Chris Ballard

Colts To Retain HC Shane Steichen, GM Chris Ballard

January 5th, 2025 at 7:33pm CST by Ely Allen

Despite recent speculation that Colts general manager Chris Ballard‘s job could be in danger, team owner Jim Irsay has released a statement on X announcing that Ballard and head coach Shane Steichen will be returning to lead the team in 2025.

Ballard, who just finished his eighth season as GM in Indianapolis, has been under heavy fire by the media lately. During his tenure, the Colts have failed to win a single division title. The team started season 4-3 with wins over the Steelers and Dolphins, but a three-game losing streak followed by alternating wins and losses to close the year left the Colts at 8-9 and two spots out of the playoffs. This is the sixth time in Ballard’s eight years that Indianapolis has missed the playoffs and the fourth season in a row.

While Ballard was considered to be on the hot seat, according to Jonathan Jones of CBS Sports, Steichen was likely to return as head coach. Only in his second season as head coach, Steichen has gone a consistent 17-17 as the skipper of the Colts.

If there is indeed a problem in the leadership in Indianapolis, it may be communication. There have been rumblings of a lack of direction as well as some “public misconceptions due to the relatively high level of secrecy within the building.” This has been especially the case surrounding the handling of the starting quarterback position and the benching of top 2023 draft pick Anthony Richardson. The perception is that the communication issues have been in the building for years, but with Steichen as head coach, the issues have improved.

If there is a coaching change, though, Jones anticipates that it could come on defense. With the team entering Week 18 at 27th in points allowed and 29th in yards allowed, defensive coordinator Gus Bradley may not end up returning to coach the defense in 2025.

As for Ballard and Steichen, Irsay’s comments seem to indicate that no changes will be made. The team will hope to find it’s direction under year nine of Ballard and year three of Steichen.

Front Office Notes: Jets, Colts, Grier, Bears

January 3rd, 2025 at 1:51pm CST by Sam Robinson

Given a mulligan for the Jets‘ Aaron Rodgers-less 2023 season, Robert Saleh and Joe Douglas did not make it too far into the 2024 campaign. The latter did not have a good working relationship during his final year in charge, seeing Woody Johnson (and, apparently, his sons) influence Jets personnel moves. Johnson had largely stripped power from Douglas during the GM’s final months in New York. As it turns out, Douglas’ frustration with Johnson predates 2024. The five-plus-year Jets GM had expressed dismay at one of Woody Johnson’s sons, Brick, scouring the internet and seeing those opinions (through Woody Johnson) make it back to Douglas, Sportskeeda.com’s Tony Pauline notes.

This situation may or may not have influenced Douglas to decline a Jets extension proposed more than a year ago. While Pauline stops short of confirming that, the veteran draft-based reporter indicates many informed him that was the case. Douglas “did not like or respect” Woody Johnson for years during his Jets run, Pauline adds. As the Jets have begun their GM and HC searches, they may have considerable explaining to do about the owner and his family’s influence on the team.

Entering Week 18, here is the latest from around the NFL’s front offices:

The Dolphins gave Mike McDaniel an extension this past summer, and no rumors have pointed to the young HC needing to be too concerned about his job security. Rumblings are emerging, however, pertaining to the status of GM Chris Grier. In his sixth season with full autonomy in Miami, Grier is in his ninth season as GM. Miami is a place to monitor regarding a potential GM change, SI.com’s Albert Breer notes. Grier essentially won a power struggle with Brian Flores three years ago and has overseen back-to-back playoff appearances since, which would make it rather surprising if ownership made a change this coming offseason.
Chris Ballard was believed to be on solid ground going into Week 17, per ESPN.com’s Jeremy Fowler. That aligns with a Thursday report that pointed to Ballard being more likely than not to be retained. Though, the Colts losing to a two-win Giants team — in a game that reminded of the 2021 team’s undoing in a win-and-in opportunity in Jacksonville as two-touchdown favorites — did not exactly provide assurance the team is headed in a good direction. With Ballard set to be just 2-for-8 in playoff berths as Indianapolis honcho, this situation will also be one to monitor over the next few days.
Tennessee’s post-Mike Vrabel season has gone quite poorly, with Ran Carthon‘s Titans operation sitting 3-13. But no major changes are expected this year. Brian Callahan is on track to stay for a second season as HC, and Fowler indicates a good energy — the 13 losses notwithstanding — is present around an organization run by Carthon, Callahan and VP of football operations Chad Brinker. Next season, then, figures to be Carthon’s regime can be truly evaluated. A clash with ownership drove Vrabel out of Nashville, and an improvement will almost definitely be required for Callahan in 2025. What remains to be seen is how much improvement will be necessary for Carthon.
The Bears have used search firms in the past to help determine their coaching hires, but it appears the team will leave this year’s search to its front office. No consultant is on track to come in and shepherd Chicago’s HC search, Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune writes. The team did take that route in 2015 and 2022, respectively bringing in John Fox and Matt Eberflus. GM Ryan Poles was not in place when the Eberflus search started, signing on late in that process. With considerable input from president Kevin Warren on tap, Poles will lead this year’s Bears search.

Anthony Richardson Battling Back Injury; Latest On Colts’ QB, GM Situations

January 2nd, 2025 at 10:00pm CST by Sam Robinson

Anthony Richardson has not taken sufficient steps forward in Year 2, calling his future in Indianapolis into question. As the Colts attempted to sideline him to compete for the playoffs around Joe Flacco, Plan B did not work thanks to the 39-year-old’s struggles. This leaves a franchise that has been starved for a quarterback since Andrew Luck‘s retirement again facing a foggy future.

Although the plan is for Richardson to start for a third season, GM Chris Ballard said recently (via The Athletic’s Zak Keefer and James Boyd) the team should not have turned to the former No. 4 overall pick as a starter as a rookie in 2023. Ballard said the Colts should have parked Richardson on the bench in a developmental year. Jim Irsay is believed to have driven the bus for Richardson to start, calling behind the scenes for the high-end prospect to play immediately.

This was not Irsay’s first QB-driven directive in recent years, as the owner had previously called for the Colts to dump Carson Wentz after one season, pushed Ballard to acquire Matt Ryan via trade and then insisted the team bench Ryan for Sam Ehlinger midseason (just before the Jeff Saturday decision, which Ballard attempted to stop). The team’s Richardson pick, which initially came out of a Morocco Brown scouting mission, also took place after assistant GM Ed Dodds called his one season as a college starter “a rollercoaster,” per Boyd and Keefer. Richardson’s 2024 season has proven that to be a telling assessment.

Richardson has completed a woeful 47.7% of his passes, being all set to become just the seventh QB to finish a 21st-century season south of the 50% barrier on at least 200 attempts. The Colts’ decision to bench Richardson and then reinsert him into the starting lineup two weeks later, after Flacco could not match his 2023 Browns work, “really affected the team,” in the words of one anonymous player. Another unnamed Colt informed The Athletic of a lack of vision coming from the franchise, which is set to miss the playoffs for the sixth time in Ballard’s eight seasons as GM.

In Ballard’s defense, he has built a roster that has produced a host of Pro Bowl-level players — from Quenton Nelson to Jonathan Taylor to Kenny Moore. The GM also saw Luck abruptly retire just before the 2019 season, but the team’s inability to find a successor has reminded of the Broncos’ run of misses following Peyton Manning‘s retirement. Richardson has followed Philip Rivers, Wentz, Ryan and Gardner Minshew — the latter in place only because of Richardson’s 2023 shoulder injury — as primary Colts QB starters in the 2020s. None of Indianapolis’ plans have produced consistent success, with the team still yet to recover from a disastrous Week 18 loss to the Jaguars as two-touchdown favorites in a game that denied a playoff berth in 2021.

Irsay has spoken highly of Ballard in the past, keeping him around despite the Frank Reich firing, but SI.com’s Albert Breer notes “murmurs” regarding a potential change have emerged in connection with this job. An unnamed GM also told the Washington Post’s Jason La Canfora that Irsay is certainly thinking about firing Ballard, though the anonymous exec said it would still surprise if the owner moved on after this season. If the owner does not can his GM, Ballard’s seat will be hot entering the 2025 offseason.

It is also true Irsay’s meddling — at both quarterback and other spots, highlighted by the 2023 Taylor standoff — has undercut his GM, which would make this a potentially difficult position to fill with a quality candidate. But Ballard’s inward-focused 2024 offseason approach has not yielded results. Granted, Richardson’s struggles have had plenty to do with that. DeForest Buckner joined Ryan Kelly and others in speaking to Richardson after his benching, with the Pro Bowl defensive tackle indicating (via The Athletic) he signed his two-year, $46MM re-up largely because he believed in the athletic QB talent. Richardson’s lack of preparation played into the organization’s initial benching call, which famously came after he asked to leave the Colts-Texans matchup due to fatigue.

This season is also not ending well for Richardson, who is battling a potentially significant back injury. Shane Steichen said an MRI revealed a disk issue that “might be chronic,” though the second-year QB does not believe he will need surgery, via Boyd. Richardson said this week his back issue was severe enough he could not stand. Richardson added (via Fox59’s Brett Bensley) he has dealt with back issues since eighth grade, though they have not been this severe before. It certainly sounds like Flacco will start in Week 18 and that Richardson will enter the offseason with some rehab to complete, which reminds of his 2024 offseason.

It would stand to reason the Colts will seek another veteran backup to replace Flacco, as Richardson would at least need to be backstopped — both due to injury and performance — in 2025. If the plan indeed remains Richardson-centric, Steichen and Ballard would be on the hook to answer for the pick should it end up backfiring and leave the Colts again in need at the game’s premier position. That is, if both power brokers are back for the 2025 season.

AFC South Notes: Colts, Harris, Jaguars

December 3rd, 2024 at 2:09pm CST by Sam Robinson

Given a historically quick hook based on his draft status, Anthony Richardson has continued to struggle as a passer upon being reinserted into the Colts‘ lineup. He has only bumped his completion percentage up to 47.5, remaining on pace to become just the seventh QB to finish south of 50% (min. 200 attempts) this century. Still, Richardson has guided Indianapolis to two wins since returning.

The benching also came partially because of Richardson’s preparation issues. Adding more on that, ESPN.com’s Stephen Holder indicates the Colts believed their quarterback needed to invest more time into his job. This was a bigger organizational concern than Richardson’s accuracy issues, Holder notes. The benching provided a wakeup call, per NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport, and Richardson’s literal wakeup calls have come earlier since. The QB, per Holder, is believed to be showing up at the facility around 5:30am to begin preparation.

Richardson may not be out of the woods yet regarding assurances the Colts stick with him in 2025. While the benching certainly garnered his attention, ESPN.com’s Dan Graziano notes the quarterback may well be tied to the fates of GM Chris Ballard and HC Shane Steichen. It would seem a bit unlikely Jim Irsay would fire Steichen if the team misses the playoffs, but Ballard is in Year 8 and would be 2-for-8 in postseason berths if the 6-7 Colts miss out this season. This nugget would point to a new GM not being tied to Richardson, which would place the raw talent on shakier ground. The Ballard-Steichen-Richardson trio still has four games to prove it deserves a third season together.

Here is the latest from the AFC South:

Richardson may soon have a Pro Bowl center snapping to him once again. Steichen said (via CBS4’s Mike Chappell) Ryan Kelly will have a good chance of returning to practice before the Colts’ Week 15 game against the Broncos. Kelly landed on IR due to a knee injury, one that was not expected to be season-ending. With Kelly playing out an extension he signed in 2020, this Colts homestretch will be pivotal to his 2025 market. Kelly is a four-time Pro Bowler who would be a free agent — barring a deal before the legal tampering period — ahead of an age-32 season. The Colts have been a retention-heavy team under Ballard, but they have seen fourth-round rookie Tanor Bortolini hold his own in Kelly’s stead.
Staying on the subject of IR returns, the Texans have been without linebacker Christian Harris all season. The AFC South leaders placed Harris on IR with a return designation August 27, devoting one of their injury activations to the third-year defender in advance. Harris, however, has lingered on IR (with a calf injury) since. But GM Nick Caserio pointed to a near-future return. Harris has not seen his practice window opened, but KPRC2’s Aaron Wilson adds that is likely to happen soon. With Azeez Al-Shaair appealing a three-game suspension, Houston could certainly use Harris — a 23-game starter from 2022-23 — back in action.
Doug Pederson is following in Ron Rivera‘s footsteps as a second-chance HC playing out the string. The Jaguars are all but certain to fire the former Super Bowl-winning coach at season’s end. This will leave Pederson’s staff in limbo, and one of the staffers — running backs coach Jerry Mack — is getting out early. Kennesaw State hired Mack as head coach, the school announced. A former HC at North Carolina Central and RBs coach at Tennessee, Mack spent nearly 20 years in the college ranks before joining Pederson’s staff this year. The 44-year-old assistant will return to the college ranks months after arriving in Jacksonville.

Colts GM Chris Ballard On Roster-Building Approach

September 1st, 2024 at 11:25am CST by Rory Parks

Many general managers say that the best way to build an NFL roster is to draft well, develop the in-house talent, and extend that talent rather than plunging too frequently into the free agent waters, where lurk significant overpays and the dead money charges they engender.

Perhaps no GM adheres so rigidly to that approach as Colts top exec Chris Ballard. After narrowly missing out on a 2023 playoff berth despite playing most of the season with a backup quarterback, many expected Ballard to pull off a high-end free agent signing or two in order to address his roster’s most glaring weaknesses and position the club for a postseason run in 2024.

After all, Indianapolis’ starting signal-caller, Anthony Richardson, is entering the second year of his rookie deal, and while he played in just four games in his injury-marred debut campaign, he certainly showed flashes of the high-end two-way ability that made him the No. 4 overall pick of the 2023 draft. And when a club with a potentially postseason-worthy roster has its QB on a cost-controlled contract, that club is better able to make a foray into free agency or to acquire an established veteran via trade.

Last season, the Colts fielded a defense that was in the bottom-10 in terms of total yardage and bottom-five in terms of points allowed. The secondary was a major culprit, but as Joel A. Erickson of the Indianapolis Star points out, the only new defensive back on the roster is Samuel Womack, whom the club recently claimed off waivers.

Indianapolis did not even make an offer to safety Justin Simmons before he recently signed with the Falcons, and the Colts will largely run it back with the same secondary that struggled so mightily last year. Ballard, though, is unwavering in his commitment to his roster-building principles.

“I still have a strong belief in what we’re doing, how we’re doing it and how we’re going to get there,” he said. “That will not waver. It’s easy to vacillate, 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 did suggest that he considered other moves that did not come to fruition.

“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.”

Julian Blackmon, who turned in a solid individual showing in 2023, was re-signed, as was talented slot corner Kenny Moore. But Ballard & Co. will still be relying heavily upon further growth from young players like Nick Cross and JuJu Brents who have yet to establish themselves at the professional level.

“They’re young,” Ballard said of his secondary talent. “They’re going to continue to get better. We do think 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.”

Meanwhile, Ballard also remained consistent with his commitment to the trenches. As Erickson observes, Ballard kept 10 offensive linemen and 10 defensive linemen on the 53-man roster even though it will be difficult for all of those players to see enough action to make a meaningful impact.

During Ballard’s seven-year tenure, the Colts have failed to secure an AFC South title and have qualified for the postseason just twice. The surprise Andrew Luck retirement in 2019 obviously threw a wrench into the works, and such a development would knock any franchise off track for a time. And, per Erickson, owner Jim Irsay has not indicated that Ballard is on the hot seat, continuing to refer to his personnel chief as a blue-chip general manager.

However, should Indianapolis fail to make the playoffs in 2024, it is fair to wonder if Irsay will become a little more impatient with Ballard’s resolutely patient approach.

Shane Steichen, Anthony Richardson Swayed Jonathan Taylor’s Colts Commitment

October 16th, 2023 at 10:09pm CST by Sam Robinson

Even as the Colts designated Jonathan Taylor for return, a cloud of uncertainty hovered over the standout running back. Taylor had requested a trade and, as of late September, was still aiming to move elsewhere. Upon returning to practice before Week 5, Taylor said he was with the Colts “right now.”

The fourth-year back had taken a hardline approach this offseason, and team brass noticed an attitude change from a player who had been viewed as a team-oriented cog during his first three seasons. Jim Irsay‘s comments about running backs coming shortly after the franchise tag deadline produced an 0-for-3 RB extension finish led Taylor — who was a clear candidate to be tagged in 2024 — to request the trade. The sides instead came through with a belated solution, reaching a surprising extension agreement to bring Taylor back into the fold.

GM Chris Ballard initially helped turn the tide by reaching out to Taylor’s agent, Malki Kawa, according to ESPN.com’s Stephen Holder, who adds the other two Colts cornerstone figures played a major role in moving the 2021 rushing champion back to a place in which he viewed himself as a long-term Indianapolis staple. While Ballard’s path with Taylor’s new agent worked, Holder adds Taylor conversations with Shane Steichen during the former’s time on the reserve/PUP list also played a role in turning the tide.

Despite Irsay proclaiming Taylor recovered from his January ankle surgery ahead of training camp, the former second-round pick landed on the active/PUP list in July. Taylor was absent from practices at multiple points, twice leaving the team during camp. Once the Colts shifted Taylor to the reserve/PUP list in August, mandating a four-game absence, he went through his rehab sessions in the morning and did not attend Colts offensive meetings. The team signed off on this setup, per Holder, and Taylor maintained his isolationist stance by not attending Indianapolis’ home games to start the year.

The Steichen-Taylor chats included understandable discussions about No. 4 overall pick Anthony Richardson, and the high-ceiling prospect’s presence helped convince Taylor — well, that and the three-year, $42MM offer — to stand down and return to the team in earnest.

“We had the same kind of feelings toward [Richardson],” Taylor said, via Holder. “I want to be here for A.R. I want to be able to help him grow in the future. He’s the future of this organization.

“With all of the business stuff going on, just to be able to sit down and really be able to just connect with someone in the building was a big thing. That’s a stressful side. But I was able to just sit down with Shane and just talk about what it looks like going forward. Not only for myself, but the whole entire team. Just his vision. And he wants to legit dominate.”

Ballard noticed a change in Taylor’s demeanor shortly before the extension commenced and contacted the once-disgruntled RB’s camp about negotiations before Week 4, Holder adds. The sides were discussing the deal as Taylor launched into his “I’m here right now” refrain two weeks ago. Taylor did not want to return without a new contract in hand, which should not surprise given the nature of this impasse. (As some noted lyricists have taught us in the past, money has a history of ending standoffs.) Taylor returned when first eligible, with the Colts slowly integrating him into Steichen’s offense.

Even as the offseason introduced a bleak reality for the running back position and no team agreeing to an eight-figure-per-year deal with a back since the Browns’ three-year, $36.6MM Nick Chubb re-up in July 2021, the Colts relented on their Taylor extension stance. The Wisconsin alum is now the league’s third-highest-paid back, and his deal did not require an inflated contract year like Alvin Kamara‘s did. While Taylor’s fully guaranteed money ($19.35MM) is fourth among backs, he has a practical guarantee of $26.5MM due to a $7.15MM injury guarantee shifting to a full guarantee on Day 5 of the 2024 league year.

Rumored to be strongly considering season-ending surgery, Richardson may not link up with Taylor on a full-time basis until September 2024. But Taylor’s deal puts him in line to help Richardson’s development. For now, Indy’s top RB will continue to ramp up toward a full workload — one that will likely feature Zack Moss in a complementary role, as the Colts are now eyeing a partnership this season — in a Gardner Minshew-directed offense.

The NFL’s Longest-Tenured GMs

July 6th, 2023 at 9:25am CST by Sam Robinson

The latest NFL general manager hiring cycle only produced two changes, but each took over for an executive who appeared in good standing at this point last year.

Steve Keim had held his Cardinals GM post since January 2013, and the Cardinals gave both he and Kliff Kingsbury extensions — deals that ran through 2027 — in March of last year. Arizona has since rebooted, moving on from both Keim and Kingsbury. Keim took a leave of absence late last season, and the Cardinals replaced him with ex-Titans exec Monti Ossenfort.

As the Cardinals poached one of the Titans’ top front office lieutenants, Tennessee went with an NFC West staffer to replace Jon Robinson. The move to add 49ers FO bastion Ran Carthon also came less than a year after the Titans reached extension agreements with both Robinson and HC Mike Vrabel. But controlling owner Amy Adams Strunk canned Robinson — in place as GM since January 2016 — before last season ended. Adams Strunk cited player unavailability and roster quality among the reasons she chose to move on despite having extended Robinson through the 2027 draft months earlier. The Titans are now pairing Vrabel and Carthon.

The Bills reached an extension agreement with GM Brandon Beane two weeks ago. Hired shortly after the team gave Sean McDermott the HC keys, Beane has helped the Bills to five playoff berths in six seasons. Beane’s deal keeps him signed through 2027. Chargers GM Tom Telesco has hit the 10-year mark leading that front office, while this year also marks the 10th offseason of Buccaneers honcho Jason Licht‘s tenure running the NFC South team. Although Jim Irsay fired Frank Reich and later admitted he reluctantly extended his former HC in 2021, the increasingly active Colts owner has expressed confidence in Chris Ballard.

Here is how the NFL’s GM landscape looks going into the 2023 season:

Jerry Jones (Dallas Cowboys): April 18, 1989^[1]
Mike Brown (Cincinnati Bengals): August 5, 1991^[2]
Bill Belichick (New England Patriots): January 27, 2000^[3]
Mickey Loomis (New Orleans Saints): May 14, 2002
John Schneider (Seattle Seahawks): January 19, 2010; signed extension in 2021
Howie Roseman (Philadelphia Eagles): January 29, 2010; signed extension in 2022
Les Snead (Los Angeles Rams): February 10, 2012; signed extension in 2022
Tom Telesco (Los Angeles Chargers): January 9, 2013; signed extension in 2018
Jason Licht (Tampa Bay Buccaneers): January 21, 2014; signed extension in 2021
Chris Grier (Miami Dolphins): January 4, 2016^[4]
John Lynch (San Francisco 49ers): January 29, 2017; signed extension in 2020
Chris Ballard (Indianapolis Colts): January 30, 2017; signed extension in 2021
Brandon Beane (Buffalo Bills): May 9, 2017; signed extension in 2023
Brett Veach (Kansas City Chiefs): July 11, 2017; signed extension in 2020
Brian Gutekunst (Green Bay Packers): January 7, 2018; agreed to extension in 2022
Eric DeCosta (Baltimore Ravens): January 7, 2019
Joe Douglas (New York Jets): June 7, 2019
Andrew Berry (Cleveland Browns): January 27, 2020
Nick Caserio (Houston Texans): January 5, 2021
George Paton (Denver Broncos): January 13, 2021
Scott Fitterer (Carolina Panthers): January 14, 2021
Brad Holmes (Detroit Lions): January 14, 2021
Terry Fontenot (Atlanta Falcons): January 19, 2021
Trent Baalke (Jacksonville Jaguars): January 21, 2021
Martin Mayhew (Washington Commanders): January 22, 2021
Joe Schoen (New York Giants): January 21, 2022
Ryan Poles (Chicago Bears): January 25, 2022
Kwesi Adofo-Mensah (Minnesota Vikings): January 26, 2022
Dave Ziegler (Las Vegas Raiders): January 30, 2022
Omar Khan (Pittsburgh Steelers): May 24, 2022
Monti Ossenfort (Arizona Cardinals): January 16, 2023
Ran Carthon (Tennessee Titans): January 17, 2023

Footnotes:

Jones has been the Cowboys’ de facto general manager since former GM Tex Schramm resigned in April 1989.
Brown has been the Bengals’ de facto GM since taking over as the team’s owner in August 1991.
Belichick has been the Patriots’ de facto GM since shortly after being hired as the team’s head coach in January 2000.
Although Grier was hired in 2016, he became the Dolphins’ top football exec on Dec. 31, 2018

Latest On Colts’ Anthony Richardson Selection

May 5th, 2023 at 5:07pm CST by Adam La Rose

The Colts delivered on their long-stated intention of drafting a quarterback in the first round of last week’s draft, selecting Anthony Richardson with the No. 4 pick. That marked the end of a lengthy evaluation process, but it did not represent a surprise within the organization when it happened.

Colts general manager Chris Ballard told NBC Sports’ Peter King that the team’s intention was to draft Richardson dating back roughly one month. The Florida product was the largest X-factor in the 2023 class, having played far less than most other passers but owning the most intriguing skillset given his physical attributes and rushing ability.

While he thus represented a risk, Richardson was a key target for the Colts in their latest attempt to end their search for a long-term quarterback. Their post-Andrew Luck endeavors resulted in an unsuccessful string of veterans being brought in, pointing the team to adding a young passer this offseason. Despite his relative lack of experience and signficant inconsistencies in his lone season as a starter, Richardson could see playing time as a rookie at the NFL level.

“I would rather take the risk, the risk that he might fail, than pass on him and see him become a star somewhere else,” Ballard said. “We’re taking a guy not only for what he can do today but for what he can become tomorrow.” Echoing that sentiment in a draft documentary, via the team, Ballard added, “I didn’t want to look up and watch him be a superstar somewhere else. If he’s gonna be a superstar, he’s gonna be a superstar for the Colts” (video link).

There was not initially a consensus in the Colts’ front office regarding Richardson. In a breakdown of the team’s evaluation process, ESPN’s Stephen Holder notes that assistant GM Ed Dodds was “deeply skeptical” of Richardson at first, given the concerns regarding experience and accuracy. He, too, grew into the notion of selecting Richardson fourth overall, however, a point where two quarterbacks were expected to be off the board.

That was indeed the case last Thursday, with the Panthers and Texans selecting Bryce Young and C.J. Stroud, respectively. Indianapolis considered trading up to No. 3, per Holder, but the team chose against doing so. The Cardinals ultimately moved out of that slot to allow the Texans to draft Will Anderson, leaving Richardson available for the Colts as they had hoped and planned.

The latter will face considerable scrutiny and expectations upon his NFL debut, but the Colts remain firmly committed to him as their long-term solution under center. With Gardner Minshew representing his top competition for the starting job (especially in the absence of Nick Foles), Richardson could see considerable playing time in 2023 and for many years beyond that.

AFC South Notes: Colts, QBs, Texans, Titans

April 26th, 2023 at 3:44pm CST by Sam Robinson

While the Texans may be torn on a quarterback pick, the Colts are a near-lock to select a passer with their first choice. It is now possible every passer but Bryce Young will be available for Indianapolis at No. 4, which would put the retooling team to a decision. The Colts-Will Levis connection may be this draft’s second-strongest tie — after the Panthers-Young match — but Albert Breer of SI.com notes assistant GM Ed Dodds is high on C.J. Stroud. Dodds has been with Indy since 2017, becoming Chris Ballard‘s top lieutenant soon after the GM’s arrival.

Ballard, whom Breer adds was high on Levis beginning back in the fall, also is believed to place value on the increasingly popular S2 cognition test; Stroud’s low score has been leaked. Another team moving into the Texans or Cardinals’ spots could end up making the decision for the Colts, but if no trades emerge, Indy might have a fascinating Stroud-or-Levis decision on its hands. The two seem to be trending in opposite directions, but the Ohio State prospect has received higher grades — by scouting outlets and anonymous evaluators — as a prospect.

Here is the latest from the AFC South:

With the Texans set for a complex call at No. 2 overall, not much has emerged regarding their No. 12 choice. But Houston, in the wake of the latest Brandin Cooks trade, may be targeting receiving help. Of the receivers, the Texans prefer Jaxon Smith-Njigba, per the Washington Post’s Jason La Canfora. Despite missing almost all of his junior season, Smith-Njigba has regained momentum and has the best chance to be the top wideout of the board. With the Packers (No. 13) and Jets (No. 15) connected to the one-year Buckeyes wonder, the Texans could outflank their potential competition. John Metchie is back at work for the Texans, after missing 2022 following a leukemia diagnosis, but the team dealt Cooks to the Cowboys and did not do too much — the Robert Woods pickup notwithstanding — to replace him. The Texans are also considering moving down from No. 12, per ESPN’s Adam Schefter, who adds teams are not too interested in moving to 2.
One of the teams lurking as a trade-up candidate to outflank the Colts, the Titans are now being linked to trading back and accumulating picks. Both La Canfora and ESPN.com’s Jeremy Fowler indicate buzz has emerged tying Tennessee to a trade-down effort from No. 11. Yes, with a few exceptions, most teams are willing to move up or down in each draft. But the Titans do have a decision to make regarding their QB future. The team toured prospects’ pro days but did not exhaust “30” visit resources at the position. Stroud is believed to be the Titans’ preference — assuming Young is out of the equation — and La Canfora views Titans trade-down talk as a smokescreen effort. Tennessee is believed to have dangled Ryan Tannehill in trades.
Although Jeffery Simmons staged a minicamp hold-in effort last year and lobbied for a new deal, Breer writes the Titans did not consider trading the standout defensive lineman. Ownership also assured Simmons, who since-fired GM Jon Robinson drafted in the 2019 first round, he was a long-term priority despite Robinson’s ouster, TitanInsider.com’s Terry McCormick tweets. The Titans made Simmons the NFL’s second-highest-paid defensive tackle, at $23.5MM per year, and gave him the highest D-tackle guarantee. Simmons is also coming off ankle surgery; the fifth-year standout said he underwent a cleanup procedure this offseason.
Jimmie Ward‘s issues with a return to cornerback last season became well known, but the longtime 49ers defender — after being moved to nickel corner again in-season — said he told DeMeco Ryans he expected last season to his his San Francisco finale. But Ward said (via KPRC2’s Aaron Wilson) Ryans communicated to him he would be interested in bringing the veteran defender to his HC destination. Ryans followed through on that, with the Texans signing Ward to a two-year, $13MM deal. Ward is back at safety.
Jaguars fourth-year cornerback Chris Claybrooks faces misdemeanor charges of domestic assault with bodily injury and vandalism under $1,000 stemming from an arrest earlier this month in Nashville, Jacksonville.com’s Gerry Smits reports. Claybrooks allegedly grabbed his ex-girlfriend’s arm and threw her cellphone to the ground.

Latest On Colts’ First-Round Plans

April 22nd, 2023 at 12:30pm CST by Ben Levine

Multiple reports have connected the Colts to Kentucky quarterback Will Levis, and the organization is still very interested in the prospect. However, things could get tricky if Ohio State’s C.J. Stroud falls to Indy at No. 4. One NFL scout told ESPN’s Matt Miller that the Colts may prefer Levis over Stroud, while another scout indicated that the Colts are hoping another front office will make the decision for them.

“The Colts would probably love for someone to jump them and select Stroud so they can take Levis,” the scout said.

The conversation involving the Colts and Levis initially involved Florida’s Anthony Richardson, with most draft pundits assuming the Colts wouldn’t have a shot at Bryce Young or Stroud. Young is still the favorite to go first-overall, but there are now whispers that the Texans may not select a QB at No 2. If the Cardinals are unable to find a trade partner at No. 3, then the Colts could have their choice of the three remaining QBs with first-round grades.

There’s a better chance that trades impact the top-three selections and, in that scenario, the Colts won’t have their preferred target on the board by the time the fourth pick is on the clock. Previous reports indicated that the front office was not interested in making a move up the draft board, but if Chris Ballard and co. are determined to draft a QB and aren’t enamored with Richardson, then they may have no choice than to make a trade for Levis or Stroud.

Of course, all of these reports could simply be a smokescreen while the Colts hide their true intentions. Ballard seemed to question the legitimacy of the recent reports, stating that there’s no incentive to show their hand.

“I always love to read the reports that the Colts love this guy and they love that guy,” the GM said (via Zak Keefer of The Athletic). “Like, who’d that come from? It didn’t come from me. Who’s telling them who we love and who we don’t love? They don’t know.

“…Like, there’s always this assumption we’ve targeted one player,” he said. “This is the main assumption right now. I don’t know if that’s an accurate assumption. Matter of fact, I’d say it’s not.”

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