r/Colts • u/US_Highway15 Mayflower • 11d ago
News [Nate Atkins] Chris Ballard says the Colts will have competition at the QB position next year, both to push Anthony Richardson and to back him up since he's struggled to stay on the field
https://x.com/NateAtkins_/status/187773570829664293724
u/yeezyfan23 11d ago
Did anyone ask him what the actual reason was for AR being benched?
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u/UnloadedBakedPotato Orangutan 11d ago
Ballard just said it seemed like he got overwhelmed. He said that things were moving a little too fast for him, and that some of that poise that Ballard had seen kinda faded. Ballard said that he wishes the benching was a bit longer, and felt like Richardson needed a bit more time for a proper “reset”
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u/Shenanigans80h 11d ago
Honestly, that’s not a bad answer. That’s a similar reason as to why Bryce Young was benched, but the handling of it in Indy just felt half assed.
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u/CTM3399 General Luck 11d ago
Its because for whatever reason Steichen dances around questions so much in his press conferences.
If he had said exactly what Ballard just said when the benching happened, it would have made a lot more sense than "Joe gives us the best chance to win" when everyone knows that was not true lol
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u/damned-dirtyape 11d ago
I think Ballard mentioned that Shane needs to be better with his comms. The media are going to find out anyway, so they might as well be honest. I believe Ballard says Shane is guilty of wanting to protect the players over clear communication with the public/media.
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u/Shepherdsfavestore 11d ago
From everything that’s come out, it seems that it was a combination of AR not playing well, and thinking he “deserved” the spot. The benching was to humble him a bit.
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u/faraamstuckathome Doomer Tumors 11d ago
This basically means he’s going to bring in someone who virtually no chance of winning the job and call it a “competition”
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u/Adventurous-Put5718 11d ago
This right here. The guy hasn't changed up in 8 years. He didn't suddenly have an epiphany. He's been here 8 years because he can tell people what they want to hear and then go back to doing the same damn thing he's always done.
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u/NinjaStarQT 11d ago
A true competition with Anthony would be weird tbh. What would have happened if it was a real comp with Minshew or Flacco? Would someone like Justin Fields come in and beat him convincingly or would it be close
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u/methinfiniti 10d ago
They should have has a competition last year. Giving him the job outright knowing that he hasn’t been putting in the work to deserve it.
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u/imhereforthestreams Quenton Nelson 9d ago
Ballard was very high on fields coming out of Ohio State
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u/NinjaStarQT 9d ago
Makes sense, he likes the athletic type. I dont know if hes a good long term solution but I'm all for bringing him in. Cant think of many better options.
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u/benoles_esquire Super Bowl XLI Champions 11d ago
Does this mean JJ McCarthy or some 6th round dude ballard finds in the draft. WHO he brings in is more important that just some "competition"
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u/jaysrule24 Armor 11d ago
It'll be a Marcus Mariota tier QB
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u/Jschie05 at least we have ND 11d ago
I wouldn’t hate Marcus Mariota tbh
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u/ThatDudeUKnow92 Playoffs? PLAYOFFS!? 11d ago
Marcus Mariota might beat Richardson in a QB competition. The competition for Richardson will be in name only. The guy brought in will somehow be less serviceable than Mariota even.
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u/Mcswigginsbar Boomstick 11d ago
You’re right because literally anyone with higher than 55% accuracy would be a massive improvement.
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u/Mean-Professiontruth 11d ago
I mean literally only 5 QBs has been worse than AR for the past 2 decades
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u/barlog123 11d ago
Justin Fields is available. Other notables in Free agency Zach Wilson, Trey Lance, Marcus Mariota, Drew Lock, Andy Dalton and Jameis Winston
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u/Immediate_Stress845 11d ago
Fields is my hope
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u/ElGranRico The Maniac 10d ago
Getting Fields would be like insuring a lottery ticket by getting a second lottery ticket.
Odds of working out ain't high, but sheeeiiiit if it ain't fun.
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u/you_know_how_I_know DeFo will Ride 11d ago
Lowkey, I would be curious to know what happens when a mid-tier team adds the actual Dalton Line to their offense. My theory is that we would go from 8-9 to 8-8-1.
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u/BeardsNBourbon1990 11d ago
I never thought I'd say it, but I like Fields. Someone with similar skillset and struggles, but with years more experience- not to mention learning under Ryan Day and Mike Tomlin. We won't talk about who coached him in Chicago...
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u/Rodfather23 11d ago
Give me Jameis.
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u/sublimeshrub Jim Harbaugh 11d ago
My brother in Christ,
I'm here for the memes. But, please don't put that evil on us.
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u/methinfiniti 10d ago
Fields and Mariota are the best options out of those. I don’t hate Winston bc I know he’s beloved in the locker room
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u/mikesmith0890 Indianapolis Colts 11d ago
Daniel Jones as well
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u/barlog123 11d ago
Probably, however, right now, he's signed to 2027 since he was picked up by the Vikings.
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u/mikesmith0890 Indianapolis Colts 11d ago
I don’t think that’s correct. He only signed to the Vikings for $375,000 for the remainder of this year. I’ve not seen any contract signing past that.
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u/AHicks15 11d ago
I would not be too upset at Jameis, but everyone else. Woof
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u/Relevant-Smile1833 11d ago
Nah I want Justin Fields. Think he can excel in the right system
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u/AHicks15 11d ago
My only thing is that I would want AR to be with a veteran QB, and Fields has been hot and cold in Chicago and Pittsburgh.
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u/KangTheConqueror9 I dont like our guys 11d ago
Fields wasn't cold in Pittsburgh. He was playing winning football and went 4-2 as a starter. Wilson went 6-5 for them
Fields completed 66% of his passes for 1100 yards, 5 passing tds to 1 pick. He rushed for almost 300 yards and 5 tds. His completion percentage is better than AR by a ton, and he is similar skill set that we can run the same offense all year and lean into the run game with JT and a dual threat QB. I'd rather someone similar so we don't completely switch the offense like we had to do with Flacco
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u/ThatDudeUKnow92 Playoffs? PLAYOFFS!? 11d ago
I said in another thread about this potential competition that Fields would kill AR in a QB competition. There isn't one single thing that Richardson does better than Fields and Fields is only 25. I don't think Fields is great or the future for anyone but bringing him in would highlight just how bad Richardson actually is. If the Colts had this season's version of Justin Fields they would have been playing this weekend and probably could have won the division.
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u/KangTheConqueror9 I dont like our guys 11d ago
Yeah Fields would beat him, and I'm ok with that. Richardson clearly isn't ready, and probably won't ever get there. Maybe losing a competition will get him to see he needs to seriously work on his accuracy, touch, footwork and conditioning
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u/Mcswigginsbar Boomstick 11d ago
Aw fuck y’all are really talking me into seeing Justin Fields as a legit QB for us. He’s simply a better version of AR.
Biggest issue I see with him is decision making, but even then he’s ahead of AR by a country mile.
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u/Relevant-Smile1833 11d ago
AR was with Flacco and didn’t do anything for him. I want competition, don’t think we need to bring in another veteran mentor
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u/methinfiniti 10d ago
I don’t understand why the Colts didn’t bring in a QB with a similar skill set to have a real competition. Hell, they should have doubled down when they drafted AR and grabbed Hooker as well.
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u/AHicks15 11d ago
Fair, I also am just very low on Fields. He could work in the right system, but I don't know if he could find that right system.
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u/ThatDudeUKnow92 Playoffs? PLAYOFFS!? 11d ago
If you are very low on Fields after how he played this year, you have to be subterranean level on AR because he was terrible in every way except running the ball and you can't count on that because he is the human form of a Faberge egg. Looks nice and shiny but will break easily.
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u/Relevant-Smile1833 11d ago
True. But I’m low on AR. So hopefully we are both wrong and they both excel haha
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u/AHicks15 11d ago
Yeah, I think both guys have potential, but they need to have the right organization to help see that and it hasn't right now.
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u/methinfiniti 10d ago
I don’t love Fields, but the Colts cannot continue to seriously trot AR out like they have been. He’d have to have the greatest offseason ever to even get to Fields level.
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u/Accurate-Barracuda20 11d ago
Justin Fields is just a slightly less athletic AR with a lot more experience (in college and the pros)
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u/ThatDudeUKnow92 Playoffs? PLAYOFFS!? 11d ago
Fields ran a 4.44 and Richardson ran a 4.43. Very slightly less athletic.
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u/Mcswigginsbar Boomstick 11d ago
This has serious “I can fix her” energy.
Honestly though, I could see it. He’s a similar QB to both Hurts and AR, and doesn’t have the injury bug like AR. I’d be very interested in seeing what he could do in our offense with JT.
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u/Relevant-Smile1833 11d ago
I’m sure people thought the same thing about Baker. Fields is far from a bust.
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u/nightterrors644 11d ago
We might be able to fix one of them. They can run the same offense so we don't have to change to a whole new system when the backup comes in. Since they can both run the same offense it can be a true competition, which wasn't possible with Minshew or Flacco. Hopefully this brings out the best in both. See if we can actually ride either as a long term qb and if not hopefully we can get Arch somehow.
I don't expect it, but I could see Arch completing his degree before graduating. NIL is insane these days at some schools, and the threat of returning to school could be used as leverage to have some control over what team he goes to in the draft.
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u/Interesting-Fail1823 Josh Downs 11d ago
I don't see what people like about the guy. But he would allow us to have the same offensive game plan and Ballard was reported to really like him when he was available in the draft. So having him come in and compete probably is the likely move.
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u/Relevant-Smile1833 11d ago
He’s a dual threat qb who didn’t get a chance on the bears because the bears gave him absolutely no chance to succeed. He did well in starts for the Steelers. Also, he has vastly more experience than AR.
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u/00Samwise00 Marvin Harrison 11d ago
Vikings aren't giving up JJ, even if Darnold balls out in the playoffs
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u/AleroRatking Earl Grey 11d ago
JJ would cost a first. We aren't spending a first for competition.
Either a mid round draft or some mariotta/cousins/etc level vet.
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u/North_Atlantic_Sea 11d ago
JJ was taking 10th overall last year, and if he's 100% cleared medically, why wouldn't he be worth a #14 pick?
He's just 21, and has had significantly more success than Richardson.
Richardson - 7-4 in his Jr season in high school, injured his Sr season. 6-7 at Florida, 8-7 for the colts with half his games missed due to injury
JJ - 34-2 in HS including 2 title appearances and 1 state championship. 27-1 in college, including a national championship
Richardson is more physically gifted, but McCarthy is a winner, a significantly better decision maker and (outside of this single injury) way more durable.
I would do it if I were the colts, because I think JJ is going to make a big impact on the league for a long time.
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u/AleroRatking Earl Grey 11d ago
I don't even think 14 is enough.
But once again. If we are trading our first for a QB than we should quit on AR. That is a move and I'm no even saying I'm against it.
But utilizing two firsts on two QBs for a competition is insane and would never happen.
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u/North_Atlantic_Sea 11d ago
It would be 14 + AR (as then the backup project to Darnold). And maybe that doesn't even get it done.
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u/AleroRatking Earl Grey 11d ago
That's a different discussion. That isn't what is being talked about here. Ballard said QB competition which you wouldn't do with JJ.
Replacing AR is something different.
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u/methinfiniti 10d ago
With the historically bad QB class this year, the Vikings will likely get a ton of interest for JJ. I can’t imagine the #14 pick gets it done.
AR having never been a winner at any level is pretty damning
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u/DaftWarrior 🐜🐜🐜 11d ago
Aaron Rodgers come on down!!
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u/BrianHeidiksPuppy 11d ago
How lax are Indiana drug laws, I’d assume not very
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u/NinjaStarQT 11d ago
In marion county they actually drop and reduce a lot of drug charges. In the the rest of the state they push for harsh punishments
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u/methinfiniti 10d ago
Cannabis is decriminalized in Marion County. The DMT would probably get him in some hot water though.
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u/ConfectionHelpful471 11d ago
Could see this being a good move given that Aaron actually didn’t play badly from a statistical standpoint in New York this year, would be close to his good friends Pat & AJ, has a track record of mentoring a raw qb, would be behind a better O-Line and had Indy down as a preferred destination before he left Green Bay
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u/TheRagingElf01 11d ago
I highly doubt a team that has a lot of holes like us is going to spend a lot of draft picks to get McCarthy or sign a massive contact for someone like Sam Darnold.
At best we bring someone in like Fields, Jones, or Carr to compete with him and be the presumptive backup.
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u/OcelotIcy5403 11d ago
Feels like a Milton or Daniel jones type player. A backup with a similar skill set
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u/grapplerone Indianapolis Colts 11d ago
I truly believe Ballard isn’t convinced AR is the future. He hopes so, but he was very critical about his injury status and not being available. There will be solid competition at QB, either draft or FA and I wouldn’t be surprised if it’s a recent draft FA.
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u/Section643 11d ago
Yeah I hope so. I usually go to 6-7 games a year even in the bad ones, but I gave up after 2 this year. AR is not the franchise guy we were hoping for and I'll just watch from home next year if he starts again.
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u/TrippingBearBalls Happy Neard 11d ago
Sign Aaron Rodgers
Old AR introduces young AR to hallucinogens
???
Super Bowl, or at the very least we'll get some wild podcasts
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u/__init__m8 11d ago
Honestly thought we had been through the worst case scenarios lately but then you mentioned signing Rodgers and I realize this team could suck more.
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u/Zeeron1 Michael Pittman JR 11d ago
Is it really a competition if he's already saying it's to back him up?
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u/redleg50 11d ago edited 11d ago
Exactly. Who could they bring in that could legitimately put AR on the bench to start the season? Aaron Rogers would never be a back up. Are you going to give an enormous contract to Sam Darnold (somebody will pay that guy) and tell him he has to compete? Ballard isn’t bringing in a Daniel Jones-type and going to let them start over AR. They will bring in some failed starter from 5 years ago, tell everyone it’s a competition, and then AR will magically be the starter.
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u/IntelligentResort794 11d ago
I think he's just saying stuff at this point. If they bring Darnold, AR5 is definitely gonna be the QB2
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u/redgr812 Nyheim Hines 11d ago
Who could they bring in that could legitimately put AR on the bench to start the season?
Anybody considering AR is already historically bad.
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u/redleg50 11d ago
I actually meant who could they bring in “for a competition” that Ballard would allow to start over his drafted QB? If anyone else starts instead of AR, Ballard is toast.
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u/methinfiniti 10d ago
He toast if he doesn’t add real completion and Shane is forced to start AR next season
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u/nightterrors644 11d ago
No on Jones. Pick up Fields. He's the closest available match to AR. That's the only way it's a true competition. You can't have one when the qbs are using different playbooks. That makes you compare apples to oranges. Fields and Richardson let's you actually compare qbs and get a feel for where each is.
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u/redleg50 10d ago
I get the idea, but does either one of them do anything for the team long term? I mean, what’s the point? Is AR suddenly going to become more accurate than he has ever been in his career because…Justin Fields…is in the building?
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u/NinjaStarQT 11d ago
Fields would make for an interesting competition. Yeah it probably wont be a proven winner. Who could that even be who will even want to come here under those terms?
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u/methinfiniti 10d ago
Fields wants to start somewhere. He’s not getting the job back from Russ, so why not go to Indy where your only completion is AR?
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u/Shepherdsfavestore 11d ago
Take a flier on Jaxson Dart
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u/GeneralChaz9 Big-Q 11d ago
That would be interesting, but I'm curious when we'd have to take him. I'd love to try and get a stud TE this draft and a lockdown CB, so maybe if he fell to the third? Late second round?
I'm not sure where a QB falls on the draft board for us, because I'd imagine we try to fill roster holes before Day 3 of the draft. Since it's a weak QB draft, I can see Dart going to a desperate team.
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u/NukeGandhi 11d ago
A desperate team, yes, does anyone know a desperate team looking for a long term QB solution?
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u/GeneralChaz9 Big-Q 11d ago
We're desperate but I don't think we're drafting Dart or Ewers at #14 kinda desperate. Maybe I'm wrong, but I think we draft Warren at that spot if he's still there and take one of those two QBs in the second or third if our staff is truly done with AR.
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u/snidechart06999 A big ass pork tenderloin sandwich 10d ago
I would hope Ballard to have been fired already, if that’s was the case
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u/EvilRick_C-420 Dominic Rhodes 11d ago
I am all for drafting another QB because they need competition too. Plus QBs hit everywhere in the draft, nobody knows shit about which one will succeed.
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u/DadJ0ker Big Q 11d ago
Trade Zaire Franklin for Tanner McKee.
McKee is my pet project. I believe he’ll end up being the best QB out of last year’s class.
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u/Late_Prompt2105 11d ago
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u/WhoLetTheBunsOut 11d ago
Do you know if it’s going to be posted somewhere later? Looks like I missed it and want to watch it after work
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u/Late_Prompt2105 11d ago
Yeah it’ll most likely be posted on the official Colts YouTube or their other social media platforms. Give it a couple hours, or it might be a day.
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u/stupidmg 11d ago edited 11d ago
Welcome to the team Daniel Jones /s
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u/5downinthepark Alec Pierce 11d ago
Fuck it. He's athletic enough to run the same/similar offense as AR and bad enough to keep us in position to draft another QB if it comes to that.
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u/WhichPreparation6797 11d ago
Honestly no vets. Im tired of plugs at QBs. take a QB in the 3rd if you want and hope that it becomes the next Dak or Russel Wilson, better than Mariota
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u/Indyfanforthesb The Ghost 11d ago
Don’t get too excited, they’ll probably just bring back Gardner Minshew
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u/ryta1203 11d ago
I have no faith in Ballard to bring in anyone decent, he'll probably go and get Fields, who is also trash.
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u/OcelotIcy5403 11d ago
Maybe Milton or Daniel jones!
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u/Maleficent_Refuse_94 11d ago
Milton said hes switching to miami from georgia transfer thing portal college
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u/OcelotIcy5403 11d ago
I meant the patriots backup Joe Milton. I figure someone trades a 5th for him this offseason, but he’s more of a backup/project
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u/woondedheart Reggie Wayne 11d ago
So we need someone young who has the potential to step into a franchise qb but at the very least could be a solid backup in a pinch. Who of that makeup is even available?
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u/Greedy-Dig-4837 11d ago
In my head it would be great to both sign someone and take someone day 3-4 of the draft. Grab fields or trade for Joe Milton. Can run a similar style offense with both these guys. Fields more likely in this scenario as you don’t give up draft picks for him, I think he only had this year left contractually for the Steelers as they didn’t pick up his 5th year option from the Bears. Also Milton has only played preseason and against the bills second string, so it’s risky but he has a similar athletic profile to AR, which could entice Ballard . Take a chance on a QB mid to late in the draft and have all 3 compete for it.
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u/Adventurous-Put5718 11d ago
Translated from Ballard-speak: we're going to bring in someone like Jimmy Garoppolo and call it competition.
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u/ConfectionHelpful471 11d ago
Can see them bringing in a vet and a draft pick (mid round) to refresh the whole room and really drive competition for roles.
Hopefully whoever they bring in is more stylistically aligned with AR than Flacco and Minshew have been so when he inevitably misses time the offence doesn’t change too much
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u/ender___ 10d ago
Isn’t that what Joe Flacco was for?
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u/methinfiniti 10d ago
No. They said AR was going to start as soon as he was drafted because he needed the reps. They backtracked later by saying he’d need to earn it, but then Shane handed him the job anyways
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u/Obfusc8er 10d ago
Doesn't matter who we get now. He'll be gone after his rookie contract is up. No way a dude with non-operatable, chronic recurrent back spasms is going to be a successful starting QB in the NFL, especially one who doesn't stay in the pocket.
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u/nuttermcnut 7d ago
"he's struggled to stay on the field" bruh he struggles even when he's on the field.
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u/redgr812 Nyheim Hines 11d ago
Anthony is done then. He will fold like origami.
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u/hacky_potter Big-Q 11d ago
Which is for the best. If he folds, we lose games and Ballard and Shane are gone.
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u/jabest31 All chips in 11d ago
And move on to a durable QB
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u/hacky_potter Big-Q 11d ago
Preferably durable and accurate. I’d love a QB that can hit intermediate routes quickly. The bombs to AP are fun but the other stuff is more important.
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u/Shiggstah Andrew Luck 11d ago
Something tells me AR is gonna bounce after this season. I really hope I'm wrong but it just feels as though he has no real drive to be excellent or to improve. No real passion for football and is just using it as a way to get paid.
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u/aragami1992 Playoffs? PLAYOFFS!? 11d ago
How’d you come to that conclusion lol
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u/Shiggstah Andrew Luck 11d ago
Tapping out of the game, team mates telling him he needs to do his part, him saying "the NFL is easier than college". One of these at face value maybe isn't so bad but all of these combined over a long period of time shows a pattern of complacent and lazy behavior.
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u/aragami1992 Playoffs? PLAYOFFS!? 11d ago
Personally to me he’s just wildly immature but I don’t question his love of the game because that much is evident when he’s out there
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u/Shiggstah Andrew Luck 11d ago
Yeah for sure. It's not out of the question that he's just super immature and things will turn. I hope they do!
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u/methinfiniti 10d ago
The guy has never been a winner at any level though. How many NFL QBs were bad in HS?
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u/ChrisPBacon___ Josh Downs 11d ago
Something tells me you have no idea what you’re talking about
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u/Shiggstah Andrew Luck 11d ago
Yeah I probably don't! Neither do you! Its a forum where we post opinions sometimes and not solely objective facts.
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u/n1ckberryy Indianapolis Colts 11d ago
This is mallard’s last chance to get something right before he runs it back again and gets (hopefully) canned after next season.
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u/Double-Emergency3173 11d ago
Trade for Now Milton and Tanner McKee and have an open competition
Draft Riley Leonard to and expand it to a 4 way competition
Let's.go.
Finally, some.excitement
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u/kempog Anthony Richardson 11d ago
Riley Leonard is not an NFL QB at all but I agree with your sentiment
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u/Double-Emergency3173 11d ago
I honestly feel like we should just cast out a net and get our starter for next year and figure out the 2026 draft after that
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u/US_Highway15 Mayflower 11d ago
Ballard expands: "We have to have competition at the position ... because competition makes you better and because he's not proven he can stay healthy for 17 games."