Not much left in FA, prepare to be unhappy.

Not quite true. While there are no "sure fire, lock" starters left in the age range that Ballard has said that he wants to sign players (24 - 27 years old), there are some solid guys who could come in, compete to win the spot over Haeg, Good and Clark and improve the line.

OT Cameron Flemming, NE (2 year wonder without a ton of starting experience)
OG Jack Mewhort, IND (health issues; good starter when healthy)
OG Quinton Spain, TEN (RFA with only 1st right of refusal tag...no draft picks needed to poach him)
OG Jonathan Cooper, DAL (Career derailed by lots of injuries.)

Obviously, Matt Slauson is an immediate starter if signed but is well outside Ballard's target age range (turned 32 in Feb) and would be a short-term gap filler.

There is some help in free agency but we are going to have to rely on a combination of things happning for our O-Line to improve a lot in 2018:

1. Hopefully, better offensive scheme allowing for the ball to get out faster when pressure happens.
2. Hopefully, better offensive line coach who can get more out of folks.
3. Hopefully, a couple of the guys listed above signed to give better competition in training camp for starting spots.
4. Hopefully, at least 1 stud draftee who can come in and compete as well.
5. Hopefully, Andrew Luck's spidy sense has not left him to help avoid the pressure.

If a few of those things happen, then we should be in a better place in 2018 than 2017 with the offensive line.

Walk Worthy,

There's a good possibility that the likes of Price, Hernandez, Wynn will still be available when we are selecting early in the 2nd round. Think we will struggle to find a starting calibre tackle at that point in the draft other than taking a big risk on Orlando Brown, but interior guys should still be available to choose from, and possibly more than one if Nelson isn't selected with our 1st rounder.

The only 2 OT prospects that I consistently see selected in the 1st round are Mike McGlinchey from ND and Conner Williams from Texas.

A fair number of the next tier of prospects (Orlando Brown, Jamarco Jones, Kolton Miller, Brian O'Neill or Tyrell Crosby) sometimes make it into the first round but are often picked in the 2nd round.

Chubb in the first followed by 2 of our 2nd round picks being an OG and an OT would be about my best dream scenario. Use the last of the 2nd round picks to select an athletic MLB who can cover and my dreams would come true.

I think Ballard is going to be pretty active in free agency so that desire could change for me but I think there are going to be a lot of attractive O-Line prospects at the top of the 2nd round.

Walk Worthy,

You could have just said "scraps", because that's what's left.

Ton of cap space wasted...:mad:
But early draft pick next year. :D
Maybe we can pick up a franchise QB after Luck is killed about game 4:eek:
Perhaps they're happy with Jacoby? :rolleyes:

Folks, next year is going to be rough

We got grant

Ian Rapoport
✔
@RapSheet
It’s 1-year and $5M for Grant. After the physical issue in Baltimore, he’s going to prove it for a year

Eric Reid is still unsigned, he is one of the best safeties in the NFL, but has had an issue with his stand alongside Colin Kaepernick, which seems to be the main reason why he still hasn't been signed. He would be an immediate improvement to the team. But sounds like from what i have read he has been black balled by the owners. Just get the best players on to the team.

That is my wet dream also, 36 & 37 best available guard and tackle, 49 best available middle backer, 3rd pick best available CB, the rest of the draft RB, DT and edge rushers !!!

I'd be a big fan of landing Cam Meredith if the Colts can manage it. He's Ballard's ideal X receiver if healthy. Health is the big if.

He is intriguing and I would think he could get him with a fairly team friendly contract.

From Peter King's MMQB this past Monday:
First call of free agency? Colts calling about jensen.

Ballard tried; and the money got too high.

I bet 2 of our top 4 picks at the draft are O-Linemen. He knows we have talent issues on the O-Line.

Walk Worthy,

I disagree. Maybe one, but his free agency signings indicate to me that he's very much wanting to invest his draft resources this year into the defense. I think if the Colts hang on to the picks they have, we'll see 4 of the top 5 picks invested in defense.

I doubt Ballard is locking himself into anything in terms of draft strategy.

Sorry, but my wet dreams involve ladies, not big, fat, smelly guys.

We signed Christine Michael for some reason.

Certainly not "locking in" per se, but all but one of his free agent signings are on offense, so either he doesn't recognize the problems on defense (unlikely) or he plans on investing heavily there in the draft (more likely).

On the rare occasion that he's been healthy, he's been a productive RB.

They want speed on defense, so yes, he probably is looking to fill the holes with younger talent there. Let's not over-think this.

Giants just traded JPP to the Bucs. Chubb goes #2 to Giants I imagine.


Bucs acquired Jason Pierre-Paul and a fourth-round pick from the Giants in exchange for a third-round pick and a fourth-round pick.

It is a stunning move both because of the paltry compensation and because it only saves the Giants $2.5 million against the cap this season while opening a massive hole on the depth chart. It does get JPP's contract off the books moving forward, however, and the defensive end may not have been a good fit with new DC James Bettcher. This move could signify the Giants are looking at NC State's Bradley Chubb with the No. 2 overall pick. As for Tampa, they needed to rebuild their pass rush, and that is exactly what they have done by trading for Pierre-Paul and signing Vinny Curry. With Gerald McCoy on the inside, the pass rush should be much more dangerous this season.


Source: Adam Schefter on Twitter

That would just be stupid for the Giants.

For what it's worth that is what Schefter is reporting ? See original edited post with link... :cool:

Them taking Chubb 2 would increase the Colts likelihood off trading down.

Nelson if I am GM ... If Denver doesn't take him at #5 :cool:

its also rumored that BUF will trade to #2 for a QB and giants will use all the picks to bolster team for Eli's last years.

Oh good, it's Gettleman's smokescreen, fair enough.

I think the Giants would be crazy to pass on a QB. Eli Manning is 37 and hasn't played consistently well in years.

Haslem sat in the rain in the USC stands with Darnold's parents yesterday at his pro day.......Cleveland seems to be focusing in on him as their top choice. I don't see NY trading out of their 2 to get Eli's replacement and Jets moved up specifically to get a QB.......We got a good shot at Chubb/Nelson/Fitzpatrick.

Giants have some dead cap from JPP trade, but maybe they needed a little more room to fit extra draft picks from Buffalo into their cap.

Interesting. If this is true, then its a good thing we traded down when we did. If we waited until after the Giants made this trade, other teams might have perceived us as more eager to trade down since we were not going to get our guy (Chubb), and perhaps we might not have had the leverage to pull off the Jets trade.

Eli is 37 and was never elite like his brother or Favre. He's at the age where QBs fall off a cliff. I doubt the Giants are dumb enough to not take their chance to get a QB.

one would think... hopefully they go QB and we get chubb.

Free agents that I hope the Colts are still targeting

OT Cameron Flemming, NE: Good golly, I have no idea why he is not already a Colt. Perhaps management does not think he is any better than Good or Haeg (or whomever they can draft early in the 2nd round of the draft) but another body of similar quality would always be a good thing to have! I would take someone on par with Haeg’s quality for competition and depth! Although, I think he is a cut above Haeg and Good and could be a long-term starter at right OT. I wish the Colts would sign him.

DE Kony Ealy, NYJ: Complementary player who would help in a rotation of Sheard, Basham, Autry and whoever we are going to draft at DE. More of a DE on running downs and sliding inside for pass rush on passing downs (just like Autry). We need bodies and he has some skills.

MLB Kevin Minter, CIN: Only okay. Has not been great but adds some veteran depth to a position group that has nothing at it. Struggles but could be stop-gap for a 2018 rookie or 2019 rookie to develop.

WSLB Gerald Hodges, NO: See Minter above. Rounds out a starting LB group of Simon / Minter / Hodges which is light-years better than a position group of Simon / Morrison / Walker or George which is what we are currently looking at.

CB E.J. Gains, BUF: Injury prone and not very durable but when healthy, he is a CB1/2 who can man the outside well. Only 26 years old, he can become the veteran mentor to a VERY young CB group.

CB Darqueze Dennard, CIN: Played well last season for perhaps the first time in his career when on the 5th season option for the Bungles. Is he on the upswing or was it a “cash-in” season? It will not cost the Colts much to find out at this point in free agency.

CB Ross Cockrell, NYG: Not probably any better than average but we could use a veteran like Gains, Dennard or Cockrell in the position group to give veteran presence.

FS Kenny Vaccaro, NO: While I like the concept of Hooker and either Geathers/Farley starting, there is still room for a 4th body in the mix. He does a good job covering the slot as well as playing center field. Again, injury is his biggest knock.

FS Eric Reid, SF: Sensing a trend? Talented but injury prone. Our secondary needs some veteran presence and either Vaccaro or Reid could add it to the safety position group.

There are not many other offensive specialty positions out there that I am excited about. Granted, some interesting guys will be cut prior to regular season but of who is on the market now, it is almost all defense besides my boy Cameron Flemming.

Walk Worthy,

Fleming would make me feel better about the OL, I am surprised he's still available.

To me Fleming is nothing more than a reserve lineman who can fill in for a few games to a reasonable level, but we have quite a few of those already in the building, namely Good, Clark and Haeg. We need upgrades, not more of the same. We have missed the boat in free agency and looks like we will be all in on drafting lineman early to overhaul the offensive line which i am absolutely fine with doing.

Maybe they don't like the QB's that are in this year's draft. If they don't think those guys are worth picking that high, then taking Chubb would make sense for them.

This class is the best since the class of 83. Eli is 37. They HAVE to take a QB. Their owner should fire their GM on the spot if he doesn't.

Is it? I didn't watch hardly any college football this year. If that's the case, then yes, you would think they have to take a QB.

There are six QBs that could go first round. I believe 4 QBs will go Top 5. (Darnold, Rosen, Allen, Mayfield for the record)

Dolphins signed RB Frank Gore to a one-year contract. :cool: