In the three seasons that Chris Ballard has been the general manager of the Indianapolis Colts, there has been a significant change to the roster—both by his doing and by some unexpected events.
With a philosophy that emphasizes building through the draft and adding complementary pieces in free agency, Ballard’s plan to build the roster was clear from day one.
Entering his fourth offseason as the leader of the front office and the organization, this one might be the most crucial since he took over at the beginning of 2017.
The biggest reason why this is Ballard’s most important offseason is abundantly clear. The Colts don’t have a quarterback for the future and while they have faith in Jacoby Brissett, he showed in 2019 that he most likely isn’t the solution under center.
But even with the majority of the fan base wanting the Colts to address the quarterback position with their first-round pick, that doesn’t necessarily mean Ballard will do so.
Many of his quotes this offseason have been revolved around Brissett needing to play better but also that Ballard himself needs to do a better job getting weapons around the 27-year-old quarterback.
This offseason could hold a part in shaping the near future for the Colts. Ther are still areas of major need on both sides of the ball, and Ballard has to prove he can learn from his recent mistakes in the draft room.
While he has proven to find gems at all points in the draft, there have also been some worrisome selections under Ballard’s tenure. The selections of Quincy Wilson and Tyquan Lewis come to mind as second-round picks that have yet to blossom. He’s also missed badly on the Tarell Basham selection in the third round of 2017 draft.
Even so, Ballard has proven he can find more picks that contribute than not. But this offseason is crucial, especially when it comes to the quarterback position.
Free agency will also be a big time for Ballard. Though he isn’t expected to waver from his philosophy of tight spending, there are some talented players set to hit the market. Can Ballard go against his ways to bring in a player that will pay out immediate dividends?
Much of the offseason focus will be at the quarterback position. What they do there could determine the path of the organization for the next few years.
But this is a big offseason for Ballard, who has to prove he can bring the team back from another losing season.