It took seeing the end of the line, but the general manager is finally waking up.
Chris Ballard has made a flurry of moves during free agency. It is a type of Ballard that Indianapolis Colts fans have never seen before. It is a Ballard that fans have been clamoring for the better part of a decade. He has spoken about being wrong before and needing to change his approach to team building. Words are cheap, however, and we have seen him fall right back into his old ways as soon as the press conference ends. This year is different. Why now has Ballard finally agreed to explore free agency and upgrade crucial holes in the roster?
The answer to that is easy. His back is against the wall. I imagine based on internal conversations with Jim Irsay he understands the leash is shorter than ever and this could very well be his last year if results aren’t had. While it is a positive to see the Colts finally engage in free agency and make significant splashes, it is also highly discouraging that this is what it took. Ballard was unable to look inside himself and understand that significant changes were needed. He needed the external threat.
If the direction would have come internally, who knows what choices would have been made. Perhaps the exact same deals would have commenced. While there is no major issue with the players he has brought in so far in 2025, doing it with his back against the wall could have it’s issues. The players, contracts, money, etc. could all be less than ideal as feeling one has to do something drastic clouds the mind. With that said, outside of the amount of money Daniel Jones received, most fans seem to be content with the moves. It finally provides a reason to applaud Ballard for his efforts. If it works out for the best and the Colts finally win the AFC South, fans will rejoice. The only lingering doubt might be, why wasn’t the change made sooner?
Free agency isn’t novel or foreign, but Chris Ballard has seemingly had an aversion to it beyond the most basic moves. Rewarding your own players is great, but it doesn’t always move the needle enough to create a contender. If Ballard changes his ways, there are less issues with him sticking around. Ideally, these signings will work out and the Colts will make the playoffs. Winning cures a lot. If Ballard finds success and continues with this new philosophy, we might be seeing him for many more years to come.
