The Colts are banking on everything staying the same in 2024.
by Jon Spradley
Free agency is like that glass phone booth sized enclosure in which money is blown into the air and teams scramble to stuff as much down the front of their shirts as they can. Grab as many new players as quickly as possible. That is one of the keys for many NFL teams during the offseason as they attempt to plug holes on their roster. The Indianapolis Colts don’t play that game. They prefer to follow the mantra of a bird in the hand is worth two in the bush. They like what they know and would prefer to stay out of the roster overhaul business. In a league that loves turnover and jersey swaps, the Colts prefer a steady, unwavering ship.
The Colts are returning the vast majority of their roster from last year. When you look at the players who will take meaningful snaps, that number only increases. I have harped on Chris Ballard and his unwillingness to try new things, but there is something to be said about roster continuity and consistency within a franchise. Watching Colts football during the Manning years, it was said on many a broadcast that Peyton seemed to have a deep connection with his receivers like Marvin Harrison and Reggie Wayne. They were so adept at reading the coverage at the line of scrimmage and having an understanding of each other that the offense ran like a well oiled machine. The system was built on this understanding and timing. Without some level of familiarity and consistency built from one season to another, this level of rhythmic perfection would not have been possible.
When a player goes to a new team, the most difficult part about the transition is learning the playbook and gelling with their teammates. By returning virtually the same roster, the Colts have eliminated two of the biggest challenges. Players like Michael Pittman Jr., who has had a different quarterback every year, are probably starving for just a little bit of consistency. Don’t you think getting a whole season with Anthony Richardson will do wonders for both men and the offense as a whole? Extremely talented teams fail when players are forced like round pegs into square holes (see the Phoenix Suns). That is where roster consistency can somewhat make up for talent deficiencies. It can’t solve everything, but it can serve as an added bonus and competitive advantage going into the season.
I would love for Ballard to have acquired more talent to improve the roster. He didn’t, so let’s look on the bright side. At least the Colts didn’t lose a bunch of players and fail to replace them. The team rewards its own and decided to run things back. There are worse plans. The coaches and players have another year under their belts and a better understanding of what the tendencies are of the man next to them. That experience and continuity can’t hurt. Will it be enough to win? I am not sure, but it can’t hurt, right?
Originally posted on stampedeblue.com