I’m afraid Ballard will always be so focused on the future and his method that the team will never have a “now” year where Ballard really pushes to field a great team. They’ll instead focus on being a good team for a much longer period. Of course it’s too early to say that for sure because they are still rebuilding and the team still isn’t where they want it to be......

Team not finished product yet but is so much better than when Ballard took over. There is nothing that he has done that says he isn’t interested in winning it all. He is trying to build a complete team, defense offense and special teams (Malik Jefferson anyone?). Takes time.

How much time? The Colts need a LT, and his name is not Tevi. If I was Irsay, this shit would have already been done. Teams spend money for great players, Ballard hasn't signed anybody worth a shit. As a Colts fan, I am losing my patience with him.

You really think Ballard has not signed any player worth a shit? Really? You and I agree we need a left tackle. I think that there is a chance I’m wrong about that but even if I am right I didn’t think the season was about to start today. How much time? Dont know the answer to that. Maybe never After all it’s been a long fucking time since this team has won shit We have had several off seasons when we signed ‘shit’, won the off season, made fans happy, then shit the bed during the real season. Give me this any day.

So when do you think they will be done building and start trying to win? I’m curious because in 2018 many on here said we weren’t in a 3-4 yr rebuild. It’s 2021 now and they are still trying to draft a complete team. So do you expect them to really go after it next year? Year after?

I’m not suggesting Ballard doesn’t want to win. I think he’s doing exactly what he thinks will win. But his method reminds me of Polian’s and Ted Thompson’s. Whether or not that is good is a matter of personal preference I guess.

Yeah, well I'm not interested in putting up banners stating that we were runner-ups. If Ballard signs either Fisher or Leno, then it shows me he is interested in winning now.

My own feelings are that until you have the qb position stable you are not going to consistently win. The last guy retiring like he did threw a huge wrench into the time line for me. We reached the playoffs last year with a rental at qb. It’s not an excuse anymore. I would expect more this year. If the defensive line, quarterback doesn’t show real promise this year I’m with you. If there is big deterioration of the offensive line play this year I’m also going to agree Ballard fucked up. I just want to see how it plays out this year

The problem isn't so much that Ballard doesn't want to go all in. The problem is that after investing in a QB in the offseason he's refusing to do any more than bottom feed off of other teams' scrap heaps for the most important position in protecting that QB. And it's not like us not having a LT is a huge surprise since AC was considering retiring after 2019.

Ballard for the most part has done a very good job, but if we don't have at least a decent LT signed by training camp then he has royally fucked this offseason up.

I guess I agree. I look every day at least twice to see if we have signed one of the LTs. I think it is premature to crucify Ballard because it hasn’t happened yet. Ballard obviously values offensive line. These last few years have been the best line play we have had in as far back as I can remember. The Manning era could pass block with the best but we’re nowhere as physical in the run game. It’s not like Grigson is running things. I believe Ballard will put together an offensive line that I’ll be happy with

I don’t like the term “all in”. That makes it sound like it’s this year or nothing, which just isn’t the case. There is a cost in free agency but it is almost never that drastic and never that immediate. They could have signed Trent Williams and it’s not like they would have been cutting guys next year to get under the cap. I’m not advocating Williams by the way - just saying even the extreme wouldn’t have led to a real “all in” situation.

And I get the importance of the LT position, but this has been consistent with Ballard’s MO. He’ll sign someone if he can get them relatively cheap and low risk. Otherwise he’ll be fine rolling into the season with a weakness, preach about the process, and deal with it in the draft next offseason. I don’t think Wentz will be at a huge risk though - Reich will use scheme to help cover the deficiency. The cost probably won’t be Wentz’s health, it will be wins. Same as it was when he did it with WR and DE. But that’s fine because they are still building...