1) someone he wants is available

Or more likely

2) Irsay told him he better spend some fucking money and improve the team

There is a rule in the CBA that states teams must spend at least 89% of the salary cap over a four year period. That current period began in 2017 and is in its final year.

I believe the Colts are under that number by approx. $42,000,000. The 89% is required by the CBA, Ballard may be forced to spend some of Irsays money in free agency, I believe if they don't they are fined and money goes to Colts players salary pool... :cool:

Draft picks should eat up a chunk along with what ever Castonzo re-signs for, rest must be through extensions and UFA signings.

Sherck could give us exact numbers and tell us what the rookie pool would be, Castanzo's amount, and what we would have to spend. Wish that guy would come back. By the way, I think it would leave between $20 and $25M that we have to spend, which is chump change in this league. Carr or Stafford would cover that amount and be better options than Phillip freaking Rivers!

So the money has to be spent, but might as well dress it up like this is part of a carefully calculated plan.

If I had to guess:

Colts players who entered NFL in 2017 who will be 4th year vets in 2020:

Malik Hooker, defensive secondary
Marlon Mack, offensive backfield
Grover Stewart, defensive line
Anthony Walker, defensive linebackers
Kenny Moore, defensive secondary (UDFA)
Rigoberto Sanchez, special teams (UDFA)

Colts players who entered NFL in 2018 who will be 3rd year vets in 2020:

Quenton Nelson, offensive line
Darius Leonard, defensive linebackers
Braden Smith, offensive line
Kemoko Turay, defensive line
Nyheim Hines, offensive backfield
Jordan Wilkins, offensive backfield
Tyquan Lewis, defensive line
Zach Pascal, wide receiver (UDFA)

Longer term NFL veteran who are Main-Stays on team:

Anthony Castonzo, offensive line
Ryan Kelly, offensive line
T.Y. Hilton, wide receiver
Jack Doyle, tight end
Justin Houston, defensive line
Pierre Desir, defensive secondary
Denico Autry, defensive line
Mark Glowinski, offensive line
Jacoby Brissett, quarterback

23 names on those three lists encompassing most of our starters.

Almost half the locker room will be 3rd year vets or older.

That would be the change that I think happened from last season to this season.

-- AND --

Irsay told him to spend money ! ? ! :)

His plan was working and is. Luck was a 5-6 game winning difference over Brissett. We are a QB and a few other pieces from contending for a SB.

Also nothing wrong with altering your plan when things dont pan out... something Ballard does that Grigson never would do.

They wanted Clowney all along Texans just pro longed the inevitable and Colts didn’t wanna give up picks

Meh, so are 20 other teams. I don't think we're anywhere close to SB contention. We have a good o-line, decent RBs behind that line, TY, Leonard, and Moore. The rest are average or developing players. Houston and Doyle are pretty good. Not looking for an argument or anything, it's just my opinion. I'm hoping for the best, but I'm expecting mediocrity. JB will start again this year.

Clowney is injury prone and overrated.

We were SB contenders before the season and we lost our QB.... a questionable not yet proven 2nd string QB stepped in and the team went 7-9 regardless of the fact Brissett is fucking aweful... I agree it's not about argument.

Brissett is awful and I'm looking forward to the upgrade at QB.