Colts Practice Squad Signings

[Oldcolt]

In a league where passing is king the Colts have drafted/found only 3 wide receivers even worth keeping. I know we will fill the room out with cast offs from other teams but this is inexcusable from Ballard. We are close to having the highest paid players (at their respective positions) when signed at running back, outside linebacker and guard-positions that can be found with cast offs. I hate the way Ballard goes about building a team.

[rm1369]

Originally Posted by Oldcolt

In a league where passing is king the Colts have drafted/found only 3 wide receivers even worth keeping. I know we will fill the room out with cast offs from other teams but this is inexcusable from Ballard. We are close to having the highest paid players (at their respective positions) when signed at running back, outside linebacker and guard-positions that can be found with cast offs. I hate the way Ballard goes about building a team.

Good talent evaluator, poor team builder.

[ChoppedWood]

Originally Posted by Oldcolt

I hate Ballard

...

[Oldcolt]

I hate how he builds a team. I think he seems to be an upfront good man. Great talent evaluator. I actually like the man

[Chromeburn]

Originally Posted by Oldcolt

In a league where passing is king the Colts have drafted/found only 3 wide receivers even worth keeping. I know we will fill the room out with cast offs from other teams but this is inexcusable from Ballard. We are close to having the highest paid players (at their respective positions) when signed at running back, outside linebacker and guard-positions that can be found with cast offs. I hate the way Ballard goes about building a team.

Well since he has been here Ballard has drafted 8 wide receivers. 4 high in the draft, 4 low in the draft.

All 8 were still in the league until this season, Dezmon Patmon is still a free agent.

4 of those 8 are still on the team. 3 of the high draft picks and 1 of the low picks.

The other high draft pick was signed by the Giants as a free agent.

Pittman has been better than all the WR's drafted below him and better than a few above.

Pierce had a better rookie season than all the WRs drafted below him and a few above.


All with sub-standard QB play. I would say that's not bad.

[IndyNorm]

Originally Posted by Chromeburn

Well since he has been here Ballard has drafted 8 wide receivers. 4 high in the draft, 4 low in the draft.

All 8 were still in the league until this season, Dezmon Patmon is still a free agent.

4 of those 8 are still on the team. 3 of the high draft picks and 1 of the low picks.

The other high draft pick was signed by the Giants as a free agent.

Pittman has been better than all the WR's drafted below him and better than a few above.

Pierce had a better rookie season than all the WRs drafted below him and a few above.


All with sub-standard QB play. I would say that's not bad.

Ballard created a void at the position by not really investing in it early on. He inherited a team w/ 1 very good WR in TY and a bunch of JAGs and the only real investment he made in his first 3 years was the 2nd rounder on Campbell (all others were either late round draft picks or bargain FAs). And since Campbell didn't work out that only created a larger void.

[ChoppedWood]

Originally Posted by IndyNorm

Ballard created a void at the position by not really investing in it early on. He inherited a team w/ 1 very good WR in TY and a bunch of JAGs and the only real investment he made in his first 3 years was the 2nd rounder on Campbell (all others were either late round draft picks or bargain FAs). And since Campbell didn't work out that only created a larger void.

And then when Campbell finally showed up, he let him walk. Dude just doesn't give a F about the position... and our record reflects it.

[Chromeburn]

Originally Posted by ChoppedWood

And then when Campbell finally showed up, he let him walk. Dude just doesn't give a F about the position... and our record reflects it.

Cambell was offered one year "prove it" deals by everyone. He went with the offer with the best QB situation. Why would you sign a 1 year contract with a rookie QB who needs to grow?

[Chromeburn]

Originally Posted by IndyNorm

Ballard created a void at the position by not really investing in it early on. He inherited a team w/ 1 very good WR in TY and a bunch of JAGs and the only real investment he made in his first 3 years was the 2nd rounder on Campbell (all others were either late round draft picks or bargain FAs). And since Campbell didn't work out that only created a larger void.

When he got here the major issues were offensive line and defense. What has improved since then? offensive line and defense.

Then the QB retired. Our top pick in two of the last four drafts has been receiver. We have drafted a receiver high in three of the last four drafts. We will probably take a receiver high next draft as well. We have invested a lot in skill positions. I don't really give a fuck about receivers till we have a QB in place. That's what that hater Kevin Bowen bitched about all last offseason and that wasn't the problem at all. Of course he will never admit that, he just moves on to the next hindsight thing to bitch about. Gransen and Campbell were in the top ten of separation for most of the year, we just couldn't get them the ball. The problem was what I correctly identified before the season started, trying to use Pryor at LT. Although no one could have predicted he would fall apart that badly. Reich should have just started the rookie.

Reich likes big tall receivers so he filled the roster with big tall receivers. Steichen probably wants more variety in his receivers hence the Downs pick. We will see a roster makeover at the position. We have had a scheme change, that comes with personnel change.

[IndyNorm]

Cambell was offered one year "prove it" deals by everyone. He went with the offer with the best QB situation. Why would you sign a 1 year contract with a rookie QB who needs to grow?

Agree you can't really blame Ballard for Campbell moving on. Wouldn't have made any sense to give Campbell more than a 1 year prove it deal, and as you noted it was better for him to move on considering our QB situation.

When he got here the major issues were offensive line and defense. What has improved since then? offensive line and defense.

The OL was better from '18-'21, but after last year I'm not so sure we're any better off than we were in '17. And while parts of the D have gotten better we still have no consistent pass rush, and our secondary is probably going to be a shit show.

Then the QB retired. Our top pick in two of the last four drafts has been receiver. We have drafted a receiver high in three of the last four drafts. We will probably take a receiver high next draft as well. We have invested a lot in skill positions. I don't really give a fuck about receivers till we have a QB in place. That's what that hater Kevin Bowen bitched about all last offseason and that wasn't the problem at all. Of course he will never admit that, he just moves on to the next hindsight thing to bitch about. Gransen and Campbell were in the top ten of separation for most of the year, we just couldn't get them the ball. The problem was what I correctly identified before the season started, trying to use Pryor at LT. Although no one could have predicted he would fall apart that badly. Reich should have just started the rookie.

I have no idea who Kevin Bowen is. I was just pointing out that when Ballard got here our WR talent was pretty damn dry as well, and he didn't add anything even when we had a QB. I mean Dontrelle Inman was our 2nd best WR in 2018.

And again, who's fault was it that all we had at LT last year was Pryor and a 3rd round rookie not ready to play?