Chris Ballard Combine Presser Recap
INDIANAPOLIS – Another Combine in Indianapolis brings a 9th home game for Chris Ballard, as he begins another offseason as the general manager of the Colts.
Ballard had his annual Combine press conference on Tuesday evening.
What did Ballard have to say at the 2025 Combine?
-Veteran right tackle Braden Smith (personal) does want to keep playing football, according to Ballard. But it does appear the Colts still have a decision to make on Smith’s contractual situation. Smith, who turns 29 next month, is heading into the final year of a contract with a $19 million cap hit. Do the Colts want to retain Smith, but feel the need to restructure that contract? Do they view that number too high and want to give Matt Goncalves, who is playing on a rookie contract, a permanent look at right tackle? It sounds like this Smith situation now is more in the hands of the Colts, with Ballard stating the 7th year right tackle wants to keep playing after being away from the team for the final month and a half of the season.
-Speaking of the offensive line, Ballard said he will meet with Ryan Kelly’s representation this week at the Combine, and Kelly himself next week. Kelly, 31, is a free agent after the team decided not to give him an extension prior to the start of the 2024 season. Is the center of 2025 going to be Kelly for a 10th season or second-year center Tanor Bortolini?
-The Colts have a desire to bring back 4th year guard Will Fries, who I have pinned as the most important in-house free agent. Fries broke his leg in early October. Ballard had high praise for the work ethic Fries has, especially in his current rehab situation. “Hopefully we can get something done,” is how Ballard described the Fries’ free agency status,
-Chris Ballard said it will be an “open competition” at quarterback, in whoever they bring in alongside Anthony Richardson. Stylistically, Ballard said he doesn’t feel a need to get a similar play style as Richardson in the upcoming QB move, stressing the offensive staff’s ability to cater their system around different signal callers (i.e. Gardner Minshew and Joe Flacco). Ballard said he’s open to all avenues in acquiring another quarterback (free agency, trade, draft), with Joe Flacco and Sam Ehlinger both free agents. The Colts have informed Anthony Richardson of their plans to make such a move this offseason. What it looks like and how serious of a challenger that tuns out to be remains to be seen.
-When it comes to the specific fundamental improvements for Richardson, Ballard says the focus is on the young QB’s footwork in becoming a more accurate thrower. Richardson’s training continues to take place down in Florida as off-season contact between team and player is very limited this time of year, per NFL rules. The Colts will reconvene on April 21st for their offseason program.
-According to the general manger, one should expect the Colts new defense to be more multiple and more aggressive from a front standpoint. Shane Steichen added on Tuesday that Lou Anarumo has a history of taking away an opponent’s best player and playing more press man coverage. It sounds like Ballard is intrigued by the return of DE-Samson Ebukam (coming off a torn Achilles), as some have pegged him as a potential salary cap cut guy. That didn’t sound like Ballard’s tone on Tuesday. Ballard is looking forward to seeing how Anarumo uses Laiatu Latu in Year 2.
-The 2025 draft depth doesn’t appear to have anywhere near the high-end offensive skill talent that we saw in last year’s draft. Ballard does like the depth in the trenches (middle rounds for the offensive and throughout for the defensive line), at tight end and in the secondary.
-“I need to make the team better.” Chris Ballard reiterated this general theme twice when asked about his off-season plans in Year 9. Back in January, Ballard was adamant that changes would be coming to his staunch approach of “running it back, building through the draft, continuity reigns, etc.” The words weren’t as abundant on Tuesday, but the general idea of new blood to this roster appears to be on the horizon. Free agency is less than two weeks away.
-Among the positions Ballard said the Colts needed to add: running back, tight end and defensive back (was asked about all 3).
