Does anyone feel optimistic about what the Indianapolis Colts are doing was the question, but maybe a better one is, what exactly are the Colts doing right now? For years, my personal gripe has been that this franchise is directionless. This lack of direction starts at the top with Chris Ballard and has been one of the driving forces in wanting to watch him walk out the door. Well, here we are. Another offseason and another batch of what the heck is going on?
Some might point to the team’s lack of a first-round pick the next two years as a point of contention. In the scheme of things, that is the least of my worries, considering they got Sauce Gardner in the deal. It stinks not having a pick this year, but it wasn’t like they set it on fire. Like many of you, I am a bit baffled by the transition tag regarding how and on whom it was used. Unable to reach a deal, the Colts used the seldom seen transition tag which locks up their cap space and hitches them to a questionable quarterback coming off a severe injury for $37.8 million next year. The alternative to that is he walks away and the Colts get nothing in return. That sure seems like a raw deal.
Retaining Daniel Jones seemed like the desired move, but a long-term deal should have been the outcome because now it is likely Alec Pierce is gone. Using the tag on Jones means the Colts didn’t have that option for Pierce. Letting him test free agency after a big year in a slim market spells trouble. If Pierce walks, what do the Colts do at receiver? Does that become their first pick in this year’s draft? It would have been nice to focus on another area of need, but there is a clear hole there now. This team is like whack-a-mole. Ballard goes in every direction chasing after things instead of having a clear cut plan. This offseason exemplifies the definition of insanity.
Everything could work out. The Colts might be able to keep both players. Does that set this franchise up for ultimate success? Recent memory of what we saw on the field says no, but that doesn’t mean they can’t find some success. Without one or both, this team certainly isn’t better than last year. That much is for sure. The safe bet is that Daniel Jones is back and Alec Pierce is gone. How that could inspire confidence and optimism going forward, I’m not sure. The Colts gambled, and if Pierce walks, they lost.
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