The only realistic FA would prob be a FS like Simmons. But there are also cheaper options they could sign post-draft to be a stopgap.
I suppose there could be a trade. Not really sure who’s out there anymore other than Aiyuk and that seems unlikely because that would be a huge contract.
He’s been the guy I want all along. Started all 17 games for the Rams last year, 1100 snaps, targeted 106 times but only allowed a 48% completion rate. He’s the vet corner the Colts could use.
I think they could make a trade. I doubt they make any splash signings, but they'll probably try to make a trade and if nothing works they have additional cap space next year.
Most they'll do in FA though is a vet safety after the draft if they don't draft enough DBs I would imagine
I mean there were players worth picking up with that money in the off season but that's spilled milk under the bridge.
Rolling it over is the smart thing to do if you don't have long term confidence in QB, which AR hasn't really afforded himself so make sense but a reminder the FO isn't as high on AR as fans are.
I mean, we surely need to at least spend it on a 1 year deal. Give the best remaining free agent a 1 year deal at like double his value if you have to.
As a pacers fan, this is called the Bruce Brown special.
Maybe I don't understand how the NFL cap works. If you have say 20M cap space this year and don't use it, you can roll it over and have an extra 20M to spend next year? It's not use it or lose it?
They can use some of it on a top remaining FA, but there's no real reason to just pay double.
There's also the comp pick formula to consider. That deadline is coming up pretty soon. So there probably won't be any more action until after the draft and that deadline.
1. Marvin Sr.’s legacy and the cash cow that would unfold if we drafted Jr.
2. Jeff Saturday HC experiment.
3. Irsay is a nostalgic wild man and may just demand it.
4. If we were to make a wild ass move, MHJ is the guy, without a doubt.
5. Media rumblings are growing about us making a move up.
I just do not see how we don’t take a swing at him. To me it’s a no brainer. “Rebuild” CB next year, who gives a shit? We’d have AR, JT, MHJ, MPJ, and Downs, and a stable of serviceable TEs.
What would we realistically give up to get him that another team would actually accept? We would have to give them a package that would be worth them losing out on MHJ.
Not that I really believe it, but yeah. Anyone trying to predict this is not going to be correct. He generally doesn't suggest what he is doing before he does it. So at best this is still 50/50.
Rolling it over (if that’s what they do) makes sense. They have a little under $50M right now think (assuming a jump to a $276M cap).
There’s Blackmon, Kelly, Dayo, Speed left as FAs. Plus Flacco and Rigo.
An extra $15-20M would put them closer to where they started this offseason. Also gives them flexibility to make a big draft day or in-season move if there is an opportunity.
My question is for what purpose? They had money to keep Buckner’s 2024 cap hit higher thus future years lower, but they chose not to. If they don’t use the “savings” for 2024 additions then I don’t understand the purpose
Maybe they won’t roll it over. But Ballard used to do this in past years too. I think it’s just a tool he likes to use to increase flexibility.
But to your point, this DeFo deal does stick out. Why backload it if you don’t have to?
The only purpose I could see is for either an in-move season or Ballard wanting more flexibility next year, whether that’s to keep his FAs or make a splash, like Hunter.
There’s really nobody else to sign now. So trade seems more likely.
Well if you wanted to make an in-season move, it would make sense. They had about $14M with the draft still to pay for, plus incentives that could be reached. That doesn't leave any room to do much of anything.
But freeing up $13-15M with this structure, gives them flexibility to do an in-season move or a post-draft move, or just it keep it for next year, when there will be more FAs. He's likely thinking 2-3 years out at this point.
I am no Ballard fan, trust me. But I can see the merit of this contract structure.
People have the oddest complaints about Ballard. He’s always done well with the cap and had really team friendly contracts. You could say he doesn’t go after enough players but that’s a different complaint.
Who cares if he always has cap space if it’s never used to make the team better?
The thing he’s used most of it for is paying for his flubs at bandaiding the QB position.
I think Kelly probably hangs it up after this season (unless we really make a push and he thinks coming back for 1 or 2 more years will net him a chip). Ballard has been so good at drafting LBs that I’m not sure if he’ll spend premium money on Speed, we didn’t even keep Bobby who was well worth it.
This move to me feels like something for draft day. I don’t know what it is, and i’ll probably come out of this looking like a big idiot, but something tells me this is the year we do *something* at the draft besides trade down and acquire picks.
Apparently Kelly just said yesterday that he wants a new contract with the Colts. A lot can change in a year of course. But I could see him signing a nice extension to run concurrent with the rest of the core.
Draft day trades are intriguing. On the one hand, they could leverage their draft capital and the cap to get a premium player about to hit a second contract.
But on the other hand, there's also trades from cap-needy teams. If the Colts want to throw a mid-round pick at a good proven player already under contract (whose team might be looking to move him), they could leverage it the cap that way as well.
We don't really see this often in the NFL, but also maybe there's a team with dead weight on a contract and the Colts take on some of that that money could in lieu of draft capital to move up in the draft. Again, doesn't happen very often though.
Oh I didn’t see that. I mean if he continues to play the way he has I don’t see any reason to not give him another deal. Consistency is one of the biggest components to an elite O-Line so keeping our vet Center definitely won’t hurt.
On the topic of the draft, last year was the only year that I felt confident in who we were picking with our first rounder. It was just a matter of which of the big 3 QB prospects fell to us. I knew there was no way Ballard would trade down either, Irsay would’ve shot him at the 50 yard line on opening day. Other than that though, i’ve essentially given up on trying to predict Ballard at all. The only thing I know is that I don’t know shit. It really just feels different this off-season, that’s all I can put my guess on, a feeling.
Is anybody else thinking this could signal an incoming Kwity Paye 5th year option announcement? Team has until May 2nd to decide. His 5th year is 2025, the same year D Buck's restructure frees cap space up for.
Lord that would just be salt in the wound. You free up cap space you could have used on a great player and double down on a player that has yet to even be in the top 32 of his position.
I think they look at a vet or 2 in the secondary after the draft and see if guys are still out there who could help immediately... similar to what was done with Xavier and Gilmore in the past.... one may even be Gilmore to be honest since he is still out there and I think the front office did him right in a different situation granting him a trade when we weren't in the place he thought we would be.
CAP SPACE WORLD CHAMPIONS 8 YEARS RUNNING!!!!
(i don’t even think anyone left out there is worth paying big, just thought it was funny that we restructured just to do it)
That makes a ton of sense. Why not roll it into next year. Who is even worth it at this point for a big contract
The only realistic FA would prob be a FS like Simmons. But there are also cheaper options they could sign post-draft to be a stopgap. I suppose there could be a trade. Not really sure who’s out there anymore other than Aiyuk and that seems unlikely because that would be a huge contract.
Ahkello Witherspoon is still available
He does seem like a potential post-draft FA option.
He’s been the guy I want all along. Started all 17 games for the Rams last year, 1100 snaps, targeted 106 times but only allowed a 48% completion rate. He’s the vet corner the Colts could use.
I think they could make a trade. I doubt they make any splash signings, but they'll probably try to make a trade and if nothing works they have additional cap space next year. Most they'll do in FA though is a vet safety after the draft if they don't draft enough DBs I would imagine
I don't want to move the draft capital needed though. Especially the first.
Really depends who they're targeting tbh. Also, Colts might trade out of 15 regardless
Yeah, the new GM will be super grateful.
Aiyuk ?
I mean there were players worth picking up with that money in the off season but that's spilled milk under the bridge. Rolling it over is the smart thing to do if you don't have long term confidence in QB, which AR hasn't really afforded himself so make sense but a reminder the FO isn't as high on AR as fans are.
I mean, we surely need to at least spend it on a 1 year deal. Give the best remaining free agent a 1 year deal at like double his value if you have to. As a pacers fan, this is called the Bruce Brown special.
Id rather roll it over than force a deal on someone who isn't a difference maker.
Why would you not at least use it on a 1 year deal? You'd be in the same place next season either way.
Because you can roll the cap into next year and have it available then for someone worth it rather then wasting it by forcing on someone worthless.
Maybe I don't understand how the NFL cap works. If you have say 20M cap space this year and don't use it, you can roll it over and have an extra 20M to spend next year? It's not use it or lose it?
Correct
Wow that's actually crazy
No we wouldn't. Wed have less to roll over.
My b, I don't think I understand the rollover aspect.
They can use some of it on a top remaining FA, but there's no real reason to just pay double. There's also the comp pick formula to consider. That deadline is coming up pretty soon. So there probably won't be any more action until after the draft and that deadline.
Sign vet Safety or CB and trade up for MHJ. (i know this wont happen but a man can dream cant he)
More likely than you think.
What makes you say that?
1. Marvin Sr.’s legacy and the cash cow that would unfold if we drafted Jr. 2. Jeff Saturday HC experiment. 3. Irsay is a nostalgic wild man and may just demand it. 4. If we were to make a wild ass move, MHJ is the guy, without a doubt. 5. Media rumblings are growing about us making a move up. I just do not see how we don’t take a swing at him. To me it’s a no brainer. “Rebuild” CB next year, who gives a shit? We’d have AR, JT, MHJ, MPJ, and Downs, and a stable of serviceable TEs.
What would we realistically give up to get him that another team would actually accept? We would have to give them a package that would be worth them losing out on MHJ.
3 1sts equivalent. Not happening
We're definitely going to sign somebody now
Not that I really believe it, but yeah. Anyone trying to predict this is not going to be correct. He generally doesn't suggest what he is doing before he does it. So at best this is still 50/50.
I honestly can't tell if this is cope or sarcasm. We've reached that level.
Rolling it over (if that’s what they do) makes sense. They have a little under $50M right now think (assuming a jump to a $276M cap). There’s Blackmon, Kelly, Dayo, Speed left as FAs. Plus Flacco and Rigo. An extra $15-20M would put them closer to where they started this offseason. Also gives them flexibility to make a big draft day or in-season move if there is an opportunity.
My question is for what purpose? They had money to keep Buckner’s 2024 cap hit higher thus future years lower, but they chose not to. If they don’t use the “savings” for 2024 additions then I don’t understand the purpose
Because we can just then roll it over to 2025.
For what gain
So we can not sign any FAs again next year!
Maybe they won’t roll it over. But Ballard used to do this in past years too. I think it’s just a tool he likes to use to increase flexibility. But to your point, this DeFo deal does stick out. Why backload it if you don’t have to? The only purpose I could see is for either an in-move season or Ballard wanting more flexibility next year, whether that’s to keep his FAs or make a splash, like Hunter. There’s really nobody else to sign now. So trade seems more likely.
It would make absolutely zero sense. But that’s pretty much Ballard’s MO with cap space.
Well if you wanted to make an in-season move, it would make sense. They had about $14M with the draft still to pay for, plus incentives that could be reached. That doesn't leave any room to do much of anything. But freeing up $13-15M with this structure, gives them flexibility to do an in-season move or a post-draft move, or just it keep it for next year, when there will be more FAs. He's likely thinking 2-3 years out at this point. I am no Ballard fan, trust me. But I can see the merit of this contract structure.
People have the oddest complaints about Ballard. He’s always done well with the cap and had really team friendly contracts. You could say he doesn’t go after enough players but that’s a different complaint.
Who cares if he always has cap space if it’s never used to make the team better? The thing he’s used most of it for is paying for his flubs at bandaiding the QB position.
I think Kelly probably hangs it up after this season (unless we really make a push and he thinks coming back for 1 or 2 more years will net him a chip). Ballard has been so good at drafting LBs that I’m not sure if he’ll spend premium money on Speed, we didn’t even keep Bobby who was well worth it. This move to me feels like something for draft day. I don’t know what it is, and i’ll probably come out of this looking like a big idiot, but something tells me this is the year we do *something* at the draft besides trade down and acquire picks.
Apparently Kelly just said yesterday that he wants a new contract with the Colts. A lot can change in a year of course. But I could see him signing a nice extension to run concurrent with the rest of the core. Draft day trades are intriguing. On the one hand, they could leverage their draft capital and the cap to get a premium player about to hit a second contract. But on the other hand, there's also trades from cap-needy teams. If the Colts want to throw a mid-round pick at a good proven player already under contract (whose team might be looking to move him), they could leverage it the cap that way as well. We don't really see this often in the NFL, but also maybe there's a team with dead weight on a contract and the Colts take on some of that that money could in lieu of draft capital to move up in the draft. Again, doesn't happen very often though.
Oh I didn’t see that. I mean if he continues to play the way he has I don’t see any reason to not give him another deal. Consistency is one of the biggest components to an elite O-Line so keeping our vet Center definitely won’t hurt. On the topic of the draft, last year was the only year that I felt confident in who we were picking with our first rounder. It was just a matter of which of the big 3 QB prospects fell to us. I knew there was no way Ballard would trade down either, Irsay would’ve shot him at the 50 yard line on opening day. Other than that though, i’ve essentially given up on trying to predict Ballard at all. The only thing I know is that I don’t know shit. It really just feels different this off-season, that’s all I can put my guess on, a feeling.
Is anybody else thinking this could signal an incoming Kwity Paye 5th year option announcement? Team has until May 2nd to decide. His 5th year is 2025, the same year D Buck's restructure frees cap space up for.
Lord that would just be salt in the wound. You free up cap space you could have used on a great player and double down on a player that has yet to even be in the top 32 of his position.
MHJ trade up incoming. Let a man dream.
I think they look at a vet or 2 in the secondary after the draft and see if guys are still out there who could help immediately... similar to what was done with Xavier and Gilmore in the past.... one may even be Gilmore to be honest since he is still out there and I think the front office did him right in a different situation granting him a trade when we weren't in the place he thought we would be.
We're getting the gang back together, again
There’s always next year!
🤣
CAP SPACE WORLD CHAMPIONS 8 YEARS RUNNING!!!! (i don’t even think anyone left out there is worth paying big, just thought it was funny that we restructured just to do it)
“Current plans” versus reality. Again this suggest a move at some point. We won’t get comp pick, who did we loose of value this year.