As far as experience goes, Indianapolis Colts general manager Chris Ballard can lap Jacksonville Jaguars general manager James Gladstone at least a few times over. Yet, both of them are taking on some heat this offseason, for differing reasons.
Ballard's time in Indianapolis may be on a ticking clock these days, and how the Colts perform next season could make or break his future with the team. The heat on Ballard is team-performance-based and in the near-term. For Gladstone, it's a little different.
Of course, Gladstone has been on the job in Jacksonville for only one season, with a second season incoming. Given his extremely limited track record and his age, he's expected to have some rope attached to his position.
CBS Sports' NFL insider claims the Jacksonville Jaguars are the 'biggest offseason losers'
That said, no matter how long you've been in the general manager chair, their move's will be criticized. Gladstone's most recent moves have drawn much criticism, and they should give Colts fans something to cheer about.
Maybe what the Colts did best this offseason was add a ton of depth to their defense. There were no stars or big names in their free agency signings or trades, but if the Colts were prioritizing position depth over individual stats and acclaim, well, Ballard came through on that end.
When it comes to the draft, Ballard also seemingly hit a few home runs, namely with linebacker CJ Allen, safety A.J. Haulcy, and sleeper picks linebacker Bryce Boettcher and edge rusher Caden Curry, who could sneak their way into prominent roles with the Colts next season. Mini camps and OTAs have risen Boettcher and Curry's stock, that's for sure.
Staying with the draft, that's where CBS Sports' NFL writer Jordan Dajani believes the Colts AFC South division rival has failed, stamping his mark of disproval on not just the Jaguars' draft, but their entire offseason.
"The Jags objectively got worse in free agency," Dajani wrote. "The Jaguars put together what many would call the worst class this year. It's not fair to judge an entire draft class before the players have taken a single snap, but the picks were a bit confusing."
While Dajani admits that it's harsh to judge players who haven't played a single NFL snap yet, his point on the Jaguars' offseason as a whole has some legitimacy to it, depending on what you value. Gladstone was quiet in free agency, adding just one outside player in running back Chris Rodriguez Jr., while the other four moves were in-house re-signings.
Aside from Dajani's stance on the Jaguars poor drafting, it's also who they lost in free agency that could really hit them hard next season. The departures of Devin Lloyd and Travis Etienne Jr. were significant.
But since Dajani is pointing out the draft, as it stands, stacking the Colts' draft class against the Jaguars' could prove to be the big difference in a few years. The Colts may have some true stars and future Pro Bowlers in this year's class. The Jaguars aren't showing the same caliber of player selection, at least not right now.
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