By My Count...

[rm1369]

Originally Posted by Chromeburn

This team needs work and we are in year five of Ballard. This is why teams dig into FA. Because it takes forever to build a team only through the draft.

Exactly. The idea that you are only going to draft and develop guys long term is about 20-30 years antiquated. Yes that needs to be your primary source of talent, but even the best drafting GMs miss as many (or more) as they hit. Ballard is always playing for flexibility and next year. He leaves glaring holes in the roster. He prioritizes young guys over proven vets. He’s used free agency a little but pretty much only when he has an extremely low risk option with maximum team flexibility. Sounds great - until Zach Pascal is your number one receiver or you have a team talking super bowl with no pass rusher with double digit sacks CUMULATIVE FOR THEIR CAREER! He preached paying “our own” but let Autry walk to a division rival because he refused to pay him. Instead he went into the season with all of his unproven “athletes” at DE. You guys can spare me the story of how he tried to match the Titans offer. You don’t preach what he’s preached and then be surprised a guy doesn’t want to let you match. Ballard pinched his pennies and got burned. Playing for next year has a cost. The Colts have paid that cost pretty much every year Ballard has been GM and I still don’t see the promised dynasty on the horizon. Hell, I’d settle for beating a playoff level team.