At the league meetings last week, Colts owner Jim Irsay said “good things come out of the difficult things” while talking about the state of the team and pointed to accumulating draft picks as part of the process of getting back on track.
General Manager Chris Ballard struck a similar tone on PFT Live, saying that he thinks “we’re two good drafts away from really building up the core talent the way we want.” Ballard added that the team’s focus on the draft doesn’t mean that they won’t try to win now, but both men certainly sounded like they were interested in rebuilding the team.
Coach Frank Reich has a different view of his role. While rebuilding the roster may be a theme for the next couple of years, Reich is staying focused on results.
“I get that there’s certain positions in the organization where there are different perspectives,” Reich said, via the Indianapolis Star. “And I think it’s mature to be able to say something can be both hands. But as a coach, I’m not both hands. I’m not being paid to [see] both hands. Other guys are being paid to see the rebuilding and have the patience. I’m not being paid for that. There’s not one ounce of me being patient. There’s not one ounce of me that thinks we are in a rebuilding project. Every ounce of me feels that we are winning this year.”
Reich is coming off two years in Philadelphia that saw the team go from back-to-back 7-9 seasons to a Super Bowl title, so he has recent evidence of how quickly things can turn around. The Colts, who went 8-8 twice before going 4-12 last season, are following a different blueprint but aiming for something similar in the years to come.