How have the Colts behaved at the trade deadline during the Chris Ballard era?
With the NFL trade deadline approaching, what does Chris Ballard’s history say about what we should expect from the Indianapolis Colts?
The NFL trade deadline is on Tuesday, November 1. This is the last opportunity for teams to make big splashy moves that will help them go on a playoff run or help them build their future through the draft. Which direction each team chooses has a lot to do with their current record. Teams with winning records will be buyers and teams with losing records will be sellers.
The Indianapolis Colts have neither, sitting at .500 with a 3-3-1 record. It’s not really clear which direction Indy is leaning toward as the deadline approaches, so the best way to predict what the team will do is by looking at its history. Since all general managers have different philosophies, it’s important to look at the team’s history during the Chris Ballard. Is Ballard aggressive at the trade deadline or passive?
To no surprise for Colts fans, Ballard is passive. However, it’s a bit shocking just how passive Indianapolis is at the trade deadline during the Ballard era. In Chris Ballard’s five completed seasons, the Colts haven’t made any trade-deadline acquisitions. They haven’t brought in any exciting players or sent any big names out, just business as usual. Will that change for Indianapolis this year?
Will the Colts be active at the trade deadline?
This year has the potential to be different because of the recent circumstances in Indianapolis. Indy recently benched Matt Ryan and named second-year quarterback Sam Ehlinger the starter for the remainder of the season. Because of that, some are inclined to believe Indy will be more active at the deadline but not by acquiring high-profile players, by trading them.
With Ehlinger now the man under center, many feel this is a sign that the Colts are turning their focus toward the future instead of a win-now approach. If that’s the case, nothing says future like flipping elite players for a haul of picks. Well, Indianapolis has multiple Pro Bowl players, despite struggling, and maybe after Tuesday, Indy will have an excess of picks to work with in the coming years’ drafts.
