role players become inflated in value, they let them walk to sign nice contracts and kick back comp picks. BAL has been doing this for a long time. NE as well. 

[BlackTiger]

Really wanted him back but he will get offers that we cant afford to match.  He is gone and we are hoping Shaq comes back a great player still

 

To me BO is a good starter and not just a role player.  The 12-14 mil is too much though 

[Goatface Killah]

16 minutes ago, GoColts8818 said:

Not saying they have to keep Bobby O but Speed is also a free agent.  Once you get past Shaq and Franklin who will start who is left as depth? 

Well you have to figure that out. I think they resign Speed. Beyond that, you probably have to draft someone.

[throwing BBZ]

 

 Would Eb pay him $10M+ per?

 Like 4 years $40M with some incentives. $15M fully guranteed.
They are welcome to him.

 Speed is likely hoping for an offer from Eb also.

[Superman]

We all saw this coming. But I hope they can keep EJ Speed on a moderate deal. Not sure how he'll hold up with an increased snap count, but he always seems to be involved in big plays.

[Fluke_33]

3 hours ago, wig said:

Should be a nice comp pick. And if Leonard is healthy it isn't a big loss. Not the worst situation 

good call.  forgot about the comp potential

[strt182]

3 hours ago, krunk said:

You know how hes going to move with that. He will sign our own, get a number of bargain key contributing depth pieces in FA and the rest in the draft. Id like to see him sign maybe a name like Leonard Floyd or somebody else. Or resign Ngakoue.

you don't sign the name u sign the talent. 

[GoColts8818]

1 hour ago, Goatface Killah said:

Well you have to figure that out. I think they resign Speed. Beyond that, you probably have to draft someone.

Okay I was just seeing what you saw when you said they have depth there.

[Goatface Killah]

2 minutes ago, GoColts8818 said:

Okay I was just seeing what you saw when you said they have depth there.

I think EJ Speed will be cheaper and provide more impact plays. Again, I am assuming they resign him.

[Jackie Daytona]

4 hours ago, stitches said:

That's a loss... expected but still... 

So the "keep your own" and draft well, don't overpay for FAs....

 

In fact don't sign any even notable FAs.....strategy is leading to us not even being able to keep our own....lol.  (this only seems bad because Leonard isn't giving any returns on the investment) 

 

So we signed the wrong LB of our own unless something seriously changes

[stitches]

2 minutes ago, Jackie Daytona said:

So the "keep your own" and draft well, don't overpay for FAs....

 

In fact don't sign any even notable FAs.....strategy is leading to us not even being able to keep our own....lol.  (this only seems bad because Leonard isn't giving any returns on the investment) 

 

So we signed the wrong LB of our own unless something seriously changes

I mean, it's not like the problem is with his play. He just got injured and hasn't been able to get back healthy. 

[Scott Pennock]

TJ Edwards signing with Da Bears so it will likely be Philly now……

[Moosejawcolt]

5 hours ago, stitches said:

That's a loss... expected but still... 

Not a big loss. Totally replaceable and  he will be.   One big year in this style of defence and these Lb's can be found later in the draft for a lot less than what Bobby will get

[Hoose]

3 hours ago, Superman said:

We all saw this coming. But I hope they can keep EJ Speed on a moderate deal. Not sure how he'll hold up with an increased snap count, but he always seems to be involved in big plays.

Yup. I figured they would let Okereke go because they could sign Speed. They can’t afford to lose both. 

[Hawkeyecolt]

Hopefully they get Speed signed. I wouldn’t be surprised if Bubba was after him. 

[azcolt]

I’m betting Leonard will never be more than a shell of himself, and if so, this is a big loss.

[chad72]

4 hours ago, Superman said:

We all saw this coming. But I hope they can keep EJ Speed on a moderate deal. Not sure how he'll hold up with an increased snap count, but he always seems to be involved in big plays.

 

Bigger safeties can become LBs too, our LB coach Cato June took that path, didn't he? Just need to find a safety with long arms.  

[TomDiggs]

Doubt Bobby O signs in Chicago at least w them paying both TJ Edwards and Tremaine Edmunds now