Are Indianapolis Colts Positioned to Step Up?

Before this week's NFL draft, Colts GM Chris Ballard has been busy in free agency with the addition of quarterback Philip Rivers, defensive tackle DeForest Buckner and cornerback Xavier Rhodes, among others. But Ballard insists the moves don't matter unless the Colts prove it on the field.

INDIANAPOLIS — They’ve signed a veteran quarterback, made a bold trade to acquire a defensive line cornerstone and added a few other pieces to address needs in the offseason.

The Indianapolis Colts couldn’t stand pat after finishing 7-9 and missing the playoffs for the fourth time in five years. That’s the team’s worst streak in terms of a postseason absence since seven consecutive years from 1988 to 1994.

On the eve of the three-day NFL draft that starts Thursday, in which Colts general manager Chris Ballard has seven selections in rounds two through six, will the addition of quarterback Philip Rivers, defensive tackle DeForest Buckner and cornerback Xavier Rhodes, among others, enable this franchise to reverse course and claim the AFC South Division title?

Ballard, in a Friday video conference call, downplayed the positive media feedback on what he’s done in the offseason. He knows the proof is in the result. That’s always the bottom line.

“At the end of the day, all the accolades and everybody says, ‘You did good getting this guy,’ it doesn’t matter,” Ballard said. “You have to go work, you have to come together as a team, you have to prepare, you have to play and then you’ve got to win.”

Another narrative Ballard has been pushing since last season ended is the Colts weren’t that far off from playoff contention in 2019. They started 5-2, quarterback Jacoby Brissett got hurt and wasn’t the same, numerous other key players were injured and the team faded. Well, it basically fell off a cliff.

“I mean I know as bad as everybody thought it was last year – I mean look, we finished 7-9, (but) there were some games in there that we could have easily not screwed it up and we could’ve been looking 9-7 (or) 10-6 in the face,” Ballard said. “It wasn’t like we were that far off.

“So I don’t look at any year and I probably answer that question no differently for any year … because every year is different, every team is different. There’s change. You have to work, you have to earn it, you have to come together.”

Entering his fourth season as Colts GM, Ballard’s M.O. is to build through the draft, try to stockpile picks, and dabble moderately in free agency. That’s why signing the 38-year-old Rivers to a one-year, $25-million contract and trading the team’s first-round draft choice, 13th overall, to land the All-Pro Buckner were somewhat surprising.

Ballard considered the Buckner trade “a no-brainer” because of the value of adding an impact player who showed how dominant he could be with 1.5 sacks in Super Bowl LIV for San Francisco.

But taking a chance on Rivers, who has played his entire 16-year career with the Chargers, required Ballard to step out of his comfort zone. He thought the reward of bringing in an eight-time Pro Bowl star outweighed the risk of handing the offense to an aging player who is facing questions about how well he can still play in 2020.

“I think the quarterback position is a little bit different than the rest of them,” Ballard said. “I think this situation was a little bit unique.”

It certainly is from a salary cap perspective. In addition to Rivers’ millions, the Colts are playing Brissett $21.4 million to be a backup. The Colts don’t have a quarterback under contract for 2021, which is why many mock drafts have Ballard selecting one this week, but he’s been insistent that such a selection won’t be forced. If the right fit isn’t there, he’s not taking a QB anyway.

“It’s not like it financially hurts us going long term,” Ballard said. “It didn’t put us in a (bad) position – even with both of them under contract it doesn’t. Mike Bluem, our cap guy, has done such a tremendous job with the cap and with our cash that we’re in a unique spot here that we were able to do this. Sometimes from a cap standpoint you wouldn’t be able to make these moves but he’s done such a tremendous job.

“Because it is the quarterback position and because of (Rivers’) stature, it just made it a unique opportunity. Every other guy that we have acquired has been really fit into our mold. Maybe Xavier (Rhodes) because he’s 29 years old is a little bit different, but for the most part we have stayed pretty disciplined with what we want to do.”

Rivers is reunited with Colts head coach Frank Reich and offensive coordinator Nick Siriani, who are former Chargers assistants. That means the new QB already knows most of the playbook, which is key when considering NFL teams just received permission to start communicating remotely for what amounts to virtual OTAs. Team facilities are still closed indefinitely.

“During these circumstances that we’re under right now, it’ll be interesting to see how things get done and how teams come together here over the next three or four months,” Ballard said. “I mean that’s always one of the things that – the camaraderie, the guys getting to know each other. Being able to do it virtually now, it’s going to be interesting to see how all this plays out over the next few months.”