Many general managers believe the key to building a successful NFL roster is to excel in the draft, develop internal talent, and extend contracts with those players, rather than relying too heavily on free agency, which can lead to overpaying and accumulating dead money.
No one embodies this philosophy more than Colts GM Chris Ballard. After narrowly missing the playoffs in 2023, despite playing much of the season with a backup quarterback, many expected Ballard to make a splash in free agency to address the team’s biggest weaknesses and set them up for a playoff push in 2024.
Indianapolis’ starting quarterback, Anthony Richardson, is entering the second year of his rookie contract. Although injuries limited him to just four games in his debut season, Richardson showed glimpses of the high-end talent that made him the No. 4 overall pick in the 2023 draft. With a potentially playoff-caliber roster and a QB on a cost-effective deal, the Colts seemed primed for a significant free agency move or a veteran trade acquisition.
Last season, the Colts’ defense ranked in the bottom 10 for total yardage and bottom five for points allowed. The secondary was a major issue, yet as Joel A. Erickson of the Indianapolis Star notes, the only new addition to the defensive backfield is Samuel Womack, recently claimed off waivers.
The Colts didn’t even pursue safety Justin Simmons before he signed with the Falcons, opting instead to largely stick with the same secondary that struggled last year. Despite this, Ballard remains committed to his roster-building strategy.
“I still have a strong belief in what we’re doing, how we’re doing it, and how we’re going to get there,” Ballard said. “That will not waver. It’s easy to vacillate and go with what the world wants you to do. You either believe in something, or you don’t. This is what we believe. If it gets me fired, so be it.”
To be fair, Ballard mentioned that he considered other moves that ultimately didn’t pan out.
“Things don’t always work out, even when you’re trying to acquire a player,” he said. “Not saying we didn’t try to do some things. Sometimes it just doesn’t happen.”
The Colts did re-sign Julian Blackmon, who had a strong 2023 season, and retained talented slot corner Kenny Moore. However, they will still rely heavily on the development of young players like Nick Cross and JuJu Brents, who have yet to prove themselves at the NFL level.
“They’re young,” Ballard said of his secondary. “They’re going to continue to get better. We believe we have good, young talent back there, and we have a lot of belief in our front. We’ll continue to let these guys grow and come on. They don’t become players without playing. I think sometimes we forget that. They’ve got to play.”
Ballard also stayed true to his commitment to building in the trenches. As Erickson points out, Ballard kept 10 offensive linemen and 10 defensive linemen on the 53-man roster, even though it will be challenging for all of them to see significant playing time.
During Ballard’s seven-year tenure, the Colts have yet to win an AFC South title and have made the playoffs just twice. The sudden retirement of Andrew Luck in 2019 certainly disrupted the team’s plans, a setback that would affect any franchise. According to Erickson, Colts owner Jim Irsay continues to support Ballard, referring to him as a “blue-chip general manager.”
However, if Indianapolis fails to reach the playoffs in 2024, it’s reasonable to wonder if Irsay’s patience with Ballard’s methodical approach might start to wear thin.
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