Colts offseason discussion / Ballard Grievances (merge)

[Crunked]

11 minutes ago, DoubleE Colt said:

So...........have we improved for the 40 mill or so spent then? 

I would say to this point we have held serve. Re-signing our own, gaining some DT depth and losing a FS.....hopefully we will gain some traction today or at least soon..... 

[Breeze]

30 minutes ago, DoubleE Colt said:

So...........have we improved for the 40 mill or so spent then? 

Yes.  We retained key players, added depth, and our young guys have another year experience.  Did other teams improve?  Debatable.  It’s give and take.  For every key player they signed from another team, they lost a key player of their own. 

[DoubleE Colt]

3 minutes ago, Breeze said:

Yes.  We retained key players, added depth, and our young guys have another year experience.  Did other teams improve?  Debatable.  It’s give and take.  For every key player they signed from another team, they lost a key player of their own. 

Is the depth we've added better than the depth last year? And young guys having another year doesn't necessarily equate to improving a team. Kind of feel were in the treading water phase

[Chucklez]

In the great words of Monty Python: And now for something completely different.

We have to assume we are looking to bring in at least 1 vet CB right? If the Snead trade doesnt happen, surely we are looking at Fuller or even bringing Stephon Gilmore back for 1 more year? What you guys think?

[Chucklez]

22 minutes ago, DoubleE Colt said:

Is the depth we've added better than the depth last year? And young guys having another year doesn't necessarily equate to improving a team. Kind of feel were in the treading water phase

Keeping a consistent core is very arguably getting better. There isnt much of that i nthe league due to how free agency typically works and there is proven historical success for consistently running it back with core players. Especially when you consider that last season we nearly broke into the playoffs with Minshew at QB. Come on man. This is a good team.

[NewColtsFan]

16 hours ago, Superman said:

 

Thanks for answering. And to be clear, your posts have not bothered me at all. I appreciate a robust discussion.

 

Something I find ironic is being encouraged by Ballard signing a FA who is rated poorly by PFF. Especially when PFF's grades and charting indicate that Davis is not a serious pass rush threat.

 

As for the link to the new DL coach, I guess we'll see. The guy comes highly regarded, I hope he helps get the best out of the players we have, and in general I like the outside hire at a crucial position. But everyone seems awfully deferential to the approach of a guy who has never coached in the NFL. If Ballard is taking cues from Partridge as it relates to team building and resource allocation, it raises serious questions for me. Especially when this decision, IMO, speaks to a continued resistance by the Colts to upgrade the roster in the areas that I think are important for winning in the modern NFL.

 

And that's the big thing for me, and why maybe you sense a different tone in my posting. For the record, I've stated in the past that I think it's time for Ballard and Co. to get this thing going, and now that we have the coach and the QB (presumably), the rest of the roster should be tuned up. It's appropriate for the discussion around Ballard -- his methods, and the results -- to change at this point.

 

Specifically in this case, I think we're deficient in pass defense and pass rush, and that we should be committing resources to improve those areas. Instead, we committed resources to players that are themselves deficient in those areas -- Franklin isn't good in coverage, Grover isn't a difference making pass rusher, and Davis is less of a pass rusher than Grover. And that limits the resources we can use on players who might help improve the pass rush and pass coverage. At least Tyquan Lewis is a productive pass rusher, but he's not exactly going to be the foundation of a great pass rush.

 

So it's not about the individual decisions. It's about the overall direction of the roster. I'm happy to be proven wrong, because what I ultimately want is for the Colts to be good and to contend for championships. But I think decisions this offseason will limit our ability to improve in these critical areas. Keeping Gus Bradley, and then paying three defenders who don't help improve our pass defense, these decisions are somewhat discouraging to me. I think they could combine to put a limit on our defensive potential.

 

And if the new DL coach is influencing the roster building to the degree that we're spending $96m on the defensive front in a way that probably doesn't improve the pass defense or the pass rush, then it dampens my enthusiasm for him also. More likely, Ballard is making these moves because -- as he's always said -- he believes building the trenches is as important as anything else when it comes to team building. Charlie Partridge doesn't need to nudge him in this direction, IMO; this is Ballard's own DNA.

In the spirit of robust discussion….  
 

Im not sure I understood a sentence you wrote.   Honestly.    Apologies, this will be a long response.   
 

Your second paragraph….  About Davis is not a serious pass rush threat.  Why would he be?   He reportedly weighs 325-335.   He’s a pure nose tackle.  His game is stopping the run.   So is Stewart’s.   Why would Davis be a pass rushing threat?

Ironically, Stewart’s value was clearly established when he was suspended for 6 weeks.   The Colts couldn’t stop the run between the tackles.   Thats why we brought Stewart back and have now brought Davis in to support that.  Bryan was a failure.  And your whole focus on Davis is that he brings no pass rush.  By positional definition, he’s not supposed to.   And I think you know this. 
 

Next paragraph…. “If Ballard is taking cues from Partridge about team building and asset allocation”.   Huh?   First, all Partridge is doing is telling Ballard if he likes the player or not, can he help the Colts or not.  Like Reggie Wayne said I like Josh Downs.   But he’s not telling Ballard how much to pay Davis.   That’s entirely up to Ballard.  Partridge has zero impact on asset allocation.   He's there to make every DLineman as good as he can be.  And that’s all.   Remember, Partridge could’ve looked at Davis and said no.  If you like the Partridge hire, then you have to think Davis is going to be the backup to Stewart that Taven Bryan never was.   I don’t blame Partridge for Ballard paying Davis 2/14.  I think Ballard and Bradley have a big vision for Davis.  
 

Next paragraph…. You’re back complaining that Stewart and Davis bring nothing to the pass rush.   I don’t know why you bother saying this.  By definition their job is to stop the run.  Period.  And the resource the Colts can use to help the pass rush is Charlie Partridge!   Thats why the Colts hired him.   To make every DL the Colts have even better.   I don’t know why you’re not celebrating the hire?   The fact CP hasn’t coached in the NFL means zero to me.  He was wanted by multiple NFL teams.   He was wanted by Saban at Alabama.   Partridge picked the Colts.  I think he’s a Rock Star! 
 

As to the direction of the roster….   I understand the very strong concern.   The Franklin contract was a shock to everyone.  But I have to believe Ballard signed guys like Stewart, Davis and Franklin because those guys were getting offers that the Colts had to meet or exceed.   And the Colts are seriously concerned about stopping the run.   More pass rush is coming in the draft.  And more pass rush is coming from the new DL coach.   The odd thing to me is this…. For years you’ve been among the leaders telling posters here Ballard will make his moves in the 2nd week.   Now you appear to flip sides and are among those complaining about the moves he’s made the first 3 days, even though he’s done more this year than any another first week of FA that Ballard has had. 

 

To be clear….  I think a lot of this is Ballard-fatigue.  Years of making the same arguments over and over again, with not enough to show for it.  I get it.  But I’m on record as saying I think Ballard’s seat is hotter than some think it is.  If things don’t get better soon, I can see Irsay throwing a fit like he did when he fired Frank.  Not saying this season, but sooner than some think.   I hope things will be better for all when we see how FA and the draft plays out.  I’m hopeful there will be better days ahead. 
 

Apologies again for this long response.   If I’ve somehow misunderstood or misinterpreted your meaning I’m sure you’ll straighten me out. 

 

[2006Coltsbestever]

If we can land Sneed or Simmons, this would be an excellent Free Agency. I'm pleased with bringing back Moore, Grover, and I thought we handled the Pittman situation perfectly. I like the big guy we got from Miami. That guy has some Girth.

[Chucklez]

2 minutes ago, NewColtsFan said:

But I’m on record as saying I think Ballard’s seat is hotter than some think it is.  If things don’t get better soon, I can see Irsay throwing a fit like he did when he fired Frank.  Not saying this season, but sooner than some think. 

Not to completely boil your post down to this, but I just wanted to reply to this specifically.

I could easily see Irsay letting Ballard go if we dont make the playoffs this season, bare minimum. I don't think that is a hot take at all anymore. It is finally put up or shut up time for Ballard.

For the record, I have always liked Ballard and his approach, i think he was severely hamstrung by the Luck retiring situation for a long time, but that hasnt been a valid excuse for a couple years now. I think he has been unlucky with the way some things have broken (I find it hard to believe that we dont win at least 1 more game last year if we had Isaiah Rodgers in the backfield - we were hemorhaging yards in the secondary last year - just one example). But it is absolutely no excuses, 100% put up or shut up time i think.

[csmopar]

9 hours ago, 1959Colts said:

Well. I was just saying, I would have liked for Sam to have gotten a chance. And if he stunk, then go with the rookie QB, or vice versa. The Flacco signing is the same thing again. Like Minshew was.

I can understand that but you led your debate with concern that Flacco couldn’t get wins if he played. There’s no guarantee that Sam E would. And for the sake of clarity, I was in similar mindset as you at first when they signed Minshew last year. 
 

worst case, we get a higher draft pick and Ballard is gone like many on here want. Best case AR turns into a superstar. Most likely, it’ll be in between those 

[dw49]

1 hour ago, Crunked said:

I would say to this point we have held serve. Re-signing our own, gaining some DT depth and losing a FS.....hopefully we will gain some traction today or at least soon..... 

 

That's  exactly what I was thinking.

[Dingus McGirt]

8 hours ago, CardiacColts said:

You are even more astute than I realized. Life is all about energy transfer. We ride the highs as long as we can, and we weather the lows until we rip the next wave! Energy is our most overlooked commodity. I have to reserve a lot of it on the forum because I use it all up on game day lol. 

One's goal should be to achieve Homeostasis.  :^)

 

[throwing BBZ]

1 hour ago, NewColtsFan said:

In the spirit of robust discussion….  
 

Im not sure I understood a sentence you wrote.   Honestly.    Apologies, this will be a long response.   
 

Your second paragraph….  About Davis is not a serious pass rush threat.  Why would he be?   He reportedly weighs 325-335.   He’s a pure nose tackle.  His game is stopping the run.   So is Stewart’s.   Why would Davis be a pass rushing threat?

Ironically, Stewart’s value was clearly established when he was suspended for 6 weeks.   The Colts couldn’t stop the run between the tackles.   Thats why we brought Stewart back and have now brought Davis in to support that.  Bryan was a failure.  And your whole focus on Davis is that he brings no pass rush.  By positional definition, he’s not supposed to.   And I think you know this. 
 

Next paragraph…. “If Ballard is taking cues from Partridge about team building and asset allocation”.   Huh?   First, all Partridge is doing is telling Ballard if he likes the player or not, can he help the Colts or not.  Like Reggie Wayne said I like Josh Downs.   But he’s not telling Ballard how much to pay Davis.   That’s entirely up to Ballard.  Partridge has zero impact on asset allocation.   He's there to make every DLineman as good as he can be.  And that’s all.   Remember, Partridge could’ve looked at Davis and said no.  If you like the Partridge hire, then you have to think Davis is going to be the backup to Stewart that Taven Bryan never was.   I don’t blame Partridge for Ballard paying Davis 2/14.  I think Ballard and Bradley have a big vision for Davis.  
 

Next paragraph…. You’re back complaining that Stewart and Davis bring nothing to the pass rush.   I don’t know why you bother saying this.  By definition their job is to stop the run.  Period.  And the resource the Colts can use to help the pass rush is Charlie Partridge!   Thats why the Colts hired him.   To make every DL the Colts have even better.   I don’t know why you’re not celebrating the hire?   The fact CP hasn’t coached in the NFL means zero to me.  He was wanted by multiple NFL teams.   He was wanted by Saban at Alabama.   Partridge picked the Colts.  I think he’s a Rock Star! 
 

As to the direction of the roster….   I understand the very strong concern.   The Franklin contract was a shock to everyone.  But I have to believe Ballard signed guys like Stewart, Davis and Franklin because those guys were getting offers that the Colts had to meet or exceed.   And the Colts are seriously concerned about stopping the run.   More pass rush is coming in the draft.  And more pass rush is coming from the new DL coach.   The odd thing to me is this…. For years you’ve been among the leaders telling posters here Ballard will make his moves in the 2nd week.   Now you appear to flip sides and are among those complaining about the moves he’s made the first 3 days, even though he’s done more this year than any another first week of FA that Ballard has had. 

 

To be clear….  I think a lot of this is Ballard-fatigue.  Years of making the same arguments over and over again, with not enough to show for it.  I get it.  But I’m on record as saying I think Ballard’s seat is hotter than some think it is.  If things don’t get better soon, I can see Irsay throwing a fit like he did when he fired Frank.  Not saying this season, but sooner than some think.   I hope things will be better for all when we see how FA and the draft plays out.  I’m hopeful there will be better days ahead. 
 

Apologies again for this long response.   If I’ve somehow misunderstood or misinterpreted your meaning I’m sure you’ll straighten me out. 

 

 

 When the QB drops to pass our 4 man d-lines job is to get to the passer.

Grover means we are rushing with 3. Now his backup is even worse, rather than at least somewhat better. Seems like buffoonery. Not complicated.

 Franklin should be out of the game in passing situations. Ditto.

 Ballard/Dodds secondary build looks hopeless today. Their big 4 year development project with Blackmon, he is decent, is a bust. Let him walk because he isn't the guy to build a really good D with. It's sad.

 Is Speed going to be better all-around than Franklin? You going to pay him $10M for our March to the SB? 

 Ballard/Dodds have a vision for mediocrity. Our wheels are spinning in the mud.

 Kenny is good, but if he has to chase someone across the field he is toast like a rookie. We are not going anywhere anytime soon with our roster, so investing in players that bring a certain level of mediocrity so we can make another run at 9-8 doesn't bring real hope to the Ultimate mission.

 Nothing complicated about this. 

 

 

[Dingus McGirt]

9 minutes ago, throwing BBZ said:

 

 When the QB drops to pass our 4 man d-lines job is to get to the passer.

Grover means we are rushing with 3. Now his backup is even worse, rather than at least somewhat better. Seems like buffoonery. Not complicated.

 Franklin should be out of the game in passing situations. Ditto.

 Ballard/Dodds secondary build looks hopeless today. Their big 4 year development project with Blackmon, he is decent, is a bust. Let him walk because he isn't the guy to build a really good D with. It's sad.

 Is Speed going to be better all-around than Franklin? You going to pay him $10M for our March to the SB? 

 Ballard/Dodds have a vision for mediocrity. Our wheels are spinning in the mud.

 Kenny is good, but if he has to chase someone across the field he is toast like a rookie. We are not going anywhere anytime soon with our roster, so investing in players that bring a certain level of mediocrity so we can make another run at 9-8 doesn't bring real hope to the Ultimate mission.

 Nothing complicated about this. 

 

 

So - more of the same?  Your post is a bit ironic. Don't ya think?

[MikeCurtis]

10 hours ago, 1959Colts said:

Yeah. I get what you are saying... But really the only way to see if a guy can play, is to let him play.

It's all just judgement. Even the Colts staff and FO don't really know, outside of practice, since he hasn't played in a meaningful game, excluding preseason (where he usually excels) and when he was thrown out there with a terrible line.

Oh well, it is what it is, Have to hope AR can stay healthy (and not suck) or if he does... Hope Flacco can come in and look like he did in those few Browns games at the end of last season.

I may be looking at this wrong, but I always would like a QB3 with a growth path

 

Someone like Milton has all the tools to be successful, but if gets a little better in the next 2-3 years, he may

(Heaven forbid) if AR fails (Possible) he could be the guy.

 

Or......

 

He will get some time on the field the next two years, and people notice, and we get 3rd round draft offers (or better) for him.

 

Either way, in a QB starved league, having a developed talent can serve the team in many ways

 

If after 2 years, the team is still not thinking that Sam is ready to be even a back up......  maybe time to move on

[stitches]

1 hour ago, NewColtsFan said:

In the spirit of robust discussion….  
 

Im not sure I understood a sentence you wrote.   Honestly.    Apologies, this will be a long response.   
 

Your second paragraph….  About Davis is not a serious pass rush threat.  Why would he be?   He reportedly weighs 325-335.   He’s a pure nose tackle.  His game is stopping the run.   So is Stewart’s.   Why would Davis be a pass rushing threat?

Ironically, Stewart’s value was clearly established when he was suspended for 6 weeks.   The Colts couldn’t stop the run between the tackles.   Thats why we brought Stewart back and have now brought Davis in to support that.  Bryan was a failure.  And your whole focus on Davis is that he brings no pass rush.  By positional definition, he’s not supposed to.   And I think you know this. 
 

Next paragraph…. “If Ballard is taking cues from Partridge about team building and asset allocation”.   Huh?   First, all Partridge is doing is telling Ballard if he likes the player or not, can he help the Colts or not.  Like Reggie Wayne said I like Josh Downs.   But he’s not telling Ballard how much to pay Davis.   That’s entirely up to Ballard.  Partridge has zero impact on asset allocation.   He's there to make every DLineman as good as he can be.  And that’s all.   Remember, Partridge could’ve looked at Davis and said no.  If you like the Partridge hire, then you have to think Davis is going to be the backup to Stewart that Taven Bryan never was.   I don’t blame Partridge for Ballard paying Davis 2/14.  I think Ballard and Bradley have a big vision for Davis.  
 

You keep not understanding @Superman 's and my worries about asset allocation. Roster construction is a zero sum game. When you put resources in one area this means that those resources cannot be put in another area. When you keep hammering the run defense .... investing and overinvesting and trippling down on it and paying 40M+ for your DTs and 7M for backup run stuffing nose tackle and 10+M for what is essentially run stuffing linebacker, this means that money now cannot be spent on things that are much bigger concerns for this team and coincidentally those are things that actually correlate with winning much more than run defense in the modern NFL. 

 

I like Partridge's hire too... but his job is not player evaluation and roster management. His job is to coach the players he's given. That's why I find it so weird that you keep deferring to Partridge's opinion, when we don't even know what his opinion is. It can range from "meh... i'm ok with this guy, probably can work with it but don't sweat it if you can't get him" to "OMG, please, please, please find a way to bring him to me. He's amazing and the missing piece". What we know is that this is Ballard's job to decide whether to pursue him and what limits to set on an offer to him. 

 

Well now it's done and whatever visions they have of him, his actual play will depend on Davis's talent, skill and Partridge's ability to get the best of him. 

 

1 hour ago, NewColtsFan said:

 

Next paragraph…. You’re back complaining that Stewart and Davis bring nothing to the pass rush.   I don’t know why you bother saying this.  By definition their job is to stop the run.  Period.  And the resource the Colts can use to help the pass rush is Charlie Partridge!   Thats why the Colts hired him.   To make every DL the Colts have even better.   I don’t know why you’re not celebrating the hire?   The fact CP hasn’t coached in the NFL means zero to me.  He was wanted by multiple NFL teams.   He was wanted by Saban at Alabama.   Partridge picked the Colts.  I think he’s a Rock Star! 
 

Again... don't want to answer for Superman, but this is because of apparent focus in Ballard's roster building philosophy. We complain that they bring nothing to the pass-rush, because it's the pass rush that needs one of the biggest improvements. not the run-stuffing. And by investing in them and not someone else who is more pass-rush proficient, we are again steering this team into a direction that is not conducive to what wins in today's league. 

 

A coach can help extract the best out of a player and can help develop their skills. A coach cannot magically turn Grover Stewart into Justin Madubuike or Zaire Franklin into Frankie Luvu or Raekwon Davis into ... I don't know Dorance Armstrong or Za'Darius Smith. 

 

1 hour ago, NewColtsFan said:

As to the direction of the roster….   I understand the very strong concern.   The Franklin contract was a shock to everyone.  But I have to believe Ballard signed guys like Stewart, Davis and Franklin because those guys were getting offers that the Colts had to meet or exceed.   And the Colts are seriously concerned about stopping the run.   More pass rush is coming in the draft.  And more pass rush is coming from the new DL coach.   The odd thing to me is this…. For years you’ve been among the leaders telling posters here Ballard will make his moves in the 2nd week.   Now you appear to flip sides and are among those complaining about the moves he’s made the first 3 days, even though he’s done more this year than any another first week of FA that Ballard has had. 

Lets be clear here - we haven't really done much in first week of free agency. Well, we've kept our own... that's something Ballard has done in the past. The only two outside moves we have now are Raekwon Davis and Joe Flacco. Last year we signed Minshew on March 17, this year we signed Flacco on March 13... Last year we signed Matt Gay on March 13 and Samson Ebukam on March 14. There really isn't something out of the ordinary that Ballard is doing this year. All those were in the first week of FA last year too... 

 

1 hour ago, NewColtsFan said:

To be clear….  I think a lot of this is Ballard-fatigue.  Years of making the same arguments over and over again, with not enough to show for it.  I get it.  But I’m on record as saying I think Ballard’s seat is hotter than some think it is.  If things don’t get better soon, I can see Irsay throwing a fit like he did when he fired Frank.  Not saying this season, but sooner than some think.   I hope things will be better for all when we see how FA and the draft plays out.  I’m hopeful there will be better days ahead. 
 

Apologies again for this long response.   If I’ve somehow misunderstood or misinterpreted your meaning I’m sure you’ll straighten me out. 

 

I kind of agree... people are starting to catchup to the fact that no matter the lip service he's done to changing the approach now that we have a cheap QB... Ballard really hasn't changed much of anything about his philosophy. He's doing the exact same things he always does, he focuses on the exact same thing he has always focused on and there is no sign whatsoever that he will be changing anything in his roster construction beliefs. And when the draft comes he will again do what he always does(and BTW this is where I actually am almost all the way there with him) - he will likely trade back for more picks, he will pick high level athletes, he will pick lenght at corner/lb/DL... My hope is that Steichen will manage to somehow convince him to spend big on another weapon....

 

At the end of the day, the more time passes and the more I see of Ballard the more convinced I get that he is not the guy to get us there. He's too entrenched in his philosophy(one that has not proven to be successful so far). He's not aggressive enough when opportunity and circumstances align and we actually have the chance to strengthen the team around our young QB, who needs all the help he can get. Which is a shame, because in a lot of ways I like Ballard(love his overall demeanor and presence, love his draft strategy for the most part, love that he runs a tight organization and we don't leak like most teams out there, etc.)... but ultimately the results are what he should be and eventually will be judged on. He's the type of GM who will run a solid operation, the team will never be in salary cap hell, the team will never be depleted of draft picks, but he also will never take the big chances to focus extended collection of resources into a window for contention. We will very likely continue to be what we've been with him so far... a middling team that some years miss the playoffs and some years make it only to be hammered by a team that actually has invested into their window for contention. The only real hope I have is that AR turns into somewhat of a monster(top 5 QB in the league) and is enough to keep us in contention on his own(well, with Steichen's help of course)...

 

Those are my current feelings on Ballard's prospects as our GM going forward... I hope I'm wrong. 

[Nevbot]

4 minutes ago, MikeCurtis said:

I may be looking at this wrong, but I always would like a QB3 with a growth path

 

Someone like Milton has all the tools to be successful, but if gets a little better in the next 2-3 years, he may

(Heaven forbid) if AR fails (Possible) he could be the guy.

 

Or......

 

He will get some time on the field the next two years, and people notice, and we get 3rd round draft offers (or better) for him.

 

Either way, in a QB starved league, having a developed talent can serve the team in many ways

 

If after 2 years, the team is still not thinking that Sam is ready to be even a back up......  maybe time to move on

I completely agree with you about investing a pick in a QB3, however I don't think our roster has the luxury of taking one in the first 3 rounds-especially now with the Flacco signing.  I also think Milton showed enough at the combine where there is no chance he lasts 3 rounds.  A team like Seattle probably wouldn't hesitate to bring him in as their #2 and let him sit behind Geno for the remainder of his deal. 

Sam is a weird one.  He was always going to be a 3-4 year development project and that is exactly what he has been.  He has only played real NFL snaps during our teams most deplorable moments in the last 10 years...and I don't really think this is a fair shake at what he might be able to do with a capable and confident o-line, RB, and especially play caller.  His profile fits our offensive scheme well as a QB that can move and processes quickly, and from all reports that I have read over the years he has worked diligently in improving his mechanics and arm strength.  To add to this, in every chance to show his stuff in pre-season action, he has played fantastic.  At the very least, he is your perfect QB3 who knows the system, will work hard to make other players progress and is as cheap as they come. I think his chances of winning games if (God Forbid) he was thrust into action would be far better than if Milton was our QB this year. Just my opinion. 

[Nevbot]

21 minutes ago, stitches said:

You keep not understanding @Superman 's and my worries about asset allocation. Roster construction is a zero sum game. When you put resources in one area this means that those resources cannot be put in another area. When you keep hammering the run defense .... investing and overinvesting and trippling down on it and paying 40M+ for your DTs and 7M for backup run stuffing nose tackle and 10+M for what is essentially run stuffing linebacker, this means that money now cannot be spent on things that are much bigger concerns for this team and coincidentally those are things that actually correlate with winning much more than run defense in the modern NFL. 

 

I like Partridge's hire too... but his job is not player evaluation and roster management. His job is to coach the players he's given. That's why I find it so weird that you keep deferring to Partridge's opinion, when we don't even know what his opinion is. It can range from "meh... i'm ok with this guy, probably can work with it but don't sweat it if you can't get him" to "OMG, please, please, please find a way to bring him to me. He's amazing and the missing piece". What we know is that this is Ballard's job to decide whether to pursue him and what limits to set on an offer to him. 

 

Well now it's done and whatever visions they have of him, his actual play will depend on Davis's talent, skill and Partridge's ability to get the best of him. 

 

Again... don't want to answer for Superman, but this is because of apparent focus in Ballard's roster building philosophy. We complain that they bring nothing to the pass-rush, because it's the pass rush that needs one of the biggest improvements. not the run-stuffing. And by investing in them and not someone else who is more pass-rush proficient, we are again steering this team into a direction that is not conducive to what wins in today's league. 

 

A coach can help extract the best out of a player and can help develop their skills. A coach cannot magically turn Grover Stewart into Justin Madubuike or Zaire Franklin into Frankie Luvu or Raekwon Davis into ... I don't know Dorance Armstrong or Za'Darius Smith. 

 

Lets be clear here - we haven't really done much in first week of free agency. Well, we've kept our own... that's something Ballard has done in the past. The only two outside moves we have now are Raekwon Davis and Joe Flacco. Last year we signed Minshew on March 17, this year we signed Flacco on March 13... Last year we signed Matt Gay on March 13 and Samson Ebukam on March 14. There really isn't something out of the ordinary that Ballard is doing this year. All those were in the first week of FA last year too... 

 

I kind of agree... people are starting to catchup to the fact that no matter the lip service he's done to changing the approach now that we have a cheap QB... Ballard really hasn't changed much of anything about his philosophy. He's doing the exact same things he always does, he focuses on the exact same thing he has always focused on and there is no sign whatsoever that he will be changing anything in his roster construction beliefs. And when the draft comes he will again do what he always does(and BTW this is where I actually am almost all the way there with him) - he will likely trade back for more picks, he will pick high level athletes, he will pick lenght at corner/lb/DL... My hope is that Steichen will manage to somehow convince him to spend big on another weapon....

 

At the end of the day, the more time passes and the more I see of Ballard the more convinced I get that he is not the guy to get us there. He's too entrenched in his philosophy(one that has not proven to be successful so far). He's not aggressive enough when opportunity and circumstances align and we actually have the chance to strengthen the team around our young QB, who needs all the help he can get. Which is a shame, because in a lot of ways I like Ballard(love his overall demeanor and presence, love his draft strategy for the most part, love that he runs a tight organization and we don't leak like most teams out there, etc.)... but ultimately the results are what he should be and eventually will be judged on. He's the type of GM who will run a solid operation, the team will never be in salary cap hell, the team will never be depleted of draft picks, but he also will never take the big chances to focus extended collection of resources into a window for contention. We will very likely continue to be what we've been with him so far... a middling team that some years miss the playoffs and some years make it only to be hammered by a team that actually has invested into their window for contention. The only real hope I have is that AR turns into somewhat of a monster(top 5 QB in the league) and is enough to keep us in contention on his own(well, with Steichen's help of course)...

 

Those are my current feelings on Ballard's prospects as our GM going forward... I hope I'm wrong. 

But isn't this the formula for any winning team?  Unless you have Mahomes, Allen, Jackson, Burrow, etc....you aren't going to consistently win, make the playoffs or hoist a Lombardi.  We are working through the growing pains of finding our guy.  Ballard kicked the can for as long as he could because he very well knows that as GM in the NFL if you swing on a QB in the first round and miss- you can kiss your job goodbye. 
I think a lot of people are discounting what the Indianapolis Colts inherently are as a franchise- something that we can't change and it's an inevitable reality- we are a small market franchise who is subject to the exact same salary cap rules and competitive landscape as the other 31 teams.  It might be unfair, but it is the reality that we have to face.  Things to consider:

 

-We don't have a Peyton Manning or Luck anymore.  The QB isn't drawing high value free agents to Indianapolis over more attractive offers. 

-Although Steichen seems great, he is not established enough to attract free agents to come play for him yet over more attractive offers. 

-We are coming off an abomination of a season in which our owner seemed to be pulling the puppet strings and micro- managing.  It will take a few seasons of functional growth to attract players back into trust our front office and ownership.

-Players can sign the same deal that we offer but choose to play in tax exempt states like Florida.  Nice weather, more active night life, based on the recent rankings likely also better atmospheres for their families, weight rooms, facilities in general.  Lucas Oil might be a nice stadium, but from all other accounts we are very average (and probably below) in what really attracts an NFL player to come play for you. 
-Most importantly- players and agents know that (for the above aforementioned reasons) Ballard is never going to blow the top off in contract negotiations, and if they balloon above his target, he pulls out.  Ballard himself knows that he isn't exactly playing in a level playing field and therefore his philosophy needs to be defined and disciplined- and I agree with it. To have NFL top talent on the Colts- we need to draft those guys ourselves so that we can control the rights to retain them. It's our only chance, and at least Ballard is well above average at drafting.   

 

[MikeCurtis]

15 minutes ago, Nevbot said:

I completely agree with you about investing a pick in a QB3, however I don't think our roster has the luxury of taking one in the first 3 rounds-especially now with the Flacco signing.  I also think Milton showed enough at the combine where there is no chance he lasts 3 rounds.  A team like Seattle probably wouldn't hesitate to bring him in as their #2 and let him sit behind Geno for the remainder of his deal. 

Sam is a weird one.  He was always going to be a 3-4 year development project and that is exactly what he has been.  He has only played real NFL snaps during our teams most deplorable moments in the last 10 years...and I don't really think this is a fair shake at what he might be able to do with a capable and confident o-line, RB, and especially play caller.  His profile fits our offensive scheme well as a QB that can move and processes quickly, and from all reports that I have read over the years he has worked diligently in improving his mechanics and arm strength.  To add to this, in every chance to show his stuff in pre-season action, he has played fantastic.  At the very least, he is your perfect QB3 who knows the system, will work hard to make other players progress and is as cheap as they come. I think his chances of winning games if (God Forbid) he was thrust into action would be far better than if Milton was our QB this year. Just my opinion. 

I 100% agree to not take a developmental QB with early picks

 

But 5th or 6th?  Maybe

[Yoshinator]

I was looking at the Colts depth chart on ourlads, and the team actually looks decent. We have a few needs, but we could probably fill them in the draft and have a solid team. Need a WR, EDGE, CB, S, backup RB, and maybe a TE. However, it's doable if you combine FA and the draft. 

 

We're on track to actually have a solid team if we get aggressive and target a couple of these positions in FA, and fill the rest through the draft.

[richard pallo]

I wonder if the Chiefs would be interested in Pierce as part of a trade for Snead.  They are reportedly looking for receiver help to go for the three in a row.  He is a young starter on a rookie contract and they might find that very attractive.  We get to keep our day one and two picks too.  That leaves us with a missing veteran wide receiver.  Still a number of FA receivers still out there like Brown and Samuel.  If they resign Snead that could make it very difficult to get that veteran receiver help.  Just a thought.

[Yoshinator]

1 minute ago, richard pallo said:

I wonder if the Chiefs would be interested in Pierce as part of a trade for Snead.  They are reportedly looking for receiver help to go for the three in a row.  He is a young starter on a rookie contract and they might find that very attractive.  We get to keep our day one and two picks too.  That leaves us with a missing veteran wide receiver.  Still a number of FA receivers still out there like Brown and Samuel.  If they resign Snead that could make it very difficult to get that veteran receiver help.  Just a thought.

They are currently interested in Mike Williams who got released yesterday. Not sure if they would go for Pierce. The positive is if they sign Mike Williams, they may not have enough money to extend Sneed and we could possibly trade for him afterwards.

[richard pallo]

5 minutes ago, Yoshinator said:

I was looking at the Colts depth chart on ourlads, and the team actually looks decent. We have a few needs, but we could probably fill them in the draft and have a solid team. Need a WR, EDGE, CB, S, backup RB, and maybe a TE. However, it's doable if you combine FA and the draft. 

 

We're on track to actually have a solid team if we get aggressive and target a couple of these positions in FA, and fill the rest through the draft.

I think adding Dillon at running back makes a lot of sense.  We’ll see.

[Yoshinator]

2 minutes ago, richard pallo said:

I think adding Dillon at running back makes a lot of sense.  We’ll see.

That's what I'm hoping happens today. I would love to sign Dillon and release Cox to pay for his salary + a bit more. 

[lester]

12 hours ago, RollerColt said:

The coaching staff and Ballard know who Sam is. And for them he’s a QB3. Sorry.

 

I always expected (hoped for) Sam to become a viable option as a backup quarterback. I don't think the Colts think he is or will be. I predict we will have a rookie QB3 in 2024.

[RollerColt]

6 minutes ago, lester said:

 

I always expected (hoped for) Sam to become a viable option as a backup quarterback. I don't think the Colts think he is or will be. I predict we will have a rookie QB3 in 2024.

The way I see it, we'll keep Sam on the roster for now until training camp. If a QB Ballard likes falls to him in the mid to late rounds in the draft, I could see him taking one. Then have the rookie compete against Sam in July and August. 

[Goatface Killah]

1 hour ago, stitches said:

You keep not understanding @Superman 's and my worries about asset allocation. Roster construction is a zero sum game. When you put resources in one area this means that those resources cannot be put in another area. When you keep hammering the run defense .... investing and overinvesting and trippling down on it and paying 40M+ for your DTs and 7M for backup run stuffing nose tackle and 10+M for what is essentially run stuffing linebacker, this means that money now cannot be spent on things that are much bigger concerns for this team and coincidentally those are things that actually correlate with winning much more than run defense in the modern NFL. 

 

I like Partridge's hire too... but his job is not player evaluation and roster management. His job is to coach the players he's given. That's why I find it so weird that you keep deferring to Partridge's opinion, when we don't even know what his opinion is. It can range from "meh... i'm ok with this guy, probably can work with it but don't sweat it if you can't get him" to "OMG, please, please, please find a way to bring him to me. He's amazing and the missing piece". What we know is that this is Ballard's job to decide whether to pursue him and what limits to set on an offer to him. 

 

Well now it's done and whatever visions they have of him, his actual play will depend on Davis's talent, skill and Partridge's ability to get the best of him. 

 

Again... don't want to answer for Superman, but this is because of apparent focus in Ballard's roster building philosophy. We complain that they bring nothing to the pass-rush, because it's the pass rush that needs one of the biggest improvements. not the run-stuffing. And by investing in them and not someone else who is more pass-rush proficient, we are again steering this team into a direction that is not conducive to what wins in today's league. 

 

A coach can help extract the best out of a player and can help develop their skills. A coach cannot magically turn Grover Stewart into Justin Madubuike or Zaire Franklin into Frankie Luvu or Raekwon Davis into ... I don't know Dorance Armstrong or Za'Darius Smith. 

 

Lets be clear here - we haven't really done much in first week of free agency. Well, we've kept our own... that's something Ballard has done in the past. The only two outside moves we have now are Raekwon Davis and Joe Flacco. Last year we signed Minshew on March 17, this year we signed Flacco on March 13... Last year we signed Matt Gay on March 13 and Samson Ebukam on March 14. There really isn't something out of the ordinary that Ballard is doing this year. All those were in the first week of FA last year too... 

 

I kind of agree... people are starting to catchup to the fact that no matter the lip service he's done to changing the approach now that we have a cheap QB... Ballard really hasn't changed much of anything about his philosophy. He's doing the exact same things he always does, he focuses on the exact same thing he has always focused on and there is no sign whatsoever that he will be changing anything in his roster construction beliefs. And when the draft comes he will again do what he always does(and BTW this is where I actually am almost all the way there with him) - he will likely trade back for more picks, he will pick high level athletes, he will pick lenght at corner/lb/DL... My hope is that Steichen will manage to somehow convince him to spend big on another weapon....

 

At the end of the day, the more time passes and the more I see of Ballard the more convinced I get that he is not the guy to get us there. He's too entrenched in his philosophy(one that has not proven to be successful so far). He's not aggressive enough when opportunity and circumstances align and we actually have the chance to strengthen the team around our young QB, who needs all the help he can get. Which is a shame, because in a lot of ways I like Ballard(love his overall demeanor and presence, love his draft strategy for the most part, love that he runs a tight organization and we don't leak like most teams out there, etc.)... but ultimately the results are what he should be and eventually will be judged on. He's the type of GM who will run a solid operation, the team will never be in salary cap hell, the team will never be depleted of draft picks, but he also will never take the big chances to focus extended collection of resources into a window for contention. We will very likely continue to be what we've been with him so far... a middling team that some years miss the playoffs and some years make it only to be hammered by a team that actually has invested into their window for contention. The only real hope I have is that AR turns into somewhat of a monster(top 5 QB in the league) and is enough to keep us in contention on his own(well, with Steichen's help of course)...

 

Those are my current feelings on Ballard's prospects as our GM going forward... I hope I'm wrong. 

In your head, every one of your ideas work out perfectly, but thats not what happens in real life.

 

I know you dont think run defense matters at all, and that anybody can do what Grover Stewart and Zaire Franklin do, but thats just not true. It just creates more needs and weakness on the team. And we all saw when Grover was out what it meant to the defense. It wasnt good, because run defense is very important. We dont have Patrick Mahommes to win shootouts for us. 

 

Then.......if your other moves dont work out, you arent "mid" anymore, you are horrible and getting fired. 

[VikingsFanInChennai]

1 hour ago, richard pallo said:

I wonder if the Chiefs would be interested in Pierce as part of a trade for Snead.  They are reportedly looking for receiver help to go for the three in a row.  He is a young starter on a rookie contract and they might find that very attractive.  We get to keep our day one and two picks too.  That leaves us with a missing veteran wide receiver.  Still a number of FA receivers still out there like Brown and Samuel.  If they resign Snead that could make it very difficult to get that veteran receiver help.  Just a thought.

Chiefs are already going back and forth on keeping Sneed, per the reports. So if you're gonna convince them, Colts should've sent Pittman not Pierce. No way Chiefs are going to give up Sneed and Not get any draft picks in return and get an unproven guy with potential. They'd either get a proven guy or high draft pick, if Colts don't give some other team will give them a juicy offer.

 

1 hour ago, Yoshinator said:

That's what I'm hoping happens today. I would love to sign Dillon and release Cox to pay for his salary + a bit more. 

Dillon hasn't been impressive when Jones missed time in Green Bay, he'd be an okay RB2 for sure so that should be the expectations. You'd do well rather drafting a guy. I think Kareem Hunt is free agent, right? He'll be a better option if you are going FA, and his price range would be worth for his play than Dillon's. 

[VikingsFanInChennai]

31 minutes ago, Goatface Killah said:

In your head, every one of your ideas work out perfectly, but thats not what happens in real life.

 

I know you dont think run defense matters at all, and that anybody can do what Grover Stewart and Zaire Franklin do, but thats just not true. It just creates more needs and weakness on the team. And we all saw when Grover was out what it meant to the defense. It wasnt good, because run defense is very important. We dont have Patrick Mahommes to win shootouts for us. 

 

Then.......if your other moves dont work out, you arent "mid" anymore, you are horrible and getting fired. 

I think they're not saying Colts shouldn't have re-signed Stewart or Franklin for keeping good run defense, they're talking about additional spend on improving pass rush and pass coverage in overall asset allocation, that will make the defense better in pass defense as well while improving the ability to get to the QB consistently.

 

So far, that hasn't happened but if the reports are true and if they're pursuing Sneed, that'd be the addition they're talking about. Overall, more efforts can be taken to resolve the gaps at same time rather than gradually fixing one by one year after year, by which some other position would need to be fixed again.

 

They want such aggression from Ballard now because the Colts have finally got the QB and he's on a rookie deal, so the time is now to spend on other premium positions in order to make the team stronger around him, instead of running back with same roster asking him to raise the level of team's performance. 

[richard pallo]

1 minute ago, VikingsFanInChennai said:

Chiefs are already going back and forth on keeping Sneed, per the reports. So if you're gonna convince them, Colts should've sent Pittman not Pierce. No way Chiefs are going to give up Sneed and Not garu any draft picks in return and get an unproven guy with potential. They'd either get a proven guy or high draft pick, if Colts don't give some other team will give them a juicy offer.

 

Dillon hasn't been impressive when Jones missed time in Green Bay, he'd be an okay RB2 for sure so that should be the expectations. You'd do well rather drafting a guy. I think Kareem Hunt is free agent, right? He'll be a better option if you are going FA, and his price range would be worth for his play than Dillon's. 

Hunt and Dillon are two different backs.  Hunt is like Taylor.  Dillon is a bruiser something like 235 lbs I believe.  Sermon is like Taylor. I would prefer the big guy to put in on short yardage.  He could also be a lead blocker for Taylor on occasion.  He would be my choice.

[lester]

2 minutes ago, VikingsFanInChennai said:

They want such aggression from Ballard now because the Colts have finally got the QB and he's on a rookie deal, so the time is now to spend on other premium positions in order to make the team stronger around him, instead of running back with same roster asking him to raise the level of team's performance. 

 

What I'm witnessing Ballard do, right before our eyes, is use Free Agency to make the defense 'work'. Look at his signings and re-signings; except for Pittman (and Flacco), all of the signings and media linked targets are defenders. He isn't breaking the bank for any of them. All of the effort has been, at least it appears to me, to make the defense adequate for the next 3 years. That frees up the draft to put foundational pieces around Anthony Richardson. This way, 2 years from now, you still have a functioning defense; but also mature offensive playmakers who are working with a young, vet QB (still on his rookie contract, at that).

 

Ballard IS in fact doing what many of the posters are clamoring for, he's just doing it in a way that won't require him to blow it all up in 3 years because it became unaffordable. If it takes an extra year or two from now to build cautiously, but lasts for a decade; isn't that a good thing?

 

Maybe he fails. Maybe he's a genius. But what he is doing is obvious if you pay attention to what he says.

[1959Colts]

7 hours ago, Scott Pennock said:

Unless you can go back and provide a snapshot of you saying that when Matt Ryan was signed then you can't use hindsight as a crutch..........seriously, how miserable are you in life to poo poo on EVERY SINGLE MOVE this front office makes?

I am miserable in life? Seriously? Because I didn't like the signing of 40 year old QBs Joe Flacco and Matt Ryan?

Thankfully, I am very happy with life. It seems you are the more miserable person, for taking such offense to my replies (to other folks comments. which were not directed to you in the first place). Regarding backing up my posts with a snapshot, I have to prove nothing to you. I did not "poo poo" every single move. Actually, my opinion, on the signings, is furthest thing from that. I think the Miami DT was a good signing, where as, nearly everyone else here, hated it. and I posted a few times, debating, as to why he was a good acquisition. I'm also hoping for a few more quality signings, of some new players, other than our own, over the rest of free agency.

 

[Solid84]

18 minutes ago, lester said:

 

What I'm witnessing Ballard do, right before our eyes, is use Free Agency to make the defense 'work'. Look at his signings and re-signings; except for Pittman (and Flacco), all of the signings and media linked targets are defenders. He isn't breaking the bank for any of them. All of the effort has been, at least it appears to me, to make the defense adequate for the next 3 years. That frees up the draft to put foundational pieces around Anthony Richardson. This way, 2 years from now, you still have a functioning defense; but also mature offensive playmakers who are working with a young, vet QB (still on his rookie contract, at that).

 

Ballard IS in fact doing what many of the posters are clamoring for, he's just doing it in a way that won't require him to blow it all up in 3 years because it became unaffordable. If it takes an extra year or two from now to build cautiously, but lasts for a decade; isn't that a good thing?

 

Maybe he fails. Maybe he's a genius. But what he is doing is obvious if you pay attention to what he says.

I think this is an extremely generous view on what Ballard has doen so far.

 

Despite having the cap space our pass defense is no better and our offense is no more explosive - both of which Ballard said he wanted to improve in his end of year presser. Our pass rush isn't any better either.

 

If you REALLY wanted to be an * about it all Ballard has done is pay more money for the defense to stay EXACTLY the same.

[ColtStrong2013]

37 minutes ago, VikingsFanInChennai said:

They want such aggression from Ballard now because the Colts have finally got the QB and he's on a rookie deal, so the time is now to spend on other premium positions in order to make the team stronger around him, instead of running back with same roster asking him to raise the level of team's performance. 

who is to say he wasn’t and it didn’t work out? 

[MikeCurtis]

1 hour ago, Yoshinator said:

I was looking at the Colts depth chart on ourlads, and the team actually looks decent. We have a few needs, but we could probably fill them in the draft and have a solid team. Need a WR, EDGE, CB, S, backup RB, and maybe a TE. However, it's doable if you combine FA and the draft. 

 

We're on track to actually have a solid team if we get aggressive and target a couple of these positions in FA, and fill the rest through the draft.

 

Not that it matters but I see a need for DE, WR, FS, CB

 

In round 1

In the draft we could go Thomas WR or AD Mitchell in round 1

Both are EXACTLY what this team needs for dynamic WRs

 

In round 2,

Jonah Elliss MIGHT be the answer at DE.

He was playing with a severe shoulder injury the last 4 games, and still notched a great sack and pressure total

 

In round 3 

There are several REALLY GOOD zone CBs that can fill the need

Khyree Jackson (We may have to trade into late round 2 to get him)

TJ Tampa (We may have to trade into round 2 to get him)

 

I was hoping that we went FA for DE to add to the room, but not so much

 

A vet FS would be a beautiful thing

 

 

 

 

 

 

[richard pallo]

2 minutes ago, Solid84 said:

I think this is an extremely generous view on what Ballard has doen so far.

 

Despite having the cap space our pass defense is no better and our offense is no more explosive - both of which Ballard said he wanted to improve in his end of year presser. Our pass rush isn't any better either.

 

If you REALLY wanted to be an * about it all Ballard has done is pay more money for the defense to stay EXACTLY the same.

We are only in the 4th day of FA.  I think the obvious first goal was to retain our own players that we value and he has done that.  There are so many more moves and paths that he can take.  I am not worried at all.  Plenty of time to add explosive players on both sides of the ball.

[1959Colts]

Just now, MikeCurtis said:

 

Not that it matters but I see a need for DE, WR, FS, CB

 

In round 1

In the draft we could go Thomas WR or AD Mitchell in round 1

Both are EXACTLY what this team needs for dynamic WRs

 

In round 2,

Jonah Elliss MIGHT be the answer at DE.

He was playing with a severe shoulder injury the last 4 games, and still notched a great sack and pressure total

 

In round 3 

There are several REALLY GOOD zone CBs that can fill the need

Khyree Jackson (We may have to trade into late round 2 to get him)

TJ Tampa (We may have to trade into round 2 to get him)

 

I was hoping that we went FA for DE to add to the room, but not so much

 

A vet FS would be a beautiful thing

 

 

 

 

 

 

I was listening to the latest from Kent Sterling today on youtube. He said, the Colts will definitely be signing a FA safety, but maybe not till later on down the road. He seems to think, the safety position isn't as hard to fill as other positions. And that quality veterans will be available, or come available, over time. Not sure I like that approach? but he does make a point.

[lester]

8 minutes ago, Solid84 said:

I think this is an extremely generous view on what Ballard has doen so far. ...

 

I can't help it. I'm a generous guy. You should just see the little faces on my kids at Christmas time.

[MikeCurtis]

An additional note

 

Richard Sherman was a ZONE CB that was one of the best ever. He was feared in the league.

 

He was a FIFTH round draft pick

 

He was 6' 3" with long arms, and you would expect him to run a 4.3 forty..... right ??????

 

NOPE.....  he logged a 4.56 40 time.

 

ZONE CB play does NOT need to be 4'3 40

 

 

Who knows what the Colts will do......  I dont

 

But I think we keep thinking that we need a 1st round pick on a man to man CB

 

A man to man CB (Unless we are going to start playing hybrid defenses) Is completely wasted in this defense

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Yoshinator]

9 minutes ago, MikeCurtis said:

 

Not that it matters but I see a need for DE, WR, FS, CB

 

In round 1

In the draft we could go Thomas WR or AD Mitchell in round 1

Both are EXACTLY what this team needs for dynamic WRs

 

In round 2,

Jonah Elliss MIGHT be the answer at DE.

He was playing with a severe shoulder injury the last 4 games, and still notched a great sack and pressure total

 

In round 3 

There are several REALLY GOOD zone CBs that can fill the need

Khyree Jackson (We may have to trade into late round 2 to get him)

TJ Tampa (We may have to trade into round 2 to get him)

 

I was hoping that we went FA for DE to add to the room, but not so much

 

A vet FS would be a beautiful thing

 

 

 

 

 

 

Thomas, Mitchell, and Bowers are the three guys I want at 15. I think we will have at least one of them available at our pick.

 

I want Marshawn Kneeland in round 2, but I'm doubting he falls. 

 

Khyree Jackson and TJ Tampa are two guys I like. I also like Cam Hart a ton. One of the three might make it to round 3. 

 

I do think we'll get a FA S still but we'll see what happens.

[richard pallo]

3 minutes ago, 1959Colts said:

I was listening to the latest from Kent Sterling today on youtube. He said, the Colts will definitely be signing a FA safety, but maybe not till later on down the road. He seems to think, the safety position isn't as hard to fill as other positions. And that quality veterans will be available, or come available, over time. Not sure I like that approach? but he does make a point.

He’s right.  I think we have all become impatient over time.  All of the media coverage of the big expensive new signing.  It gets the fans all worked up if your team isn’t participating in the first few days.  I’m not worried. I think retaining our best players was a great starting strategy.  I have no doubt we will be adding a new starter at safety and cornerback.  It will happen and the team will become better on that side of the ball.  The new season just started.  Today is officially day two.  Lots of time to improve the team.