Originally Posted by sherck (Post 1259)

I agree 100%.

Our offense was rounding into form over the 2nd half of the season. Really, all it needed was for the O-Line to gel and it appears that was happening. Hopefully, a new WR coach will bring the younger guys further so that they support T.Y. better and about the only player needed on the offensive side is a young RB to backup Gore.

However, on defense, it is pretty much a disaster. No LBs that I have confidence in except Walden and he might have priced himself out of us re-signing him with his double digit sack year (which will never happen again).

Our D-Line ended up not being the strength that I had hoped it would be although there were times that it played well. Our secondary has Vontae and perhaps Geathers as studs and a few other nice players in Robinson, Butler and Melvin but needs more work.

In my perfect world, however, 4 defensive free agents (D-Line, ILB, OLB, CB) to go along with 3 or 4 defensive rookies (first 3 rounds for sure and then either RB or defense in 4th round) would go a LONG way in upgrading the defensive side of the ball and make us a 10 win team again.

Think of this....

NE scored 51 offensive TDs, 27 FGs, 46 XPM and 1 2-point conversions on offense.

IND scored 45 offensive TDs, 27 FGs, 44 XPM and 2 2-point conversions on offense.

NE. = 435 offensive points scored (27.19 ppg)
IND = 399 offensive points scored (24.94 ppg)

3 points per game less scored on offense per game.....however...

NE. = 250 defensive points allowed (15.63 ppg)
IND = 392 defensive points allowed (24.50 ppg)

9 points more per game allowed on defense.

A one season defensive "Manhattan Project" with the RIGHT guys brought in could create a HUGE turnaround in 2017.

Perhaps, even enough to overcome some of Clappy McWoodChoppers' faults and tendencies to lose us games.

Cheers,

Originally Posted by VeveJones007 (Post 1382)

I'm really concerned that they are going to sit on this cap space. Who would they need to save it for?

Originally Posted by bigalbert (Post 1380)

From the tweets by players of their dislike for grigson, one has to wonder what the hell this guy was all sticking his nose into, so YES it is absolutely possible that it happened

Originally Posted by omahacolt (Post 1396)

someone worth the money?

Originally Posted by VeveJones007 (Post 1432)

Poe and Bouye would look pretty darn good in Colts jerseys next year. When you fail so epically in the draft as Grigson did in 2013-2014, it's not like you have guys to extend. They either sign free agents or the cap space will not be used. You can't keep rolling over $40MM until you're ready to (hopefully) extend a few players from Ballard's first draft.

Originally Posted by FatDT (Post 1458)

It seems reasonable to expect Ballard to target one of both of Poe and Berry. Players move with coaches or execs their familiar with all the time.

Originally Posted by Horse (Post 2033)

I like everything I've read about Ballard. Should be a major upgrade over Grigson. In addition to all that, he maintains a scraggly beard, which I'm sure sealed the deal with Irsay.

Originally Posted by Racehorse (Post 2052)

If it is scraggly, you can't say it is also maintained.

Originally Posted by Racehorse (Post 2052)

If it is scraggly, you can't say it is also maintained.

Originally Posted by Dam8610 (Post 1485)

Poe and Berry would both be huge upgrades.

Originally Posted by Hoopsdoc (Post 2362)

Poe yes. Maybe Berry, depending on price.

Build up the lines first, second, third, fourth, fifth, and so on. THEN look at other guys.

I want the Colts to win in the trenches.

Originally Posted by Coltsalr (Post 2392)

At this point, I'll take game-changing talent wherever on the defense. There isn't a position that we have that we couldn't stand to improve in a big way.

That's a really, really sad realization, but it's absolutely the case.

Originally Posted by Dam8610 (Post 2429)

Welcome to the 2001 Colts all over again.

Originally Posted by sherck (Post 2453)

The only guys currently on defense that I see as, potentially, building blocks for the future are:

NT David Parry
DE Henry Anderson
DE Hassan Ridgway
ILB Edwin Jackson
ILB Antonio Morrison
SS Clayton Geathers
CB Vontae Davis (for only another couple of seasons)

Perhaps E.J. Green will turn a corner this season because his physical abilities are excellent but he was a lost lonely lamb in 2016.

While I like a bit of what Melvin and Morris did at CB in 2016, I don't think either of them are a future building block.

No one at OLB which is THE KEY POSITION in a 3-4 defense was they provide the pass rush, control the flats and funnel the runners inside to the rest of the defense. No one.

Cheers,

Originally Posted by Wyatt (Post 7813)

Per Pro Football Rumors

New Colts GM Chris Ballard may want to shake up the scouting core, but league sources tell JLC that he may have to wait a year since the evaluators that are already there have more time to go on their contracts. Still, Ballard badly wants to poach Seahawks executive Ed Dodds. If Indy can land him, he’ll probably get a promotion over his current title. Jets director of college scouting Rex Hogan is also a Ballard target, but JLC hears that he still has a good amount of time left on his contract and might be harder to pry away.

Bears exec Morocco Brown, who has history with Ballard, could be a possible candidate for the Colts and 49ers. JLC notes that Brown had a solid relationship with new SF coach Kyle Shanahan in D.C.

Originally Posted by VeveJones007 (Post 7817)

This is what people don't understand when they wanted Ballard to spend heavily in UFA this offseason. Ballard isn't going to have his people in place until next offseason (at the earliest), so going crazy in 2017 would be very risky. Couple that with a lame-duck coaching staff, and you have a lot of low-risk signings with nothing guaranteed on the books for 2018.

BTW, "low-risk" does NOT equal "limited upside." I think we can all agree that there are some players brought in who could play valuable roles on the team this season.

Originally Posted by omahacolt (Post 7846)

no. i would think most people understand ballard is using grigson's guys. that has nothing to do with who we bring in.

are we really going to blame this free agent class and the draft class on grigson as well?

come on now. this is his show.

Originally Posted by VeveJones007 (Post 7898)

Do you know for a fact that Ballard wants to run a 3-4 going forward? Does he even know, or will he adapt based on the coaching staff he brings in next offseason?

Why would you go crazy in free agency if questions like that are still up in the air? Better to sign decent stop-gap players and keep your powder dry for next offseason when you have your scouts and coaching staff in place.