it's almost like Ballard is going to put his money where his mouth is.

AzCardinals.com expects free agent S Tony Jefferson to be out of the team's price range.
In-house reporter Darren Urban believes Jefferson could fetch as much as $10 million per year on the open market. CBS' Jason La Canfora reported last month that Jefferson was a goner in the desert. Having just turned 25, Jefferson is in prime position to command a huge deal coming off an excellent 2016.
Source: azcardinals.com Mar 6 - 4:00 PM

The Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel's Bob McGinn expects the Packers to let free agent RG T.J. Lang walk.
Lang has already made it clear he plans to test the open market. The dean of Packers reporting, McGinn must have it on good authority Lang will end up outside the Pack's price range. Lang is Rotoworld's No. 2 free agent interior lineman.
Source: Bob McGinn on Twitter Mar 6 - 3:54 PM



I wouldn't bitch if they brought in Tony Jefferson at that price tag, but it wouldn't be my first choice. I think if the Colts go with Geathers/Butler next year and hope that TJ Green has literally learned anything at all, that they should be okay at the position, but if Ballard decides they need Jefferson, then I won't question it, like I said.

TJ Lang is amongst the guys I'd love to see them bring in to play RG. Get it done, Ballard.

unless it is a sanders, palamalu or reed type player, i don't like paying huge money to safeties.

i dont mind bringing in a guard but i don't want that guy to be lang

i would like to see warford. if what people say about him are correct. i haven't watched too much lions ball over the last couple years. we need a big boy that can set the tone in the run game.

Bills RB Mike Gillislee is an RFA that just received a "same round tag." He was drafted in the 5th round.

5th rounder for Gillislee? 5.7 ypc average each of the last two seasons on 148 carries.

Good way to find our depth this year and perhaps a back of the future.

Thoughts?

Cheers,

Sent from my SM-G930V using Tapatalk

Looks like they are not keeping Kerr. Is Baker that much better than a cheaper Kerr?

@JosinaAnderson
I'm told DE Chris Baker is also expected to draw interest fr t/ #Colts, as we wait for t/ LTP. #Broncos & #Bucs mentioned 2me last night too

Ballard seems to really like Chris Baker

Chargers released RG D.J. Fluker.
The Chargers picked up Fulker's fifth-year option last April, but they clearly do not still think he is worth the $8.821 million he was owed in 2017. Fluker now heads into a surprisingly strong guard market, although it is possible teams give him a look at right tackle, which is where he began his career. This could just be the first cut as the Chargers look to remake their offensive line.
Related: Chargers
Source: Adam Schefter on Twitter Mar 7 - 10:36 AM


This rotoworld blurb is right that this is indeed a pretty robust Guard market. Hopefully the Colts can get a top-flight Guard without breaking the bank.

Or, they can break the bank for all I care on getting a new top-flight Guard, for all I care. But not giving up an arm and a leg would be nice too, I suppose.

Fluker is pretty slow-moving. I'm not sure he fits what the Colts want. Then again I don't exactly know what the Colts want to do with their OL under Ballard.

The Indianapolis Star suggests free agent Jack Doyle could command $7 million per year when he hits the open market.
The Star also makes it clear Jack Doyle isn't interested in a hometown discount. The Colts would be smart to re-sign Doyle and cut Dwayne Allen, but ESPN's Adam Schefter previously reported Doyle will be shopping his wares. Tight end-needy teams where Doyle would make sense include the Giants, Jets, and Bears.
Source: Indianapolis Star Mar 7 - 12:31 PM


Too rich for my blood, IMO. That's about what Allen is making. And while our TE corps was nice last year, it's not a TE duo that's worth making $14M per year combined. We had a good one, but not one where we need to be a team with the most invested in their TE's.

Swoope/Allen will do well enough that the $7M year could be better spent in other areas.

Hats off to Doyle on (potentially) earning that money.

Ballard isn't going to change the blocking scheme without firing coaches... so no Fluker isn't what we're looking for.

I agree. I've already gone on record as saying $6 million should be the Colts ceiling on Doyle.

Unless they can trade Allen

Actually, we apparently might be interested in DJ Fluker:





@JosinaAnderson
Potential teams to watch in the OL D.J. Fluker market: #Saints #Lions #Seahawks #Colts #Vikings #Giants, #ARZ, #ATL based on a recent call.

i would be surprised

but don't they just throw our name into the hat for any rg or rt?

@AaronWilson_NFL
Among the teams expected to be extremely competitive for A.J. Bouye: Texans, Titans, Jaguars, Colts, 49ers, Browns


Wow, okay that one would surprise me.

I wouldn't hate it, the guys a stud, but I would be surprised. We're supposedly going "modest" in FA, and then we sign the big ticket CB?

Again, we have a need at CB and the guy is great, but damn, I'll believe it when I see it.

Sign him.

Scratch corner off the list.

reports are we are going to be modest

you truly do believe everything you read don't you? you are like trump watching fox news.

The Houston Chronicle reports six teams are "extremely competitive" for free agent CB A.J. Bouye.
Per reporter Aaron Wilson, the Texans, Titans, Jaguars, Colts, 49ers and Browns are duking it out for Bouye's services, and every team's offer is for at least $12 million per season. Bouye has also been linked to the Bucs and Bears. With that many clubs fighting, Bouye could push that number all the way to $14-$15 million. Wilson reports the Eagles are "not a serious player," but that Houston very much wants to keep its young corner.


He is going to be EXPENSIVE.

I guess we'll see if Ballard was just blowing smoke on being modest in free agency and "not buying a locker room".

Good. I hope they make the texicans over pay for him

http://www.stampedeblue.com/2017/3/7...ee-agency-2017

I'll happily take him. Sign him up, Ballard!

at what price?

i guess it shouldn't matter all that much since we have to get help there but i dont see him as a great player at all

I agree he is just a name, who has performed ok for a poor defense....is he an upgrade over what we have had?....probably.....is he a cornerstone to build our defense around?.....certainly not in my opinion.

@JasonColeBR
Market for #Chiefs DT Dontari Poe might not be as good as hoped. Might do 1-yr deal w/ team that allows him to rush more, hit market in '18

I'd happily take him on those terms.

I hope we sign one of the many OGs that are on the market (Kevin Zeither, T.J. Lang, Andrew Norwell, Larry Warford, Ronald Leary, Austin Pasztor, John Jerry) for RG, push Clark/Haeg into battle for RT and have O-Line depth of: loser at RT, Good, Blythe, Fahn Cooper and one more body.

I hope we push for NT Brandon Williams, BAL in free agency (since he will not cost $10m per year like Poe) and then draft NT Deangelo Brown from Louisville with our 5th round pick.

I hope we sign DE Chris Baker, WAS in free agency to add to a position group of Henry Anderson, Kendall Langford, Hassan Ridgeway, T.Y. McGill and perhaps Arthur Jones if he is not cut after signing Baker.

I hope we sign a LB in free agency because we HAVE to add a talented veteran presence to a position group that will otherwise be rookies (Bazzie and draftees), 2nd year players (Morrison, King, Rhodes), 3rd year players (Edwin Jackson, Mount) or career backups (Akeem Ayers, Chris Carter). At OLB, there only remains: Nick Perry, Jabaal Sheard, John Simon or Jarvis Jones. At ILB, there are more choices: Dont'a Hightower, Zach Brown, Gerald Hodges, Korey Toomer, Kevin Minter, Todd Davis, and Sean Smith.

I hope we sign one of the seemingly dozens of quality CBs that appear to be heading to the market as CB2 or trade our 2nd round draft pick for currently franchise tagged Trumaine Johnson, LAR.

Sign one of the 2nd tier RBs (Turbin) to back up Gore for one more year.

That then leaves our top five picks (perhaps less a 2nd rounder for Johnson) to pick defensive BPA with the caveat that at least 2 of our top five picks need to be OLB pass rushers.

Draft a Punter with our 6th round pick and call it a day.

Cheers,

Okay, perhaps Poe would not cost us $10m a year based on this.

But, honestly, I still like Brandon Williams better.

Cheers,

Damon Harrison got 5/$46. Williams will get more. I expect him to get $10 mil/year. Which is a lot for a run stuffer. Ballard knows better than most what is going on with Poe so I trust him to make a smart decision there.

Interesting that one is a now likely to be former Chief and one is a now likely to be former Raven.

Wonder if there will be a tug-o-war between Pagano/Ballard on this? I wonder if Ballard will have the same fetish for ex-Chiefs that Grigson had for Eagles and Pagano for Ravens?

I think that Brandon Williams is probably the better player too, but I'll take whichever one we can get.

CBS Sports' Jason La Canfora reports free agent NT Dontari Poe is a "top target" for the Redskins.
Bracing to lose versatile DE Chris Baker as a free agent, the Redskins have made it known fixing their defensive line is a priority. They have plenty of bodies up front but not much talent. Poe might be a bit overrated, but he's a massive human at 6'3/346 and capable of clogging lanes against the run. Washington was torched by the run last season, finishing 25th in run-defense DVOA.
Related: Redskins
Source: Jason La Canfora on Twitter Mar 8 - 9:23 AM


If this is true, we're not getting him. You don't win bidding wars against the Redskins. And Chris Ballard really doesn't strike me as the guy brought in to outbid Daniel Snyder.

Only a moron wouldn't bring in guys he knows well.

Ahhh, Dan Snyder the king of mortgaging the future. We should be so fortunate to have him in our division. Of course there are probably rules that limit the number of bat shit crazy owners allowed in any given division.

Unfortunately, our morons brought in guys that sucked that they knew well.

Jason La Canfora‏ @JasonLaCanfora 38m38 minutes ago
Guard Kevin Zeitler will do quite well on the open market. Hearing the Colts, Jags and Browns are in on him


Yes. Yes. Yes. That would be awesome.

We would have a pretty solid interior if he were to sign.

I love Zeitler's game. He is balanced in both pass protection and run blocking, on the correct side of 30 years old, pretty durable (played 16 games each of the last two seasons) and a good locker room presence by all account.

PFF has him as their #2 overall top free agent behind only Calais Campbell.


Unfortunately, both JAX and CLE have more cap space to spend then we do.


Fortunately, neither have a competent offense of which to be a part of:

IND = 10th scoring (25.7 ppg) / 05th passing (262.6 ypg) / 23rd rushing (101.8 ypg)
JAX = 23rd scoring (19.9 ppg) / 20th passing (233.0 ypg) / 22nd rushing (101.9 ypg)
CLE = 30th scoring (16.5 ppg) / 28th passing (204.0 ypg) / 19th rushing (107.0 ypg)

If I were an offensive lineman, I know where I would rather go play. However, as the song says, "it's all about the money, money, money."

Cheers,

If we don't get Zeitler there are lots of other good options. It's a great time to need a veteran guard.

Jason La Canfora @JasonLaCanfora 13m13 minutes ago
Colts very active under new GM Chris Ballard. Hope to keep Butler and Turbin, exploring top D free agents like Perry and Poe.


I like the sound of this very much.

All of this. Very, very much.

The only two Colts free agents that, for me, were "must re-sign" were Doyle and Butler (as safety and emergency CB). Turbin is an 'whatever" for me so idk about him but if we sign him cheap, cool.



2014 / 16 games played / 47 tackles / 3 TFL / 0.5 sacks
2015 / 16 games played / 53 tackles / 8 TFL / 2.0 sacks
2016 / 16 games played / 51 tackles / 3 TFL / 1.0 sacks

2014 / 16 games played / 46 tackles / 1 TFL / 6.0 sacks
2015 / 15 games played / 39 tackles / 2 TFL / 1.0 sacks
2016 / 16 games played / 27 tackles / 1 TFL / 1.5 sacks

Which of those two stat lines do you want to give a big NT contract to? Which one is trending down?

Brandon Williams, BAL is the top one.
Dontari Poe, KC is the bottom one.

I am concerned that Poe is never again going to be the guy he was in 2013/2014 so that we will end up overpaying him.

If he wants a one year "show me" contract for $6m in order to ramp up his value, then okay but if we end up signing him for $9m a year for multiple years, I don't think we will get the value.

I am a fan of signing Perry because we need a veteran starting LB somewhere on the team. We cannot start all rookies, 1st or 2nd year players and be effective.

Cheers,

Yeah, I probably would've preferred a bit more of a "name" at RB, but as long as they're not giving him some ridiculous contract, then fine. He made $700K last year. Maybe they bump it to $1M just to make him happy? If so, that hardly precludes drafting a guy with fresher legs and potentially even making Turbin a training camp cut if it comes down to it.

I too love the idea of Poe in a show-me contract, but Ballard has to be very aware of what's going on with him. If he thinks that Poe is somehow a great candidate for a hefty contract, last two seasons be damned, then I'm gonna have to trust him (for now, anyway).

Parry, by all accounts, they weren't 11 empty sacks, ala Erik Walden this year. He's probably our most realistic bet to be a guy to bring in that can do the most for us where we most desperately need it.