Colts: Why does it feel like Chris Ballard always avoids making ‘the big move’?

It’s scary to think where the Indianapolis Colts would be without Chris Ballard. The fifth-year general manager has managed to morph this once-dismal roster, while also navigating around Andrew Luck’s abrupt retirement, into a potential championship contender.

From his pristine drafting track record (the Colts’ roster is overflowing with picks he’s made over the last five years), to picking and choosing when to strike on the trade front and managing the salary cap without a hitch, Ballard is everything you could want in a general manager.

We’d even argue Ballard is the best pound-for-pound GM in the league. However, we can’t help but wonder what position Indianapolis would be in if he wasn’t so reluctant when it comes to making the flamboyant moves that could really set this roster over the top.

It’s one thing to be meticulous while keeping one eye on the salary cap and ensuring you don’t paralyze yourself financially, but why does Ballard almost always err on the side of caution when the opportunity arises to send shockwaves around the NFL?

Why does Colts GM Chris Ballard so reluctant to make ‘the big move’?

Listen, we love Ballard and everything he’s done to turn the Colts around during his four-year tenure. However, at some point, doesn’t he need to add a little more star power to the roster? If you look at some of the previous Super Bowl champs (the Bucs and Chiefs), their respective rosters had no shortage of transcendent talent.

While the Colts’ roster has loads of potential and an incredibly promising future, what outright superstars do they flaunt besides Darius Leonard and Quenton Nelson? That’s not necessarily an indictment against Ballard, who proved with the DeForest Bucker and Carson Wenz trades in the last two years that he’s willing to make a  big splash.

However, it’s not exactly what you would call a vote of confidence, either.

From studs like Trent Williams, Julio Jones (he allegedly laughed at the idea of trading for the Falcons receiver), Zach Ertz, JJ Watt, Kenny Golladay, Orlando Brown Jr., Will Fuller, Bud Dupree and Ryan Kerrigan, there’s no shortage of Pro Bowl-caliber talent Ballard has passed on in this offseason alone.

Though we understand the youth movement Ballard has implemented, he does understand veterans are essential to winning come playoff time, right? Look no further than the Colts’ defense. The average age of their starters on that side of the ball is mind-blowing.

Perhaps we’ll see Ballard loosen up next offseason — when the likes of Leonard, Nelson, and Braden Smith will all (hopefully) have new contracts that won’t prevent him from spending as much money as he’d like to on the open market.

We’re willing to give the the fifth-year GM the benefit of the doubt until then. That obviously doesn’t mean we’ll be calling for his job if the Colts’ endure another conservative offseason. All we’re trying to say is that, at some point, this roster needs an infusion of superstars to help their  talented young core take that next step.

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