Colts' Ballard Hyped for Offseason, Eyes Draft with Holdouts

0:00On April 20th, Indianapolis Colts kicked off their first off-season workout this week, and General Manager Chris Ballard was hyped to see most of the squad back. Key guys like quarterback Daniel Jones, rehabbing from a torn Achilles last December showed up strong. Receiver Alec Pierce, fresh off ankle surgery, and pro-bowl defensive tackle DeForest Buttner, post-back surgery were there to all on track with. Recovery Ballard singled out Jones as the standout, saying he's throwing and moving great after signing that two-year 88 million dollar extension. No rushing him though, they're aiming for week one, but letting his body lead. With the NFL draft starting Thursday, Ballard's eyes are already shifting gears. Only two no-shows, cornerback Kenny Moore, the second and quarterback Anthony Richardson, both pushing for trades. Moore's a homegrown pro-bowler in Captain, who's flourished here since undrafted days, but at 30 years old, with 13.1 million on the cap he wants out.

1:03Richardson, the fourth overall pick in 2023, has struggled 50.6% completions, more picks than touchdowns, injuries, limiting him to 17 games. Ballard respects both deeply, especially more as a community pillar, but talks with other teams haven't panned out yet. With Jones sideline and Richardson training solo in Jacksonville, second-year guy Riley Leonard steps up with the starters. Plus, rookies like Cornerback Justin Wally and Safety Hunter Wooler are healthy now, potentially filling gaps. Expect Ballard dialing non-stop around the draft. Indie holds seven picks, starting at 47 and round two. He's all about staying active, trading up or back for more ammo, maybe even packaging deals for those holdouts. The cults are plotting moves to build deeper.