Irsay: Colts Considering Trades

After serving a six-week suspension, Colts owner Jim Irsay was allowed to return to work last week, and he didn’t waste any time in getting involved again in the football operations of the club. As Stephen Holder of the Indianapolis Star writes, Irsay met this week with general manager Ryan Grigson and head coach Chuck Pagano to discuss opportunities to improve the roster during the season.

“Obviously we’re taking it a game at a time, but this week Ryan and Chuck and I met and talked about anything we can do before the trade deadline [or] past the trade deadline in terms of having some young, ascending players who might be able to help us… and do whatever we can to get that edge,” Irsay said. “Obviously health is going to play a big role in how we move forward. If we can stay relatively healthy, I think this team really has something special. That’s what I’m focused on. It’s exciting to see.”

The free agent market doesn’t currently feature many potential difference-makers, so if the Colts intend to aggressively upgrade any position, it would likely have to happen by way of a trade. This year’s deadline is 12 days away, and as we saw last year, when the team sent a first-round pick to the Browns for Trent Richardson, Indianapolis won’t hesitate to make a major move if the opportunity arises.

Of course, as Holder points out, Grigson is aiming to stockpile draft picks for 2015 rather than giving them up, so dealing picks for an impact player isn’t as likely this time around. With pricey contract extensions on the horizon for a few players, including quarterback Andrew Luck, those draft picks will be valuable, since they’ll allow the club to collect inexpensive pieces to complement those high-priced players.

Still, with Irsay potentially pushing for upgrades, the Colts shouldn’t be overlooked as a possible player at the October 28 deadline. The Colts owner told reporters that he thinks his team has a chance “to do something special this year,” so if there’s a player available who could help Indianapolis in the second half and the postseason, expect the club to at least kick the tires.

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