Ballard is a mid level GM, he’s not elite, nor good or bad. His current record is 48-57-1. The Luck excuse no longer works because if a team like the Eagles can go to the Super Bowl twice in a 5 year span with 2 different QBs the Colts should have been able to provide some type of improvement
He crushed this last draft, I’m not sure how it is his fault so many guys are injured and Rodgers gambled, but okay
I truly think his major flaw is being too conservative with free agency. Drafting is always going to be a crapshoot, and I think they do OK at that. But the Colts, since Trent Richardson (I like to forget the QB stuff) have rarely made a big trade or FA signing. The Eagles do this constantly, for example.
He is not Top 3, but is definitely a Top 12/15 GM in this league. He had never the chance to build a team around a franchise QB or draft one. Cutting him, to hope the next one is Top 5, would be awful. This years draft class looks amazing so far - again.
He has done a great job over the last 5 years. I was never disappointed directly after a draft. Always felt his decission were the right approach and very well thought-out. He never had a real draft bust. He always got good talent in the draft - espacially in the late rounds. At the end its on the players to make the best out of their talent. You can‘t put stuff like Isiah Rodgers, Khari Willis or Andrew Luck on a GM.
I really hope we keep him.