Locked On Colts - Daily Podcast On The Indianapolis Colts - INDIANAPOLIS COLTS: Would You Rather Have Alec Pierce or Trey Hendrickson, If Only One?

Starting point is 00:00:00 Alec Pierce or Trey Hendrickson, if all things were equal, who would you rather have on the Colts next season? Let's get to it. You are Locked on Colts, your daily Indianapolis Colts podcast. Part of the Locked On Podcast Network, your team every day. Welcome to Locked on Colts, part of the Lockdown Podcast Network. Now the number one sports podcast network around. Today's episode is brought to you by Fanduel. Use your profit boost on an NBA future and get entered for a chance to win a trip to the NBA finals.

Starting point is 00:00:41 Play your game with Fandu, the official sports betting partner of the NBA. Hello, everyone. My name is Zach Hickcher, resident film nerd of horseshoe huddle.com, and I'm joined, as always, by Jake Arthur of Roundtable Sports covering your Indianapolis Colts. We are closing out this Q&A session that we have had open for the last couple days here on the channel. we've been answering all of your questions, partly because it's the dead part of the season, but also because we want to hear from you guys. You really want to talk about the things that you want to talk about. So we're going to close out this Q&A session before we get into our combine coverage next week.

Starting point is 00:01:16 And we're going to go our typical mode here. Free agency, in-house questions, and a couple of draft questions to close it out. But Jake, starting with free agency, we're kicking this one off with a bang. Alec Pierce versus Trey Hendrickson, all things are equal. which one would you rather have if you could only pick one? And I think this would have been a very easy question to answer if the year 2025 didn't happen for both of these players, right? Because I think it's easily Troy Hendrickson if 2025 doesn't happen, right?

Starting point is 00:01:47 But Hendrickson only playing, what, seven games last year as a 30-something-year-old pass rusher, Alec Pierce is a 25-year-old receiver, doing something that hasn't been done since Deshawn Jackson, having fewer than 50 receptions to go over a thousand. yards. I think this makes it more of a conversation because of that 2025 calendar year. I think so. Like you said, last year, it's just really, it's really tricky, I think, because Pierce is a receiver, which is not necessarily a premium position, but you could argue he's the best at what he does in the league. He's not the best receiver in the league, but as far as

Starting point is 00:02:24 winning deep and being that big play threat, the proof is in the pudding. Like his stats back it up, that Pierce is right there at the top of the list. Hendrickson, you know, he went back to back with 17 and a half sacks in 23 and 24. But, you know, I feel like every time a veteran guy goes in there misses time during the summer with contract issues and whatever, something always happens. You know what I mean? They resolved it, gave him, you know, $29 million, but he missed half the season. This year, I would say Alec Pierce, again, a year ago, two years ago, it's no question.

Starting point is 00:02:59 question, Trey Hendrickson. But right now, I would say Alec Pierce, despite there being like a huge difference in how valuable their positions are, I'm confident. Alec Pierce is going to go out there and ball out in 2026. I feel good about it with Trey Hendrickson this year, but not as confident. Right. Would you rather pay the 25-year-old player that is ascending and getting better every single year? Or what, the 31-year-old player that just had a major injury plague season and barely saw the football field. I think it's an easy answer for me. I'd rather have the guy that is continually getting better and isn't at that age where we start seeing regression in the NFL, because 30 is the new 40 in the NFL. I guess it's the always 40 in the NFL. It just fall off so

Starting point is 00:03:44 much around 30 or around that age. And once you see the injury starting to pile up, a guy can go from an all pro best in the league to an afterthought real quick. And I just would rather go younger and faster, I guess, with Alec Pierce in this contract situation here. Next question, is there any chance the Colts are targeting a free safety center fielder type with the idea of keeping Bynum closer to the box and around the ball more? That's from Ethan over on Facebook. I don't think that's how the Colts are going to approach the search for another safety. I think they like Bynum's ability to play down in the box and play closer to line of

Starting point is 00:04:20 scrimmage when it calls for it. But I think you don't pay a box safety what they paid Bynum. last year, right? They were paying them that big money to be their free safety over the top. Now, I would like a more versatile safety next to them so you could do a little bit more diversity with them on the back end. So it's not as strict of free safety versus strong safety. But I do think Bynum is the long-term free safety with this team. And I think that's the way they view it internally. Yeah, I agree. I don't think they want to tweak too much about what they do with Bynum. I think this is more about finding a way to upgrade their third guy with

Starting point is 00:04:58 Rodney Thomas. They have that opportunity now with him as a free agent. That was about 150 snaps, I believe, on defense last year. So if you can go in the draft and get one of those guys like Genesis Smith, Camari Ramsey, he's, Ake Wheatley, who are like really solid center fielder types, you know, in those three safety sets when you do bring Bynum a little closer to the line, that's perfectly fine. I think Thomas is really the only one they're looking to upgrade. Yeah, no, that's a good call out because when the Colts do go to their three safety sets, they'd bring Nick Cross in the box.

Starting point is 00:05:31 Let's say that's Hunter Woller next season, and he would be in more man coverage. Then Bynum would usually be mugging the middle of the field or not mugging, but robbing the middle of the field. And then Thomas, that third safety would play more that center fielder. So if we're a good 150 snaps, you could look for another center fielder to replace what Thomas brought last season. So that's a great point there, Jake. Next question, though, could Keon Coleman be an option if Michael Pittman Jr. ends up leaving his value has never been lower because of the owner's comments, but there's a lot to like about him. I'm going to be honest, I don't know if there's a lot to like about him at this point. I think the lot to like about him right now is just the fact that he was drafted in the first round by the bills. And the not to like about him is everything he's done since then in the NFL. Drop issues, not showing up to practices on time, not showing up to meetings on. on time being a healthy scratch in one of the leagues like thinnest wide receiver rooms this

Starting point is 00:06:25 season multiple times. I mean, look, if they're going to give him away for free, it doesn't hurt to look, but I don't know if there's a lot to like about it right now. I think once a guy gets in the NFL, we sometimes have to forget the draft status because he has not been a first round pick player in the NFL. His value is near that. And I just don't think there's that much to like about him currently, like on film or just in any aspect of what he's done in the NFL. Yeah, I didn't, I wasn't a huge Keon Coleman guy in his draft class coming out. And, you know, like his inability to separate that much has really shown up in the NFL. And there haven't been as many big play ball winning scenarios for him as was his strong suit at Florida State. And so,

Starting point is 00:07:12 you know, like you mentioned, there's, there's the kind of aloofness. It's like goofballs better be elite if they're going to be allowed to be a goofball in the NFL. Look at 80 Mitchell. Like you're putting yourself in the exact same situation with a guy who is a fraction of the athlete. At least Mitchell was showing up to practices on top two, right? Like he was locked in. He just talked a lot of smack and he didn't back it up on the field. And that's what kind of led to a lot of that stuff.

Starting point is 00:07:39 With Coleman, like he's not even showing up to something. Like, I don't want to misrepresent him. He is showing up, but he's showing up late to a lot of things. and that's why he's a healthy scratch for guys like Brandon, like the corpse of Brandon Cook's getting more time over him and stuff. So yeah, I wouldn't touch that at all whatsoever. And then our final question here regarding free agency of the long week of Q&As. Who do you think is the best linebacker for us to pick up in free agency as well as an edge rusher being realistic with our current unknown cap situation that's from over on YouTube?

Starting point is 00:08:10 You know, I think you can swing big with potential cuts like Bobby O'Carrake or Tremaine Edmonds, I think could make some sense. I think there's that sweet spot range of like a hybrid player like Hayden Ellis would be really fun in the system. Nicopi Dean, I think, got his best football ahead of him getting away from that Philly loaded linebacker room and get a chance to start somewhere. And then I think you can aim small with a Christian Harris or Justin Stroud, I think is how he say his name, from the Denver Broncos. but I think that sweet spot of like a Caden Ellis, Nacobie Dean, I think those would make the most sense for the colds. I don't want to pay $20 million or a year for a linebacker.

Starting point is 00:08:48 I think you can just keep throwing like mid-tier options at it and find quality play. That's how a lot of teams have found good linebackers. So I think like a Nicobe Dean, Kate and Ellis could make some sense for the Colts. Yeah, I agree. So Devin Lloyd is going to be the top guy out there, but I don't want to pay $20 million for a linebacker.

Starting point is 00:09:05 That's not like the total package real deal. You know what I mean? I'm like, Devon Lloyd is great, but like, I'm trying to get like the elite of the elite, if I'm given a linebacker 20 million a year. Devin Bush is a guy who has kind of resurrected his career a little bit. I had Cade and Ellis as well into Kobe Dean. And then one of the only other guys I could see actually like upgrading the room from the free agent market is Quay Walker. There's not a lot.

Starting point is 00:09:30 I really don't love this group of free agent linebackers. I'm much more looking forward to the draft. But like you mentioned, if there's cuts, Bobby O'Carike, Tremaine Edmonds, both really, really solid options. Yeah, I think going for like an Ellis or a dean and then getting one to two linebackers in the draft just to rebuild that entire room could be the way to go. And then real quick, when it comes to edge rushers, we've talked about this a ton this offseason, Arnold Ibekeety, Boy Maffei, Malcolm Coons, Kingsley, and Iqvary.

Starting point is 00:09:59 If you want to go bigger than that, Jalen Phillips, you could go very high for Trey Hendrickson. You know, there's a lot of edge rushers in this agency class. but me personally, I'm a big Arnold Evakiti person or Boy Maffei person. I know Jake talks a little bit more about Tree Hendrickson than I do, but I think we're both on the same train when it comes to Ebikiti and Boy Maffa. But coming up, guys, we're going to transition to talking about in-house things with the Colts and potential roster battles heading into next training camp with so much up in the air.

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Starting point is 00:11:45 the conversation just picks right back up there with you, other viewers, other listeners of the show. And we usually give those guys and guys from the insider program, we kind of give them, you know, the edge when it comes to the questions. We fit everybody in this week because we spent all week answering questions,

Starting point is 00:12:03 but they get the top priority there. So go to locked on cold stuff supercast.com. You can get a subscription as well or just go to the link in the show notes. We have it there for you. Also. All right. So let's move on with these questions, Zach. We're looking at more general Colts here, general Colts. And this is one I'm really directing at you. This is right up your alley. It's kind of nerd stuff. Do you guys think that Lou Aniruma will maybe tweak his pass rush sets and packages? This last year was abysmal for getting to the quarterback.

Starting point is 00:12:36 And I wonder if it's something that Lou could tweak or simply just us not having good rushers. that is from Kay on Twitter. Yeah, I think there's always room to improve. I think overall he did the best he could with very limited pass rushers across the board, had some really cool diverse blitz packages. They were second in the NFL and six-man pressure percentage, six-man rush pressure percentage, only behind the Minnesota Vikings. So when he brought heat, like heavy heat, he was able to get pressure on the quarterback.

Starting point is 00:13:04 I think the one area that he could improve is just, I think the Colts could coach it up a little bit better with their stunts and twists up front, which maybe that's why he was he went back to the well with Marion Hobby as a D-Line coach, a guy who he's worked with for a long time. Their stunts and twists were very, they had a couple good ones here and there, but late in the season in particular, I think of games against the Jaguars. They're running so many games up front and just getting no traction whatsoever. And you want to be a little bit tighter, a little bit better with your coaching, I think,

Starting point is 00:13:33 up front and better with your players being on the same page. So I think they can do a little bit more with those aspects of it, but in terms of, you know, pressure packages, having, you know, defensive ends come inside, having who they have on the field. I thought they found good rhythm when they had healthy guys. It's just when Buckner got hurt, it kind of made it difficult to scheme up pressure. So I think it was pretty good last year what he was able to do with that group. A little bit tighter with those stunts and twist, though,

Starting point is 00:14:00 could be a big improvement for them. Yeah, I think it was just kind of a result of Lou having to fly by the seat of his pants a lot of the year. You know, you plan for having to for. Boris Buckner, probably a better pass rush up front than what guys generated. You want to be in more man coverage with Charveraerius Ward and then sauce Gardner, and it just doesn't work out that way. So we've seen it before even with Cincinnati, with Lou having to kind of do things on the fly. It doesn't always go super well, but you can only coach the personnel that you've got out there.

Starting point is 00:14:30 Yeah. This next one from Spooks Hill Joe 7376 on YouTube, who is going to be the starting quarterback for the first game? I think it's going to be Daniel Jones. Now, what percentage of health, Daniel Jones, it will be? I'm not sure. We are seeing guys get back within eight to nine months of this injury nowadays. Again, the results coming back in that first season or those first couple months after that aren't great. But I think it will be Daniel Jones as long as he's, like, I think you'll be able to get out there for August practices in a lot of sense.

Starting point is 00:15:04 It's just how healthy he will be and like how full. ready to go he will be, will be the question. But I think Daniel Jones will start week one next season. I'm not, like, even with all my concerns with the Achilles, I was never too concerned about him starting in that first week. It's just like what's he going to be capable of doing? Does he look like his broken fibrillus self against the chiefs and Texans? Or does he look like 80-something percent of himself,

Starting point is 00:15:27 but you can still move a little bit? That'll be the real question with him. I say Jones as well. As long as his recovery at that point is to where there's not like risk of jeopardizing like the injury again because we've seen it like Cleveland's quarterback who shall not be named like he re-injured his Achilles before it was fully healed you know so as long as he's cleared that hurdle and it's just like a matter

Starting point is 00:15:52 of mobility I think the Colts will be comfortable getting him out there so I say week one if not I think the other part of the question is Riley Leonard I think will be the Colts backup that's just kind of my guess next question here is from Jason Sanders on Twitter who are three players on the current roster who could legitimately battle for a starting role this year. Like guys who have been depth players who, you know, just by proxy of new camp battles and everything, they could be starters this year. Who you got?

Starting point is 00:16:20 Yeah, I was going with guys who didn't start last year in week one, potentially being starters this next season. Obviously, the big one is Jalen Travis. Looks like he's going to have a runway to be that starting right tackle to start next season. Justin Wally, it feels like another obvious one pending the Mooney Ward situation. having a chance to start at outside corner. And then I think you can go either way with the last one here. Hunter Woller, if Chris Ballard neglects safety and says,

Starting point is 00:16:46 oh, we got a guy in house who didn't play his first season, but we liked him in training camp. That's our starting strong safety. And we don't need to add anything else. Like, don't even roll your eyes here, guys. You know you can see that happening in the future. Or also like an Ashton-Doulin type guy if Michael Pittman Jr. is ultimately moved this off-season.

Starting point is 00:17:04 But those are the ones I kind of narrowed down to. did I miss anyone there, Jake? Or I think I got all the big ones there. Well, yeah, I think you got some of the big ones. But if we're talking about neglect, then I think you have to put JT to a Moloa in there as well. There's no chance. I'm just saying if we're talking about neglect.

Starting point is 00:17:20 Ballard tells us the truth in a lot of his press conferences. When he said that the edge rush needed to be better, I do think he's going to do something at edge rush. I don't think JTT is going to start. Unless he has the greatest camp of his life, maybe, but I don't think he'd start. I would like to believe in like, you're probably right. I'm just saying we have to list that as an option.

Starting point is 00:17:38 Right. This one's probably worse, Austin to GK, your new starting will. No chance. There's no chance. But, you know, I can see it with Hunter Woler. I couldn't see it with a GK. Let's see. What's our next question here?

Starting point is 00:17:52 Do you think the Colts are closer to a championship or a full rebuild? This kind of also goes with another question here, which is what's this team's sealing next season from Owen Stevens, where he says he's of the opinion at best. They're a wildcard team. and then Jason was the other one saying that a lot of Ballard core players are going to be up as free agents. So I don't know if they're closer to a championship or a full rebuild. I think they're right in the middle. Yeah, always.

Starting point is 00:18:18 I think a lot of it just comes down to the health of Daniel Jones. You know, like it's just what does he look like? Because I think if he's fully healthy, they're more of a playoff team than not next year, but you can't guarantee his help right now. And then in terms of the ceiling, who knows, in the NFL man. Like, it really comes down to what the defense looks like and what moves they make on defense because if Jones looks healthy next season, they make some notable steps on defense.

Starting point is 00:18:45 They could be a deep playoff team. They were playing that well to start last season, but that's a lot of ifs right there. So it's hard to really bank fully on a bunch of ifs. So, yeah, I don't know where they're closer to right now. They're such a middle of the routine still, even after such a hot start last year. Yeah, they're just, they're riding a very fine line because I think they're very capable of making the playoffs this year, like at least as a wildcard team. Because, I mean, the first half of the season did happen. They were legitimately good at one point.

Starting point is 00:19:19 But if they aren't, if they don't reach that mark this year, then we've talked about the detonator button is very red and shiny and like clickable after this year. you got a lot of expiring contracts. I think that even that Chris Ballard as well, right? Like there's so many outs you have on the roster in the front off. Like you can hit that button after this year without having to like eat a ton of money if they don't reach where they're supposed to. Depending on what they do in free agency here though, because if they give Jones a long contract with void years, they put void years on other players, then you could really hinder your ability to blow this thing. up trying to go all in on one year.

Starting point is 00:20:04 So we'll see again, this offseason is so massive for so many different reasons for the Colts. Real quick though, Jake, yes or no question for both of us. 2026 season ends up being a bus. Chris Ballard is fired and we are named the new GM. Shane Steichen's future is in your hands. Do you keep him on three, Jake, one, two, three. No.

Starting point is 00:20:21 No. No. For me, like, if it's a bus, no. I can find my way into being a Shane apologist. But if like if they miss the playoffs again and he's going. on no playoffs for all four years and you're resetting anyways, do the clean sweep. All of it. Right.

Starting point is 00:20:38 Right. 100%. And then my next move would be getting the kicker position off the roster. But that's a conversation for another day. But coming up, guys, we're going to transition to draft talk yet again this week. Talk about some other fits and some players you like in this upcoming draft. Welcome to the five-hour energy flavor draft. We're looking at every aspect of the draft to let you know which.

Starting point is 00:21:04 Masty flavors are the best and which just might be sleepers. The board is set. The flavors are ready and the only one is going to take the top spot. That one is, I'm shooting for peach mango personally. That's one of my favorite flavor combos. It brings that ripe peach flavor on the first sip. And then the mango comes in and adds a little tropical depth and sweetness. The drink has a smooth, rounded fruit profile with a slightly rich mouthfield and citrus flavors.

Starting point is 00:21:31 I'm going to start incorporating the word mouthfield. I think into my daily vernacular. I like that one. Also, you got to throw in strawberry watermelon or blue raz. They feel like locks any time. They can win any competition. Those are safe ones. High floor.

Starting point is 00:21:46 You can never go wrong there. So find your new favorite flavor of five-hour energy shots available online at five-hour energy.com or Amazon. All right, welcome back every dayers. We are finishing up our week load of questions that you guys sent us before. or as Zach mentioned, we shift into combine mode next week. We will obviously be reporting to you as we do every year, live from downtown Indy, all over the place telling you what we're hearing.

Starting point is 00:22:14 And that brings us beautifully into the subject of the draft, which you guys had plenty of draft questions here for us as well. So let's get right into them. All right, Zach, could we get a first round pick if the Colts package, Anthony Richardson, Michael Pittman, Jr., and two of our later picks, let's say a fifth and a sixth, just that one's for me, to try to, get like David Bailey or Cassius Howl for a new dominant edge defender.

Starting point is 00:22:39 That one's from Brad Roney on Twitter. Brad, I love where your mind is at here, buddy. But unfortunately, the NFL doesn't really see, wouldn't really take two depreciating assets and give you more for that. They would just give you the same, if not less, because now we're taking two depreciating assets off your hands. Like, you owe us now. I wish it worked like Madden on Madden.

Starting point is 00:23:00 I always trade all my backup quarterbacks and somehow get a second round pick for them. and then I signed like an undrafted free agent to be my backup that whole year because I'm very much in the Tom Moore mindset with the backup quarterback. If he's on the field, it's over anyway, you know? So no, that wouldn't be realistic. Like if you package them together, like you would turn a fifth into a fourth maybe at best. But yeah, unfortunately, that's not how it happens. David Bailey would be fun though.

Starting point is 00:23:26 I watched a couple games. He's a very good player. I hope he doesn't end up in Tennessee. You know, that's my biggest thing with him. but no, the Colts aren't going to get one of those guys, and they certainly wouldn't get it from packaging, stuff like that. Teams would more, would rather take two second round picks from you to get up into the first round than take Richardson, Pittman Jr.,

Starting point is 00:23:45 and some late picks to get up that high. So the cost would be higher draft picks to get back up into the higher draft range. Nobody really would trade for players like that. Yeah, I also would have a hard time finding which team would take both of them. You know what I mean? Like the Raiders take both of them. You know, it's, that one's tough to work. Maybe rewinding a year that would go.

Starting point is 00:24:06 Give us the first overall pick for Anthony Richardson. I think it's fair. I think it's fair. All right. So I really like this next one from Jay on Twitter. The Colts are on the clock in the second round. You're the GM. The top five guys on the board are T.J. Parker, Edge from Clemson.

Starting point is 00:24:24 Zion Young, edge from Missouri. Jake Golda, linebacker from Cincinnati. Chris Johnson, Corner from San Diego State. and Emmanuel McNeill Warren's safety from Toledo. Who are you picking, or are you taking a trade offer to move down and acquire picks in 26 and 2027? What are you doing with that? Trading back is always fun.

Starting point is 00:24:44 I love adding more picks, but I think I might go against what you would go with here, Jake, because this guy was smart. He put a couple of your boys in this, but then he snuck in a first round pick guy in here and Emmanuel McNeil Warren. I would take Emmanuel McNeil Warren. I think you saw what happened in Seattle last year with a big athletic safety that can play in the box over the top and adds that diversity to your system. It takes away the need to play base defense really ever like the Seahawks were able to do last year. Seahawks played base on like 80 snaps.

Starting point is 00:25:16 Colts were in the bottom five with like 180. I think there were actually like 202 base defense snaps. But knowing Luana Rumo, he wants to get that down to zero, he hates base defense. And I think adding a big time playmaker who's a super athlete. like Emmanuel McNeil Warren gets you one step closer. I think he's a very good player. I would certainly go with him, I think, in this group here. Even though I like Zion Young, I like T.J. Parker.

Starting point is 00:25:40 I like Jake Gold Day. I haven't watched Chris Johnson yet. So I don't have much of an opinion on him. But McNeil Warren, I think, is my guy for this one. Yeah, I, McNeil Warren is the, you could probably say it about Parker, but McNeil Warren is the only one who's like a true steel there, who has no business being available at 4 to 7. So I probably would do that as well just for the value.

Starting point is 00:26:02 T.J. Parker may not find his way out of the first round either after a strong reintroduction at the senior bowl. People are like, oh, yeah, that's why we liked them in the first place. But yeah, young, let's just make it young Golda and Chris Johnson as guys who might be there at 47. Probably Golda. If I'm being honest, he is so perfect for Lou and his defense. like Golda is probably the guy I would take. Now if you're saying I could trade down like just two or three picks and add an extra fourth or fifth or something, I might do that.

Starting point is 00:26:35 But gun to my head if I have to take one of those three, I'm going Golda. And Chris Johnson's not bad as well. You know, decent size, pretty good speed. You know, he's good hips and quickness to stick with guys in coverage. But that would probably be a little bit of a luxury that early. I mean, you can never have too many good corners, but Golda is my guy. look if your name's chris johnson you better have good speed i feel like that's a that's a given cj 2k right there uh next question here what are the odds the colts move up in the second round we see

Starting point is 00:27:06 really talented players follow the first and get taken high and the texans are sitting at 38 from ethan calihan on facebook i don't really think you really worry about like a divisional opponent being there like they're they're going to find ways to draft you know you don't you don't trade up just because the divisional opponents there you trade up because you want somebody uh but the thing as teams know that first round talents fall out of the first round all the time, which makes those picks in the early second that much more valuable and harder to trade for. So it would be difficult, I think, for the Colts to get up there, especially, you know, not having a first next year and it kind of changes the math on some of your picks that you

Starting point is 00:27:43 have across the board and how you want to move them. But I think if there is a talented player, they would call. I mean, they moved up for Jonathan Taylor a couple years ago, and that certainly worked out for the better for the Colts. So if they see an opportunity to strike, they would go up there. It's just, you know, teams again, they know that the talent is there.

Starting point is 00:28:01 And that's why it was probably hard to try to move up for a Swessinger last year because other teams knew that there was a quality player there. But yeah, if the opportunity is there, Chris Ballad has traded up in the past, and he probably would do it again. I think so too. I think when you trade back,

Starting point is 00:28:17 it's obviously about accruing more draft capital later on and like building you know building stuff for the future which is always what they love to do is they have an eye on the future they want to do what's best for the Colts now and in five years but there's an urgency like whoever you pick needs to contribute you can't keep having these guys who number one may not ever be ready but maybe not for a year year and a half like you can't keep telling us you got to be patient with these guys like we can't keep hearing that you know what I mean, like, you need someone who is going to give you serious quality snaps and play good football for you right away. So with that in mind, if that is their urgency, I think it's almost likely that they move up in the second round because, I mean, you've looked into this already.

Starting point is 00:29:04 It's not a very top heavy draft. Like, there's a few, like, pretty good marquee guys, but the strength of the draft, I think, is really starting in, like, second, third round. Yeah, but I think that would actually play into not. trading up because I don't know if there's that big a difference between, you know, like I don't think there's going to be a first round guy who falls to the round two in this draft because there's barely any first round guys in this. Yeah. That's true. So you're kind of just, you know, splitting hairs between a bunch of second round guys. And you might say like we like this guy a bit more than this guy. Like we like a Gold Day more than, you know, Josiah Trotter.

Starting point is 00:29:40 I'm just putting two names I know out there or like Trotter more than Gold Day. But do we like them that much more to burn a next year's third, next year's second to move up there, I think would be the big question. So it's a dancing aspect of it that you have to just dance around like what you actually want to do with that. But if it makes the most sense, like the Colts going up three picks to get Jonathan Taylor, then you make it happen. Yeah, I agree.

Starting point is 00:30:04 I mean, I think they've missed out on enough guys that it's kind of chapped them a little bit in the last couple of years haunted them almost you might be able to say yeah but they don't let that happen again sometimes it works out like one i remember a couple years back they had a bucket of receivers they really liked with alec pierce sky more and tyquin thornton all in that bucket that they liked and they decided to trade back and they took the guy who lasted the longest out of that bucket right got alec pierce and in that trade back they got a third round pick that turned into barrenhardt rhyman and I believe they got a future, no, they didn't get a future third in that one. That was with the Wens trade too.

Starting point is 00:30:45 But they got a third round pick that turned into Bairn Hart-Riemann as well. So there's, again, there's this dancing aspect where moving up can make sense, moving back makes sense. You're always judged on the results regardless. So you just better win games regardless of what you do. Yeah, without question. This last one, I like the idea here. It's from our insider program. When are we doing an insane fan mock draft day?

Starting point is 00:31:08 So essentially us and you guys from the Everydayer Club, again, join the Everydayer Club to do this. If we can figure out some way to do that, Zach, I would love to do that. It would be insane. It's probably some time in April right before the draft. That would be good. It would be insane, but we might have to do something like that for sure. We love our Everydayer Clubs. And speaking of, thanks again for tuning in today to Lockdown Colds.

Starting point is 00:31:31 We'll be back yet again next week. But make sure you subscribe to our show so you get all the latest episodes. If you don't already, follow at Lockdown Colts. at Jake Arthur and a phone at Zach Hicks 2 all on socials. And again, bringing back to that Everydayer Club, if you never missed that episode, then remember the Everydayer Club is built for you. Get Locked on Colts audio ad free,

Starting point is 00:31:49 plus the members only Discord access and much more. Head to LockedonColts.com to join the club or follow the link in our show notes right now. Thank you guys for tuning in to this whole week of questions and Q&As and Prospect Spotlights. We really appreciate it. And we're back here next week to talk all about the NFL combine.

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