Indianapolis Colts general manager Chris Ballard has stuck to his plans of building the roster since taking the position ahead of the 2017 offseason. Though his work isn’t done yet, he’s quickly built a contender in just three offseasons.
The Colts are expected to be one of the teams competing for a top-four seed in the AFC playoff picture as long as everything goes according to plan. These expectations remained following an offseason in which Ballard made more moves to set the Colts up for success both immediately and in the future.
Let’s take a look at the five best moves Ballard has made this offseason:
Adding Justin Houston to the pass rush
Arguably the biggest need the Colts had to address this offseason was the pass rush. While there are still some question marks as to what type of production Indy might get, they increased the chances of improvement after they signed Houston to a two -year deal in free agency.
Switching from outside linebacker to defensive end, Houston should bring an element of veteran savvy to the defensive line. The Colts had some success rushing the passer in 2018, but they were far too inconsistent getting home to opposing quarterbacks.
Houston might not be the cure-all for the pass rush, but he could very well have an immediate impact both in recording sacks and helping the younger pass rushers develop their games.
Addressing the wide receiver position
Having T.Y. Hilton lead a wide receiver corps makes up for a lot of holes in the room, but the Colts had to add some new faces to the unit. With Hilton drawing double teams and rolled coverage every week, finding some new weapons for Andrew Luck was a must.
Ballard did that both in free agency and the 2019 NFL Draft. He added the big-bodied Devin Funchess, who is a better route runner than most give him credit for. If the Colts can get him over his drops, Funchess could have a huge impact working both on the boundary and possible in the slot at times for mismatches.
The other player added to the mix is second-round pick Parris Campbell, who is a perfect fit for the offense. Working primarily from the slot, Campbell will be able to produce both on horizontal routes and vertical routes. The Ohio State product should also add an element of producing after the catch, which was a massive need for the offense.
Trading back from the No. 26 pick
There are some that might have disagreements with this move, but it should turn out in favor of the Colts. Though they did have to move back 20 spots, Ballard wound up adding an extra second-round pick in 2020, one that could potentially be in the top 40.
There were some prospects that might have piqued the Colts’ interest, but once cornerback Rock Ya-Sin fell to their lap at No. 34. they knew it was the right choice to move back. Reaping the benefits of the extra second-round pick won’t happen until that player is selected in 2020, but adding draft capital is always something Ballard is looking to do.
The Colts felt that all of the players they wanted were still on the board at the time so adding a future second-rounder is a bonus. They wound up drafting all four players on Day 2 that they wanted, which means this is likely going to be a move that works out for Indy.
Adding athleticism to the defense
The Colts went heavy into the defensive side of the ball during the draft with a focus to add speed, athleticism and high character all over the unit. They did so, especially in the middle at the linebacker position.
Ballard wound up leading the charge on taking three linebackers and three defensive backs during the final two days of the draft. Though it remains to be seen how those picks will pan out, their elite athletic traits should allow them to compete at a high level once they get acclimated into the defensive scheme.
The linebacker corps is a unit that could look very different once the season begins, and the cornerback room added two players that have extremely high ceilings if they reach their potential. The jury might still be out on how these selections pan out, but the entire defense is more athletic because of it.
Staying away from the big egos
Throughout the 2018 season and offseason before free agency began, the Colts were linked as two potential suitors for some big names and equally big egos in Antonio Brown and Le’Veon Bell. While adding that type of talent would have been wonderful on paper, they certainly didn’t fit into the culture being created in Indy.
Ballard did the smart move by avoiding a player that could have potentially taken the locker room in a different direction than what they are trying to build. This isn’t to say Brown or Bell wouldn’t have helped the offense. Of course they would have, but it could have been at the cost of changing the culture of the locker room.
The Colts are trying to build a roster that is full of unselfish players willing to make sacrifices for the betterment of the team. Ballard made the right move staying away from adding those types of egos to an extremely young locker room still being built.
