Reaction to Colts Brass at NFL Owners Meetings | The Last Word

the NFL never sleeps the roster is ever evolving and it's all about finding the

edge this is the last word the offseason home of the Indianapolis Colts

kick us out of Trey header for the Uplight and now here's Matt Taylor and

Casey Valleier here we go the last word the offseason radio home of the

Indianapolis Colts airing inside the Indian Indian Union construction industry

radio studios every Friday night I'm Casey Valleier joined by Matt Taylor

live here on 935 and 1075 the fan Matt Taylor good to have you back this

week I hope Disney treated you well Disney treated me fantastically Mickey

goofy in the gang they were great to me as I stood in line for hours on in

right and I did four parks over the course of a week and I think the step or

the pedometer meter whatever they call it you know whatever that app is on

your phone yeah somewhere over 90,000 still holy over the course of four days

how the kids fair out I mean they have you know all their dreams made true

absolutely yeah oh yeah you can listen man magical man Disney you get what you

pay for yeah I told them they had better they had better come true right otherwise

what are we doing yeah you're down a leg in an arm and I'm selling blood after the

show oh I'm glad you had a good time though and indeed it was you know those

lasting memories I mean this when you start having kids and all that stuff those

things they go so far so that is that is awesome glad to have you back in the

fold and it's been a busy weeks you came back in a very very busy time because the

annual NFL owners meetings was this week we've talked about it all week there's

been things that have happened we've got new information we've got rehashing of

old information we've got potential rule changes all of that so we're gonna try

and hash out everything that we talked about all week into one big show we're

gonna do it by starting off before we get into you know we're gonna hear from

Chris Ballard we're also gonna start with a little game you have created Matt

and I always say this your brain just constantly is rolling and working sorry so

you came up with this idea of the Colts topic wheel yeah you gave me some I don't

know crap or whatever yesterday thinking that it wasn't gonna work out I think

it's gonna be just fine I think you got to give yourself a little bit more of

the benefit of the day I think it's gonna be pretty good all home runs hey

as we know that's alright you know just a couple of solid singles it gets you

on base and keep the line moving here so yeah the wheel of Colts topics we're

gonna spin the wheel break down whatever topic and they're all important topics

but whatever one they land on that's what we're gonna break down okay are you

ready I can't wait let's go ahead and get it going here spin spin the wheel spin

number one oh oh oh Carly Erse Gordon still feels the urgency oh okay so

Carly Erse she feels the urgency at the end of last season Colts principal

owner and CEO Carly Erse Gordon she stretched the urgency from the franchise

and how it has never been higher considering the team has missed five post

seasons in a row they spoke this week about how she still remains confident that

the best way to lean into that urgency is to try and duplicate what the Colts did

last season before those injuries you know to Daniel Jones before his

Buckner and so on and so forth and where do you send on that because I think

the urgency has definitely been there and it's been met with clearly they

targeted what they wanted to do and what they wanted to replicate yeah she

doubled down on it and you know she used a good metaphor this week you know

last year was like you know the Colts are eight and two and they're off to

this great start and then as you said a bunch of players get hurt it's like

watching a movie and then having to put or push the pause button and not

finding out how the end of the movie ends it's like not knowing you know

hey Martin McFly gets the Delorean up to 88 does he get struck by lightning right

does he get to the clock tower does he go back to 1985 so the Colts are

doubling down on that urgency that's why they went big on resigning Daniel

Jones and Alec Pierce and the rest of the roster knows what time it is you got

a lot of core players on this team that have been here for a long time they're

going into contract years absolutely that cliffhanger if you will we all we

all know what that's like we all felt it last year I mean the offense was

rolling and then it just gets cut short and all the sudden everything changed

so you know I'm kind of with her I'm anxious to kind of see what the rest of

that movie looks like all right let's spin the wheel for number two where we

going prize wheel we think case state of the Colts defensive line all right I like

this one because both and that's kind of been one of the biggest topics we

heard Carly Ursa Gordon Chris Ballard they spoke about the defensive line we

know the Colts have lost Quitte Pay Samson Ebbacom Teichwan Lewis is still a

free agent yeah those players have been kind of replaced if you will by

additions in Arden Kee Michael Clemens and free agency but I think the Colts

definitely acknowledged that you know they pursued heavy free agent and

tray Hendrickson ultimately he signed with the Ravens Carly Ursa Gordon she

mentioned that the path we need is obviously defensive line I think that's the

clear path as far as what the pieces we need and I feel there's a lot of great

opportunities in the draft that's hardly talking about where they can go I

think she spot on because that's still an area that yeah we've seen some

additions but definitely an area they're going to probably continue to target

and you know when you hear Carly talk and when you hear Chris Ballard this

week talk about the defensive line I feel smarter now because Chris Ballard

basically said the same thing I've been saying for weeks the guys they have

brought in specifically on the edge profile as guys that are fast that bust

their tail that give you good rotation but they haven't been those game

record so it's pretty clear that they're looking to supplement that in the

draft that's still a major opportunity coming up but also what is clear

Casey to me the one guy the Colts are really banking on taking a big leap

this year is Layato Lato they need it for him but they need it for the

development of this past rush absolutely that is you know when you think

about it it's that third year a lot of times they say it takes that second or

third year for everything to kind of click so you know if you can get that

out of Layato Lato it makes a lot of those worries if you will go away for

sure all right let's spend the wheel for number three

topic what do you think offense slow down evolving roles on offense there you

go I called a little offensive style here now the Colts were forced to make

some tough decisions they had to trade away Michael Pittman Jr. on offense

that's a big role you've got to replace but ultimately when you do things like

that's kind of like business when you have to sign Daniel Jones and Alec

Pierce and Shane Stuyke can talk this week about how they look at what Michael

Pittman's workload and contributions have been and how he expects them to

kind of divide the targets that Pittman received last year you know but with

him you know with the party and obviously Tyler Alec you know Josh you know

getting more targets for those guys this spring going into the training camp

you know I'm excited for those guys opportunity can Josh play outside yeah we're

looking at that I think we're gonna look into that you know this off-season and

so we'll get those reps and OTAs and training camp and go there yeah it'll be

interesting to see what they do with Josh Downs he mentioned Tyler Warren and

there as well that'll definitely get some more targets and ultimately that's

what it's going to be because without Michael Pittman you elevate the role of

Alec Pierce so he kind of slides in to get a lot more of those targets it also

means that guys like Josh Downs Tyler Warren we'll get a little bit more and

we've talked about it Nick Westbrook Akine, Ashton Dolan some of those guys

also we'll get elevated roles yeah I don't think one guy is going to get all

of the targets that Michael Pittman Jr. routinely got in his six years with

the Indianapolis Colts they're going to replace him through a committee of

guys and some really good players that are already here like you said warn and

downs and and certainly Alec Pierce's role is going to be heightened I don't know

if Pierce's targets are going to go up astronomically because I think it's

going to be divided pretty evenly amongst the guys that are already you know

bona fide playmakers within this offense for Daniel Jones all right let's

spend the wheel for number four what do you think I don't know what's left good

question Richardson's future okay Anthony Richardson's future we know that

Anthony Richardson has requested a trade in this week of the league meetings the

Colts addressed the future of the former fourth overall pick back in 2023 now

the trade has not developed to this point I think ultimately will be came away

with this week is that there is a chance that if nothing develops the

Richardson will be back with this team as if he were still a normal guy under

contract yeah and I think it's important to keep this in mind as it relates to

this situation the Colts don't have to trade Anthony Richardson right I think

you know his representation and Anthony himself wants to go to a situation

where he can possibly start or compete for a starting job but the Colts need

something equitable in return right they don't just want to trade him to

trade him they need something back in return that makes sense probably looking

at at best a day three draft pick but to me Anthony Richardson's ceiling we

talked about this earlier this week his ceiling is just still so high and he is

still so raw so you know if he's not traded by the Colts I don't personally

think it's the end of the world because you can still continue to harness him and

develop him as best you can until you have to make a hard and fast and final

decision on him which for the Colts in this case isn't until the end of the

upcoming season when his rookie contract is over yeah and you don't want to

just give him a way either that's part of it too it's got to work for both

parties and I think that's why you know you're really weighing all of the

possibilities and making sure that it works for both sides here now let's do

I we're kind of up against it here Matt so let's do one final spin on the wheel

let's do it belief in Woller and Wally by the way that wheel need some WD 40

or something I sell a little rickety I don't know I've been in the attic for

like two decades that adds to it I think I think that's what I like about it

most with this wheel waller waller and Wally there you go say that five times

that exactly that kind of that kind of doubles as our MJ companies rookie

report because those guys were rookies a year ago now all three of the Colts

leaders Carly or say Gordon Shane Steichen and Chris Ballard made sure to

bring up both Hunter Wooler and Justin Wally when speaking about the

prospects of the upcoming 2026 season now both guys were rookies last year injured

in training camp had to miss their entire rookie seasons and they both got

off to kind of similar starts they look really really good look like they're

continued to be involved in the defense has rookies but as I mentioned

those injuries cut off everything short so when you look at both of these guys

I think Hunter Wooler he's definitely in play we heard Shane Steichen talk about

it in play to kind of take that starting role from Nick what we saw in Nick

Cross last year and then with Justin Wally he was a guy who was kind of

slotted in early on as a guy that could start so I'm anticipating both these

guys really competing to start when you're two rolls around I mean at the

very least it's like two extra draft picks in 2026 because you didn't they

didn't play at all in 2025 both guys like you said coming off injuries Wally

is going to play it's just a matter of where the cold secondary was

completely ransacked last year due to injury so it's really important the

cold tab as many playmakers there as possible last year proved that and then

Wooler like you said completely in the mix to compete for the strong safety

position I should say and that competition with guys like Wanye Thomas and

Jonathan Owens the cold signed in free agency he could be that dime linebacker

in the Luana rumo defense to match up with receivers so I mean those guys

are gonna be hugely important next season considering all of the changes on

that defense personnel wise the Colts have already experienced here in the

offseason there you go you're rookie update presented by MJ companies your

future in focus what do you think about the wheel Matt I thought it was a success

like I told you I had I had very high expectations for it you know you said a

bunch of singles I'll give you some doubles there you go I thought it was

pretty good so well done I really liked the wheel we'll bring that one back

the whole topic wheel I like it let's let's keep let's keep doing that every

couple weeks I really like the topic wheel maybe we can get some WD 40 on it if

you suggest but I did like the wheel so well done yeah send it to an antique

shop well there you go it's time for our first break here we come back we're

gonna hear from Chris Ballard he sat down with our Lera Overton this week in

the league meetings in Arizona and he's gonna talk about why it was so

important to recite Daniel Jones and Alec Pierce and also what he thinks about

the Colts defense and the depth on that side of the ball heading into the

draft that's all right here on the last word and we come back on 935 and 1075

the fan this is your weekly fix on Colts football the last word with Matt

Taylor and Casey Valleier from the Indiana Union Construction Industry Radio

studio the last word is brought to you by Meyer Meyer the official

super center of the in anapolis Colts and proud sponsor of hundreds of

local sports teams across the Midwest welcome back here to the last word

935 1075 the fan from the Indiana Union Construction Industry Radio

Studios I'm Casey Valleier joined by Matt Taylor and it's time to get to an

interview that our Lera Overton did the Colts reporter with General Manager

Chris Ballard at this week's league meetings in Arizona from league meetings

in Phoenix joined by General Manager Chris Ballard Chris you've made a

number of moves this offseason most notably resigning Daniel Jones and Alec

Pierce what position does that put the team in as you continue to build for the

season look it's always important our own guys you know and we consider Daniel

one of our guys now you know here for a year but look you don't look the

quarterback position we all know the importance and we were extremely pleased

with what we saw from Daniel so we so we felt comfortable moving forward with

him and then getting Alec bat we saw the progression each year was fun to

watch we think there's more enemy still young and we think he'll continue to

take steps is one of the most explosive players in the league he's proven at

over two years so getting them back offensively gives us some continuity which

I think's important be fun to get them both you know back out on the field and

going once Daniel gets healthy and ready to go you mentioned getting Daniel

healthy and a few weeks ago the combine you mentioned how significant the

three-month mark is in an Achilles recovery that's a significant bench

part bench mark for that injury where is Daniel in his recovery process in a

great place I mean look nobody's gonna outwork him you almost got to pull the

reins back in on him a little bit but so far so good I mean like time heals any

injury so we'll take it the week day by day and continue to rehab he's doing a

lot he's he's actually able to throw and do some things with his upper body

some upper body mechanics that we were working on last year that he was

working on so he's able to kind of get some things done that I think he

didn't realize it to start that he's gonna be able to do so that's been good

but one thing I'm you don't ever worry about is his work his work ethic like he

is gonna work and he cares about not only the team's performance but his

performance and you know he understands him being healthy he's gonna be a big

part of that you mentioned Alec and his development and it has been regarded as

how much he has developed as a complete receiver his entire skill set beyond

just being that signature deep ball threat with this opportunity he now has the

departure of Michael Pittman Jr as well what opportunity is him is that for him

to showcase that well I mean look I mean I give Reggie a lot of credit you know

Shane and Jim Bob but they've done a tremendous job not only developing you know

what he's strong at and what he's good at allowing to do it but also the you

know becoming a complete receiver being able to you know run the entire

route tree which I think you know Alec can do and look I was very close with

with with Pitt and Lord knows our relationship is is one of very honest and

always like that with him always knew where he stood so it was tough to move on

but you know that's part of this thing and when you got Alex under a big you

know big number and then we have you know another player that I think Josh

Downs is really good and I think I think the ability to now with you know

with Josh and Alec it gives him a chance to have more targets you know going

forward. Pitt one of a few departures this off-season offensively

Brayden Smith another both of those guys were key starters in their Colts

tenure for you how do you envision feeling feeling both of those starting roles?

They have both good players Brayden you know really take the player out of it

just proud of who he is what he stands for what he went through and how he came

out the other side of it better and then now he's become a real advocate for

things that people go through you know mental health issues that people go

through and I'm really proud of him for that and then the player I mean

Brayden outstand he's I always say I've always been one of the most underrated

tackles in the league said that every year but saying that we have a lot of

faith in Tony we've drafted some young players that have got you know got

their feet wet and be fun to watch you know Jalen Travis continue to develop

got to see a good snapshot of it at the end of the year and we like what we

saw so we think he's got really good upside but have a lot of faith in Tony and

what he his ability to develop and continue the tradition of having a

stronger one that that'll be a position we we won't ever go short there there

was plenty of turnover the last few weeks along the defensive line as well what

did you identify in the personnel that you've now brought into that group well

I mean like one of the things like depth is so important in this league like you

can't like to expect four guys to get through a 17 game into the playoffs is

it's impossible so we wanted to make sure we added depth especially inside you

know buck and grover we think are are still special special players but you know

getting a little older so the ability to add you know 90 and Colby and

tellery we think all of them are going to really help us plus Tommy coming

back which we thought he took another step and then on the edge you know

having Jalen back having lot to who we think you know we think a lot to

take a whole nother step but adding Arden and Clemens who both play

extremely hard we think it's we think they're both really good fit for what we

want to do so we feel like we have a good foundation now you know we still have

time left and we have the draft and and moving forward into the season when

you can still acquire players so we feel good about where we're at and the guys

we've added but we still got some work to do defensive departures Zaire Franklin

and Nick Cross not only very impactful players but very reliable players for

you in the time that they were with the Colts you're two leading tacklers last

season how do you feel those steps well look he couldn't be more like seventh

round pit special teams captain you know for four years he he just bus he buses

telling special teams just a chance to play on defense ends up ascending and then

everything he does you know off the field it's pretty incredible pretty

incredible guy but saying that we've got some young guys in the locker room you

know we brought in Gather Davis who we like lose had him so he knows his skill set

really well there's still a couple guys in for agency that you know we'll still

consider we'd like really like to see JC JC's got to stay healthy but we think

he's got the skill set to be a really good inside backer and look there's

been other years we've gone into this really young and we're not afraid to go

into it with a young player as long as they win the job and can execute what

lo and then what we feel good about kind of the guys we have some young players

but also some guys that are still out there and plus the draft this will be your

fourth draft without a first round pick but you have a track record

of maximizing those day two and day three picks what is a common thread for you

and your staff in terms of identifying talent to be quality starters and

impactful players in those latter rounds we got great group and they work I mean

they do a great job of identifying what fits you know through the years I mean

I think back to you know the years we got you know Jonathan and Pitt what was

the other year we didn't have it anything off top of my head but we've done

really well in the in the you know second round on not that we haven't done

good in the first but second round on and I give our my staff a lot of credit

for that they do a great job of identifying who fits what we want defensively

or offensively and they work really hand in hand with our coaches to make

sure we're you know when we're drafting and taking that player that we have a

vision for who he's going to be you know right now we have seven picks I would

guess that we end up with more so we'll see you never know on draft day

Carly has long been involved in all of these processes for agency the draft

personnel roster building this being her first offseason as principal owner

how has her role in those decisions evolved over the last year or she's in

charge Jim mister say was in charge there's just there's just a different

she's in she's in charge along with you know her sisters so it's it's

different when you sit in that chair it is because now ultimately you're part

of the decision making process which she always was but now the ultimate you

know say hey I approve what you're doing let's move forward and she's great

I've said this multiple times but like she is a deep deep thinker she doesn't

just see one level of a problem she she can see three four levels out and so

she has really good questions I think the work she's put in over the last at

least since I've been here in terms of spending time and football not not

just in scouting or coach like in every area of football allows her that

education over that time period really allows her to ask on deep thought

provoking questions one more making decisions and that is very valuable

yeah very grateful for her and grateful for her knowledge and and then the

work like I have so much respect for the work like she put the work in and now

she's gonna see the fruits of the labor now that she's you know in charge

Chris really appreciate appreciate the time we'll get to talk here in a few

weeks awesome yeah thank you Lera Overton with Chris Ballard the

Colts General Manager at the league meetings in Arizona if you want to

hear that full conversation you can find it on the Colts YouTube page in

Colts.com and man I thought it was interesting when he talked about the draft

strategy we've become accustomed to Chris Ballard and stockpile and draft

picks and it sounds like that's definitely in play it's definitely in play it's

in play every year but I definitely think it's in play this year I mean just

generally philosophically Chris Ballard always talks about one and more you know

shots of the dartboard more dart to the dartboard because the more times you

have you know the more throws you have the the better odds you have of just

hitting on guys and this might be the year for the Colts to have a higher

quantity of draft picks considering you know needing to fill depth that some

important positions like linebacker offensive line maybe a fourth running back

just considering the amount of talent the Colts have seen leave the team this

offseason either through free agency or trades yeah one name I throw out

there and we'll see what happens when you know all of the offseason training and

training camp rolls around but Hunter Wooler was a seventh round pick a year

ago so you can see how beneficial some of those draft picks can be if they

turn into starters that is a lot of bang for your buck right there late in the

draft so that was interesting there by Chris Ballard sitting down with

Colts reporter and our friend Lara over 10 week come back we'll give you the

forum credit unit in question of the week which is all centered around the

first wave of free agency and whether or not the Colts are better than where

they started at the end of the 2025 season we'll get into that right here

next on the last word 9351075 the fan welcome back in case you forgot this is

the last word with Matt Taylor and Casey Valier in the Indiana Union

construction industry radio studio and we're back here on the last word 9351075

the fan join the Colts and Republic services for the annual free

electronics recycling day marker calendar for Saturday May 15th and bring

your unwanted electronics to Lucas oil stadium between 8 a.m. and 12 p.m. not

only will you be helping the environment you'll also have the chance to

win a Colts autographed item meet Colts cheerleaders and blue in the first 400

cars will receive a free clear stadium bag and stadium cup visit Colts.com

slash recycle to learn more all right Matt it is time for the forum credit

union question of the week and it is this after the first wave of free

agency are the Colts better now than they were at the end of the 2025 season

thanks for the layup I know right I mean to say they're definitively better I

think to be fair I'm not trying to cop out of the question or the answer here

but I think that's only going to be fairly answered by October or November

this upcoming season right me if they're eight and two are better than yeah

they're better but the only thing you can say now definitively is that they're

different yeah right I mean offensively they bring back nine of eleven

starters defensively though is where they've had to make a bunch of tough

decisions reinforce the interior of the defensive line they took a big swing

for Tray Hendrickson it they didn't land it they you know mentioned that this

week at the owners meetings now they're going to have to rely on that pass

rush by committee and hope again that layout too lot to can take that big jump

it's one of those things we'll have to see I mean the biggest questions right

now for the Colts is what's Daniel Jones going to look like at the beginning of

the season coming off the the torna killies and is the pass rush going to be

consistent enough to affect the game those to me are the biggest questions to

answer as to whether or not the Colts are definitively better than they were

last year yeah I think it's a well said because a lot of the you know you

talk about defensively when you just look at it on paper I mean it's really

hard to find that concrete evidence that you're better or worse because

there's just a lot of unproven things there not necessarily saying that it

can't be proven right it's just you got to see some evidence before you can

fully say that when you lose you know Ziya Franklin's germane Pratt still a

free agent also offensively you know Michael Pittman goes away a lot of that is

is why you know I agree with you completely that October November you can

really decide on where this team is well there you go the forum credit union

question of the week and fans you can visit the forum credit union fan forum

section of Colts.com to interact with other fans online post a topic and

participate in various discussions regarding the Colts forum credit union helping

members live their financial dreams the busy weekend in Indianapolis we've got

bunnies and we've got basketball the bees baby here we go Easter weekend with

the final four in Indianapolis I can't wait for it all it's going to be a lot of

fun I hope you got the Easter eggs ready and packed and ready to go for your

kiddos packed and ready to go here we go all right well up next we've got

Pacers and Hornets for Matt Taylor I'm Casey value thanks a lot for joining us

here on the last word ninety three five one oh seven five the fan