Its the offseason thread

[Dam8610]

Originally Posted by Lov2fish

If they don't tag Pittman he may be gone. Say's he owes it to himself to test free agency.

https://horseshoeheroes.com/posts/mi...ynM-w0ZyTWyfr4

If they don't tag Pittman I'll start to question Ballard's GM ability.

Originally Posted by IndyNorm

Here's what I'd like to see us do in the offseason on top of re-signing our own (w/ MPJ being the highest priority followed by Grover, Moore, and Blackmon):

- Add a starting outside CB to go along w/ Brents. Keep Flowers and Jones as depth and push Baker to either the bottom of the depth chart or off the roster.

- Add at least 1 WR, if not 2. Would be good to bring in/draft someone to compete w/ Pierce, but at least bring in a couple of decent WRs for depth.

- Add more pass rush via the draft or FA.

- Add NT depth. Our run D really went to shit without Grover.

- Add at Safety. Cross showed why he still remains a project and Thomas took a step back this year. Would be great to bring in a starter, but if nothing else add some depth.

- IOL depth.

As for the draft I'd like to see us go w/ BPA at CB/WR/DE or maybe S if there's a special talent that falls in our lap with our 1st pick.

Honestly, the only part I'd disagree with there is WR. Once Pittman is re-signed, I don't think they need to add at WR unless an elite talent like Nabers falls to them.

Originally Posted by ChaosTheory

Yeah, I see what you're saying. Although, the thing for me is... well a couple of things...

For one, as I've said a bunch of times on these boards: I think sacks can be among the most misleading stats in football. Not that I think they're useless. I just think they require a lot of context.

Especially if we're looking at a single given year. We see guys all the time have an outlier year and then return to their own status quo. If I looked at the leaderboard last year, I'd see 3rd-rounder Alex Highsmith with 14.5 sacks. He came back to Earth this year and now 3/4 of his seasons of 2, 6, and 7 sacks.

But, anyway, to your point... Guys like Hendrickson and Crosby are 3rd/4th-rounders that are yearly problems from OC's. Those are the guys that worry you, just like the scary 1st-rounders. Even Chris Jones was a 2nd-rounder. So they can be found. But the odds are low even for 1st-rounders, so it's only less likely you find the next Hendrickson. But shit, even Hendrickson didn't blow up until year-4.

Just for shits... a quick count from the top 23 sack guys (the double digit guys)... I think I counted 14 1st-rounders, with 11 of those being top-15 (maybe top-13, can't remember) guys. Like two 2nd's, five 3rd/4th's, a 7th and an undrafted. For whatever that's worth.

When I look into it, I usually end up in the same place... these fuckers are hard to find.

Honestly, looking at the sack leaderboard, combined with Ballard's history of success at DE in free agency and the draft, led me to think signing Hunter might be the best option.

Originally Posted by ChoppedWood

His defenses, even to this day, have always been built around individual game designs and negating your biggest weapon. He forced you as a staff to figure out how to win games with your B guys.

Gus Bradley does nothing of the sort. Same damn game plan regardless of the opposing QB and receiving corps on the opposing side of the ball. Since he has been here we have constantly been on here bitching about the stupid completion percentages over and over, and it never fucking changes no matter what the fucking lame ass QB name is opposite us. Over a long enough period of time- which he has had- the issue becomes the scheme and all the excuses about injuries, lack of effective DE's, etc... become just that excuses. Gus Bradley is like the antithesis of Steichen- no creativity and very fucking conservative. We need a change!

Easier to stop an offense when you know what their playcall is. Easier to know what your opponent's offense is calling if you have Ernie Adams analyzing tape and relaying the signals directly to Belicheat on gameday.

[IndyNorm]

Honestly, the only part I'd disagree with there is WR. Once Pittman is re-signed, I don't think they need to add at WR unless an elite talent like Nabers falls to them.

We have 3 NFL caliber WRs on the roster. Everyone else is a PS/TC fodder type of player. Even if we don't need to bring in someone to compete w/ Pierce, which is debatable, we still need to add 1-2 WRs to have some adequate depth.

Honestly, looking at the sack leaderboard, combined with Ballard's history of success at DE in free agency and the draft, led me to think signing Hunter might be the best option.

Agree that Hunter would be a great signing. But we all know how Ballard operates, so little chance of that happening. An Autry/Ebukam type signing is probably the best we can hope for.

[YDFL Commish]

Originally Posted by IndyNorm

We have 3 NFL caliber WRs on the roster. Everyone else is a PS/TC fodder type of player. Even if we don't need to bring in someone to compete w/ Pierce, which is debatable, we still need to add 1-2 WRs to have some adequate depth.



Agree that Hunter would be a great signing. But we all know how Ballard operates, so little change of that happening. An Autry/Ebukam type signing is probably the best we can hope for.

As mentioned many during broadcasts, Pierce ran the most 9 routes of any WR in the NFL, and by a wide margin.

He was open on a lot of those routes and Minshew just failed to find him, or didn't trust his arm. The hope is that AR hits on those open routes.

Besides they are still valuable routes as Pierce is a threat and he does move safeties from time to time.

[Lov2fish]

Originally Posted by YDFL Commish

As mentioned many during broadcasts, Pierce ran the most 9 routes of any WR in the NFL, and by a wide margin.

He was open on a lot of those routes and Minshew just failed to find him, or didn't trust his arm. The hope is that AR hits on those open routes.

Besides they are still valuable routes as Pierce is a threat and he does move safeties from time to time.

Minshew didn't have the arm needed to get it there. On all those go routes and fly routes he was open literally 80% of the time. He rarely got any respect from opposing DC's because they knew he was not getting the ball. If we have a QB who can get it there accurately it will also free up Pit on the other side and make those slants a little easier to Downs. Just being able to throw a deep ball makes a defensive approach to us a little more challenging. I don't think we need WR helps as much as some. We need to see if Pierce can catch the ball when thrown to him in stride. Most of his catches are made from him having to come back for the ball, or in a congested route where he has to fight for it cause it was woefully off target or underthrown.

[IndyNorm]

I'm not saying to completely give up on Pierce, but if either Odunze or Nabors is there for us to draft it probably makes sense to draft one of them (pending they're the BPA).

I do stand by my statement that we need to bring in 1-2 WRs (could be from the draft) for depth b/c we have pretty much nothing past MPJ (hopefully), Pierce, and Downs.

[Dam8610]

Originally Posted by IndyNorm

I'm not saying to completely give up on Pierce, but if either Odunze or Nabors is there for us to draft it probably makes sense to draft one of them (pending they're the BPA).

I do stand by my statement that we need to bring in 1-2 WRs (could be from the draft) for depth b/c we have pretty much nothing past MPJ (hopefully), Pierce, and Downs.

If Nabers is there, he's the BPA. In most classes, he'd be WR1, but most classes don't have the physical reincarnation of Calvin Johnson taught to play WR from childhood by Marvin Harrison.

If you don't get an elite talent like that, though, I really don't see a reason to bring in a WR. If Ballard's not an idiot (and he's not), he'll tag and extend MPJ. MPJ is a good 1, Downs is a good slot (and IMO would be the #2 target in the offense), and Pierce has the skillset to be the deep threat boundary guy. Beyond that, the Colts are only going to keep 5 WRs in all likelihood, Dulin will probably be one of them, and I likes what I saw of DJ Montgomery enough to not burn a Day 3 pick on the hope of getting a good WR4.

So if you can get Nabers, get him, otherwise stand pat at WR IMO.

[IndyNorm]

Originally Posted by Dam8610

If Nabers is there, he's the BPA. In most classes, he'd be WR1, but most classes don't have the physical reincarnation of Calvin Johnson taught to play WR from childhood by Marvin Harrison.

If you don't get an elite talent like that, though, I really don't see a reason to bring in a WR. If Ballard's not an idiot (and he's not), he'll tag and extend MPJ. MPJ is a good 1, Downs is a good slot (and IMO would be the #2 target in the offense), and Pierce has the skillset to be the deep threat boundary guy. Beyond that, the Colts are only going to keep 5 WRs in all likelihood, Dulin will probably be one of them, and I likes what I saw of DJ Montgomery enough to not burn a Day 3 pick on the hope of getting a good WR4.

So if you can get Nabers, get him, otherwise stand pat at WR IMO.

I agree on Nabers and as mentioned before like Odunze as well. Guessing both will be gone by 15, but stranger things have happened.

You're assuming Dulin will be fully recovered from his ACL tear. Not saying that he won't be, but it is possible that he's not and starts on the PUP.

Not following your logic on not drafting a day 3 WR. If there's one available at the top of Ballard's board who's likely better than Montgomery then why wouldn't we want to take him? Also, if WRs 4-6 are good on special teams then we could keep 6. Probably not, but it could happen.

[Dam8610]

Originally Posted by IndyNorm

I agree on Nabers and as mentioned before like Odunze as well. Guessing both will be gone by 15, but stranger things have happened.

You're assuming Dulin will be fully recovered from his ACL tear. Not saying that he won't be, but it is possible that he's not and starts on the PUP.

Not following your logic on not drafting a day 3 WR. If there's one available at the top of Ballard's board who's likely better than Montgomery then why wouldn't we want to take him? Also, if WRs 4-6 are good on special teams then we could keep 6. Probably not, but it could happen.

If a WR is BPA, it's a Day 3 pick, they don't even make the roster sometimes. That said, you can often find starters at other positions on Day 3, OG being a great example of that. If there's a starting caliber OG that could push Fries and a WR who will be lucky to make the roster as a WR4, I'd rather get the OG.

[omahacolt]

Originally Posted by Dam8610

If a WR is BPA, it's a Day 3 pick, they don't even make the roster sometimes. That said, you can often find starters at other positions on Day 3, OG being a great example of that. If there's a starting caliber OG that could push Fries and a WR who will be lucky to make the roster as a WR4, I'd rather get the OG.

day 3 guards don't make the roster sometimes. what are you even going on about? Nacua was a day 3 pick. he turned out fine.

we all know starting guards and centers can be found a lot of times on day 3. that doesn't mean a wr can't be awesome on day 3.

[Dam8610]

Originally Posted by omahacolt

day 3 guards don't make the roster sometimes. what are you even going on about? Nacua was a day 3 pick. he turned out fine.

we all know starting guards and centers can be found a lot of times on day 3. that doesn't mean a wr can't be awesome on day 3.

Puka Nacua and Marques Colston are much more the exception than the rule and starting OGs are much more common on Day 3. Pretty sure you already knew that, though.