2023 Colts and NFL free agency news, rumors, discussions

[richard pallo]

2 minutes ago, Restinpeacesweetchloe said:

They would figure things out if they really want him.

Exactly.  That's why you can't look at cap space in any of these signings.  Teams always find a way to get it done.  

[throwing BBZ]

5 minutes ago, Jared Cisneros said:

Anyone who knows who to build a team knows you draft a QB and don't take other teams retreads. They are generally retreads for a reason and up for trade for a reason. Rarely does it ever work out. Oh, and the funny thing to this is, Ballard signed Rivers instead of Brady, Brady won a SB that year. Ballard traded for Wentz instead of Stafford, Stafford won a SB that year. Literally anyone who Ballard doesn't sign ends up winning big. Is that because Ballard has bad jidgment, or because no one can succeed here because of how he runs this team as the GM?

 

 Stafford said he was coming here until the Rams offered him such a great opportunity.

 Reich was convincing believing he could fix Wentz.

 Reich was convinced Ryan had the juice because we guaranteed him that $12M him for year Two, and surely Reich wanted to win.

 Thankfully Reich is gone.

[krunk]

7 minutes ago, Jared Cisneros said:

I wanted Darrisaw instead of Paye, and didn't like that we doubled down on EDGE rushers in the first two rounds. If your goal was to get two EDGE rushers, you could have signed Trey Hendrickson to a big deal in FA before the draft, and you would be more flexible to take one EDGE and one LT in the draft. Would have worked perfect to get Darrisaw and Dayo, and logic-wise, it makes more sense to need an EDGE and LT rather than two EDGE and a LT. 

As far as anyone can tell the rook we have at LT now is trending the right way so why be stuck on that? And Paye is also.  As well as Dayo.

[stitches]

 

 

 

[Yoshinator]

7 minutes ago, buccolts said:

Well, if by 'defend this FO as much as anyone' you mean I don't trash them at every turn, O.K., but know I don't because I don't pretend to know why every decision is made. BTW, you don't know either.

THAT and I don't have control over every decision. BTW, you don't either.

 

That said, actually, I ponder if I'm watching next year if we pick up Lamar or Richardson. I'll likely start out watching and see if it's as bad as I anticipate. Ravens fans got used to it, maybe I can also(?). 

 

Mahomes is great, but he has a LOT of supporting cast, as well.

Allen is showing regression. Maybe it's because he doesn't have the supporting cast Mahomes does(?).

Hurts? I don't count one year wonders. If he can do that at least a couple more years, I'll start buy in.

Burrow's career will be short if they don't get him better protection, and they could use a better defense.

 

And, I'm certain Ballard's comment was long before Luck's retirement, or injuries.

I don't think he was being disingenuous, and I agree with him on that thought.

You are right, I don't know why decisions are made. All I know, as an intelligent human being who picks up on patterns, is that other teams are doing things different and getting better results. Ballard, as an intelligent human being, is not picking up on this and figuring his methods are wrong and he needs to start copying these other GMs. Maybe if he put more emphasis into FA, maybe if he focused on the premium positions more, maybe if he drafted a QB sooner. These are all things he should be doing and noticing that winning GMs do. There's a reason he is a losing GM, despite being so good in the draft. 

[richard pallo]

1 minute ago, stitches said:

 

 

 

Now trade for Kelly please.

[cdgacoltsfan]

1 hour ago, richard pallo said:

Monday must be LaMar day.  I just read three different articles on LaMar and they all mention the Colts as a team that could still be involved and gave reasons why it might happen.  Two of the articles suggested that it could happen on draft day after the 1st two picks are taken.  The reason being is if the Colts have a target in mind and that quarterback goes 1 or 2 then they might trade for LaMar instead of settling for quarterbacks 3 or 4.  One article even went so far as to say that if they are sitting at 4 and the choice comes down to LaMar or Stroud, Levis, or Richardson the choice becomes clear you trade for LaMar if you can.  A lot could happen between now and draft day.  He could sign an offer sheet and it could be matched or not.  So something happening draft day seems like a long shot.  But it’s the NFL so who knows.  Maybe someone will post the articles.  All good reads.

You must read a lot of fiction.

[krunk]

8 minutes ago, Jared Cisneros said:

I wanted Darrisaw instead of Paye, and didn't like that we doubled down on EDGE rushers in the first two rounds. If your goal was to get two EDGE rushers, you could have signed Trey Hendrickson to a big deal in FA before the draft, and you would be more flexible to take one EDGE and one LT in the draft. Would have worked perfect to get Darrisaw and Dayo, and logic-wise, it makes more sense to need an EDGE and LT rather than two EDGE and a LT. 

I asked you about Quarterback. There was really only one draft where we had viable positioning to get a good QB and we traded for Buckner. So im asking in all the other ones where we had to draft in the 20s and below who was at QB thar you felt we should have drafted?

[Yoshinator]

3 minutes ago, stitches said:

 

 

 

Didn't really want him, but it's proof that Steichen isn't really a draw for the Eagles FAs like some of us thought (including myself).

[Goatface Killah]

21 minutes ago, Jared Cisneros said:

Anyone who knows who to build a team knows you draft a QB and don't take other teams retreads. They are generally retreads for a reason and up for trade for a reason. Rarely does it ever work out. Oh, and the funny thing to this is, Ballard signed Rivers instead of Brady, Brady won a SB that year. Ballard traded for Wentz instead of Stafford, Stafford won a SB that year. Literally anyone who Ballard doesn't sign ends up winning big. Is that because Ballard has bad jidgment, or because no one can succeed here because of how he runs this team as the GM?

You just said "everyone knows you dont sign another teams retreads" and then proceeded to list 2 retreads that won SBs in back to back years. 

 

Meanwhile of all the "powerhouse AFC QBs".......there has only been 1 win a chip and thats Mahommes. 

 

So its quite obvious that signing a retread QB can work. They have won 2 out of the last 3 SBs and 1 of them beat Mahommes.

 

There is absolutely nothing wrong with that strategy at all. 

[richard pallo]

2 minutes ago, cdgacoltsfan said:

You must read a lot of fiction.

I do actually.  I love it.

[Yoshinator]

1 minute ago, krunk said:

I asked you about Quarterback. There was really only one draft where we had viable positioning to get a good QB and we traded for Buckner. So im asking in all the other ones where we had to draft in the 20s and below who was at QB thar you felt we should have drafted?

We should have traded up for Fields or Mac Jones. The Bears were one spot ahead of us, and they traded up from 20 to 11 for Fields. We could have slightly beaten that offer. We had a choice of either, whether you want the scrambler in Fields, or the pocket passer in Mac Jones. We took Wentz lol.

[Yoshinator]

Just now, Goatface Killah said:

You just said "everyone knows you dont sign another teams retreads" and then proceeded to list 2 retreads that won SBs in back to back years. 

 

Meanwhile of all the "powerhouse AFC QBs".......there has only been 1 win a chip and thats Mahommes. 

 

So its quite obvious that signing a retread QB can work. They have won 2 out of the last 3 SBs.

 

There is absolutely nothing wrong with that strategy at all. 

There is if you don't go all-in like the Rams or have an already elite team like the Bucs. We did neither. The Rams won because they truly went for it. The Bucs were a super team and Brady was the missing piece. That's the exception, not the rule. We should have been rebuilding starting in the 2020 offseason when we had the chance. First order of business, trade up for Herbert or Tua and get your franchise QB. We trade for Buckner, while very good, doesn't win you anything by himself.

[Restinpeacesweetchloe]

Another WR off the board.

 

 

[buccolts]

3 minutes ago, Jared Cisneros said:

We should have traded up for Fields or Mac Jones. The Bears were one spot ahead of us, and they traded up from 20 to 11 for Fields. We could have slightly beaten that offer. We had a choice of either, whether you want the scrambler in Fields, or the pocket passer in Mac Jones. We took Wentz lol.

Time will tell, but I think we dodged  a bullet with both of those guys.

And, I believe Wentz was on Franks urging, and convincing Chris and Jim he could make it work out, and that led to his dismissal.

[krunk]

6 minutes ago, Jared Cisneros said:

We should have traded up for Fields or Mac Jones. The Bears were one spot ahead of us, and they traded up from 20 to 11 for Fields. We could have slightly beaten that offer. We had a choice of either, whether you want the scrambler in Fields, or the pocket passer in Mac Jones. We took Wentz lol.

And whats Mac Jones look like right now? And again Stevie Wonder could see the Wentz pick was heavily influenced by Reich.  Where did we pick in that draft? Seems like a lot of spaces to move up. Anyways theres not a good enough answer that will meet your needs.

[shasta519]

47 minutes ago, Jared Cisneros said:

Ballard was under the assumption that Luck was playing in 2019 before he retired. So when he did FA in 2019, he thought Luck was playing and operated as such. Even thinking that, he didn't change his ways. Even Irsay thought that Luck was playing. If you don't believe me, look at "with the next pick" in 2019 when Irsay is talking to Parris Campbell during the draft and asking if he's ready to catch passes from no12. Ballard, Reich, and Irsay were all operating FA and the draft that year thinking Luck would return.

 

So 3 FA periods, 2 where Luck played, and a third where they thought Luck would play, and they failed to do their job in FA.

 

Even if Ballard knew that Luck was going to miss 2017 (which I think they did because they did nothing to address the OL), they had to think he was coming back the next season or they would have drafted QB.

 

So while Luck was not playing in 2017, that was still an offseason to build up the offense and better set Luck up for success.

 

But it took Ballard until the 3rd offseason to even draft a WR with Day 2 capital. Prior to that, he had only tried draft WRs from Day 3 (not unlike his time in KC). 

 

And PC was Ballard's 9TH Day 2 pick. He even prioritized a project ER over WR. By the time he drafted PC, Ballard has passed on drafting several good WRs on Day 2 in his tenure.

 

As for FA, he signed Aiken in '17, Grant in '18 and Funchess in '19. All one-year deals...all out of the NFL not long after. TBF though, FA for WRs doesn't have the best track record. I think that could change though, with more and more good WRs entering the NFL and the market going up.

 

At TE, he did sign Ebron in '18. But he didn't draft any TEs until this past year.

 

I think it's fair criticism of Ballard. The one thing he did was solidify G and RT in a big way. But he had plenty of resources to do more with the pass catchers.

[Yoshinator]

Just now, krunk said:

And whats Mac Jones look like right now? And again Stevie Wonder could see the Wentz pick was heavily influenced by Reich.  Where did we pick in that draft? Seems like a lot of spaces to move up.

We picked 21st, Fields went 11th, and Mac went 15th. We had opportunities in two drafts in 2020 and 2021. 2022 I don't blame Ballard for as every team was passing up on the QBs besides Pickett. IMO, both Reich and Ballard should have been fired at the end of last season for the QB debacle and Ed Dodds should have been promoted to GM.

[Yoshinator]

2 minutes ago, shasta519 said:

 

Even if Ballard knew that Luck was going to miss 2017 (which I think they did because they did nothing to address the OL), they had to think he was coming back the next season or they would have drafted QB.

 

So while Luck was not playing in 2017, that was still an offseason to build up the offense and better set Luck up for success.

 

But it took Ballard until the 3rd offseason to even draft a WR with Day 2 capital. Prior to that, he had only tried draft WRs from Day 3 (not unlike his time in KC). 

 

And PC was Ballard's 9TH Day 2 pick. He even prioritized a project ER over WR. By the time he drafted PC, Ballard has passed on drafting several good WRs on Day 2 in his tenure.

 

As for FA, he signed Aiken in '17, Grant in '18 and Funchess in '19. All one-year deals...all out of the NFL not long after. TBF though, FA for WRs doesn't have the best track record. I think that could change though, with more and more good WRs entering the NFL and the market going up.

 

At TE, he did sign Ebron in '18. But he didn't draft any TEs until this past year.

 

I think it's fair criticism of Ballard. The one thing he did was solidify G and RT in a big way. But he had plenty of resources to do more with the pass catchers.

Good post. I agree and appreciate it.

[Goatface Killah]

8 minutes ago, Jared Cisneros said:

There is if you don't go all-in like the Rams or have an already elite team like the Bucs. We did neither. The Rams won because they truly went for it. The Bucs were a super team and Brady was the missing piece. That's the exception, not the rule. We should have been rebuilding starting in the 2020 offseason when we had the chance. First order of business, trade up for Herbert or Tua and get your franchise QB. We trade for Buckner, while very good, doesn't win you anything by himself.

Tua is on the verge if retirement for consussions and neither guy has won anything. 

 

You seem to romanticize mediocrity as long as it isnt the Colts. 

 

We have been to the playoffs as much as either of those guys since 2020.

[Restinpeacesweetchloe]

 

[Goatface Killah]

5 minutes ago, buccolts said:

Time will tell, but I think we dodged  a bullet with both of those guys.

And, I believe Wentz was on Franks urging, and convincing Chris and Jim he could make it work out, and that led to his dismissal.

They dont play for the Colts so being mediocre is ok. 

[krunk]

1 minute ago, Jared Cisneros said:

We picked 21st, Fields went 11th, and Mac went 15th. We had opportunities in two drafts in 2020 and 2021. 2022 I don't blame Ballard for as every team was passing up on the QBs besides Pickett. IMO, both Reich and Ballard should have been fired at the end of last season for the QB debacle and Ed Dodds should have been promoted to GM.

Mac doesnt look good and you cant really believe we should have went up 10 spaces to get fields. Talk about selling the farm.

[Restinpeacesweetchloe]

 

[Yoshinator]

Just now, Goatface Killah said:

Tua is on the verge if retirement for consussions and neither guy has won anything. 

 

You seem to romanticize mediocrity as long as it isnt the Colts. 

 

We have been to the playoffs as much as either of those guys since 2020.

There was no scouting report on Tua getting concussions in college. That happened on the dolphins this past year and there was no guarantee the same thing would happen on the Colts. Don't even try and pull that one. The Dolphins are in much better shape than the Colts (Tua or not) as they've been aggressive in trades and the draft to put together an elite passing attack for Tua.

[throwing BBZ]

28 minutes ago, Jared Cisneros said:

I wanted Darrisaw instead of Paye, and didn't like that we doubled down on EDGE rushers in the first two rounds. If your goal was to get two EDGE rushers, you could have signed Trey Hendrickson to a big deal in FA before the draft, and you would be more flexible to take one EDGE and one LT in the draft. Would have worked perfect to get Darrisaw and Dayo, and logic-wise, it makes more sense to need an EDGE and LT rather than two EDGE and a LT. 

 

 Let me fix that for you.

We could have Tried to sign Hendrickson. Oh, but perhaps we did try.

[Goatface Killah]

Just now, Jared Cisneros said:

There was no scouting report on Tua getting concussions in college. That happened on the dolphins this past year and there was no guarantee the same thing would happen on the Colts. Don't even try and pull that one. The Dolphins are in much better shape than the Colts (Tua or not) as they've been aggressive in trades and the draft to put together an elite passing attack for Tua.

Are they? Way better? Im not impressed with them at all, they look like a fringe playoff team to me. We arent far off from that.

 

Jared he had 1 descent half season. They lost their first round pick this year because they tried to replace him at one point. And yes people were saying the same things about Tua they are currently saying about Young this year. He is too small to hold up in the NFL. And it looks like that might be the case unfortunately. 

 

I wonder what you would be saying about Chris Ballard if he made a blunder like that? 

 

 

[VikingsFanInChennai]

58 minutes ago, Restinpeacesweetchloe said:

@NFLfan

 

cap space?!  

 

@NFLfan

[Yoshinator]

Just now, throwing BBZ said:

 

 Let me fix that for you.

We could have Tried to sign Hendrickson. Oh, but perhaps we did try.

1.) Ballard has never signed a FA to that much money and that many years combined. I believe it was around a 5 year, $75 million dollar deal. That wasn't offered by Ballard. It just wasn't if you know him since he's been GM 2.) If it was offered, it would have been leaked that Ballard made a big offer and that he turned us down to join the Bengals and that never happened on twitter, or by any local or national media source.

[Goatface Killah]

1 minute ago, throwing BBZ said:

 

 Let me fix that for you.

We could have Tried to sign Hendrickson. Oh, but perhaps we did try.

I wonder if Jared could screw up a teams cap space for 10 years in a single offseason as a GM? 

 

He certainly thinks you can just sign anybody at any time for any amount of money and everything will be fine.

[Goatface Killah]

1 minute ago, Jared Cisneros said:

1.) Ballard has never signed a FA to that much money and that many years combined. I believe it was around a 5 year, $75 million dollar deal. That wasn't offered by Ballard. It just wasn't if you know him since he's been GM 2.) If it was offered, it would have been leaked that Ballard made a big offer and that he turned us down to join the Bengals and that never happened on twitter, or by any local or national media source.

Deforest Buckner 

 

4 years 84 million

[Yoshinator]

2 minutes ago, Goatface Killah said:

Are they? Way better? Im not impressed with them at all, they look like a fringe playoff team to me. We arent far off from that.

 

Jared he had 1 descent half season. They lost their first round pick this year because they tried to replace him at one point. And yes people were saying the same things about Tua they are currently saying about Young this year. He is too small to hold up in the NFL. And it looks like that might be the case unfortunately. 

 

I wonder what you would be saying about Chris Ballard if he made a blunder like that? 

 

 

I would respect him for going after his guy, and I wouldn't blame him for getting concussions that were never on a scouting report in college. He is a near-elite QB when healthy. Unfortunately, he is just not healthy. 

Just now, Goatface Killah said:

Deforest Buckner 

 

4 years 84 million

That was a trade and re-sign, not a FA signing. We traded a 1st rounder to the 49ers for him in the beginning of the 2020 FA period. Ballard wasn't competing with other teams in FA. 

[Yoshinator]

3 minutes ago, Goatface Killah said:

I wonder if Jared could screw up a teams cap space for 10 years in a single offseason as a GM? 

 

He certainly thinks you can just sign anybody at any time for any amount of money and everything will be fine.

I would have someone to manage the cap space. I certainly wouldn't do it. Teams like KC can dabble in FA every year, draft well, and afford to pay Patrick Mahomes. Not sure why we can't do the same with a rookie QB that costs much less?

[Goatface Killah]

Just now, Jared Cisneros said:

I would respect him for going after his guy, and I wouldn't blame him for getting concussions that were never on a scouting report in college. He is a near-elite QB when healthy. Unfortunately, he is just not healthy. 

But Tua wasnt "his guy". And he cant stay healthy.

 

 

[richard pallo]

4 minutes ago, VikingsFanInChennai said:

cap space?!  

 

@NFLfan

Not a big deal really.  Teams find a way.

[Goatface Killah]

Just now, Jared Cisneros said:

I would have someone to manage the cap space. I certainly wouldn't do it. Teams like KC can dabble in FA every year, draft well, and afford to pay Patrick Mahomes. Not sure why we can't do the same with a rookie QB that costs much less?

Because we dont have Patrick Mahommes and Andy Reid.

[VikingsFanInChennai]

31 minutes ago, throwing BBZ said:

 

 Stafford said he was coming here until the Rams offered him such a great opportunity.

 Reich was convincing believing he could fix Wentz.

 Reich was convinced Ryan had the juice because we guaranteed him that $12M him for year Two, and surely Reich wanted to win.

 Thankfully Reich is gone.

I don't think it's fair to blame it all on Reich 

 

Understand about Wentz, is it 100% acknowledged only Reich wanted Ryan and Ballard wasn't? 

[Yoshinator]

Just now, Goatface Killah said:

But Tua wasnt "his guy". And he cant stay healthy.

 

 

Yep. apparently no one is his guy. He'll take who is leftover between 1 or 2 QBs this year. No conviction by Ballard. It seems Ballard doesn't want to draft a QB unless it's a Luck/Lawrence/Burrow type.

[Goatface Killah]

Just now, Jared Cisneros said:

Yep. apparently no one is his guy. He'll take who is leftover between 1 or 2 QBs this year. No conviction by Ballard. It seems Ballard doesn't want to draft a QB unless it's a Luck/Lawrence/Burrow type.

Yeah. He wants to draft a great, not good, QB.

 

Thats takes far more conviction than drafting a guy just because you need one.

[Yoshinator]

Just now, Goatface Killah said:

Because we dont have Patrick Mahommes and Andy Reid.

Having a rookie QB means we have extra cap space, and we have 4 years that that QB can win under a rookie deal. That means while he is making peanuts, you can pay FAs to start around him while continuing to also draft around him and putting him in the best position to win while he is cheap. Ballard did not take that into account and is not doing that this FA period knowing he will draft a QB.