Locked On Colts - Daily Podcast On The Indianapolis Colts - LOCKED ON COLTS -3/9- Colts GM Chris Ballard Putting Signature On Roster W/@JoshWilsonSB

Episode Date: March 9, 2017

One day after re-signing Jack Doyle, the #Colts trade Dwayne Allen to the #Patriots. Josh Wilson (Stampede Blue) joins Matt to look into the strategy to build this roster, who stays and who goes, as well as possible additional shockers still left on the table. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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Learn more about our healthy benefits at fepblue.org slash getmore. No, I'm not for sale. You are lockeded On Colts, your daily Indianapolis Colts podcast. Part of the Locked On Podcast Network, your team every day. Welcome back to Locked On Colts, ladies and gentlemen. I'm your host, Matt Dainley. And tonight, you know, we've obviously got some news that we need to talk about. And tonight I brought in Josh Wilson from Stampede Blue SB Nation.

Josh, thanks for joining me again, man. Good to have you back. Oh, it's my pleasure. Thanks for having me on again. Absolutely. So, you know, yesterday the Colts re-signed Jack Doyle to a pretty sizable contract. I mean, I think that the tea leaves were being read. There were some things up in the air that it was either maybe he'll get traded for a draft pick,

Dwayne Allen, I mean, and then maybe not. Maybe they'll just try to restructure or do something simple to keep all these tight ends on the roster and stuff. And then 24 hours later, or less than 24 hours later, Dwayne Allen is traded to the Patriots for a fourth rounder, and the Colts are also giving up a sixth rounder from this draft to the Patriots. I got to get your first initial thoughts on the whole deal. Yeah, so I mean, I think the trade surprised a lot of people, including myself. I didn't really expect the Colts to be in the market for trading Allen,

but I think, you know, when you look at the deal, I think it's a good move for both the Colts and the Patriots, and I know, you know, it's easy to take the middle ground there, but I think you look at what the Colts got for him. You get a fourth-round pick for Dwayne Allen, a guy that a lot of fans want to cut.

So you get compensation for him when cutting him would do nothing. So I think from that regard, it's hard to really argue or complain about trade because you're getting a fourth-round pick. Again, you have to give up a six-rounder. But now you've got six picks in the first four rounds. That's a lot to work with for Chris Ballard. You're actually getting something for Dwayne Allen, a guy that a lot of fans want to cut i think the the drawback that some have betrayed is just the fact that it's the patriots and i think if it were with

another team this would be praised for getting a fourth round pick for a guy that's been disappointing but with the patriots who maximize talent like far better than any other team and it's not even a question now you've got a talented tight end in duane allen who hasn't achieved his potential uh since 2012 with the colts but now you've got him in a situation where they do a good job maximizing talent so if he stays healthy i think he'll have some success there with tom brady and that coaching staff so i think you've got those two dynamics going at each other where in Indianapolis, he probably wasn't going to be able to magically step up into his 2012 form just like that. So to

get a fourth round pick for him, I think that's very good. Even though you had to give up a six rounder, I think they got good compensation for what Allen has shown the last couple of years, especially with his injury history. But on the other side, with the Patriots' perspective, you're thinking, we can coach up this guy, give up a fourth-round pick, and help him achieve that potential that we know he has because we saw it in 2012. So I think from both sides, it makes sense.

And I think Colts fans should like the trade in the sense of getting a fourth-round pick for a guy that many wanted to cut. But the fact that it's the Patriots makes them hesitant to embrace or like the trade. Yeah, I thought it was weird. I mean, I'll admit, I can't recall a trade with the Patriots since the Colts have been

in Indianapolis at all. Oh, yeah. And I mean, I literally grabbed my phone because I was at work and walking around and a notification came over my phone and I actually wiped my phone off. I was like, that said Panthers. No, it was definitely the Patriots. It was absolute. I mean, I, I have been probably one of a few that I've actually spoken about, you know, attempting to trade Dwayne Allen. I was more on it last year because it was around draft time because the draft wasn't

as deep in the tight ends. Now, I definitely didn't assume that it was going to happen this year with the way that the draft is. You know, this is a pretty deep tight end draft. And I thought a fourth or fifth round pick would have been quality compensation for him in return. I think the one thing that I was hoping for when it first came across that it was Dwayne and a sixth for a fourth, I was just hoping it was maybe next year's sixth rounder or something like that. You know, I thought that would have been even better. And, you know, it was this year's and that's okay. I mean, like I said, ultimately what this is, I mean, the Colts are on, if I'm not mistaken, the Colts are on the hook for the 3 million

signing bonus still, which still saves is no different ultimately, the Colts are on the hook for the $3 million signing bonus still, which still is no different, ultimately, than the Colts releasing him, but they've basically upgraded their sixth-round draft pick to a fourth-rounder. Oh, exactly, yeah. It's not a bad deal at all, I don't think, and the Colts get what they want out of it. I think casual fans are thinking, okay, that's nice. We've got another pick inside the top, whatever, but we don't have a sixth or seventh round pick now. Well, I think that, I mean, as of now, we don't. But this also, I mean, you can think about it in this regard as well. You also have to think about that that gives more flexibility for Ballard

within the draft to trade back, possibly reacquire a sixth round pick, and possibly even a little higher, you know, depending on who it's with, just for whatever. So there's still opportunity here for the Colts to even gain another draft pick on draft day or possibly before, you know, just never know what's going to happen. But this is not by any means a bad trade for the Colts at all. Oh, for sure. I like the trade. I think, again, like I said, you're getting a fourth-round pick for a guy that many people want to cut anyway.

And I think the value of a fourth-round pick in this year's draft with it so deep at the Colts' positions of need. It's not like it's a deep draft at areas that the Colts are already set at. It's deep at edge rusher. It's deep at the Colts positions of need. It's not like it's a deep draft at areas that the Colts are already set at. It's deep at as rusher is deep at cornerback is deep at, um, inside line. I mean, it's got some inside linebackers, I guess it's deep at these areas that the Colts need running back, um, adding more picks, especially for a team that whether Chris Ballard wants to admit it or not is rebuilding in some sense of the word. I think that's incredibly valuable. And so, and like you said, you've now got more to work some sense of the word, I think that's incredibly valuable. And so, and like you said, you've now got more to work with for trades too.

So I think this is what they wanted. And I think this also helps you. I mean, you mentioned Jack Doyle earlier. It helps you see why they resigned him like they did last night. And I even mentioned earlier today that, you know, there had been reports that they were far apart on a new deal. And then all of a sudden he's resigned on a Tuesday nightuesday night well could it be that they were looking into trading alan and then all of a sudden they're like well i think we're going to be able to so let's make doyle more of a priority i think that's entirely possible that that might have had something to do

with it i don't know i think they wanted to resign doyle all along but i think it makes it more important why they did and it's an even better deal now because instead of having to pay two Titans like that, Doyle's getting paid less on average in terms of his average per year than either Allen or Fleener. And I would argue he's a better player than both of them overall. And so now you've got this, I think it's a better bargain for a better player. And so I think it's a good move in terms of the tight end position even too. And I might add that you know Eric Swoop is a he showed some potential last year but if you want to you can add another tight

end in a deep draft class this year as well so I mean that's something we'll have to monitor on whether the Colts are going to be interested in adding another tight end through the draft but I think you've even got flexibility there where if you want another guy to come in and bring into the tight end room you've got a deep draft that you can have some flexibility to do that to play with Doyle and Sloop. So I think that you've got some options there, and I think you mentioned it well that they got what they wanted out of it. They got Doyle, and they got something in return for Allen.

Absolutely. Another aspect of this entire fiasco, and I totally agree with you, I think that there were talks in place to where it was. But it does surprise me thinking about that that way and then what Doyle actually got. If all that was to go on, there were possibly talks with the Patriots previous to all this, and then Doyle's re-signed. I'm surprised that Doyle was was actually saying you know what I'm going to test free agency because I'm not sure I like the deal or something you know I mean I mean presumably that's why he said he wanted to test free agency uh it makes me wonder what the hell they were uh offering him in the first place if that's the case because I mean that's about

what you expected him to get in fact his market value value per a couple different places, I know at least SpotTrack had him right at about 6.2 or 6.5, somewhere in that area. And that's ultimately what he got with some incentive-based contracts as well. So this is a win-win, I think. And that's also, I think, and you touched on it, I think that it exacerbates a little bit how much Ballard feels or about what ceiling they feel Swoop can possibly have in the future. He's definitely going to be the move option probably a little bit more as far as the receiver option at the tight end position. But, you know, they still have a lot of flexibility with Doyle anywhere along the line of scrimmage and can ultimately put him in the slot like they have before. So the Colts are still in pretty good shape, I think, at the tight end position. They definitely, I think, with the two guys that they

have on the roster currently at the position, they definitely, if they do go that route in the draft in any way, shape, or form, I think they have to look realistically at a blocker first and a receiver second. I agree. And I think that's really where Swoop excels. I was very impressed with his receiving ability last year. It was a pleasant surprise to see how far he's developed in a couple of years. And I think he's actually got some really good receiver moves. And, you know, the Colts talk about him as a blocker.

I don't think he's anything special as a blocker, but he's going to be your receiving tight end. And so you've got Doyle who's going to be your all-around tight end who's going to be able to block and catch and be a safety blanket for Andrew Luck and things like that. You've got Swoop as your receiving tight end. So I agree, if they're going to look for a tight end, you probably want someone who more specializes in blocking. Ideally, you want an all-around guy, but you have Doyle as your all tight end. So I agree, if they're going to look for a tight end, you probably want someone who more specializes in blocking. Ideally, you want an all-around guy,

but you have Doyle as your all-around, Sloop as your receiving, bring in another guy as a blocking tight end, and you've got kind of a really good trio there in that room. I agree. I think that if you'd asked 48 hours ago every Colts fan, okay, here's your choice. You can have Doyle for a little little bit less than Allen or you can have Allen uh at his current contract I don't think that anybody honestly would have said nope I want to take Allen for a little bit more money you know because he is he he was so good early on in his career and he had the the organization the fans everybody had such high expectations for him. And then it just fell off. His blocking's kind of taken a hit. He's been very nicked up and injury prone, it seems like,

and not major injury necessarily, but enough injuries to where they add up and he isn't able to perform on the field. And he's just not on the field in general, which has ultimately given Doyle the shot that he has and Swoop now, the range that he's got, to improve and become that next tight end for the Colts. So overall, I think we agree for sure. I think that most do agree this is a fantastic deal for the Colts. On the other hand, as you touched on earlier, people are a little worried saying Allen's going to turn out to be, you know, a pro bowler there in new England, of course, you know, and that's, I mean, it's almost like, at least in this area, uh, most people who are baseball fans are either, uh, Cubs Cincinnati or white socks fans. But the common thing is that, you know, the Cubs

players, they, they play there for three or four years, uh, Cubs get rid of them and they go somewhere. And next year they're, they're an MVP candidate or they're in for three or four years. Cubs get rid of them and they go somewhere and next year they're an MVP candidate or they're in the All-Star game. I think that's kind of the way the Patriots, you know, to put that in football terms, I think that's kind of how people view the Patriots and the way that they develop their players. So good for the Patriots if they can get Dwayne Allen back to his earlier self. However, it was an absolute win for the Colts and the organization in general. They do, like I said, I think that they're on the hook for that $3 million of his signing bonus, but ultimately they save a little bit of money coming off of it, and now

they've got added flexibility moving into the draft at that position. Real quick, wanted to ask you what your thoughts are on the rest of the field. I mean, I know that we've got a possibility of Darius Butler and the Colts are talking apparently. I mean, at least that's the way the reports are suggesting. We haven't heard a single thing about Eric Walden or very few others, to be quite honest. Is Butler kind of the last guy you see in-house getting signed? If at all?

I think Butler should be somewhat of a priority. I think Doyle is clearly the top priority to resign. I think Butler should be, especially letting Adams walk. That to me suggests that they are looking to resign Butler because you need some guy.

I'm all for giving TJ Green more time to develop. I think you need to. You can't go up on him right now. But I think you need someone. You cannot go into next year with T.J. Green as your only option as the starting safety. You need someone to play alongside Clayton Gethers, bring back Darius Butler, have him and Green work at the one spot,

Gethers at the other safety spot. And even Butler then can give you versatility there at cornerback if you need depth and move him down to the slot. I think Butler gives you some versatility. I think he's worth bringing back. I don't think he's worth giving him a monster contract, but I don't think

he's going to get that. I do expect Butler and the Colts probably will come to a deal. I could see Robert Turbin back as a depth running back. Of course, the interesting thing with Turbin gets to the point where Frank Gore is the starter, and ideally the Colts need to bring in a young guy through the draft this year to be that complement to Gore and that long-term guy,

which leaves Turbin, his role is kind of up in the air, but I think you can still have a role for him as a short yardage or goal linebacker. I could see him coming back. And then you mentioned Walden. You know, I think with Eric Walden, it's one of those situations where, yeah, it would be nice to have him back because you have nothing in outside linebacker right now. I mean, it's very empty when it comes to experience, when it comes to capable players. I mean, you got Akeem Ayers and Kurt Majid.

Maybe those are your two best guys at outside linebacker. So I think, I think with Eric Walden, I would, I would just make him an offer a couple million, just say, you know, just a very reasonable, nothing, nothing that big and let him test the market and see if there's something better out there. And if there is say, great, go take it. Good for you. I would be willing to bring him back, but I don't think you overpay. I don't think you get into a bidding war with him. I don't think you do anything like that. I think you offer him a reasonable, minor-ish deal.

Say if you want to take it, fine. You're not guaranteed a starting spot. It depends on what else we do through the draft and free agency. But I think Walden would be a fine guy to bring back as long as you're understanding it's not going to be for a big contract as long as you're understanding he might not be the starter i don't see anything wrong with that but if we're talking about what's actually going to happen so far it doesn't seem like that's extremely likely and if something happens with walden my guess is it would be um a little bit

later in the free agency not like a before free agency type thing. Now, when I say that, they'll probably reach a deal right before free agency starts, I know. But my guess with that is that'll be something like free agency will start, and then it'll go, if they re-sign Walden, then it'll happen after that. And really, that could be the case with other free agents too, with Butler or Turbin or some guys like that. It could be the case where they all test free agency and they see. And even

if I mentioned the restricted free agents and exclusive rights free agents, they haven't done anything with those guys yet either, which is interesting to me. That's very interesting. We're just mentioning Eric Swoop. He's an exclusive rights free agent. You have to bring him back now, don't you, with like so i mean some of those guys i think no brainer and even zach kerr

i would bring him back he's a restricted free agent it sounds like there's some reports that they might not extend a restricted free agent tender to him now that doesn't mean they wouldn't bring him back afterwards but the colts have been very quiet so far when it comes to their own free agents and i think part of that might be the guys that are up for new deals. They're not any, anything special. Part of that might be Chris Ballard and his approach to the team. And I think part of that is just, I think they're okay letting some of these guys hit free agency and still

kind of just playing the market, seeing how things work out, open to bringing some of them back, but kind of seeing how things work out. So I don't really think there's any urgency per se right now about these guys. Right. And, you know, the thing with Swoop and Bray, the guys that are exclusive rights, is ultimately they can just – you know, the Colts basically have them by the short and curlies. I mean, all they've got to do is offer them something,

and they really don't have an opportunity – they really don't have a choice to deny it or take another offer or anything like that. But guys like Jonathan Harrison, I mean, I'm of the mindset that after him, and George and I were talking about it, George Bremer, we were talking about it the other night, that once you get past Kelly at center, you've got Austin Blythe and Jonathan Harrison. I think Jonathan Harrison at the moment is probably the better option there. Both he and Blythe are interchangeable as far as the ability to at least play at guard.

I'm not saying that they're top of the line by any means, but they are depth at the positions. So it would kind of surprise me if they don't bring Harrison back or offer him something before tomorrow at 4 o'clock. And we're recording this Wednesday night. So just as a heads up for you guys that are listening to this in the morning on Thursday, but there's just a bunch of them, you know, and not a bunch of them, but like another guy, exclusive rights, Jeremy Vunovic or Vujnovic. Man, his word, his name is a jacked up that i know how to pronounce that but he he's another guy i mean that's obviously a depth guy but all

these guys you know and george made a good point the other night and he's basically said that you know not only are there no sacred cows uh on this team from, you know, ultimately after Andrew Luck and down. But these guys, he obviously is refacing this roster in his own image. And, you know, for all of us who are basically falling in love with Ballard each and every day all over again, this is a good thing. And it makes you kind of trust what he's doing. I guess the common thought was that Kerr is better as a 4-3 D lineman and so may not be ideal for the Colts' scheme. Josh McNary is another one I think that I've heard that Colts aren't really

interested in offering back. So there's a few of them there, and I agree. Turbin is a guy that you probably need to do, especially if you have a hard-set plan to go running back at some point in this draft, as far as if you plan to find your next franchise running back, so to speak. So, I mean, if you're not going to go elsewhere in free agency for a running back back there, Turbin's the guy, you know, I think that makes sense, a short down yardage guy and everything else. But Butler, you know, Walden, I'm not sure.

I agree with you. I think that they would probably, if they decide to get with him, that it would probably be later in free agency. I would say maybe a week or two into it almost would probably be the latest, you know, let him go out and, you know, kind of meander his way back, if that's the case, and offer him whatever they're going to offer him. But Butler, while I love his play at safety, it scares me a little bit because he just seems to get hurt too often. He loves to hit.

He loves to hit, and he can do it, and he can jar some balls loose. But one of his best hits last year you know sent him out of the game too so it just you know it's at 30 years old who knows I don't know but it all depends on what Ballard feels and knows and I wouldn't be a bit surprised if maybe Swoop and maybe just one other guy is brought back, and that's it. Maybe Turbin. I mean, it wouldn't surprise me at all if Darius Butler wasn't back there. Oh, absolutely. I mean, I don't think there's anybody right now that you would be necessarily surprised

that they're not back. I mean, I think probably the most surprising would be Sloop, just because he's an exclusive rights guy, especially with what they've done with the tight end. So, I mean, in terms of the unrestricted free, I don't think there's anybody that's surprising or a lock to be back. And I think part of that is you were mentioning it in terms of the depth, Chris Ballard is very much emphasized adding competition level. I mean, he says it so much. We want to add competition.

We want to add competition, add competition. I mean, he says it over and over and over again. It's hard to miss. His point is he wants to add to the roster so much so that even the guys that are, you know, quote-unquote starters are going to have to compete for their jobs. And so right now I think we have to understand that Chris Ballard is going to look not just at the top guys in free agency that everyone's talking about, but he's going to look at the guys that are going to add to that competition level, are going to add to the depth.

He always talks about from 1 to 63, from all the 53 guys on the active roster, the 10 guys on the practice squad. He's looking at all of those. So I think when you look at the variation decisions, like with Jonathan Harris and Zach Kerr, some of those guys that look like great depth, Ballard could be looking at those guys and saying, well, I want to even increase the competition level more than those guys.

Now, I would argue, hey, bring him back, off-season training camp, let him work, let him compete. I think those guys are solid guys to have around. Harrison's good depth, and even what he did at guard late in the year I thought was solid, and Kerr, he's a solid defensive lineman. I think a big emphasis Chris Ballard has is not just improving the defense to the point where it's actually competent, but also improving the competition level all over the roster

to the point where the Colts are better and they're cutting guys that are being picked up by other teams. Ballard's like, that's where we want to get to, where we're cutting guys because we don't have enough room for them. So I think when you're looking at these free agency, we have to understand Ballard's going to, from top to bottom, look at this roster and try to improve it. And so I think that's a lot of the guys the Colts would bring back up to their

own guys are some of those depth guys, are some of those backups. And so I think it's not surprising that Chris Ballard wouldn't be rushing to bring them back. Now, I want to ask you a question on this just because I want your point of view. It was something that, you know, as I was doing the show last night, I was looking at it and it kind of made me just think a little bit. Let's say that the Colts were to add, you know, if you want to say A.J. Bouye or somebody like that in free agency, uh, Vontae Davis has a dead cap of 1.25 million this year that are for 2017. That would save the Colts $9 million coming off. And I know this in my comments, not necessarily, not in fact, not at all about money, but being that we get into this sacred cow conversation, you know, a guy who's declining injured a lot, you know, similar to Dwayne Allen in that regard, um, maybe has one more year in him, but he's so close to

free agency. It just seems like, uh, maybe there's a team that wants to trade for Vontae Davis and I'm not advocating it necessarily. I'm trying to kind of find, uh, holes in, in where I think Ballard may want to dip his toes into if he's given the opportunity. With a complete facelift, I think that's expected over the next two years of this roster, or darn near a complete facelift, he seems to be one of those guys that could be in danger of being a guy let go as well just because of that money saver. That's, I mean, $10.25 million for a declining Vontae Davis

seems like a major, major price. I think it goes back to what you're saying. There's no sacred cow. We cannot rule anything. I mean, you put Andrew Luck in his own category, maybe put T.Y. Hilton there, maybe Adam Venteri. But really the whole roster, you don't know what to expect with Chris Ballard. So I don't think we can really rule anything out.

I mean, I think there would have been people telling you, there's no way they're going to trade Dwayne Allen. I mean, I know you've been talking about it, but I think there would be people saying, there's no way they're getting rid of him. Well, they traded him. I think with Vontae Davis, you have to have that same conversation of, well, could they trade him?

And I think right now people are saying, there's no way they could trade him, but you never know what Chris Dollar's going to do. So along those lines with Vontae Davis, I think there's a couple of things that I would suggest with considering that situation, and I'm sure you probably brought these up as well or have been thinking through them. But, I mean, if you need the money, there's an easy place to go. Right now the Colts don't need the money. If you have a plan this offseason where you're going to add some big money

free agents and you need that money, I think Vontae Davis could be an option where you're like, well, right there, that can free up a lot of space. But I think that that's a move you only make if, in terms of cap purposes, if you have a plan of we're going to need that money. I think you also, I mean, with him coming up in free agency a year from now, you've got that question you've got to consider is are they going to resign him? And if not, we've seen this happen numerous times in the NFL where a guy that the team has no intention of resigning the next year, they trade a year before free agency to get

something out of him, to get something for him, even because they have no plans to resign him. And I really think it's up in the air on whether the Colts bring Vontae Davis back. I mean, especially if they get a corner this year, whether it's in the draft or in free agency, like you mentioned, if they get someone like that, I think it's really up in the air on whether they bring him back. So they could be thinking through that, especially with the fact that this is a new GM of thinking through, well, we're not planning on resigning him next year.

So why not try to get something out of him? So I wouldn't be surprised if they have some talks, put out some feelers or things like that about Vontae Davis. I don't expect a move to get done because I think right now Davis is about as good of a defensive player as you've got, and that's not really anything about Davis as much as it is about the rest of the defense. But I think it's something that you have to consider to the extent that you have to understand he's a free agent a year from now he could free up some cap space i wouldn't advocate doing it necessarily but i think if

you've got a plan in mind of adding other quarterbacks uh whether it's aj boulier or a high draft pick and if you have a plan if we're not going to resign him if you can get something decent for him in return in a trade, then you consider it. But I think right now they don't need the cap space, so I'm not sure that should really play into the conversation as much unless you get to the point where you have a plan or you need the cap space. I think more of a consideration right now should be

what's our plan in the future, and my expectation is that they'll use this next year to evaluate what that plan is. But it could be Ballard already knows in his mind we're not going to resign him, in which case it wouldn't be surprised to see him try to get something for him. Yeah, that'd be really interesting. I think that we would probably all agree that the Colts need to attempt to try to get a guy that can ultimately fill those shoes in 2018 as a starter opposite him. And then probably maybe you need to double dip in free agency, or not double then probably maybe you need to double dip and in

free agency or not double dip in free agency, but double dip getting one in free agency, uh, as well. So, I mean, that's something that, you know, and this is going to be, this is going to be the process for the next, you know, year and a half, two years is constantly him trying to restructure certain areas of the defense, uh, certain guys on the offense, finding those guys, you know, preaching the competition type deal until he finds, you know, a good chemistry on both sides of the ball and the right personnel, you know, so far so good. I mean, I'm just enjoying the ride, to be quite honest with you, because as much as you like structure and a sure thing with a team

to where you don't have to change much, everything's already in place. All these moves, the free agency talk, the re-signing certain guys, who are we going to draft in a really deep draft? All that is the most exciting part of the NFL experience. That's what people love to watch, people love to look forward to and guess about. It's just really interesting. And especially with a new GM, you know, how will everything go together with the existing coaching staff, the current scouts, you know, even for that matter, who are giving him some ideas on some players and stuff like that. It's all very interesting, all very real and fluid at this

point. Oh, absolutely. even the the fact that we're discussing Fonte Davis and should we trade I mean it goes back to Dwayne Allen like there's no sacred towers you don't know what Chris Ballard's going to do and so everything should be on the table outside of Andrew Luck and again maybe T.Y. Hill and maybe Adam Vinatieri something like everything's on the table and that's why we're discussing these things because we don't know what Chris Ballard's going to do but it's clear he's changing some, and that's why we're discussing these things because we don't know what Chris Ballard's going to do, but it's clear he's changing some things and he's rebuilding this team. He's getting off to a fast start.

I totally agree. So if you're Chris Ballard, what's the very first move? Who's the guy in free agency right now that's out there that you're trying to make sure you sign at 4-0-1 tomorrow? Well, I mean, you know, I think you have to weigh the talent versus the price. I like A.J. Bouye a lot, but he's going to be very sought after. Some of the guards, Kevin Zeitler

and some of those guys could be good additions. Donta Hightower from New England. I mean, there's some guys there that would be immediate upgrades for the Colts. If I were the Colts, though, I don't know if I would necessarily, and this is kind of a cop-out answer from your question, I don't know if I would necessarily, and this is kind of a cop-out answer from your question, I don't know if I would necessarily be out there at 401 trying to sign guys.

I would be kind of feeling out the market, and of course that's what the last couple days, the legal tampering period, that's what it's been about. I don't know if there's that guy where I'm going to get into a huge bidding war for those guys. If they're reaching free agency, they've got some questions. And I know everyone's overpaying free agency. If you have the money to spend, you're going to have to go out there.

So I do expect them to make some pretty decent moves. But I don't know if there's that one guy. Probably if I was going to go after one guy, it would be A.J. Boullier as a corner. But even then, it sounds like there's a lot of teams interested. He's only had one really great year, so there's some concerns there. But I think free agency is all about concerns. Free agency often doesn't work out, so you're going to have to take risks.

So I'm not sure I would really be out there at 4-0-1 signing guys right away. But if there was one guy, that would probably be who I would pursue most. I think you could really do well to add a veteran guard, one of those top guards in free agency. Not in the sense that I think the offensive line is the biggest need, but if you add a legitimate starter there at right guard, you've got actually a pretty good line starting to develop there. So, I mean, I think there's a lot of options.

Even some depth guys, or not depth guys, but some of the guys that aren't getting as much conversation, like Chris Baker, defensive lineman. I mean, some of those guys that you could bring in, not as super exciting pickups, but as guys who are going to be able to fit in and be an upgrade on defense. And that's not a high bar again,

but who can fill some needs. So I think some of those type moves are probably more in line with what I would expect for the Colts to do. Some of those not so exciting guys, but guys who will fit needs. So I think some of those type moves are probably more in line with what I would expect for the Colts to do. Some of those not so exciting guys, but guys who will fit needs. But I could see them pursuing a couple of the top guys. I'm just not sure there's any guy I would really be out there at 401 tomorrow signing because I would want to feel out the market, play it out, and be more calculated, which it sounds like Ballard wants to be. And I agree. A lot of those, the tertiary type guys, and I wouldn't even say that necessarily,

just guys that aren't the flash on the free agent screen, Baker and some of them that you mentioned, some of the defensive ends, defensive tackles, some of those guys, those are the guys that are really going to end up being the core of the defense, I think, and I think that's probably what he's trying to do. He wants to try to do as much as he can playmaker-wise through the draft and then find the guys who can kind of form the structure of the defense or in the offense, you know, the roster in general through free agency.

And that's really, I think, a winning model, to be quite honest with you. And I think that's a way that the Colts can end up making this a two-year process to kind of flip the thoughts of how they're envisioned around the league. And ultimately, when it all comes down to brass tacks, this is how everything moves in the right direction for the Colts. You don't spend too much in free agency. You get the pieces that are connecting together. If you can get those guys, a lot of your playmakers on rookie contracts, you're in real good shape.

I'm excited for this, and I would assume that you're excited. I know that a lot of Colts fans are excited for this and I would assume that you're excited I know that a lot of Colts fans are excited for this you know the free agency period is not just the next week after tomorrow it goes for a while and people are going to find these uh start to fall off after the first 48 hours as far as immediate signings and then you're going to find where uh the real uh grunt work has come in play to where they can find those guys that are going to be those building blocks that a lot of people aren't really talking about right now. Yeah, absolutely. And that's really where I expect the Colts to do a lot of their work

and for agencies is in that time period where the dust kind of settles right there at four. I mean, there's deals that are going to be announced right then, and really the Dwayne Allen trade is probably going to be announced right around four-1. But I think really in terms of free agency and signing guys, that's really where the Colts are going to be looking. They're going to be looking at those guys that are not getting huge money, but who are

going to be able to come in, start for them, be solid upgrades, and just kind of plug away some holes. And in free agency, you're going to have some risks. You're going to have some guys that don't work out. But if you're building through the draft, and if you're adding talent, adding playmakers in the draft, then you can supplement them with free agents like you've been mentioning. And I think that's a winning formula too.

It just makes your draft picks even more important. But if they don't hit on the draft picks, we've seen what happens with the Ryan Gregson era. And it's hard to build, even if you have a lot of money in free agency. So it makes the draft more important, but it was going to be important no matter what. So I think that that's a moot point. That's absolutely true. Josh, thanks for jumping on with me tonight, man. I really appreciate your insight and you giving us a little bit of your time. It's an exciting time for Colts fans and an exciting time for the organization in general with the new general manager. And it seems like the Colts are, you know,

at least in the process of moving themselves in the right direction. So thank you for joining me tonight, man. I really appreciate it. Absolutely. It's my pleasure. Thanks for having me on. Anytime. Thank you guys for listening.

If you get a chance, get over to iTunes and subscribe to the podcast. Give me a rating and review and just appreciate you guys for listening. If you get a chance, get over to iTunes and subscribe to the podcast. Give me a rating and review. And just appreciate you guys coming and joining me every day throughout each and every week. I will talk to you guys all tomorrow, hopefully, and more likely, with some more news for the Colts to see what they've done next. So stay tuned and come back and join me on Friday.

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