Chris Ballard, general manager of the Indianapolis Colts, shared interesting comments about Carson Wentz at his recent presser.
On Thursday, Chris Ballard, the general manager of the Indianapolis Colts, held his end-of-season press conference. In the conversation with the media, which was just over an hour long, Ballard was incredibly candid.
He expressed his disappointment with the season’s finish, accepted responsibility for his role in the letdown, and spoke about what the franchise’s goals are moving forward.
Ballard touched on a number of players and pending personnel decisions, but what stood out most were his comments on Carson Wentz.
Ballard was asked several questions about the trade that brought Wentz to Indy, the quarterback’s performance, and about his future. While Ballard wouldn’t say anything definitive, he did share comments that bring Wentz’s future with the Colts into question.
Chris Ballard on Carson Wentz: ‘At the time, we felt it was the right decision…I’m not going to make a comment on who is going to be here next year and who is not.’
— Mike Wells (@MikeWellsNFL) January 13, 2022
Chris Ballard didn’t commit to Carson Wentz as Colts starter for next season
Ballard’s comments are in line with head coach Frank Reich’s. Neither of them would denounce Wentz as the starter, but they also didn’t give him a public vote of confidence.
That makes it seem like the team will explore all options this offseason and the market will decide whether or not Wentz is the starter next year.
Wentz finished the season completing 62.4% of his passes for 3,563 yards, 27 touchdowns, and seven interceptions. Not an entirely bad year, but he just didn’t consistently come through in crucial moments.
In Ballard’s openness, he shared some of what he said to Wentz in their season-ending meeting.
Something Chris Ballard said to Carson Wentz in their season-ending meeting yesterday: "Make the layups. Just make the layups."
— Zak Keefer (@zkeefer) January 13, 2022
This speaks to Wentz’s habit of sometimes missing easy plays or throws but also having the ability to make special plays that not many can.
While the improbable highlight plays are exciting, making the “layups” are what often win or lose games for the Colts.
Wentz, who is still under contract for next season, will have all offseason to improve his game and work on his layup package. However, it won’t be a comfortable summer for him as far as public discussion goes.
Wentz’s name will certainly be a frequent topic of conversation and he will have to endure the rollercoaster of waiting to see what his fate is for next season.
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