It was in his most recent pre-draft press conference that Chris Ballard, the general manager of the Indianapolis Colts, wittily noted that reporters seem to already anticipate a potential trade down.
While Ballard made this statement in light-hearted jest, he did hint at the possibility of the Colts changing their standing in the order if the opportunity seems beneficial.
Colts general manager Chris Ballard open to trading up or down in draft order if situation is righthttps://t.co/cSWXhciNNA pic.twitter.com/VpWFWBi9kx
— Around The NFL (@AroundTheNFL) April 21, 2024
In the words of Chris Ballard, “History, I just go off history … the more picks you have, the better chance you have to hit.” Now, of course, you’re not going to hit on all of them, but it gives you more of a chance to hit,” Ballard said. “Look, we’ve moved up, we moved up for Jonathan Taylor. When we see one that’s in striking distance that we think we can go get, we’ll do it. But it’s got to work out. And then you’ve got to have too, you’ve got to have somebody that wants to make the trade.”
Despite acknowledging that not all picks will be successful, he advocates for a strategy of quantity in order to increase chances of success.
As a testament to this philosophy, Ballard pointed to past trades made during his seven-season stint as the Colts’ GM.
Some of the franchise’s key components found their way to Indianapolis through ingenious pick exchanges masterminded by Ballard.
The 2020 deal with the Browns is a significant instance underlining Ballard’s astute strategy. Moving up to the overall No. 41 pick, Ballard fetched Taylor, who has proved instrumental to the Colts’ offensive functions.
Moreover, wide receiver Michael Pittman was brought into the team after an advantageous first-round trade-off in 2019.
Pittman’s contribution has been invaluable, as indicated by two consecutive 100+ receiving yard seasons. The team’s move concerning this year’s No. 15 pick rests on the first few draft selections.
Ballard left the possibility open of trading up for an exceptional game-changer, while also considering the prospect of trading down to venture for potential hidden gems.
At present, the Colts have only seven selection chances, with a sparse four teams slated for fewer turns.
Consequently, the idea of increasing their draft capital via trade-offs could be an attractive option for the team.
