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Indianapolis Colts News & Rumors

Colts GM Chris Ballard Addresses Possible Trade-Up

March 3rd, 2023 at 3:15pm CST by Adam La Rose

Free agency has yet to begin, but plenty of interest already surrounds this year’s draft with the top pick up for sale. A number of teams could be in play to move up the board, particularly those in need of a franchise quarterback.

The Colts certainly fit that description, and as the current owners of the fourth overall pick, they are well-positioned to land one of the class’ top signal-callers. A trade up the board is something which general manager Chris Ballard spoke about in January, inviting questions about whether Indianapolis will make a push to acquire the top selection. He spoke further on the subject at the combine.

“I know all the speculation out there,” Ballard said, via ESPN’s Stephen Holder. “To move up, there’s got to be a guy worthy of it… Everybody has just automatically stamped that you’ve got to move up to [No.] 1 to get it right. I don’t know if I agree with that. But that’s going to be the narrative, and that’s OK.”

The Bears own the top pick, but Ryan Poles has repeatedly voiced his support of quarterback Justin Fields, lending further to the expectation that they will move down the board. With the Texans slated to pick second overall, and facing a dire need for a long-term solution under center, any team wishing to move ahead of them will need to pay Chicago a steep price. Doing so will likely be necessary to have the option of drafting Bryce Young, widely seen as the top QB in the 2023 class.

Owner Jim Irsay made his thoughts on the Alabama product known shortly after Shane Steichen was introduced as the Colts’ new head coach. The latter’s track record of working with young passers played a role in his hire, and his tenure in Indianapolis will all-but assuredly begin with a rookie under center. That could be Young if the Colts are willing and able to move up the board, but other high-end options at the position will still be available if they stay at No. 4. C.J. Stroud, Will Levis and Anthony Richardson are among the top tier of quarterbacks alongside Young, though several teams in the top 10 will be active in maneuvering to acquire them.

Ballard repeated that he would be willing to pull off a major trade if the Colts were fully committed to Young at the top of the board. A deal involving the No. 1 pick would be a significant development at any time, of course, but it might come in this case before free agency begins later this month. Regardless of how the Bears’ plans shake out, the Colts will be a team to watch through to Day 1 of the draft.

Coaching Notes: Chiefs, Colts, Clay, Zampese

March 3rd, 2023 at 9:56am CST by Sam Robinson

As Matt Nagy returns to the offensive coordinator post he held from 2016-17, the Chiefs are promoting his lieutenant. Former assistant quarterbacks coach David Girardi will replace Nagy as QBs coach, Andy Reid confirmed this week. Girardi has been the Chiefs’ assistant QBs coach for the past two years, working under Nagy and Mike Kafka. He previously served as a quality control assistant in Kansas City, moving to the NFL from Division I-FCS Lafayette College. Girardi will now move closer to a potential OC position, seeing as four Reid assistants have either become HCs or OCs elsewhere during his time in Missouri.

Here is the latest from the coaching ranks:

  • Ken Zampese interviewed for the Commanders‘ OC job, and while the recent Washington QBs coach will be staying with the team, he will not remain in that position under Bieniemy . Zampese, a former Bengals OC, is moving to the role of senior offensive advisor/game management. He has been with the team throughout Ron Rivera‘s tenure. Bieniemy is bringing in Tavita Pritchard to become the Commanders’ next QBs coach. This previously rumored hire will take Pritchard from his longtime place on David Shaw‘s Stanford staff. Formerly an assistant under Shaw and Jim Harbaugh, Pritchard spent the past five seasons as the Pac-12 program’s OC.
  • Previously the QBs coach on Kliff Kingsbury‘s Cardinals staff, one that did not employ an OC, Cam Turner is joining the Colts. Shane Steichen is hiring Turner to be Indianapolis’ QBs coach, Tom Pelissero of NFL.com tweets. Turner, 35, was previously with the Panthers prior to the four-year Arizona stay; he will replace Scott Milanovich in Indy. The Colts are also hiring Tony Sparano Jr. as their offensive line coach, Art Stapleton of the Bergen Record notes (on Twitter). The second-generation NFL coach spent last season as the Giants‘ assistant O-line coach; he had held that role with the Jaguars and Panthers previously. Sparano, 36, joins ex-Giants running backs coach DeAndre Smith as Steichen Colts hires.
  • Although the Eagles became the first team since the Bengals nine years ago to see both their OC and DC become head coaches in the same offseason, the NFC champs are retaining their third coordinator. ST boss Michael Clay will also receive a new contract. The Eagles are adding a year to Clay’s deal and giving him a raise, Aaron Wilson of KPRC2 tweets. Clay, 31, has been with the team since 2021.
  • Sean Payton is hiring former Northwestern running backs coach Lou Ayeni to work in the same role for the Broncos, Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com tweets. Northwestern HC Pat Fitzgerald has been on the NFL radar for a bit, and the Wildcats will lose their second assistant to the NFL this offseason. Ryan Smith is now the Cardinals’ DBs coach. Ayeni has worked mostly at the college level, being the run-game coordinator at Iowa State during David Montgomery‘s tenure.
  • Ravens outside linebackers coach Rob Leonard will join the Raiders‘ staff, per John Harbaugh. Leonard is joining Josh McDaniels‘ assistant cadre as linebackers coach. Leonard joined the Ravens in 2022, having spent the previous three seasons on Brian Flores‘ Dolphins staff. He spent the previous six years with the Giants. The Ravens are still searching for wide receivers and safeties coaches, The Athletic’s Jeff Zrebiec adds. Harbaugh said internal hires are possible there (Twitter link).
  • The Commanders are also reshuffling a bit on their defensive staff. Brent Vieselmeyer will rise to the role of secondary coach, with Christian Garcia set to be the team’s assistant DBs coach. Vieselmeyer will replace Chris Harris, who received DC interest this offseason before moving to Tennessee’s staff as the team’s cornerbacks coach.

OL Austin Blythe Announces Retirement

February 28th, 2023 at 7:24pm CST by Sam Robinson

After an off-grid season in Kansas City as a backup, Austin Blythe returned to a role as a steady starter with Seattle. He will make that Seahawks season a one-off, however.

Blythe announced Tuesday he will retire after seven NFL seasons (Instagram link). The 30-year-old blocker was set to be a free agent, coming off a full season as the Seahawks’ starting center.

Sneaking onto the draft radar in 2016, Blythe managed to become a regular starter as a seventh-round pick. The ex-Iowa blocker ended up making 66 starts during his seven-year career, the final 17 (plus a playoff outing in San Francisco) came with the Seahawks. Seattle gave Blythe a one-year, $4MM deal to come over from Kansas City, where he backed up rookie standout Creed Humphrey in 2021. Blythe made sure the Seahawks had that center position, one that had gone through some inconsistency in recent years, covered.

A Colts draftee, Blythe will be best remembered for his Rams work. Indianapolis waived Blythe shortly after the 2017 draft, but Los Angeles claimed him in advance of Sean McVay‘s first season. Blythe worked as a backup for the 2017 Rams but started for their Super Bowl LIII-qualifying 2018 iteration and L.A.’s ensuing two squads. The Rams brought him back on a one-year deal in 2020, and Pro Football Focus graded that as a top-10 center season.

The Rams had moved Blythe from guard to center midway through his L.A. tenure, but the versatility did not bring much interest in 2021. Pete Carroll said that Blythe was ready to walk away last year, but some among the Seahawks convinced him to return. Blythe reunited with ex-Rams assistants Shane Waldron and Andy Dickerson with the Seahawks. Carroll had said Blythe previously expressed interest in re-signing with the Seahawks, via the Seattle Times’ Bob Condotta, but his Tuesday announcement will lead the team to look into other options at snapper.

2023 Offensive/Defensive Coordinator Search Tracker

February 28th, 2023 at 2:45pm CST by Sam Robinson

As the head coaching carousel spun for several weeks, many teams made coordinator changes as well. Teams seeking new head coaches are conducting OC and DC searches, and a handful of other teams that did not make HC changes are also searching for top assistants.

This is a big year for offensive coordinator hires, with nearly half the league making changes. Here are the teams searching for new OCs and DCs. As new searches emerge, they will be added to the list.

Updated 3-1-23 (3:31pm CT)

Offensive Coordinators

Arizona Cardinals 

Baltimore Ravens (Out: Greg Roman)

Carolina Panthers (Out: Ben McAdoo)

  • Thomas Brown, tight ends coach, (Rams): Hired
  • Jim Bob Cooter, passing-game coordinator (Jaguars): Interviewed

Dallas Cowboys (Out: Kellen Moore)

  • Brian Angelichio, tight ends coach (Vikings): Interviewed 2/2
  • Thomas Brown, tight ends coach (Rams): Interviewed
  • Jeff Nixon, running backs coach (Panthers): Interviewed
  • Brian Schottenheimer, offensive consultant (Cowboys): Hired

Denver Broncos (Out: Justin Outten)

Houston Texans (Out: Pep Hamilton)

Indianapolis Colts (Out: Parks Frazier)

  • Jim Bob Cooter, passing-game coordinator (Jaguars): Hired
  • Tee Martin, wide receivers coach (Ravens): Interview requested

Kansas City Chiefs (Out: Eric Bieniemy)

  • Matt Nagy, quarterbacks coach (Chiefs): Hired

Los Angeles Chargers (Out: Joe Lombardi)

Los Angeles Rams (Out: Liam Coen)

New York Jets (Out: Mike LaFleur)

Philadelphia Eagles (Out: Shane Steichen)

Tampa Bay Buccaneers (Out: Byron Leftwich)

Tennessee Titans (Out: Todd Downing)

Washington Commanders (Out: Scott Turner)

Defensive Coordinators

Arizona Cardinals (Out: Vance Joseph)

Atlanta Falcons (Out: Dean Pees)

Buffalo Bills (Out: Leslie Frazier)

Carolina Panthers (Out: Al Holcomb)

  • Ejiro Evero, former defensive coordinator (Broncos): Hired
  • Vic Fangio, former head coach (Broncos): Interviewed
  • Marquand Manuel, safeties coach (Jets): Interviewed
  • Kris Richard, co-defensive coordinator (Saints): Interviewed

Denver Broncos

Houston Texans 

Los Angeles Chargers (Out: Renaldo Hill)

  • Derrick Ansley, defensive backs coach (Chargers): Promoted
  • Doug Belk, defensive coordinator (Houston): Interviewed
  • DeMarcus Covington, defensive line coach (Patriots): Interviewed

Miami Dolphins (Out: Josh Boyer)

Minnesota Vikings (Out: Ed Donatell)

New Orleans Saints (Out: Ryan Nielsen, Kris Richard)

  • Joe Woods, former defensive coordinator (Browns): Hired

Philadelphia Eagles (Out: Jonathan Gannon)

San Francisco 49ers (Out: DeMeco Ryans)

  • Vic Fangio, former head coach (Broncos): On radar
  • Chris Harris, defensive backs coach (Commanders): Interviewed 1/31
  • Kris Kocurek, defensive line coach (49ers): On radar
  • Steve Wilks, former interim head coach (Panthers): Hired

Colts To Retain DC Gus Bradley

February 27th, 2023 at 10:58am CST by Adam La Rose

The Colts have undergone several changes on the sidelines this offseason, but their defense will be led by a familiar face. Gus Bradley will remain in place as the team’s defensive coordinator, as reported (on Twitter) by ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler.

[RELATED: Colts Hire Cooter As OC]

The 56-year-old joined the Colts last offseason after Matt Eberflus took the head coaching job in Chicago. He and the unit carried significant expectations heading into the season, but hardly anything went according to plan in 2022 in Indianapolis. The team’s midseason firing of Frank Reich was followed by a freefall under Jeff Saturday, leaving them with a 4-12-1 record.

The offense was at the heart of much of the Colts’ struggles, of course, as the acquisition of Matt Ryan didn’t stabilize the quarterback position. Defensively, Indianapolis had a mixed bag of results; the team surrendered just over 25 points per game, which ranked 30th in the league, but they finished mid-pack in terms of yards allowed. Bradley’s unit also fared relatively well against the run and posted 44 sacks.

Upon the hiring of Shane Steichen as head coach and offensive play-caller, attention turned to whether or not Bradley and his staff would remain in place. The pair worked together with the Chargers from 2017-20, so it came as little surprise that the Colts blocked Bradley from pursuing other coordinator vacancies. Steichen did not firmly commit one way or the other with respect to Bradley’s future during his introductory press conference.

Given the interest he and other Colts HC candidates had in keeping Bradley, though, this news represents an expected outcome. Continuity will likely be a welcomed sight on a staff which has a new head coach and offensive coordinator, and the former Jaguars bench boss will work for at least a second season in his fourth DC position. A rebound on offense will no doubt help Bradley and the Colts’ defense in 2023, a campaign in which the team will be expected to take a significant step forward.

AFC Coaching Notes: Fangio, Colts, Jaguars

February 24th, 2023 at 9:18am CST by Adam La Rose

At 64, Vic Fangio is closer to the end of his coaching career than the beginning. However, his decision to take the Dolphins‘ defensive coordinator position should not be considered a short-term commitment.

“I still have a lot of coaching left in me,” Fangio said, via Kevin Patra of NFL.com. “It’s not like I’m thinking about retirement or anything. Somebody asked, ‘How much longer are you gonna do this?’ I don’t know. It might be 10 years, if they’ll have me here for 10 years.”

After a delay between when his Miami deal was first reported and when he officially accepted it, Fangio reportedly became the league’s highest-paid coordinator. Expectations will be raised in Miami, with the former Broncos head coach and celebrated defensive mind taking charge of a unit which struggled in 2022. Fangio’s new defense has number of intriguing players on it with plenty of upside. Regardless of their performance, Fangio, who signed a three-year contract, is eyeing a lengthy stay in the Sunshine State.

Here are some other coaching updates from the AFC:

  • The Colts have seen plenty of turnover on their staff, one now led by Shane Steichen. The latest addition is DeAndre Smith, whom Pat Leonard of the New York Daily News tweets is leaving the Giants’ staff to head to Indianapolis. Smith spent last season as the Giants’ running backs coach and will work in the same capacity with the Colts. The 54-year-old assistant’s tenure in New York last year marked his first NFL coaching gig, following more than two decades spent in the college ranks; Smith will now reunite with Steichen, after the pair worked together at UNLV in 2009.
  • Steichen is not planning to make wholesale changes on offense. One assistant who is expected to stay put: franchise icon Reggie Wayne (Twitter link via The Athletic’s Zak Keefer). Wayne, who played for the Colts for 14 seasons en route to becoming a Hall of Fame finalist, began his coaching career this past season as Indianapolis’ wide receivers coach and will likely remain in that role in 2023.
  • The Jaguars lost Jim Bob Cooter earlier this week when he made the intra-divisional move to the Colts to become Indy’s offensive coordinator. Jacksonville found a replacement in Nick Holz (Twitter link via Mia O’Brien of 1010 XL). The veteran staffer spent 10 seasons as an NFL coach, all with the Raiders; his tenure with the team ended in 2021 after he worked as its assistant wide receivers coach. Holz spent the past season as the OC at UNLV and will now be paired alongside Jaguars OC (and close friend) Press Taylor.
  • After yet another injury-filled season, the Chargers are making a change on the training side. They are moving on from longtime athletic trainer Damon Mitchell, Adam Schefter of ESPN.com tweets. Mitchell had spent past six years as the team’s trainer and had been with the organization long before the injury-prone stigma entered the equation, spending the past 24 years in San Diego and Los Angeles.

Browns To Hire Bubba Ventrone As Special Teams Coordinator

February 23rd, 2023 at 9:26am CST by Sam Robinson

Bubba Ventrone spent the past five seasons in Indianapolis and interviewed for the franchise’s head coaching job last month, but he will be moving soon. The Browns are hiring him as special teams coordinator, Jonathan Jones of CBS Sports tweets.

For Ventrone, this will be a return trip. His longest stint as a player came in Cleveland, where he played from 2009-12. The former special-teamer will now head up the Browns’ ST operation. Ventrone will also be an assistant head coach in Cleveland, per Mary Kay Cabot of the Cleveland Plain Dealer, who notes that bump helped convince the well-regarded staffer to sign on with the Browns (Twitter link).

The Browns interviewed Ventrone, 40, this week for the position. They also met with Giants assistant special teams coach Anthony Blevins and former return ace Leon Washington, per NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport (on Twitter). Washington has spent the past two seasons as the Jets’ assistant special teams coach.

Amid one of the most disappointing seasons in Colts history, they still charted as the eighth-best special teams unit on veteran NFL reporter Rick Gosselin’s annual list. (The Browns ranked 18th here in 2022.) The Colts were a top-five unit on Gosselin’s 2020 and 2021 lists. George Odum and Ashton Dulin earned All-Pro acclaim during that span, as did long snapper Luke Rhodes.

The Colts firing Frank Reich midway through this past season opened the door for most of his assistants to leave. Ventrone will return to the organization that signed him in 2009 and gave him a three-year extension in 2010. Ventrone had attended Shane Steichen‘s introductory press conference, and Mike Chappell of CBS4 notes the Colts attempted to convince him to stay; he was still under contract with the team. But they eventually permitted the Browns interview. Several players wanted Ventrone to be the interim HC, Zak Keefer of The Athletic tweets, but Jim Irsay of course gave that position to Jeff Saturday.

Cleveland dismissed Mike Priefer as its ST coordinator earlier this week. A veteran ST coordinator, Priefer had spent the past four seasons in this position. The Browns kept the Cleveland native on from Freddie Kitchens‘ staff, though Priefer had worked extensively with Kevin Stefanski in Minnesota during the 2010s. Still, Stefanski will now go with Ventrone; the two have not previously worked together. A 10-year NFL veteran, Ventrone began his coaching foray as the Patriots’ assistant special teams coach from 2015-17.

Minor NFL Transactions: 2/22/23

February 22nd, 2023 at 5:40pm CST by Ely Allen

Here are some minor transactions from around the league today:

Atlanta Falcons

Chicago Bears

Cincinnati Bengals

Dallas Cowboys

Indianapolis Colts

New Orleans Saints

Pittsburgh Steelers

AFC Coaching Notes: Ventrone, Browns, Broncos, Joseph, Raiders, Dolphins, Texans

February 22nd, 2023 at 2:03pm CST by Sam Robinson

After the Colts changed coaching staffs, Bubba Ventrone will have an opportunity to land on his feet. The Indianapolis special teams coordinator is on track to interview with the Browns, and ESPN.com’s Stephen Holder tweets the Colts are expecting to lose him to the Cleveland job. Ventrone spent five seasons in Indianapolis and is a well-regarded ST coordinator. The Browns are also interviewing Giants assistant special teams coach Anthony Blevins, Jonathan Jones of CBS Sports tweets. That meeting is expected to commence via Zoom today, per CBS Sports’ Josina Anderson (on Twitter). The Browns fired ST coordinator Mike Preiffer earlier this week. Blevins has been with the Giants for the past five years.

Here is the latest from the coaching ranks:

  • Prior to the Cardinals making Nick Rallis the NFL’s youngest active coordinator, at 29, the Broncos had him on their radar. Denver showed interest in the former Philadelphia linebackers coach, Troy Renck of Denver7 notes. Rallis is a cool 31 years younger than the favorite to land the Denver job (Rex Ryan), but the Broncos are still eyeing Vance Joseph. Despite being fired after two seasons as Denver’s HC, Joseph is interested in coming back, Renck adds. The Eagles also have eyes on the ex-Cardinals DC; they are finishing up a two-day interview Wednesday.
  • The Colts are hiring University of Cincinnati offensive coordinator Tom Manning as their tight ends coach, Aaron Wilson of KPRC tweets. This will be a reunion for Manning, who was on Frank Reich‘s first Colts staff as tight ends coach. Manning had recently accepted Cincinnati’s offer to be its OC, coming over after a four-year stay on Matt Campbell‘s Iowa State staff. The ex-Cyclones OC drew interest from multiple NFL teams, per Wilson.
  • The Browns will look to the college ranks as well. They are set to hire Utah State defensive coordinator Ephraim Banda to be their safeties coach, according to ESPN’s Pete Thamel (Twitter links). Prior to his two-year run in Utah, Banda spent the previous two seasons as the University of Miami’s co-DC.
  • To fill their safeties coach post, the Dolphins are adding Eagles assistant Joe Kasper, Cameron Wolfe of NFL.com tweets. Kasper joined the Eagles’ staff in Nick Sirianni‘s first year; this will be a move up the ladder, bringing positional responsibilities Kasper’s way for the first time.
  • The Raiders fired defensive line coach Frank Okam, Vincent Bonsignore of the Las Vegas Review-Journal notes. A former NFL D-lineman, Okam came to Las Vegas after two years on Matt Rhule‘s Carolina staff. The Raiders struggled on defense for most of the season, dropping from 14th to 28th in total defense. Rather than can DC Patrick Graham, the team is moving on from one of his lieutenants.
  • In addition to ST coordinator Frank Ross, the Texans are also retaining wide receivers coach Ben McDaniels, Wilson writes. The younger brother of Josh McDaniels, Ben has been with the Texans since Nick Caserio‘s 2021 arrival. While Ben McDaniels has never worked for the Patriots, Caserio has been close with Josh McDaniels for many years. The Texans promoted Ben McDaniels from assistant wideouts coach in 2022.
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