Locked On Colts - Daily Podcast On The Indianapolis Colts - CHRIS BALLARD: Indianapolis Colts GM Dishes Before 2026 NFL Draft

Starting point is 00:00:00 All right. Appreciate y'all being here. Like always, like our, like what goes into this time of year is really incredible to watch. Just because there's so many people involved from, you know, security to medical to all the work the scouts do, the coaches, and, you know, the work and rework and do a guy over again, check your sources. like it's incredible work by this group and I'm always blown away by not only the consistency of the work but also the level of intensity and their ability to continue to kind of grind through this thing as we go and then disagree and be able to try to see the you know you're always on the same page but looking at it through another viewpoint so

Starting point is 00:00:54 it's always a fun process for us to go through. Fun to have the players back. Great attendance. I was in a team meeting this morning, so there's a lot of energy, a lot of new guys on the team, but great attendance. So just kind of some house cleaning things here for y'all.

Starting point is 00:01:13 So two guys that aren't here are Kenny Moore, who I think you all know is requested a trade. I had to talk with Kenny. Think very highly of Kenny, not only me personally, but organizationally, and I know the city feels the same way. And look, at the end of the day, talking to him, he just felt like it was time for a change. Nothing much more than that. And because of our respect level for Kenny, you know, we said, okay, not always easy,

Starting point is 00:01:45 especially when you get a pillar that's been a pillar not only on our team, but in the community. I think most of you know my relationship with him. It's close. And so those are not always easy conversations, but they were respectful and good. And we'll see how it works out. Okay, I can't, I have really nothing else. You got it all right there.

Starting point is 00:02:08 I don't have anything really else on it. Anthony is not here. He's also requested a trade. He's down in Jacksonville training. I actually have talked to his trainer, and I talk to him often and his agent. But he's in good spirits. Nothing is transpired at this point.

Starting point is 00:02:28 I don't know any question you're going to ask other than will he be here. Well, he could be. But we'll see. You know, but as of right now, he's down there training in Jacksonville. So we'll kind of work through that as we go. All right. So some injury stuff I want to go through for y'all. So you're not caught by a surprise.

Starting point is 00:02:46 So we know Daniel, okay, progressing really well. He's throwing, he's moving. and so he's in a really good spot. Final timeline, I don't, I mean, you know, we're all shooting for, you know, week one for sure, but like, you know, we'll kind of let his body dictate, but he's in a really good place and moving along. Same with DeForest Buckner.

Starting point is 00:03:09 It'll be training camp, but he's in a really good spot. Started doing some plyometric stuff and movement stuff, so he's in a really good spot. Spencer is coming back from his ACL. He's already kicking. I know he made a 54-yard or the other day. kicking he's I think he's at right after six month mark so he'll be good Wally and Hunter both are kind of at the end of their rehab all right and so they're doing really well

Starting point is 00:03:36 expect them for most of OTAs but they're they're progressing really well Alec Pierce also had a so last year he dealt with a kind of all for a lot of the season he kept dealing with some pain in his ankle. And so after the season, we talked about, you know, it was good enough. Can we get through it again another year? And then right before we signed him and after we signed him, I asked him, and we started I started asking questions and he said, I can play through this again. I knew he was hurting at times last year.

Starting point is 00:04:13 So finally, after consulting with multiple doctors and him, it's a, he had a clean up on his, You know, had a cleanup done, it'll be training camp, so you won't see him during OTAs, okay? It's a three-month recovery, but we don't expect any, any, any long-term implications here. And more of it just came down to, like, it got to where he was really having the maintenance in a lot last year and the pain, and so he had to kind of fight through that. And at the end of the day, I said, look, you want to, like, you can play with this. Do you want to play with it, or you want to, let's get, knock it out? He decided to knock it out.

Starting point is 00:04:52 Okay? Um, draft's good. I always laugh when people say it's a bad draft. I don't, I don't, I don't ever believe that. I always feel that there's players at every level of the draft and it's our job to go find them. Questions. All right, we're good. Good.

Starting point is 00:05:12 You have, um, now I'm the first one I picked obviously. Um, you haven't been shy about trying to maximize that second day. but it's straight down you know additional fixing move what will you look at all the possibilities I know so yeah I mean I mean like a lot and where we're at it's a believe it or not I've already more calls do we want to move up and but usually on draft day we'll get them especially after that first day you'll start getting calls and look I like always I just think kind of the more shots you have at the board the better and what you can't do is get so fixated on one player that you lose sight of the big picture of what you could get.

Starting point is 00:06:01 Okay, so yeah, I would anticipate us being pretty aggressive next week moving around the board. How does it alter your global approach when you don't have a first draft there? Well, I mean, I just because we did this, you know, it's not the first time. I remember in 20, you know, we had the two twos. which ended up being Pittman and Jonathan and then in 22 I think it ended up being Pierce and Bernard and so we we kind of remember we kicked back to get Pierce in that draft we were we were I can't remember we kicked back and we picked up an extra three and maybe something else but you figure out who's going to go into first you know you're kind

Starting point is 00:06:47 in your mind in my mind in our minds we're trying to figure out who goes into first okay who are the who are the guys that are now and we're stuck studying those guys. Like it's not like we just, okay, we're not, no, we're studying those guys. You got to know them. You never know when it's their careers, you know, when they could pop up again for you. So we got to know everything about them. But then we can kind of hone in on, okay, here is 33 through, you know, 50 for us. These are the clump that we think's got a chance to be there. Assume Daniel won't do any OTAs. I don't, I'm not ready to say that yet.

Starting point is 00:07:24 But I'm also not going to guarantee he will. I mean, we'll see how it goes. He's doing well, Kevin. That would obviously make Riley crime to be your quarterback one for the moment until we see, you guys can see what game can do. Where do you even dismayed this opportunity being like for? I think it's a good opportunity for him because all the reps he's going to get. I mean, I think that's always a beneficial thing.

Starting point is 00:07:50 And then we'll see how it plays out with Anthony going forward. and then, you know, if we add anybody else in the draft or after the draft. You said, mentioned the possibility of him to hear us to clarify you to hear, like, with the team for the season? Yeah. I mean, you know, like I can't tell the, I don't know what's going to happen. I really don't. You never do.

Starting point is 00:08:11 I mean, we've gotten some, we've had some talks, but nothing's come to fruition at this time. So at this point, he's still, he's still in an NFL's cold. But with any of any, any, I mean, do you, I know, I know, Again, you can't break the future, but I would imagine this could be an opportunity this week or both of those guys could get traded. Do you have a feeling on either of those happening, not happening? Not really. No.

Starting point is 00:08:35 No. Chris. Good question, now. The end over the years, how have you maybe fused and trades at that position? Have you altered your draft thinking at all at that position over the years? What position? Defensive end. Yep.

Starting point is 00:08:50 How would you say, like, over nine years, if you kind of, obviously, in the coordinators but look we've not hitting the home we've never got the home run guy in the draft but I mean we've drafted pretty good football players I mean Dio went and got what 17 a million a year on the free agent market quitty just got 16 million a year on the free agent market so it's not like it's just been we just haven't got the consistent double-digit sad guy which I think lot too can be and I think he's on the verge of really you know breaking out We've got a young one in Jalen that we like that I think's got some really up some real upside.

Starting point is 00:09:29 The additions of, you know, Clements and Key gives us some real depth and an attitude and effort that they play with is the play style we want. In terms of seeing the position differently, I mean, I've not gotten a double-digit-sac guy, but we drafted pretty good football players. The double-digit guys are not always easy to find. We've got to do a better job making sure we try to identify the right things. Hopefully we'll be able to do that. I think we can't.

Starting point is 00:10:05 I think Jaylen's got some real upside. I do. Both have defensive end and linebacker. I know those are positions you guys might be looking at somewhat high in the draft given the needs there. What traits of those two positions? are you looking at that you feel like are important to you when you're deciding who you guys might take in those spots that you do? You know, like at linebacker, I've always, and we've drafted pretty good there.

Starting point is 00:10:33 I mean, like history has shown that, and all, every one of them could run. Like, Darius was unique, Darius was a unique playmaker. Okay, he, he, that guy don't come along very often. He's a unique playmaker. But, you know, the ability to play on three downs at linebacker, speed, those things, to me, are always really important. Instincts, guys that have a feel for it. And then also, like, their ability to translate to special teams and play on teams, like,

Starting point is 00:11:09 all that matters. And that's why special teams is so important. I think Zaire is a great example of a guy that, you know, like, you learn everything on teams. You learn how to take on blocks. learn how to play fast and with speed, but then have to get under control and tackle in space. Like you learn a lot playing on teams. Usually I can, you can tell that like if a guy's

Starting point is 00:11:32 ends up being really good on teams, a chance he can ascend. So athleticism, speed, ability to play on 33 downs are always kind of what we're looking for at linebacker. At end, it's changed a little bit. He likes a little, you know, he, you know, with Flush, it was all about, let's get as many speed guys

Starting point is 00:11:50 as we can on the field. And they've got to have an out with Lou like the element of power is important. I do think adding a fastball is kind of, you know, what we need. But I'm not eliminating the other guys, but with Lou length, guys that are long, you can see kind of the guys we brought in. You know, those kind of guys, he gravitates too. With the two guys who requested trades, there's a lot of variables there, right? In terms of getting a deal done, the team's got to take on their contract, you know, maybe, you know, can you aid, to look at aids, whatever.

Starting point is 00:12:29 But so if you don't reach a deal with another team, you're facing a decision of both those guys. How will you navigate that decision whether they are on your football team or not? What determines whether they are or not on your football team? Well. And are they different? They're different. They're different in my mind because Kenny, Kenny in his mind, it's time for, you know, it's kind of time for change. Right.

Starting point is 00:12:53 Okay. Anthony is a little different, you know. I still think Anthony has real value in this league and I've been happy with his growth. Okay. And he is an extremely talented young man. So I think it's a different, I think those are case by case and those are two different cases. So you would give Kenny his release. Some latitude.

Starting point is 00:13:14 Yeah, I'll give him some latitude. Yeah. Chris, we're working on a story on the delegation that's going to Pittsburgh to try to bring the draft to Indy. Why would this city be a good host site? It's a no-brainer. I mean, how many of you were here for the Super Bowl? Most, most, was there a better one put on proximity to food, hotels, convention center? I mean, it's all in downtown, everything's so centrally located,

Starting point is 00:13:46 It's easy to navigate. I just, look, my feelings on this city are, nobody does it better. You just saw it with the Final Four. Like the big events we have, nobody does it better. With your fast success with a linebacker on date, is that adjust your patient's level at all, like year to year or is it every?

Starting point is 00:14:12 You know, I think it determines, you know, who the player is. and what level we think, you know, where we can acquire the players. Sometimes, you know, Garious, we thought the playmaking skills were so strong that we were willing to bet on a kid from South Carolina State with the 36 pick of the draft. With Bobby, you know, was kind of late third. E.J., then we just started taking speed and toughness. All right.

Starting point is 00:14:43 So E.J. Speed, Zaire Franklin, Matt Adam. We just started taking, you know, speed and toughness, and let's see what they turn out to be. Chris, what areas do you feel like you guys have gotten better in this off season? Yeah. Well, I think our depth up front is better. I do believe that. I think the additions of Colby, like, Kobe kind of gets washed over a little bit, but, like, he started. He's not really a nose, but because of who he is as a kid.

Starting point is 00:15:13 He ended up starting, you know, for Green Bay at the nose, playing a little bit. a lot of snaps but we think he gives us some real versatility as we do with with tillery you know we think he gives us some versatility so I do think and then with the addition of Clements and key and those are those are all I think we got better you know real depth and they're healthy you know as of right now they're healthy so I think that's a I think that's a really positive thing I think on offense you know we're in a like we're going to bet on some development of players. I mean, that's kind of what we've done. I mean, you got to be able to do that. And it'll, I think offensively with Jalen, you know, with Travis, we saw enough good stuff

Starting point is 00:15:59 at the end of the year that we think he's got, you know, real upside. We think Matt, I mean, I think Gonzávez, I mean, he went and worked with Olin Crudes here for the last two months, who I'm close with, and I think the world of. And Olin had actually worked with Will Fries and Danny Penner at one time. And I know Owens, his progress, he was really positive on where Matt came. And then I think the ability on offense to get, you know, I think we're going to be able to get Pierce and Downs. Like I've said this numerous times about Josh Downs. I think Josh Downs is good.

Starting point is 00:16:34 I've always thought he was good. We'll see how it plays out. But I think getting him pierced the ball more is going to be a good thing. So be clear, I know you said there are two separate issues or two separate terms of points. and answered both separately. So would you be open to releasing came more if it came to that or Lacey became that? I'm not at that point right now.

Starting point is 00:16:56 Not as of this minute, I'm not. Do you think you pick up a fifth year option on Anthony? We have not even talked about it, but that's just one I hadn't thought about right now. I'm just thinking more about, okay, what's his future with us? Is it this year or with another team? Has he made a full recovery with his vision?

Starting point is 00:17:14 I know last time I had a chance to talk to him still. Yeah, he's still recovering a little bit, but he's doing like he's cleared for activity and doing everything So he's I think he's in a good spot You know how important do you think that is for you all and perspective team to the value with that part of it? Because obviously there's no that's an important aspect no doubt I mean last thing for me at least on that topic He expressed an desire to not be here clearly if you bring him but if he ends up back here do you anticipate that's a pretty seamless thing to reintegrate him? Here's the one thing I, it was fun to watch with Anthony last year.

Starting point is 00:17:56 Like he is a, he's a, he's a, he's a, he's a, he's a great teammate. Like he's a, like he's a good guy, it's good person, cares about team. Like that's important. That is. If he was salty and being a, no, now we'd be talking a different story here, but that's, that's not who he is. You said maybe in Phoenix you were asked about the idea of working with Lou going into the second year with those guys on the defense, maybe injecting a little bit more youth, which I know you told us back in January with your hope to stop season in the front seven.

Starting point is 00:18:33 How do you envision the second year under Lou with this defense, some new guys, some younger guys. I know guys last year maybe didn't get as much time in part because of what you're off. look like if you are having to draft some young guys here early in the draft here this week how might that lose philosophies on how you played under guys or when to play them maybe change or stay the same as well fair it's a good question so we like you like young guys like first they got to prove that you know we're drafting them and we've done all this work on them we bring them in here like you can bet if if hunter and wally do not get hurt they play major roles last year unequivocally so now they got to earn the right they got to earn the snaps okay i don't lose lose fine lou will play young players that's not an issue

Starting point is 00:19:28 they got to now they got to earn their way up if you remember even with even with jalen last year like i mean he had i mean he had taekwine you had yeah i mean you had sandsen i mean there were some guys in front of them that were veteran good football players so it just took a little longer where i was proud of jail is like all of a sudden he showed up on special teams Like here's this big dude running down and producing on specialty. There are not many D.A. I mean, like Tommy, what Tommy does at D-Tackle on special teams is really freaking unique. Like, there aren't many in the league.

Starting point is 00:20:00 And I'm not saying Jalen's Tommy yet, but, I mean, there were some flashes on special teams. Usually that translates to when they start playing on the offensive defense, too. Take a few more. There's these strengths in this year's draft last minute. I know you always said you can find. Yeah. impact at every position but this year standout in the area yeah I look I do think linebackers pretty good I think edge is good I think there's a pretty good wide

Starting point is 00:20:22 outs in this draft kind of at every level I think the interior of the O line I think there's some pretty good depth and then I think there's some safeties that are that's some depth of safety too along the same lines you know you want to talk you talk about kind of accumulating more picks What is the depth that you feel like of the draft in terms of, I don't know, like that top 100 or what have you, you know, where you can get potentially impact guys at the start? Yeah, I mean, you know, people who like, you know, other teams, like, they read all the comments, so I've got to be careful here. About what I'm giving out. I will say, I do think there's a real strength in that third, fourth, fifth round.

Starting point is 00:21:15 Okay. Yeah. When it comes to 47 or maybe training back whatever, if you look at, you know, internally, you know, a defensive end of an edge of a linebacker, what will differentiate because maybe the D-end is like eighth-created and the linebacker is the third grade? How do you... Always, like, unless just, I mean, you got D-N linebacker, but unless any position, like, tackle, wide-out, like if they're at the same level okay character like if everything's equal okay you're

Starting point is 00:21:53 going to take what you think is the need all right but like if there's a guy here and everybody else is here we put him here for a reason we didn't put him here just to let him look at us now you know you know take more mistakes are made because you'll you'll pass on a really good player because you're trying to fill a need you got to be very careful with that. I don't know a long summer or a long offseason, but how do you make sure to rally, of course, Daniel was your quarterback, just make sure he's ready in case you need him to be ready.

Starting point is 00:22:26 Yeah, I mean, look, reps. I mean, I think playing helped him. You know, you got that last game of the year, we got to see a lot of stuff. Jacksonville, it really wasn't, like the way, I think I told you all in Phoenix. Like one thing I liked about Riley, it's not too big for him. The moment wasn't too big. Playing wasn't too big for it, you know. Chris, I was wondering if you were going to talk today.

Starting point is 00:22:50 I'm not sure. I'm telling you. We asked you about it that it's been pursued. Not how much you can talk about what happened in the agency, but you guys, we all think you have a shot of somebody and then some weird things happen around the league and you didn't have a shot at somebody. How much can you say about that?

Starting point is 00:23:08 Yeah. Like, to me, it's, like we go after a lot of players. Sometimes we get them, sometimes we don't. I just kind of worry about the guys we get. You mentioned needing kind of a basketball at edge, which has maybe been missing for a little bit, but Quitty paid, you feel like that spot has been kind of settled, like the JT expected to keep that starting all right?

Starting point is 00:23:35 Yeah, I think JT will compete to start. Yeah. You said that you anticipate going on the Thursday, Friday, Saturday, with being aggressive. Do you anticipate, you know, in terms of, like, your second round, like, trading, is trading up the possibility when you say aggression? Do you mean trading back to, you know, reap value in the picks that you can if you play? Yeah, yeah. Don't miss through aggressive for moving up.

Starting point is 00:24:00 Like, to me, being aggressive can also be moving back and then moving around and inquire more picks and then moving. Like, I just think we'll be active. That's probably a better word. That was a poor choice of word on my part. Chris, you guys are just sitting on a decent amount of cap to base. you just plan to carry a good chunk of that? Oh, yeah. Oh, yeah.

Starting point is 00:24:19 One day you'll figure out, Cap. One day you'll figure it out, Kevin. Would that have the defensive end that Greg's talking about? Like, yeah, one day you'll figure that cap's done that. One more here. Kind of, well, random one, but I just not talking about a lot, but running back.

Starting point is 00:24:38 Mm-hmm. Do you think that is possibly a need, considering? Well. Obviously, J-C is very normal last here. Yep. but you have a ton of touch it as well he does um well look jonathan's giant we think gettings will take another step yeah like we like we like giddings we think he can take another

Starting point is 00:24:54 we think he can take another step

Locked On Colts - Daily Podcast On The Indianapolis Colts - CHRIS BALLARD: Indianapolis Colts GM Dishes Before 2026 NFL Draft

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