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Originally Posted by rm1369
I think when it comes time to pay top dollar for players that are proven performers on this roster and were drafted by the Colts he will pay to retain them. I’m not 100% convinced he will pay top dollar to retain a non home grown talent, but that remains to be seen. I am however extremely skeptical that he will pay top dollar to retain a player after only one year of high production. Even if that one years was in a Colts uniform. Does one year of production make someone proven to you? Would you make Ebron the highest paid TE in the league right now? I wouldn’t, but if he was on the market there’s a very real possibility that someone would offer it. Plenty of players have outlier years where everything falls into place. It’s a lot harder to sustain high level play. That 2nd year is huge in making sure the production isn’t a fluke. Personally I expect Ebrons number to drop some this year. If Doyle is back healthy, the WR group is improved, and Hines gets used more in his 2nd year those numbers have to come from some where and Ebrons outlier season is a likely victim.
So as conservative as Ballard is with money I doubt Ballard would have retained Ebron this year if he signed a one year contract and I doubt he re-signs Funchess next year if he has a similar break out. We will see I guess.
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I agree with a lot of what you’re saying. Now is not the ideal time to negotiate with Ebron on a new contract or extension. I’m just guessing that part of Ballard’s reluctance to sign high priced free agents is his concern that they might not fit (either on the field or culture wise), and that it’s a real gamble to commit to huge dollars to them under those circumstances. These kind of concerns could be put to rest even after a single season in a Colts uniform, so he might feel more comfortable loosening the purse strings a little, though you're certainly correct that questions would remain about the player’s ability to sustain the same level of play. And second year of elite performance would certainly help, so I'm glad we have Ebron under contract for another year and don't have to make a decision on him this year. We won't have the luxury with Funchess.