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Seems that people are quick to judge a work in progress. There is no, and never has been, a single offseason that can turn around a franchise that needs this much work. I get the ticking clock on Luck. I don't expect every move to be headline worthy. What I expect is a foundation of a winning culture. Who can possibly judge that in year 2 for a GM and really this is year 1 with the new staff.

Seriously guys. Relax. Have a homebrew. You are worse than a bunch of pissy old ladies who sit in the back row and scoff at everything new!

Quote:

Originally Posted by rm1369 (Post 60240)

Meh, probably not a horrible signing. Nothing to get excited about certainly. It’s the lack of other moves that makes you roll your eyes at this. It’s the idea that after finishing 4-12 and entering free agency with over $70m to spend they somehow are even more talent deficient than they were 3 weeks ago. They’ve lost the best two performers off one of the worst defenses in the league and still failed to address the horrendous OL that has been getting their franchise QB killed for years.

I completely understand that the bulk of your talent needs to come from the draft, but Jesus fucking Christ when you are this talent deficient in so many key areas and have so much cap space you have to add a piece or two - even if you have to over pay a little. Every team has overplayed players and the cap has been steadily rising. And you sure as hell can’t afford to cut 26 yr old players that are performing above average for you. Is someone really going to tell me Ebron is going to help the Colts more the Hankins would have? If so I’m not buying it. And I don’t buy that he didn’t fit the scheme. But if he didn’t then change the damn scheme. Good coaches make the best use of their talent. the Colts are in no position to throw away talent for nothing.

Not signing any decent OL and cutting Hankins leaves this team screwed for next year. Now, as everyone seems to be hoping for, the Colts must spend significant draft capital on the OL or go in to next year with Luck being beat up again. So what gets neglected? The damn defense with its holes everywhere. And Luck will still be operating behind rookies and journeymen.

It appears Ballard has decided this is a 3-4 yr rebuild and we’ll just waste some prime Luck years. Is it really impossible to find a middle ground between signing washed up vets to win now and hanging your entire future on “stacking 2, 3, 4 drafts” in a row? God help us if Ballard has a bad draft - you have to stack them to win anything. Certainly can’t use free agency to bring in any pieces worth keeping.

Sorry, I obviously find Ballard’s approach completely stupid. It feels as if he is more concerned with getting a bargain than building a team. Hopefully after another 4th place AFC south finish he’ll understand that ultimately no one gives a damn if a few players are overpaid, it takes talent to win. A roster of “good” contracts doesn’t mean shit. But I guess I should be happy they signed someone. A pass catching TE with bad hands. But at least we are putting the money we saved from Hankins to good use.

Or, maybe, he recognizes this is year 1 of a process he feels will take at least 2 years and would like to save cap space for when he better knows what the holes that need to be filled are?

Quote:

Originally Posted by rcubed (Post 60244)

pretty big flaw though...

And if they can fix it, they can have an elite player.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Brylok (Post 60243)

A lot of butthurt in this thread...smh.

Nah, a lot of frustration in this thread. And rightly so IMO. The Colts have in place the most reliable route to being competitive - a franchise QB. With Luck coming back, $70m in cap space, and the #3 pick the Colts could have easily been in playoff contention next year - without hurting their future in any significant way. Instead they’ve lost their 2 best defenders from last year, have done nothing to keep their QB safe, and added a rotational DL and a pass catching TE w/ bad hands. It’s not that the two signings are bad it’s the complete willingness to mail in another year. With only scraps remaining in FA the Colts are less talented than they were 3 weeks ago. And they are sitting on significant cap space waiting for a few bargains to fall in their laps.

Ballard had two avenues to really improve this team and he has decided to nearly completely neglect one of them. Something he readily admits. So he better nail this draft. I’m really worried about that losing culture setting in. Everyone knows that shit breeds. Not to mention they lost their two best defensive players for the NFL equivalent of pennies while sitting on boatloads of cap space. Not a great way to motivate people or make anyone believe this is a place they want to play. Losing and penny pinching? Can’t see that combo being great for recruitment. Ballard likes to say it isn’t all about Luck and it looks like he’s taking that to heart. The most important person in the franchise seems to be an after thought to Ballard’s planning. Neglecting protection and willing to waste a few more years. At least their cap situation is the envy of the league.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dam8610 (Post 60259)

And if they can fix it, they can have an elite player.

Which is more likely? Fixing Ebron’s hands after several years in the league? Or Haskins contributing to one of the worst Ds in the league? I know which I believe

Quote:

Originally Posted by rm1369 (Post 60261)

Which is more likely? Fixing Ebron’s hands after several years in the league? Or Haskins contributing to one of the worst Ds in the league? I know which I believe

I am not sure who Haskins is, but I do not recall anyone here thrilled about Hankins being released. Regardless one has nothing to do with the other you just seem to want to have a whiny rant.

Quote:

Originally Posted by rm1369 (Post 60261)

Which is more likely? Fixing Ebron’s hands after several years in the league? Or Haskins contributing to one of the worst Ds in the league? I know which I believe

Never said I thought getting rid of Hankins was a good idea. Also, his drop "issue" appears to be mostly a single game, so I think there's a good chance of fixing that.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dam8610 (Post 60258)

Or, maybe, he recognizes this is year 1 of a process he feels will take at least 2 years and would like to save cap space for when he better knows what the holes that need to be filled are?

So last year was already chalked up as a COMPLETELY wasted year? Why would that be? Can’t be because we kept Pagano - you think he’s a good coach. Yes Luck was hurt but that didn’t have any effect on Ballard’s ability to add talent thru the draft or free agency last year. So at best this is year 2 of a 3 year rebuild, not year 1 of a 2 year rebuild. Which means Ballard came into this with the idea of wasting 2-3 years of Lucks career in his prime, right?

Ultimately I agree - Ballard thinks it’s a long rebuild and is willing to sacrifice a few of Luck’s years in the process. I simply disagree. With a franchise QB in place their is no reason this team couldn’t be in playoff contention next year. That doesn’t require sacrificing your future. It requires overpaying a few pieces in free agency (that’s the nature of it) and building your scheme around the strengths of your players. Not cutting your best or second best defensive player because you don’t know how to use him. So yes this is more than likely a 3-4 year rebuild. But not because it was the only way. Or even the smart way. It’s a 3-4 year rebuild because Ballard decided it would be. And he’s making it be so.

Quote:

Originally Posted by rm1369 (Post 60274)

Its not wasting luck, he needs time to build a good team. It is what it is.

Grigson tried to go for it quick when we had early success and that ultimately failed. Sure that was in large part due to inept coaching, but its still not a good strategy.

QBs are playing much longer into their careers. If ballard can build a sustained winner for a decade, then I will give him this upfront time to build that.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Butter (Post 60262)

I am not sure who Haskins is, but I do not recall anyone here thrilled about Hankins being released. Regardless one has nothing to do with the other you just seem to want to have a whiny rant.

Sorry, autocorrect catches the names often. Ebron has repeatedly been Enron to if I don’t catch it.

So expressing an opinion is being whiny? Understood. I guess this whole fucking forum was whiny about Grigson. And Pagano. I’m expressing an opinion. I assume you don’t like it. But I’m going to state it again - Ebron as a signing is fine, but overall Ballard’s approach to free agency is guaranteeing a long rebuild and a couple wasted years of Lucks career. If you are cool with that, then great. I’m not. I think it’s stupid and unnecessarily inflexible. The same way I think cutting Hankins was stupid and unnecessarily inflexible. And it looks bad when projecting forward for both Ballard and this mashed together inexperienced coaching staff. I’m sorry I don’t see everything through blue tinted glasses. But I loved the trade with the Jets and I didn’t even need them.