Originally Posted by Oldcolt (Post 86938)

I don't think Ballard has said he will build only thru the draft. It is his primary way and I think we all would agree that your core usually comes thru the draft. I understand how you come down on the side that Ballard will just sit on all this money but I disagree. It makes sense to me to wait until you know what you can address thru the draft before bringing in guys. As far as this being a slow way to build a team, I disagree. I don't think that bringing in 3-4 free agents last year would speed up this rebuild one bit. Can you name one team that was able to build a Super Bowl winner thru free agency. Free agents might make us an average team faster, but the object of this rebuild is Super Bowl wins. I for one am sick of one and done and making the playoff on the shoulders of one player. This is, in my mind, exactly what we should be doing right now. To be clear, I think we should and will spend some money next year.

Originally Posted by JesusChrist (Post 87561)

Anyone calling for Ballard to be fired anytime soon are just ridiculously impatient.

Originally Posted by omahacolt (Post 87570)

Say we are 6-10 this year and next with a healthy Luck? Would that be acceptable? I don’t think so.

I also don’t think that will happen but we got beat pretty easily by the jets

Originally Posted by Chaka (Post 87447)

Gimme a break - you're talking about showing Ballard the door? Why, because he's improved virtually every facet of this team while saving tons of cap space for the future? What would you have done differently? Please be specific with player names.

Let me list for you the things he's done off the top of my head in the short time he's been here:

2017 Draft - Using an inherited scouting staff, and on short notice, still picked up three starters (Hooker, Mack, Walker), three backups (Wilson, Hairston, Stewart). Two ugly misses (Basham and Banner), but unlike most he didn't keep them around making the situation worse in the hope of saving face. When all is said and done, most teams will have at least two ugly misses in any given draft. Ballard just acknowledged his sooner than most.

2018 Draft - Nearly every pick has made serious contributions, except Lewis/Cain (injured) and Fountain (practice squad). I doubt any other team had a better batting average. Seven games in and we already have two high level starters (Nelson and Leonard) from this draft.

2018 free agency - Signed Ebron, Autry and Miller to cap friendly deals. Jury still out on Grant. Struck out on Howard, but again damage was small ($1-2 million) and cut bait quickly to minimize damage.

Traded for Jacoby Brissett in exchange for an underperforming WR from the prior regime (Dorsett)

Cut/traded multiple mediocre vets (Hankins/Anderson/Simon) in favor of much cheaper youth that are now outperforming those vets.

Kept several vets who have performed at or above their contracts (Hunt, Woods, Sheard, Desir), while not resigning others who are now disappointments with their new teams (Melvin, Moncrief)

Rebuilt two critical areas (offensive line and linebackers) into a strength, after years (and years) of underperformance.

Utilized team-friendly contract structures which incentivized performance and gave the team the flexibility to move on without consequence if things didn't work out.

Jettisoned Pagano, brought in Reich and new coaching staff. Notable embarrassment when McDaniels reneged on informal agreement, but Ballard accepted blame and rebounded well in getting Reich.

Jettisoned multiple failed draft picks/projects from the prior regime (TJ Green, Dorsett, Bond, George)

Those are the things I can think of off of the top of my head. The bottom line is that most of his moves have improved this team, and those that haven't didn't cause much damage. And you're talking about getting rid of this guy?

Originally Posted by omahacolt (Post 87570)

Say we are 6-10 this year and next with a healthy Luck? Would that be acceptable? I don’t think so.

I also don’t think that will happen but we got beat pretty easily by the jets

Originally Posted by omahacolt (Post 87570)

Say we are 6-10 this year and next with a healthy Luck? Would that be acceptable? I don’t think so.

I also don’t think that will happen but we got beat pretty easily by the jets

Originally Posted by YDFL Commish (Post 87589)

Not going to happen. This team is still learning how to win. If we beat Oakland and do it without making critical mistakes, then this team may have finally turned the corner, of at least not beating themselves.

Originally Posted by omahacolt (Post 87570)

Say we are 6-10 this year and next with a healthy Luck? Would that be acceptable? I don’t think so.

I also don’t think that will happen but we got beat pretty easily by the jets

Originally Posted by JesusChrist (Post 87606)

We are in year 2 of a rebuild, the first year of that rebuild where Ballard had his own scouting info to go by on the draft,a competent coaching staff to work with, and new offensive and defensive schemes.

If you didn't expect this year and possibly next to be rebuild years, then you aren't looking at things realistically. They even told you it would be a multi year process.

Ballard had a solid draft this year. It's possible with the weak division that with another solid draft and him ramping up FA spending that we could compete next year.

I'm not ready to axe the guy though because in a clear rebuild year that's exactly what we're seeing.

You've been a Ballard hater though, so it's not surprising that you are reacting how you are.

Originally Posted by omahacolt (Post 87570)

Say we are 6-10 this year and next with a healthy Luck? Would that be acceptable? I don’t think so.

I also don’t think that will happen but we got beat pretty easily by the jets