Good USA Today article on Ballard about Allen Trade

[ukcolt]

It will be interesting to see just how high they really were on TE Mike Miller, i recall something about a relative of Irsay's spotting him, or something like that. How he was drawing a lot of praise from the coaches during training camp. So hopefully he has learnt a few more of the intricacies of run blocking over the course of a full season, and might be able to get on the field this preseason and continue to wow the coaches. He has raw skills, and is a former receiver so his skill set is always going to be more a pass catcher than excelling at the blocking side of things.

[sherck]

Originally Posted by ukcolt

It will be interesting to see just how high they really were on TE Mike Miller....

Miller is not officially a member of the 2017 Colts yet because he is an ERFA who has not yet been signed.

At Taylor (University), Miller didn't get the experience blocking like other collegiate tight ends do - mainly because he wasn't playing tight end. He saw some time at quarterback (completing 68 of 161 passes for 568 yards and five scores along with 177 yards and three scores rushing), but he was most productive at wide receiver. He caught 80 passes for 959 yards and seven touchdowns while at Taylor (playing in 27 games total), including 42 receptions for 546 yards and five scores in 2015 as a senior.

He was on and off the practice squad twice last season before going on IR in Oct 2016.

At this point, he is pretty much in the running with all the 2016 UDFA TEs the Colts might pick up. I don't know that I would think he has a leg up on them since he was a development project in his own right who then missed 1/2 the season on IR.

We will find someone. If nothing else, the development of Doyle and Swoope show that someone on the Colts coaching roster knows what they are doing with developing young TEs.

Cheers,

[Coltsalr]

It's actually an IndyStar article from Holder. Weird that it's being hosted on the USA Today website. For a second there I thought it was getting national coverage. Is there some Indystar/USA Today partnership?

[FatDT]

Originally Posted by Coltsalr

It's actually an IndyStar article from Holder. Weird that it's being hosted on the USA Today website. For a second there I thought it was getting national coverage. Is there some Indystar/USA Today partnership?

They're owned by Gannett. Look at the templates they use, pretty similar. Gannett owns a ton of newpapers in the US.

[OneVoice]

Bottom line. Ballard better draft an effing day-one starter in the 4th round to justify this trade.

I'm disappointed that DA wasn't living up to his contract, but he wasn't a problem IMO either ...Ballard must be seeing something we don't; maybe there was something more to the DA not-being-used properly sentiment.

Super quiet on the FA new so far that I've seen.

[Butter]

A day one starter from the end of the 4th is a pretty high bar to set.

[HoosierinFL]

Originally Posted by OneVoice

Bottom line. Ballard better draft an effing day-one starter in the 4th round to justify this trade.

I'm disappointed that DA wasn't living up to his contract, but he wasn't a problem IMO either ...Ballard must be seeing something we don't; maybe there was something more to the DA not-being-used properly sentiment.

Super quiet on the FA new so far that I've seen.

I would imagine, if there's any truth behind this article, that Ballard has had a lot of conversation with the coaches. Not just Pagano, but with all the position coaches, who are the guys who work day in and day out with the players. From this he has some sense of who are the guys who come to work everyday (think of the old days of how Reggie Wayne used to show up for camp) and those who don't.

Ballard said it. You want guys who earn their contracts and earn the respect of teammates because they work for it. You don't want guys that other players resent.

[Puck]

Originally Posted by HoosierinFL

I would imagine, if there's any truth behind this article, that Ballard has had a lot of conversation with the coaches. Not just Pagano, but with all the position coaches, who are the guys who work day in and day out with the players. From this he has some sense of who are the guys who come to work everyday (think of the old days of how Reggie Wayne used to show up for camp) and those who don't.

Ballard said it. You want guys who earn their contracts and earn the respect of teammates because they work for it. You don't want guys that other players resent.

Yep he has too... he doesn't know this team yet.

[Mr. Session]

Originally Posted by OneVoice

Bottom line. Ballard better draft an effing day-one starter in the 4th round to justify this trade.

I'm disappointed that DA wasn't living up to his contract, but he wasn't a problem IMO either ...Ballard must be seeing something we don't; maybe there was something more to the DA not-being-used properly sentiment.

Super quiet on the FA new so far that I've seen.

Maybe not a day one guy but he better be a role player, and a significant one at that.

I'm disgusted that even in the offseason this team finds ways to lose to New England.

[Butter]

Originally Posted by Mr. Session

Maybe not a day one guy but he better be a role player, and a significant one at that.

I'm disgusted that even in the offseason this team finds ways to lose to New England.

I understand the sentiment, but it as bit early to say we lost.