INDIANAPOLIS — The NFL offseason is heating up with offseason practice and the NFL Draft starting this week. Colts general manager Chris Ballard spoke on Monday at the Colts training facility. Ballard shared the teams injury updates, draft prospects, offseason improvements and more.
1. Ballard on quarterback Anthony Richardson requesting a trade and his uncertain future with the team
“Anthony is not here. He’s also requested a trade. He’s down in Jacksonville training, I actually have talked to his trainer and I have talked to him often and his agent. He’s in good spirits, nothing has transpired at this point. I don’t know any question you’re going to ask whether will he (Richardson) be here? Well, he could be. We’ll see. As of right now he’s down there training in Jacksonville so we’ll work through that as we go.”
2. On Kenny Moore requesting a trade
“Think very highly of Kenny, not only me personally but organizationally, and I know the city feels the same way. At the end of the day, talking to him, he just felt like it was time for a change… Because of our respect level for Kenny, we said okay. Not always easy, especially when you get a pillar that’s been a pillar, not only on our team but in the community.”
3. Ballard on Alec Pierce deciding to undergo ankle surgery instead of playing through ankle pain next season
“Last year for a lot of the season he kept dealing with some pain in his ankle. After the season we talked about if it was good enough, can we get through it again another year. Right before we signed him and after we signed him I started asking questions and he said I can play through this again. I knew he was hurting at times last year so finally after consulting with multiple doctors and him, he had a clean up done.”
4. Ballard on Pierce’s recovery from surgery
“It’ll be training camp so you wont see him during OTAs [Organized team activities]. It’s a three month recovery. We don’t expect any long term repercussions. More of it got to where he was really having to maintenance it a lot last year and the pain and so he had to kind of fight through that. At the end of the day I said you can play with this. Do you want to play with it or knock it out? So he decided to knock it out.”
5. Ballard on Daniel Jones recovering from his season-ending Achilles tear he suffered at the back half of last season
“Progressing really well. He’s throwing, he’s moving so he’s in a really good spot. Final timeline, we’re all shooting for week one for sure. We’ll kind of let his body dictate but he’s in a really good place and moving along.”
6. Ballard on what he thinks the Colts defensive line group can turn into next season
“Look, we’ve never got the home run guy in the draft, but I mean, we’ve drafted pretty good football players. I mean, Dayo (Odeyingbo) went and got what, $17 million a year on the free agent market? Kwity (Paye) just got $16 million a year on the free agent market. So, it’s not like it’s just been – we just haven’t got the consistent double-digit sack guy, which I think (Laiatu) Latu can be. And I think he’s on the verge of really breaking out. We’ve got a young one in Jaylahn (Tuimoloau) that we like, that I think’s got some real upside. The additions of (Micheal) Clemons and (Arden) Key gives us some real depth and attitude and effort that they play with is the playstyle we want.
7. Ballard on the traits he looks for when drafting young defensive ends
"Athleticism, speed, ability to play on three downs are always kind of what we’re looking for at linebacker. At end, it’s changed a little bit. Lou (Anarumo) likes a little – with Flus (Matt Eberflus), it was all about let’s get as many speed guys as we can on the field. And they’ve got to have an – with Lou, the element of power is important. I do think adding a fastball is kind of what we need, but I’m not eliminating the other guys. But with Lou, length – guys that are long. You can see kind of the guys we brought in. Those kind of guys he gravitates to.”
8. Ballard on the Colts offseason improvements
“Well, I think our depth up front is better. I do believe that. I think the additions of Colby (Wooden) – like Colby kind of gets washed over a little bit, but like he started. He’s not really a nose, but because of who he is as a kid, he ended up starting for Green Bay at the nose and playing a lot of snaps. But we think he gives us some real versatility, as we do with (Jerry) Tillery. We think he gives us some versatility. So, I do think – and then with the additions of (Micheal) Clemons and (Arden) Key. I think we got better real depth and they’re healthy. As of right now, they’re healthy. So, I think that’s a really positive thing. I think on offense, we’re going to bet on some development of players.
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