Colts offseason discussion / Ballard Grievances (merge)

[OhioColt]

5 minutes ago, Scott Pennock said:

All you folks psycho-babbling about free agency and the front office not making splashes……please remember that it takes two to tango!

 

Polian didn’t sign high priced big name free agents…..

 

Grigson didn’t either…..

 

And neither has Ballard…..

 

Two potential take aways, maybe those high priced big names players just didn’t want to play in Naptown? Maybe the Owner doesn’t want to overpay those guys….

 

But hey, if you want to raise your blood pressure over Ballard not signing a guy you think he should then go right ahead!

History is against the Colts for sure.  Big time players don't want to sign/play in Indianapolis it seems.  We wonder why the Colts are notorious for paying their own each offseason.  It does take two sides.  Even when Manning was here it didn't seem like we could get a big-name FA.  Always seems to be an older vet on a prove it type deal. 

[Restinpeacesweetchloe]

5 minutes ago, Scott Pennock said:

All you folks psycho-babbling about free agency and the front office not making splashes……please remember that it takes two to tango!

 

Polian didn’t sign high priced big name free agents…..

 

Grigson didn’t either…..

 

And neither has Ballard…..

 

Two potential take aways, maybe those high priced big names players just didn’t want to play in Naptown? Maybe the Owner doesn’t want to overpay those guys….

 

But hey, if you want to raise your blood pressure over Ballard not signing a guy you think he should then go right ahead!

 

I don’t need it to be a big splash or a top end guy at his position. Can we just at least get an upgrade so we are not pigeon holes in the draft and have rookie playing every snap.  
 

[Restinpeacesweetchloe]

4 minutes ago, OhioColt said:

Shocked to see the Colts resign Taven Bryan given his lackluster performances when Stewart was out of the lineup.  Much rather had NT Josh Tupou (Bengals).  Still looking to backup Buckner we could target James Lynch (Vikings) who showed promise in 2022 before going on IR this year.  Even DT Abdullah Anderson (Commanders) would be an upgrade on our roster. 

 

For OL some good names with production but when a player gets around 10 penalties a season those are drive killers.  Could target RT Kendall Lamm who is an old vet can play at a high level and has been fairly penalty free throughout his career.  RG Halapoulivaati Vaitai is another FA whom I like previously and still has a low history of penalties and good PFF grades on very limited snap counts. 

I think they hope he is buckners backup not Stewart as that will  be Davis.

[Restinpeacesweetchloe]

Richardson already had one year of his rookie deal wasted with injuries. Now he might have a secobd because the secondary will be so young. On Zach hicks podcast today he said this is not even a competent nfl secondary. 
 

[OhioColt]

Just now, Restinpeacesweetchloe said:

I think they hope he is buckners backup not Stewart as that will  be Davis.

Davis is another draft bust like Bryan.  Neither one should be on the Colts roster.  A couple cheaper players that are better proven we could have acquired. 

[Myles]

19 minutes ago, Scott Pennock said:

All you folks psycho-babbling about free agency and the front office not making splashes……please remember that it takes two to tango!

 

Polian didn’t sign high priced big name free agents…..

 

Grigson didn’t either…..

 

And neither has Ballard…..

 

Two potential take aways, maybe those high priced big names players just didn’t want to play in Naptown? Maybe the Owner doesn’t want to overpay those guys….

 

But hey, if you want to raise your blood pressure over Ballard not signing a guy you think he should then go right ahead!

 

My guess would be that the owner gives instructions not to over pay for free agents and the GM's have followed his wishes. 

[ShuteAt168]

16 minutes ago, NewColtsFan said:

 

Two points….    Ballard was saying to the fan base that he’s not going to take a QB just because the fan base is demanding it.  That he’s only going to take one when there’s one he believes in.  
 

The other is that Ballard has said for years that their data shows that vast majority of the big FA signings don’t pan out.  Players getting 4 and 5 year contracts don’t last, don’t play up to the contract.  
 

The Colts are an analytics driven team.  That’s why they have requirements like they want corners with arms 32 inches or longer and OT’s with arms nearly 34 inches or longer.  The Colts have the data to support that.  Things like that.   

That’s your interpretation. I think it’s paralysis by analysis with Ballard. If the Colts are more of an analytics driven team than others — which is just your opinion — maybe they should shift gears. A losing record doesn’t support that Ballard and Co are experts at using analytics. The only numbers that a lot of fans care about is W-L. 

[Superman]

43 minutes ago, ShuteAt168 said:

This is well said. I agree, however, with the previous poster about Ballard and his QB comments. So many times he said a variation of “Y’all want me to take a quarterback but when I do and he bombs I’m the first one gonna be run out of the building.” It was such a poor look for a leader — why did he have to assume the QB would bomb? Why not say, “Look, ya’all just wait til I draft a QB. He’s gonna ball and we’re gonna be hanging banners.” Ballard also seems to assume free agents won’t play up to the money. I don’t know, maybe he’s a closet pessimist and that informs his decisions. 

 

A lot of people took it that way. I disagree, but that's fine. 

[AKB]

1 hour ago, Superman said:

 

I'll try to hit a couple points,, and then I want to move on, because I don't want to keep doing the Ballard thing in this thread. I really don't want to keep doing the Ballard thing at all... 

 

Regarding the free agents, it's frustrating to me to discuss these signings, because it seems like the standard for judging free agent signings changes depending on the focus of the conversation. Ballard targets specific free agents who would play significant roles at a specific point during the roster build. They mostly performed well. Why does it matter that Houston was a little older, if he played well? Who cares that Ebron was not at peak value, when he had 14 TDs? Autry outplayed his contract -- sounds like a really good signing for us. It seems like you're downgrading them, despite their value to the Colts at the time, because they weren't premier enough?

 

And elsewhere in this thread, someone else is saying 'it's not that we want him to sign premier free agents...' It feels like the target constantly moves.

 

I think those signings were made to fill gaps, when both the makeup of the roster and the team's goals were different than they were last year and this year. And that's why I said there was a different strategic focus. That's how I see it.

 

Regarding Ballard's comments on drafting a QB, I think yours is either an overly literal interpretation of comments that Ballard made, or an overly cynical view of his approach over the years. I think when Ballard said he wasn't going to draft a QB just to please everyone because if the QB isn't good everyone will be calling for him to be fired, he was saying it doesn't matter if you don't get it right. I don't think he was saying he was afraid of being judged for his QB pick.

 

And in 2020 and 2021 especially, I think it's pretty obvious that the veteran QB choices were heavily influenced by Reich, with Irsay's blessing. It's no small coincidence that Reich was fired, and Ballard was retained, despite the team's underwhelming record since Ballard was hired. (And if your response is that Ballard is the GM, so it's on him, fine. I see it differently.)

 

I don't know what you mean when you say he cherry picked when to fire people. The only firings that come to my mind have been coaches, and those decisions were Reich's to make. Unless you think Ballard was trying to save himself by having Marcus Brady fired...? And then there's Reich himself, and Irsay was obviously the person behind that decision. 

 

It seems like you view Ballard as a man behind the curtain, pulling strings to cover his own butt. And that's pretty cynical, IMO, and it's not how I see Ballard, or the circumstances since he became GM.

 

Ultimately, I think most people view Ballard as on the clock at this point. I'm not a huge fan of how he's handled this offseason so far, but all I want is for the Colts to be good, even if it's not with my preferred strategies. 

 

 

I will begin by saying thank you for the well-thought-out response. I will also agree to leave discourse between you and I regarding Ballard here, because I believe we are at a point, which you and I typically are, where we agree on some aspects, but starkly disagree on a particular instance, or how we interpret the same scenario, With that being said, Ballard is fundamentally integrated into the topic of Colts Free Agency until he is fired, but I will respect your wish and let this be the pinnacle of my Ballard banter until maybe mid-season. 

 

With that in mind, I would also like to add that I am not 100 percent anti-Ballard, but I am anti his free agency approach. I think he is top of the line in terms of drafting for value, and finding value in later rounds. He also does a good job increasing his number of picks, but that makes sense considering he has to hit on enough of his picks to supplement his bargain approach to FA. 

 

"Why does it matter that Houston was a little older, if he played well? Who cares that Ebron was not at peak value, when he had 14 TDs? Autry outplayed his contract " --> It matters because it's relevant to my initial point that began this message thread between you and me, that he has consistently employed the same philosophy, whilst achieving absolutely nothing. The narrative is that he signs on-budget FAs, resigns his players, and fills gaps in the draft. That's the narrative. it might differ slightly from person to person, but there are enough fans with this viewpoint that it should not be considered a niche opinion, or without its evidence. 

 

Regarding Ballard's comments on drafting a QB, I think yours is either an overly literal interpretation of comments that Ballard made, or an overly cynical view of his approach over the years. I think when Ballard said he wasn't going to draft a QB just to please everyone because if the QB isn't good everyone will be calling for him to be fired, he was saying it doesn't matter if you don't get it right. I don't think he was saying he was afraid of being judged for his QB pick.

 

--> Ballard flat out states that taking a QB and missing, often loses you your job. He then proceeds to take like 5 years to draft one. We can choose to interpret that differently, but I can read between the lines. He said multiple times, and in response to questions such as "What took you so long to draft one", and "What went into the decision in not taking a QB this year or that year" all of these questions were met with the same response. He understands the gravity of putting a face to the "Franchise QB moniker" and he was extremely patient for a reason. He only recently pulled the trigger because how could he not? Pick 4 of the draft, half a decade of mediocre non-playoffs standard football. He had no choice but to take a QB. And who does he take? The RAS athletic freak with limited film, as he does with many of his picks. 

 

And in 2020 and 2021 especially, I think it's pretty obvious that the veteran QB choices were heavily influenced by Reich, with Irsay's blessing. It's no small coincidence that Reich was fired, and Ballard was retained, despite the team's underwhelming record since Ballard was hired. (And if your response is that Ballard is the GM, so it's on him, fine. I see it differently.)

 

why not allow Reich to pick a QB for a year or two? because then.. who's fault is it? Reichs? Ballard's for letting Reich pick? I mean cmon. this is part of what I'm talking about. Again, provable? no. it's not provable. but the repetition is there to catch on. He's about to do the same thing with Gus. Let's say we take a CB Rd 1, which I think we might. rook or Brents gets injured, we are then back to 7th rounder playing corner. Defense underperforms, fire Gus. Bring in a new guy, and extend his window to add a corner. Paranoid much? Maybe, but if someone keeps dropping urine on me and calling it water, eventually I'm gonna tell them it smells like pee. 

 

some of these viewpoints probably do come off as cynical. and I'm okay with that. I believe he should've been fired with Reich, despite me liking his drafting, his overall effort has shown what? Nothing. 

 

 and in terms of cynically. all people are motivated by self-interest. He has a family.

[Superman]

2 minutes ago, AKB said:

So I guess... if being not okay with .500 mediocre nonplayoff football comes off as cynical, then so be it

 

This is particularly frustrating to me. 

 

If I disagree with your viewpoint, it means I'm okay with .500, mediocre non playoff football. Okay...

 

The rest, yeah, I think we just have a different interpretation of some things. 

[AKB]

4 minutes ago, Superman said:

 

This is particularly frustrating to me. 

 

If I disagree with your viewpoint, it means I'm okay with .500, mediocre non playoff football. Okay...

 

The rest, yeah, I think we just have a different interpretation of some things. 

oh, not at all. sorry if that's how you interpreted that. but yeah, I do think he is self-motivated, so by nature my comments about him being motivated by self-interest will sound cynical. it's intertwined. 

 

edit: I removed that line because that was not my intended meaning

 

[NFLfan]

1 hour ago, GoColts8818 said:

I am not a mod so this might not mean squat but it seems like we’ve moved from discussing Colts free agents and into airing Ballard grievances.  Maybe those posts should be moved to that thread and let this one get back to focusing on free agent signings.  I know threads evolve and take on lives of their own but this one is 101 pages and has really gotten off track the past couple of days.  Just a suggestion.  @Superman @NFLfan @Shive @w87r @Nadine

 

I will move some of these in the morning if someone has not already done so.

[Iron Colt]

I dont buy the 'nobody wants to sign with Indianapolis' argument.

 

Why would Free Agents want to sign with Green Bay of all places? It's tiny with no culture or diversity. And brutally cold.

 

Few players sign with Dallas. Nobody is clamoring for New York, LA or Miami. Those franchises stink. This isn't the NBA where everyone is a diva. 

 

Players want to make what they can and win if possible.

[AKB]

1 minute ago, Iron Colt said:

I dont buy the 'nobody wants to sign with Indianapolis' argument.

 

Why would Free Agents want to sign with Green Bay of all places? It's tiny with no culture or diversity. And brutally cold.

 

Few players sign with Dallas. Nobody is clamoring for New York, LA or Miami. Those franchises stink. This isn't the NBA where everyone is a diva. 

 

Players want to make what they can and win if possible.

it comes down to who pays the most. and now, we are seeing it in college too. also I've noticed this board is sensitive to anti-ballard comments. they are often deleted, moved, or merged to other threads, or completely discouraged, regardless of the reality that Ballard is fundamentally intertwined with our free agency period, thus if people are unsatisfied, Ballard will be discussed. So IMO, just another ballard defense type comment, which is not new. 

[Myles]

4 minutes ago, Iron Colt said:

I dont buy the 'nobody wants to sign with Indianapolis' argument.

 

Why would Free Agents want to sign with Green Bay of all places? It's tiny with no culture or diversity. And brutally cold.

 

Few players sign with Dallas. Nobody is clamoring for New York, LA or Miami. Those franchises stink. This isn't the NBA where everyone is a diva. 

 

Players want to make what they can and win if possible.

i agree, but there is a little bit of significance.  Why Green Bay over Indy?  Green bay gets the exposure and has great history.  

[AKB]

1 minute ago, Myles said:

i agree, but there is a little bit of significance.  Why Green Bay over Indy?  Green bay gets the exposure and has great history.  

Green bay really isn't any more historical than the Colts or Bears? I mean.. they have a bigger marketing budget..  maybe? but idk I don't buy the narrative either

[GoColts8818]

14 minutes ago, Iron Colt said:

I dont buy the 'nobody wants to sign with Indianapolis' argument.

 

Why would Free Agents want to sign with Green Bay of all places? It's tiny with no culture or diversity. And brutally cold.

 

Few players sign with Dallas. Nobody is clamoring for New York, LA or Miami. Those franchises stink. This isn't the NBA where everyone is a diva. 

 

Players want to make what they can and win if possible.

To me guys like Peyton Manning, Marvin Harrison, Reggie Wayne, Dwight Freeney, Robert Mathis, TY Hilton, and, Quinton Nelson all disprove this.  Yeah they were all drafted here but they also all signed more than one contract here and most not on the franchise tag where they were forced to stay here.  They wanted to be here.

 

Another one is Buckner who while traded was only traded for because he agreed to the contract he was going to get to come to Indy.  Without that the Colts wouldn’t have traded for him so he could have blown it up if he didn’t want to be in Indy.

 

You are right this a job to the vast majority of players in the NFL so to a lot of them they just want the most money they can get.  They don’t care where.  The NBA invites players to pick teams based on location because of how their contracts are structured, the Pacers and Heat (or any other two teams in the NBA) can only offer the same max deal to the same free agent.  In a situation like that where teams can’t outbid each other then things like where you are going to be living matters.  
 

As for the Colts it’s no secret that Jim Irsay learned a lot about what he believes in team construction from Bill Polian.  Polian believed strongly in you build through the draft and sign your own.  I have no doubt that Irsay looks for that in GMs when he hires them and why wouldn’t he?  Polian’s model won him a lot of games and a Super Bowl.  There are far worse people to develop your philosophy on team building from than Bill Polian.  

[NewColtsFan]

31 minutes ago, ShuteAt168 said:

That’s your interpretation. I think it’s paralysis by analysis with Ballard. If the Colts are more of an analytics driven team than others — which is just your opinion — maybe they should shift gears. A losing record doesn’t support that Ballard and Co are experts at using analytics. The only numbers that a lot of fans care about is W-L. 

I didn’t say the Colts are more analytically driven than other teams.   All 32 teams have their own analytics.   It’s what they do with them that matters.   And Ballard has already owned the reason is what it is is that they haven’t gotten the QB right.  They were trying to win while they had a young team built to win then. 
 

As to everything else, well that’s your opinion.   I gave you facts, and you gave me the one and only fact you know — Ballard’s record.   And nothing changes for you.   Sad. 

[Myles]

10 minutes ago, AKB said:

Green bay really isn't any more historical than the Colts or Bears? I mean.. they have a bigger marketing budget..  maybe? but idk I don't buy the narrative either

i would rather have a piece of Green Bay history than Indianapolis history.   Green Bay is a top historical team in NFL history. 

[GoColts8818]

Just now, Myles said:

i would rather have a piece of Green Bay history than Indianapolis history.   Green Bay is a top historical team in NFL history. 

The Colts NFL history is pretty rich too.  Still I don’t think players care much about history when they decide who to play for.  They mostly care about one of three things:  1.  The money (and I said this is the most important and sole thing for the vast majority of them), 2.  Chance to win a Super Bowl, and 3.  Once in awhile you see them look for a place close to their hometown.

[AKB]

4 minutes ago, Myles said:

i would rather have a piece of Green Bay history than Indianapolis history.   Green Bay is a top historical team in NFL history. 

I mean .. sure? They got us beat on stadium history.. but not much elsewhere? The Colts are a historical franchise in their own right. So are the bears, who have sucked for so long they too, even with a "big market" have to overpay outside guys. 

 

if your team sucks, players wont want to play there. market big or small. players like to get paid, and they like to win. usually in that order

[NewColtsFan]

11 minutes ago, AKB said:

Green bay really isn't any more historical than the Colts or Bears? I mean.. they have a bigger marketing budget..  maybe? but idk I don't buy the narrative either

WHAT?!?!?     You can’t be serious.  
 

Green Bay is much more historical than Indy.   None of today’s players were even born when the Colts were in Baltimore.   The Packers are the entire state of Wisconsin.   The Colts have most of the state of Indiana, but not all of it.  There plenty of Bears fans who live in Indiana. 

[AKB]

5 minutes ago, NewColtsFan said:

WHAT?!?!?     You can’t be serious.  
 

Green Bay is much more historical than Indy.   None of today’s players were even born when the Colts were in Baltimore.   The Packers are the entire state of Wisconsin.   The Colts have most of the state of Indiana, but not all of it.  There plenty of Bears fans who live in Indiana. 

I mean.. sure? but are we gonna pretend that Indy is a new team? it's not... the Texans are new right? and players seem to love signing there, maybe its Stroud? maybe its the market? people will come up with any reason to say people don't like Indiana. But do they like Kansas? why? maybe because they win. 

 

edit: colts were founded in 1953, GB 1919 --> I'm just imagining free agents looking at a list of what team was founded first to pick one. 

 

I guess the Ravens and Jags attract players because they don't have a history. Or maybe its because they win --> Ravens or pay ---> Jags 

[NewColtsFan]

1 minute ago, AKB said:

i mean.. sure? but are we gonna pretend that indy is a new team? it's not... the texans are new right? and player seem to love signing there, maybe its stroud? maybe its the market? people will come up with any reason to say people don't like Indiana. But they like Kansas? why? maybe because they win. 

Houston is the 4th largest city in the country.   They’re in a state with no state tax.  A big factor.   It’s in the first or second most fanatical state for football in the country.   Those are just some of the reasons players are happy to go there.   
 

The Colts “history” is in Baltimore and that’s been mostly erased by the Ravens.  Few care.   Now the Indianapolis Colts history is another thing.   But it just can’t compare to the Packers or the Bears.   

[AKB]

3 minutes ago, NewColtsFan said:

Houston is the 4th largest city in the country.   They’re in a state with no state tax.  A big factor.   It’s in the first or second most fanatical state for football in the country.   Those are just some of the reasons players are happy to go there.   
 

The Colts “history” is in Baltimore and that’s been mostly erased by the Ravens.  Few care.   Now the Indianapolis Colts history is another thing.   But it just can’t compare to the Packers or the Bears.   

HOU being one of our biggest cities in this scenario is coincidental. having a franchise QB, and winning, play a big role. 

 

That's why you responded to my comment about HOU and not KC because you know it doesn't hold up when you go team by team. It's 2024 players do not care how many likes your YouTube channel gets. They care about getting paid first and playing with a team that can make their value go up as a player. that's it, it's really that simple. 

 

of course, there can be other factors such as being close to home and wanting to be in a tax-free state. but there are enough other small team markets that disprove this narrative with their signings. KC probably being the best example. When you win, when you have a franchise guy, players gravitate towards that, regardless of how many people buy hats or jerseys. 

[GoColts8818]

5 minutes ago, NewColtsFan said:

Houston is the 4th largest city in the country.   They’re in a state with no state tax.  A big factor.   It’s in the first or second most fanatical state for football in the country.   Those are just some of the reasons players are happy to go there.   
 

The Colts “history” is in Baltimore and that’s been mostly erased by the Ravens.  Few care.   Now the Indianapolis Colts history is another thing.   But it just can’t compare to the Packers or the Bears.   

Jim Irsay 100% embraces the Colts history from Baltimore.  He honors the team records from that era, the retired numbers, the Super Bowl and world championship, heck they even had Raymond Berry hand out the Super Bowl trophy when it was in Indy and the tradition was to have a star player from hosting team hand out the Super Bowl trophy.  The Colts history didn’t just start over again in 1984, and I can promise you if you suggested that to Irsay or a large number of Colts fans they would be greatly insulted.

[AKB]

1 minute ago, GoColts8818 said:

Jim Irsay 100% embraces the Colts history from Baltimore.  He honors the team records for that era, the retired numbers, the Super Bowl and world championship, heck they even had Raymond Berry hand out the Super Bowl trophy when it was in Indy and the tradition was to have a star player from hosting team hand out the Super Bowl trophy.  The Colts history didn’t just start over again in 1984, and I can promise you if you suggested that to Irsay or a large number of Colts fans they would be greatly insulted.

I too, include Baltimore as part of that history. Which I just thought most fans did actually. 

[NFLfan]

Most free agents usually sign where they are offered the most money or the contract is most attractive (signing bonus, roster bonus, length of contract, etc.) That is why every year a different team wins the free agency contest. I doubt players are saying they will not sign a free agent contract with the Colts.

[AKB]

I would like to add that the Baltimore Ravens do not possess Baltimore Colts history. The ravens are the ravens, the team that existed before them moved... remember? They moved like our ancestors on the Mayflower!

[GoColts8818]

5 minutes ago, NFLfan said:

Most free agents usually sign where they are offered the most money or the contract is most attractive (signing bonus, roster bonus, length of contract, etc.) That is why every year a different team wins the free agency contest. I doubt players are saying they will not sign a free agent contract with the Colts.

Again, back to something I heard Dan Patrick say this morning I hadn’t really thought about but it’s true.  What teams do or don’t in free agency is largely driven by the Owners philosophy towards it and that’s why you see the same teams spend big in free agency every year and you see the same teams sit it out.  
 

You are right, you show players the money they will come.  It’s a job for them and the goal is to make as much money as they can.  
 

Yes the Colts don’t sign a lot of free agents but it’s not because they don’t want to come to Indianapolis it’s because their team philosophy doesn’t believe in spending major money on free agent players.  The few times they have, Corey Simon comes to mind, it didn’t work out long term and I think that combined with all those years with Polian makes Irsay prefer the build through the draft and re-sign your own model.  

[AKB]

@NewColtsFan despite us disagreeing on almost every single topic, you are still one of my favorite posters on the board. 

[stitches]

4 hours ago, NewColtsFan said:

Appreciate that….

 

But in the defense that Ballard wants to play, the 3-tech was the most important position, and the Will was the 2nd most.   Hence Buckner and Leonard. 
 

And Ballard said he hired Bradley because his defense was the most like the defense that Flus ran.   So there’s that. 
 

I thought the defense the Colts ran the most was Cover 3.   Is that not true?   I’m sure someone here knows. 
 

The most important is the one we spend big on at the respective moment. When we take a FS in the first, it's the FS like Earl Thomas was in the Seahawks Legion of Boom. When we drafted Leonard high and later gave him the big bucks it was the Will linebacker that's most important. When we spent a good first and big money on Buckner, it was the 3-Tech that's most important.

 

For whatever it's worth, IMO there are multiple positions that can make substantial difference for a defense, almost no matter what system is used. But for ours specifically, IMO the defining characteristic is rushing 4, not blitzing and trying to deny the deep ball. Trying to deny the deep ball can be done through scheming -dropping deep, giving cushion to receivers, etc. Or it can be done with a dominant ballhawking free safety(but those are just so freaking rare...). What you cannot scheme up is pressure, especially when you don't blitz so, in my opinion, if you absolutely need something in this defense, no questions asked, it's pass-rushers. Both at DE and DT(3Tech). If you are not going to blitz, you need to be able to create pressure with 4. So that 4(and by extension the whole rotation of 7-8 players) needs to be able to disrupt the passer. And herein lies the biggest problem for Ballard's Colts - for the entirety of his tenure with the Colts, we have been unable to create consistent pressure and disrupt the passer.

[OLD FAN MAN]

4 minutes ago, stitches said:

The most important is the one we spend big on at the respective moment. When we take a FS in the first, it's the FS like Earl Thomas was in the Seahawks Legion of Boom. When we drafted Leonard high and later gave him the big bucks it was the Will linebacker that's most important. When we spent a good first and big money on Buckner, it was the 3-Tech that's most important.

 

For whatever it's worth, IMO there are multiple positions that can make substantial difference for a defense, almost no matter what system is used. But for ours specifically, IMO the defining characteristic is rushing 4, not blitzing and trying to deny the deep ball. Trying to deny the deep ball can be done through scheming -dropping deep, giving cushion to receivers, etc. Or it can be done with a dominant ballhawking free safety(but those are just so freaking rare...). What you cannot scheme up is pressure, especially when you don't blitz so, in my opinion, if you absolutely need something in this defense, no questions asked, it's pass-rushers. Both at DE and DT(3Tech). If you are not going to blitz, you need to be able to create pressure with 4. So that 4(and by extension the whole rotation of 7-8 players) needs to be able to disrupt the passer. And herein lies the biggest problem for Ballard's Colts - for the entirety of his tenure with the Colts, we have been unable to create consistent pressure and disrupt the passer.

spot on

[GoColts8818]

JMV had an interesting thought as to why people are so grumpy about sports in Indiana in general right now.  Unless you are a Purdue basketball fan it’s been a long time since any of the major Indiana sports teams have been a winner consistently.  IU basketball has been a mess for a while now, the Colts haven’t won the division in seven years, Butler basketball is no where near where they were with Brad Stevens, the Pacers haven’t been a threat in the NBA for a while and the less said about Purdue and IU football the better.  
 

The good news is Caitlin Clark is on her way and will at least help restore a winner to Indiana sports in all likely hood but it’s still the Fever and WNBA which has a limited fan base.  So JMV’s theory is fans are just tired of waiting and frustrated that none of them can get going in the right direction.  
 

I think he’s right, look at how much excitement the Pacers generated with the in season tournament run.  Sports fans in Indiana just want to taste success again.  Whichever team can break through is going to be welcomed with open arms.  Hopefully the Colts can do that.  

[#12.]

When it comes to defense, you can make a strong argument that Ballard has been better in free agency/trades than the draft. 

 

Why does he shy away from it?  Who knows.

[#12.]

10 minutes ago, GoColts8818 said:

JMV had an interesting thought as to why people are so grumpy about sports in Indiana in general right now.  Unless you are a Purdue basketball fan it’s been a long time since any of the major Indiana sports teams have been a winner consistently.  

 

And they flame out in the tournament practically every year.

 

In the post-Luck era, people are jaded.  It feels like it's going nowhere.  

[ShuteAt168]

51 minutes ago, NewColtsFan said:

I didn’t say the Colts are more analytically driven than other teams.   All 32 teams have their own analytics.   It’s what they do with them that matters.   And Ballard has already owned the reason is what it is is that they haven’t gotten the QB right.  They were trying to win while they had a young team built to win then. 
 

As to everything else, well that’s your opinion.   I gave you facts, and you gave me the one and only fact you know — Ballard’s record.   And nothing changes for you.   Sad. 

Nothing changes for you — Ballard simp. Sad. 

[NewColtsFan]

44 minutes ago, GoColts8818 said:

Jim Irsay 100% embraces the Colts history from Baltimore.  He honors the team records from that era, the retired numbers, the Super Bowl and world championship, heck they even had Raymond Berry hand out the Super Bowl trophy when it was in Indy and the tradition was to have a star player from hosting team hand out the Super Bowl trophy.  The Colts history didn’t just start over again in 1984, and I can promise you if you suggested that to Irsay or a large number of Colts fans they would be greatly insulted.

It doesn’t matter.  None of it matters.   That only matters to the Colts community.  Not to the rest of the NFL. The assertion was made that the Colts have history as rich and historic as the Packers and Bears.  That’s not true and you know it’s not true even if you love the Colts history.  
 

As I noted in another post, players in the NFL today weren’t even born when the Colts moved to Indy.   They know today’s Colts not the Baltimore Colts. 

[ShuteAt168]

55 minutes ago, NFLfan said:

Most free agents usually sign where they are offered the most money or the contract is most attractive (signing bonus, roster bonus, length of contract, etc.) That is why every year a different team wins the free agency contest. I doubt players are saying they will not sign a free agent contract with the Colts.

Agree 100. Do we commonly hear that players don’t want to come to Indy? That CB offered more money but Indy stinks so much players will take less for a better city? No. It’s a fiction to excuse CB from getting elite FA players. NewColtsFan claimed a while back the Colts said FA didn’t want Indy but when asked for details … errr, uhhhh, he produced none. There’s always some excuse. 

[NewColtsFan]

19 minutes ago, ShuteAt168 said:

Agree 100. Do we commonly hear that players don’t want to come to Indy? That CB offered more money but Indy stinks so much players will take less for a better city? No. It’s a fiction to excuse CB from getting elite FA players. NewColtsFan claimed a while back the Colts said FA didn’t want Indy but when asked for details … errr, uhhhh, he produced none. There’s always some excuse. 

I produced none.   WRONG AGAIN!!

 

Ballard has publicly said Indianapolis is not a destination location for the majority of top free agents.  That for the Colts to sign them, they’ve got to pay more than the Colts want.   If you don’t like the answer, take it up with Ballard.  He said it.  
 

You often misquote me.   Not a good quality for a man in your profession.  But there’s always some excuse. 
 

As for you racing around and giving me laughing emoji’s on my posts, please, be my guest.  You’re not the first poster to try it.  Others have and they all failed.  
 

Look…. I don’t care that you don’t like Chris Ballard.  You’re not alone.  Plenty of posters here feel the same way.  I care that you can’t make better arguments.  Considering your profession I’d expect better.   I covered 8 professional teams and four major universities.  I’ve interviewed well over a dozen GMs or ADs.   I think my admiration of Ballard goes far beyond being a “simp”.   
 

But you’re free to think otherwise….