Maybe some more beatnik poems. :rolleyes:

The problem isn't with Irsay on this one. He let Grigson go on spending sprees on day one of free agency.

Ballard has a vision that's based on being conservative with this stuff. I hope it's a vision that I can't see, but right now, I'm definitely wondering about it.

^^^

I was wrong. It isn't the takes that Deon Cain is a sure-fire WR2 that are going to kill me this offseason. It's the fans who can't listen when Ballard explicitly tells them what he's going to do.

Deon Cain Rules !!! #spendthat$$$ :eek:

Its nice if your team embraces long term building. Unfortunately, a lot of these teams turn over the coaches and GM's too much too soon, you are lucky if you get four years now. The Arizona coach got one year. It's win now or be fired for most of the league and it is reflected in everything from draft decisions to FA.

I'm not worried though, Ballard isn't going to do anything crazy. I doubt he breaks the bank for anything but a premier pass rusher.

But just because you have contracts coming up in a couple of years doesn't mean you can't find some guys to help in the short term. This team is in a window right now, if they get blown out again in the playoffs while still sitting on a pile of cash that is doing nothing, people are going to start grumbling. There is being fiscally responsible, then there is being negligent.

There’s a difference between not listening to what Ballard says and not agreeing with his approach. I hear Ballard and fully realize the Colts are taking the Ted Thompson GB Packers approach. I simply don’t like the idea of having an elite QB, sitting on $30m a year in cap space and coming up short every year.

But you understand that is the philosophy and that it can work? You would prefer to go another route, but you recognize that the Colts can win a championship without paying Landon Collins $14MM/year?

They did that because Luck was on his rookie contract. Also, We did make it to the championship game, we have a banner for it :rolleyes:.

Grigson was fired because he couldn't draft... and because he was a dick.

I don't think anyone has a problem with Ballard's approach. Building through the draft is a good strategy and most good teams do it. As long as you are a good drafter.

But you can dabble in FA also. The Steelers have 20 million in cap space, The Eagles have 25, the Saints have 15, the pats have 20 million in cap space. The pats are very average drafters. You don't have to spend it all (and you shouldn't), but you should use some of it if you are in the hunt for a Superbowl.

I have no problem not paying Collins $14m. There is plenty of room between being the Skins and what Ballard seems to advocate. Can Ballard’s approach win a Super Bowl? Of course - he has an elite QB. Thompson won one as well with the super conservative approach and Rodgers. Do you think Thompson maximized the gift he had in Rodgers? I dont.

I fully get that you can’t solve every problem by throwing money at free agents. But I also know you can’t fill every hole on the roster through the draft. That everyone’s hopes at WR2 last year where pinned on a 6th round rookie was to me a failure. Grant was a place holder, not a solution. And Ballard knew it. You can tell by the contract. And it hurt in the playoffs. With an elite QB in his prime they shouldn’t be mortgaging the future for this year, but they shouldn’t be pushing every roster hole to next year’s draft either. There is middle ground there even if many don’t believe it.

Then you understand Ballard’s “vision.” The poster I referenced didn’t comprehend a strategy that didn’t involve going hog wild in free agency.