Colts released Shaq Leonard

[w87r]

49 minutes ago, EasyE said:

I thought he was paid guaranteed money no matter what whether he was claimed or not. I'm probably wrong. The contract and money thing isn't my thing. Thought we saved tons of money cutting for after this season.

He was, it was a matter of who paid the remaining $6.1m for this season.

 

If he was claimed, the team that claimed him would of had to pay it.

 

Since he wasn't the Colts have to pay it.

 

 

 

And the Colts save $12.1m next season, while having $8m dead cap.(Was due to count for $20m against the cap)

[1959Colts]

If he is active, Based strictly on the depth chart, Stuard may see the most playing time, of all the backup LBs

 

https://www.colts.com/team/depth-chart

Updated Colts LB Depth Chart:

 

WLB: EJ Speed / Grant Stuard / Ronnie Harrison Jr

MLB:  Zaire Franklin / Segun Olubi 

SLB:  Grant Stuard / Cameron McGrone

 

 

[Two_pound]

All this Ballard bashing nonsense is pathetic. When have the Colts ever had a gm that was wildly successful and turned the team around in 2 years like "Nick Ceserio has with the Texans". Oh, maybe Ryan Grigson, after all he turned the Colts from a 2-14 team into an 11-5 playoff team in ONE year! Bill Polian is a hall of fame gm. But in reality he had the Colts stuck in mediocrity for 14 years. He had the greatest qb to ever play the game and won ONE Super Bowl. That is the definition of sucks my friends. Ballard haters really need to go away, you should become steeler fans, you know, a team with bottom-of- the -barrell talent but somehow still miraculously win games even while being out gained every time.Hahahaha, they must have a tremendous gm! If Ballard is such a bad gm, how did coach Reich ever have this team in the playoffs???? That question deserves some thought from you Ballard haters!! Have a nice day everyone.

[2006Coltsbestever]

1 hour ago, Two_pound said:

All this Ballard bashing nonsense is pathetic. When have the Colts ever had a gm that was wildly successful and turned the team around in 2 years like "Nick Ceserio has with the Texans". Oh, maybe Ryan Grigson, after all he turned the Colts from a 2-14 team into an 11-5 playoff team in ONE year! Bill Polian is a hall of fame gm. But in reality he had the Colts stuck in mediocrity for 14 years. He had the greatest qb to ever play the game and won ONE Super Bowl. That is the definition of sucks my friends. Ballard haters really need to go away, you should become steeler fans, you know, a team with bottom-of- the -barrell talent but somehow still miraculously win games even while being out gained every time.Hahahaha, they must have a tremendous gm! If Ballard is such a bad gm, how did coach Reich ever have this team in the playoffs???? That question deserves some thought from you Ballard haters!! Have a nice day everyone.

To me, the GM's that inherit a very good or great QB will look good or great. It is real easy to get one when you pick 1st in the draft. Polian had Peyton = pick 1, Grigson had greatLuck from 2012-2014 = pick 1, Tobin has Burrow = pick 1. When Ballard had a healthy Luck in 2018, we went 10-6 and won a playoff game. Nobody had a problem with Ballard then the way he was building the team, funny.

[Two_pound]

You are exactly right, dude!

[Zoltan]

12 hours ago, 1959Colts said:

If he is active, Based strictly on the depth chart, Stuard may see the most playing time, of all the backup LBs

 

https://www.colts.com/team/depth-chart

Updated Colts LB Depth Chart:

 

WLB: EJ Speed / Grant Stuard / Ronnie Harrison Jr

MLB:  Zaire Franklin / Segun Olubi 

SLB:  Grant Stuard / Cameron McGrone

 

 

It shows Ronnie Harrison as 3rd string but I’m curious if he becomes the primary backup for nickel, since he transitioned from safety I would imagine he has the best coverage skills of our linebackers. 

[Superman]

On 11/24/2023 at 6:41 AM, w87r said:

https://www.indystar.com/story/sports/nfl/colts/2023/11/24/colts-how-theyve-built-ronnie-harrison-into-their-newest-linebacker/71648881007/

 

 

 

Seems as if the Colts, have been building Harrison to up to move to LB since he got here.

 

 

Snippet from article:

"This was the timid energy he arrived with in Westfield. Then he started working with Gus Bradley and Richard Smith, who have combined for nearly half a century as either linebackers coaches or defensive coordinators. They explained to him that the Jaguars and Browns defenses he played in came from their tree of 4-3, Cover-3-heavy, Seattle-style philosophy.

 

Sometimes the strong safety and the WILL linebacker in our system act very similar," Bradley said. "So we had him in here at strong safety, and we thought, 'Let’s put him in at linebacker on the practice squad. We like his skill set, his ball skills and his speed, so let’s see if we can get him closer to the ball.

 

It's intriguing for sure."

 

 

 

When I first saw this, it made me feel a little bit better about the Harrison position switch. Rather than it being a spur of the moment change in response to the Leonard release, it appears to be something they were working on back in camp. He even got snaps at LB in preseason games. Maybe he actually gets on the field sooner than later.

[Superman]

On 11/24/2023 at 7:34 AM, richard pallo said:

Very good read.  I found it interesting how they let the practice squad members, who show well , practice with the first team for the last eight plays or so.  They clearly have plans in place to develop and reward players for their performance.  Harrison appears to have met their expectations so there’s a good chance Ballard might have found another gem.  I’m looking forward to seeing him out there.  Go Colts.

 

That was one of the most encouraging parts of the article, IMO. 

[NewColtsFan]

On 11/25/2023 at 6:12 AM, Two_pound said:

All this Ballard bashing nonsense is pathetic. When have the Colts ever had a gm that was wildly successful and turned the team around in 2 years like "Nick Ceserio has with the Texans". Oh, maybe Ryan Grigson, after all he turned the Colts from a 2-14 team into an 11-5 playoff team in ONE year! Bill Polian is a hall of fame gm. But in reality he had the Colts stuck in mediocrity for 14 years. He had the greatest qb to ever play the game and won ONE Super Bowl. That is the definition of sucks my friends. Ballard haters really need to go away, you should become steeler fans, you know, a team with bottom-of- the -barrell talent but somehow still miraculously win games even while being out gained every time.Hahahaha, they must have a tremendous gm! If Ballard is such a bad gm, how did coach Reich ever have this team in the playoffs???? That question deserves some thought from you Ballard haters!! Have a nice day everyone.

Bill Polian had the Colts stuck in mediocrity?     Am I reading this right?   
 

The Colts were the second winningest franchise behind only New England during the Manning years and you’re calling that mediocrity.  Because the Colts didn’t win a second Super Bowl?!?   Really?!? 
 

Wowza!  Wowza!  WOWZA!!!     

 

It’s game day so I’ll drop this so the day doesn’t to start off badly.   I appreciated your attempt to back Ballard, but the rest?  Not so much…. 
 

Holy Cow!!    

[2006Coltsbestever]

1 minute ago, NewColtsFan said:

Bill Polian had the Colts stuck in mediocrity?     Am I reading this right?   
 

The Colts were the second winningest franchise behind only New England during the Manning years and you’re calling that mediocrity.  Wowza!  Wowza!  WOWZA!!!     

 

It’s game day so I’ll drop this so the day doesn’t to start off badly.   I appreciated your attempt to back Ballard, but the rest?  Not so much…. 
 

Holy Cow!!    

Polian did a great job in reality up until his last 2 or 3 years. He did have Peyton though. Having said that, look at what he did with the Bills. That was real impressive too. 

[Blueblood23]

13 minutes ago, 2006Coltsbestever said:

Polian did a great job in reality up until his last 2 or 3 years. He did have Peyton though. Having said that, look at what he did with the Bills. That was real impressive too. 

He only won one championship with Manning. I don’t consider that doing a great job. 

[2006Coltsbestever]

4 minutes ago, Blueblood23 said:

He only won one championship with Manning. I don’t consider that doing a great job. 

People act like winning a SB is easy  . He won one and won 70% of his games with Peyton + went to 2 SB's. On what scale isn't that great? I guess if we compare him/Colts to New England's success than he wasn't great but nobody else was either then. 

[Yoshinator]

17 minutes ago, 2006Coltsbestever said:

People act like winning a SB is easy  . He won one and won 70% of his games with Peyton + went to 2 SB's. On what scale isn't that great? I guess if we compare him/Colts to New England's success than he wasn't great but nobody else was either then. 

I'm not saying I could coach or GM a SB win with Manning as the QB, but I am saying that any GM or coach who is qualified to be in the NFL should be able to achieve that with Peyton Manning as their first pick as a GM or coach. Top 3 QB of all time and that's all you can achieve in 14 years? 1 SB? You have to be extremely unlucky or extremely bad. QBs on Peytons level like Brady and Montana won much more than him with the Pats and 49ers. 

 

I think it was proven that Polian held Peyton back with a poor team when Peyton went to the Broncos and achieved in 4 years there what he achieved in 14 years on the Colts in the ending part of his career (2 SB appearances and a SB win). Elway was a bad GM as well. All it took was a big FA class to build around Peyton and a good team. Polian wasn't willing to spend in FA just like Ballard.

[NewColtsFan]

16 minutes ago, Jared Cisneros said:

I'm not saying I could coach or GM a SB win with Manning as the QB, but I am saying that any GM or coach who is qualified to be in the NFL should be able to achieve that with Peyton Manning as their first pick as a GM or coach. Top 3 QB of all time and that's all you can achieve in 14 years? 1 SB? You have to be extremely unlucky or extremely bad. QBs on Peytons level like Brady and Montana won much more than him with the Pats and 49ers. 

 

I think it was proven that Polian held Peyton back with a poor team when Peyton went to the Broncos and achieved in 4 years there what he achieved in 14 years on the Colts in the ending part of his career (2 SB appearances and a SB win). Elway was a bad GM as well. All it took was a big FA class to build around Peyton and a good team. Polian wasn't willing to spend in FA just like Ballard.

Dear God…

 

The Colts went to TWO Super Bowls, but they only won one.   And you’re not going to blame Polian because you lost to the Saints are you?!?   (Please say no!)

 

 

[Yoshinator]

2 minutes ago, NewColtsFan said:

Dear God…

 

The Colts went to TWO Super Bowls, but they only won one.   And you’re not going to blame Polian because you lost to the Saints are you?!?   (Please say no!)

 

 

I can handle losing a SB. That doesn't bug me because of the difficulty level of the opponent and the randomness of one game (although I'd like to win). What bugs me is having a top 3 QB of all time, only getting to the SB twice, and only winning it once in 14 years. Peyton could have been a Dan Marino story for the Colts. He did the minimum that QBs half as good as him did. Then he duplicated what he did for the Colts on the Broncos because they had a better overall team. 

 

Peyton's career was a disappointment on the Colts considering how great he was. Sorry, but that's the truth. In any other situation with any other team, he does the same or better. We got the minimum out of him. 

[NewColtsFan]

1 minute ago, Jared Cisneros said:

I can handle losing a SB. That doesn't bug me because of the difficulty level of the opponent and the randomness of one game (although I'd like to win). What bugs me is having a top 3 QB of all time, only getting to the SB twice, and only winning it once in 14 years. Peyton could have been a Dan Marino story for the Colts. He did the minimum that QBs half as good as him did. Then he duplicated what he did for the Colts on the Broncos because they had a better overall team. 

 

Peyton's career was a disappointment on the Colts considering how great he was. Sorry, but that's the truth. In any other situation with any other team, he does the same or better. We got the minimum out of him. 

How unbelievably sad.   And it’s not the truth.   It’s your opinion.   That’s the truth. 

[chad72]

57 minutes ago, 2006Coltsbestever said:

People act like winning a SB is easy  . He won one and won 70% of his games with Peyton + went to 2 SB's. On what scale isn't that great? I guess if we compare him/Colts to New England's success than he wasn't great but nobody else was either then. 

Exactly!!! The disappointment is understandable but not grounded in reality. From 2003-2011 when Peyton was sent away as a Colt, Brady won 3, Big Ben 2, Eli 2, Brees 1, Rodgers 1, Peyton 1. It was definitely favoring the AFC at that point and if Eli is any proof, winning SBs was about cashing in at the right time with the right defensive cast. No one would talk about those Giants teams as dominant but they raised their levels in D and coaching come playoff time.

 

I will grant this. Based on history, Polian’s teams were great in the regular season even with the Bills but fell short against the more physical teams in the SB. That theme continued with the Colts too except for 1 occasion. Polian built teams thus finished 1-5 in SBs.

SBs are team accomplishments. Brees and Rodgers haven’t been to a second SB and I’d consider them better QBs than Eli and Big Ben. SBs don’t grow on trees.

[Yoshinator]

11 minutes ago, NewColtsFan said:

How unbelievably sad.   And it’s not the truth.   It’s your opinion.   That’s the truth. 

Please don't tell me it's sad. You weren't a fan of the Colts during the Manning days. You didn't live through the Pats rivalry when it was real. Manning Vs Brady. We got the short end of the stick almost every year. We choked in the playoffs a ton. It was heartbreaking to continually lose with the best QB in the game. Year after year. QBs half as good as Peyton were making or winning the SB. Eli won more SBs on the Giants than Peyton won on the Colts. 

 

It was sad that Peyton did the same on Denver as he did on the Colts in 10 less years. I'm actually ok with him going to Denver too, because he wouldn't have won another one here (and made two more). Peyton should have made 4 SBs and won 2 here. Instead, he had to go to Denver to carve out a HOF career that made him comparable to the all-time greats. There was always that stigma that he wasn't top 5 because he only won 1 SB. It took a new team and a better overall roster for the first time in his career to achieve what he should have done here. 

 

I wish we could have gotten those achievements only on the Colts. On another subject, Luck should have had a career Peyton had and he didn't. We have had criminally bad luck with how we perform in the playoffs. We underperformed with Manning and Luck, and we'll be lucky to ever make or win a SB again at this rate with how great the AFC is. 

[chad72]

7 minutes ago, Jared Cisneros said:

We underperformed with Manning and Luck, and we'll be lucky to ever make or win a SB again at this rate with how great the AFC is. 

Never say never. You see every team in the AFC has some weaknesses and for all we know, we can strike rich like Eli’s teams did in the playoffs.

 

You put a competent QB and WR with our squad, we can contend for the division, I’m certain. AR can be that QB if available, given how well Steichen has game planned, despite Minshew’s shortcomings. 
 

Then it’s about getting into the playoffs and rising to the occasion. Windows don’t stay open forever even with QBs like Mahomes and Burrow, that’s where our hope lies.

[w87r]

 

Chuck gets it.

 

 

[2006Coltsbestever]

In the Polia era, my only regret was not winning SB 44 and him pulling the plug on a chance to go undefeated that same year when we were 14-0. We could have closed that decade out by winning that 2nd SB and going undefeated. The other playoff losses bothered me but twice we lost to the Pats who simply had the better all-around team and better Coach. Tom Brady was even great enough back then to not screw things up. We probably would have won in 2003 had it not been for the Pats. I am sure we would have. 

[Blueblood23]

2 hours ago, 2006Coltsbestever said:

In the Polia era, my only regret was not winning SB 44 and him pulling the plug on a chance to go undefeated that same year when we were 14-0. We could have closed that decade out by winning that 2nd SB and going undefeated. The other playoff losses bothered me but twice we lost to the Pats who simply had the better all-around team and better Coach. Tom Brady was even great enough back then to not screw things up. We probably would have won in 2003 had it not been for the Pats. I am sure we would have. 

And had Polian made the roster just a player or two better the Colts would have won another championship or two with Manning. Manning made Polian look better than he was.

[Hawkeyecolt]

Polian really just did one thing wrong in my opinion.  He refused to go get the three technique DT for that defense. Reagor was a good not great player until his accident.  It wasn’t until they traded for Simon that he really addressed the missing piece. Unfortunately, he got bamboozled by Simon on his extension. Then he went and got Booger to fill the position but for the most part they were always missing a DT. 
 

The other thing he did wrong was hand things over the his son Chris Polian but Bill Polian had one foot out the door then. 

[NewColtsFan]

10 hours ago, Jared Cisneros said:

I can handle losing a SB. That doesn't bug me because of the difficulty level of the opponent and the randomness of one game (although I'd like to win). What bugs me is having a top 3 QB of all time, only getting to the SB twice, and only winning it once in 14 years. Peyton could have been a Dan Marino story for the Colts. He did the minimum that QBs half as good as him did. Then he duplicated what he did for the Colts on the Broncos because they had a better overall team. 

 

Peyton's career was a disappointment on the Colts considering how great he was. Sorry, but that's the truth. In any other situation with any other team, he does the same or better. We got the minimum out of him. 

This is off the top of my head….  So I might be off a bit or I might leave someone out.   Not all QB’s are future HoF, but this shows how hard it is to win two SBs. 
 

Brett Favre, one Super Bowl.  Won

Aaron Rogers, one Super Bowl.   Won

 

Ben Roethlisberger,  two SB wins, including one when he was young and did almost nothing but hand the ball to Jerome Bettis

 

Kurt Warner, two SB, won one early in his career, lost one late in his career

Steve Young, one SB.   Won

 

Russell Wilson, two SBs with a Hall of Fame HC and one of the top-5 defenses of alltime.    Won one. 

 

My point is that winning two SBs is HARD.  Heck, in some cases just getting to two SBs is hard.  
 

Trying to play down all the great achievements of Polian because the Colts didn’t win two is a HORRIBLE take based only on your opinion.  
 

More to come about Polian, but likely NOT tonight. 

 

[Dark Superman]

This one is gonna hurt for a very long time because 53 was on pace to be a first-ballot Hall of fame inductee and a generational talent. He was on a record-setting pace, unlike anyone who played the same position before him. By far the best Colts linebacker in history and before the injury he was definitely one of the best of all time. I understand the Colts' decision to waive him because he clearly is nowhere near the same player he once had been. A big part of me would like to see him sit out the rest of the season and continue to rehab throughout the off-season. Maybe sign with a team during training camp if he feels like things are heading in the right direction. But if he still isn't anywhere close to being the player he once was, he should highly consider retirement.

[Two_pound]

OK, I see I have to explain my opinion of Polian having the Colts "stuck" in mediocrity. I was making a comparison for all the "Ballard haters" on this forum who can't see the truth. Yes, we won 78% of our games from 2002-2010 and went to 2 Super Bowls. Big deal, we had the greatest qb to ever play the game. Manning went to Denver and went to 2 superbowls in 4 seasons with a car salesman for a gm. And what has Denver done since Manning left? How can anyone * about Ballard? This team was even competitive for 5 years with Reich coaching. I've been a Colt fan for over 55 years and the Manning years were the best years as a Colt fan in my lifetime. But anyone who thinks Ballard is a failure, how can you say Polian wasn't a "failure" also? I'll say it again, the Ballard haters need to go and become steeler fans, they obviously would love rooting for that disastrous roster of a team. Sorry I ruffled some feathers with my "mediocrity" comment. Look at what Ballard has done and he's had an nfl-caliber qb for just 2 of his 7 years here. Keep up the great work Ballard!

[lester]

26 minutes ago, Two_pound said:

with a car salesman for a gm.

 

[2006Coltsbestever]

30 minutes ago, Two_pound said:

OK, I see I have to explain my opinion of Polian having the Colts "stuck" in mediocrity. I was making a comparison for all the "Ballard haters" on this forum who can't see the truth. Yes, we won 78% of our games from 2002-2010 and went to 2 Super Bowls. Big deal, we had the greatest qb to ever play the game. Manning went to Denver and went to 2 superbowls in 4 seasons with a car salesman for a gm. And what has Denver done since Manning left? How can anyone * about Ballard? This team was even competitive for 5 years with Reich coaching. I've been a Colt fan for over 55 years and the Manning years were the best years as a Colt fan in my lifetime. But anyone who thinks Ballard is a failure, how can you say Polian wasn't a "failure" also? I'll say it again, the Ballard haters need to go and become steeler fans, they obviously would love rooting for that disastrous roster of a team. Sorry I ruffled some feathers with my "mediocrity" comment. Look at what Ballard has done and he's had an nfl-caliber qb for just 2 of his 7 years here. Keep up the great work Ballard!

I like Ballard, I think he is a top 15 GM in the league = top Half. He was dealt a raw hand when Luck retired. Some of the moves Ballard has made have been great. I pointed out like 10 moves that Ballard has made between draft picks and picking up FA's which have been either good or great on another thread months ago. I think the hiring of Shane was a brilliant hire. So, I am not a Ballard hater.

 

I just had a problem with you saying that Polian had us stuck in mediocrity. Winning 78% of your games and winning a SB, going to 2 over 9 years is not mediocre. That is great on any level. I get it we had Peyton, but it is tough for any QB to win more than 1 SB. If it was easy, Aaron Rodgers and Drew Brees would have done it. They only won 1 SB, does that make the Packers and Saints FO mediocre? Answer is easy, NO. There have been other franchises that have won 2 SB's in a short period of time with just good QB's like the Giants for example but that is rare. They caught lightning in a bottle and were 100% healthy going into the playoffs when they won in 2007 and 2011. Dan Marino won 0 SB's with Don Shula and Shula is a top 5 coach of all-time.

[Superman]

On 11/26/2023 at 7:56 AM, NewColtsFan said:

Bill Polian had the Colts stuck in mediocrity?     Am I reading this right?   
 

The Colts were the second winningest franchise behind only New England during the Manning years and you’re calling that mediocrity.  Because the Colts didn’t win a second Super Bowl?!?   Really?!? 
 

Wowza!  Wowza!  WOWZA!!!     

 

It’s game day so I’ll drop this so the day doesn’t to start off badly.   I appreciated your attempt to back Ballard, but the rest?  Not so much…. 
 

Holy Cow!!    

 

I have major nitpicks with Bill Polian over the years, and I think the Colts could have done better in the playoffs if he was a little less rigid. I also think whatever share of responsibility he had with his son at the end was a big problem, and resulted in the roster quality deteriorating over the course of about 3 seasons.

 

That said, I don't think Colts fans collectively have enough appreciation for how hard it is to be that good for that long, with or without a great QB. It's explicitly displayed in statements like 'stuck in mediocrity.' I think there's a great deal of residual entitlement from those good years as well, which contributes to some unreasonable expectations, and lack of appreciation for relative success that doesn't culminate in SB wins. And at the same time, an inferiority complex because the Patriots overshadowed everyone for the better part of two decades.

 

So yeah, there will be crazy talk from time to time.

[RollerColt]

On 11/26/2023 at 12:36 PM, w87r said:

 

Chuck gets it.

 

 

Can I just say that it really says something that Chuck still covers and supports this team and organization. 
 

Not to mention, he’s gotten a lot better with his speaking abilities. He’s actually fairly eloquent now compared to his coach speak days. 
 

I see you, Chuck and I appreciate you! 

[Two_pound]

Just to be clear I am a fan of Polian, even though we should have won way more than we did with Peyton. My issue with the "Ballard haters" is it is my opinion that Ballard has been far more successful in his first 7 years as Colt gm than Polian was in his first 7 years, CONSIDERING Polian had Manning. Polian's first 6 complete seasons: 2 playoff wins, Ballard first 6 complete seasons: 1 playoff win. Does anyone ever think what this team may have done if Luck hadn't retired? If Richardson is the real deal(and I believe he is, good job Ballard) and can stay healthy we will exceed what the Polian-Manning years accomplished, probably won't win any more than 1 Super Bowl because apparently there is a clause in the league bylaws that prohibits the Colts from winning it.