Colts to go Lowball

[PatsSteve1]

Colts | Team will avoid free agency frenzy for three weeks
Sat, 11 Mar 2006 18:33:51 -0800

Mike Chappell, of the Indianapolis Star, reports the Indianapolis Colts will sit out the first three weeks of free agency until prices drop on players. Colts president Bill Polian said, "We always sit out the first three weeks. We don't become active until the market sort of levels out."

* Maybe Polian and Pioli will have a staredown for who can stay out of the FA market longer -

 

[patsox23]

Teams that (generally) take their time in FA - Patriots, Colts, Steelers, Eagles.

When the F will the rest of the NFL wake up? (Hopefully, not anytime soon.)

 

[IcyPatriot]

COPYCATS... , SERIOUSLY THOUGH, SOME TEAMS SEEM RATHER DESPERATE SO FAR.

 

[hwc]

Teams that (generally) take their time in FA - Patriots, Colts, Steelers, Eagles.

When the F will the rest of the NFL wake up? (Hopefully, not anytime soon.)

And, amazingly, it's the same godforsaken teams that embarrass themselves at the opening bell of free agency, year after year after year. If I have to read about one more player visiting such Triple-AAA ballclubs as the Vikings, Cardinals, and Saints.....

 

[workhorse]

Actually the Colts signed the best FA WR already.

 

[patman52]

Actually the Colts signed the best FA WR already.

and they overpaid for a #2, what is your point? The thread was about getting value by waiting.

 

[workhorse]

and they overpaid for a #2, what is your point? The thread was about getting value by waiting.

I was pointing out that most people over look a team resigning their own when it comes to free agency. I've seen fans on the Colts' board and on this board talk/complain about the lack of FA signings, so I was making a point that just because they were on your roster before, doesn't mean you weren't active in free agency.

As far as overpaying goes, I think Wayne would have gotten a bigger deal if he was allowed to test the market before the Colts signed him. A team like Philly would have dropped more coin in his lap if they had the chance. So, it's not the question of the value of a "#2" contract, it's the value of keeping a key piece of your team in place. It's the same question that the Colts had to answer about Edge.

 

[Patsfanin Philly]

Teams that (generally) take their time in FA - Patriots, Colts, Steelers, Eagles.

When the F will the rest of the NFL wake up? (Hopefully, not anytime soon.)

I don't know if I'd put the Eagles in that category. They usually sign a big name right off the bat, Runyan, Kearse last year and almost Bentley this year but overall you're right. It's the desperate teams that have to make a splash and usually it's coaches on the hot seat whose jobs are in jeopardy.....

 

[T-ShirtDynasty]

Teams that (generally) take their time in FA - Patriots, Colts, Steelers, Eagles.

When the F will the rest of the NFL wake up? (Hopefully, not anytime soon.)

However, not all fast moves are bad moves. I think Cleveland made some very good moves very quickly grabbing Bently and Jurevicius.

 

[mgteich]

1) I agree that these teams make their decisions on their own free agents, and then wait. Some of their own take the offers, some don't.

2) What do these teams have in common? They have playoff qulaity teams year after year!

Teams that (generally) take their time in FA - Patriots, Colts, Steelers, Eagles.

When the F will the rest of the NFL wake up? (Hopefully, not anytime soon.)

 

[arrellbee]

Workhorse - I think you make a pretty good point about teams who seem to think that the grass is greener on the other team - apparently without even watching much film. It's kind of strange to see teams pay big dollars to sign a player who has obvious shortcomings for their system or is a 'bad' apple - and whose stats may be little different or even worse than their own players whom they are not retaining. Why would they ever think they can get better performance from a guy or 'reform' him - especially after they have just given him his big bucks and no incentive left to play better. Hope springs eternal - but at some point there is just bad judgment and stupidity.

T-shirt - Interesting thought that teams with a lot of cap room are in a position to pay a little more for a player than the market and sign him early. That's an advantage. But the downside to that is that they have to be pretty astute in picking real contributors. AND they have to have a supporting cast to make the big ticket guy worth while. It doesn't do much good to get a top RB if you don't have an OL that can block for him. It doesn't do much good to get a top WR if your second WR doesn't require enough secondary coverage to keep your top guy from being double or triple covered. I have to wonder if a team like Cleveland wouldn't be better off using it's extra dollars to pay a little more for a larger number of really solid performers than a lot of dollars on a few big ticket guys. Sounds familiar I guess.