Colts 2018. A new hope.

[ChristianPatriot]

There is a high likelihood one or both of those players will be available at #6. The top of the draft will be QB-heavy. Even if not: how is landing 4 picks in the top 50 indicative of "punting" next season?

0% chance of Barkley being there, MAYBE a 10% chance of Chubb is still being there. The draft is always a crapshoot, but passing up on those two and spending nothing in free agency equals building for 2019 or 2020.

 

[halfmileharry]

0% chance of Barkley being there, MAYBE a 10% chance of Chubb is still being there. The draft is always a crapshoot, but passing up on those two and spending nothing in free agency equals building for 2019 or 2020.

There's an up side to free agency. Included into the Collective Bargaining Agreement it's destroyed the continuity of almost all NFL teams.
Sure, the Colts most likely will be a young team. It's much cheaper to field a young team simply for the cost difference over an experienced team.
A bunch of talented players can beat a team with a couple of super stars and a bunch of average players. It's a "TEAM" sport. I like the extra draft picks.
I guess we'll see how all this works out.

 

[ChristianPatriot]

There's an up side to free agency. Included into the Collective Bargaining Agreement it's destroyed the continuity of almost all NFL teams.
Sure, the Colts most likely will be a young team. It's much cheaper to field a young team simply for the cost difference over an experienced team.
A bunch of talented players can beat a team with a couple of super stars and a bunch of average players. It's a "TEAM" sport. I like the extra draft picks.
I guess we'll see how all this works out.

Yeah I’m not disagreeing with Ballard’s choice. If Luck is healthy and stays healthy, we go 8-8 next year and get the team adjusted to the new coaches, new offense, and new defense. Get the rookies some experience. Move on from the last regime’s ineptness.

 

[chipbennett]

0% chance of Barkley being there, MAYBE a 10% chance of Chubb is still being there. The draft is always a crapshoot, but passing up on those two and spending nothing in free agency equals building for 2019 or 2020.

No team is ever "one player away" from greatness, through the draft or FA. (Though I contend that a franchise player like Luck, and Manning before him, very much represents being "one player away" - as evidenced by Luck taking a bad roster to the WC, divisional, and AFCCG rounds of the playoffs his first three seasons.) So, getting or not getting Chubb or Barkley will neither make nor break the Colts' chances in 2018.

Even if neither player is available at #6, I still love the move. Long-term franchise health comes through realizing high draft value - i.e. building through the draft. The Colts have 4 picks in the top 50 of an incredibly deep draft. That bodes well for the team's long-term health, provided that Ballard drafts well. (By contrast, Grigson killed the long-term health of the Colts, by going after splashy FA signings and utterly failing to draft well.)

 

[ChristianPatriot]

No team is ever "one player away" from greatness, through the draft or FA. (Though I contend that a franchise player like Luck, and Manning before him, very much represents being "one player away" - as evidenced by Luck taking a bad roster to the WC, divisional, and AFCCG rounds of the playoffs his first three seasons.) So, getting or not getting Chubb or Barkley will neither make nor break the Colts' chances in 2018.

Even if neither player is available at #6, I still love the move. Long-term franchise health comes through realizing high draft value - i.e. building through the draft. The Colts have 4 picks in the top 50 of an incredibly deep draft. That bodes well for the team's long-term health, provided that Ballard drafts well. (By contrast, Grigson killed the long-term health of the Colts, by going after splashy FA signings and utterly failing to draft well.)

Absolutely. You just never know. If Barkley ends up being the next Peterson, or Chubb ends up being the next Lawrence Taylor, maybe you look back and think what if.....but yeah I agree. We just need talent at nearly every position. That Notre Dame guard looks like a stud. Or Minkah Fitzpatrick from Bama.

 

[halfmileharry]

I posted this on Feb 6 in the old Colts 2017 thread:

"Connor Williams, OT, Texas for those not familiar. The kid has the goods and he's still growing and filling out. He's ready for the NFL now.
Colts MUST make headway on the OL and DL if they're going to get to the playoffs. The proverbial WEAK AFC South is no longer the case.
Just getting through our division is going to be a real challenge."

We've got the picks to cover a quality O Lineman.

 

[halfmileharry]

I miss football.
There's a lot of talent in this draft and I'm thinking Ballard and Reich are on the same page.
The Colts need to fill a lot of holes and gathering draft pics should be the way to do it.
Colts have saved a bunch of Free Agent bucks to purchase talent when it comes available.
I'm looking forward to this new year.

 

[ChristianPatriot]

0% chance of Barkley being there, MAYBE a 10% chance of Chubb is still being there. The draft is always a crapshoot, but passing up on those two and spending nothing in free agency equals building for 2019 or 2020.

Well I was right. Barkley and Chubb were off the board at 6. Colts select OG Quentin Nelson.

 

[BigBoxaJunk]

Dang, I thought they'd get a small, speedy wide receiver with that first pick.

 

[churchmouse]

Dang, I thought they'd get a small, speedy wide receiver with that first pick.

They need to put up a real O-line 1st.

 

[jamil]

They need to put up a real O-line 1st.

They got what a lot of people thought was the best player in the draft. But he’s working class so the QB’s go first. It’s a solid choice.

 

[Spear Dane]

Dang, I thought they'd get a small, speedy wide receiver with that first pick.

No point in that if Luck spends more time on his back than a Subic Bay prostitute.

 

[rob63]

Dang, I thought they'd get a small, speedy wide receiver with that first pick.

LOL! That was a good one.

 

[churchmouse]

My BIL is a die hard fan. Had great season tickets for years. He let them go. Says he will watch from home now if the spirit moves him to.

 

[BigBoxaJunk]

LOL! That was a good one.

In retrospect, I should have used the purple.

 

[Colt1860]

I feel feel taken in by false advertising. I opened this thread to get some breaking news about colt firearms. Instead I have to hear about colts football. I use to enjoy watching football until they started trying to improve my social consciousness. Now I don't need them anymore and go out hunting or shooting on nice fall and winter Sundays.

 

[churchmouse]

I feel feel taken in by false advertising. I opened this thread to get some breaking news about colt firearms. Instead I have to hear about colts football. I use to enjoy watching football until they started trying to improve my social consciousness. Now I don't need them anymore and go out hunting or shooting on nice fall and winter Sundays.

Well.....if there is any news on new Colt firearms worth sharing (and none I am aware of) then we will send up a flare.....

 

[Colt1860]

Thanks Churchmouse, I will keep an eye on the northern sky

 

[halfmileharry]

Ballard is working on it.
Another OL (Guard) and a speed linebacker that can play in coverage.
Looks good so far.

 

[Leadeye]

That new offensive lineman sure takes up a lot of room going through a door.