Chris Ballard Voted As PFWA's 2018 NFL Executive Of The Year
The Professional Football Writers of America today announced that Indianapolis Colts general manager Chris Ballard has been voted by its members as the 2018 NFL Executive of the Year.
Jake Arthur
Colts.com Contributor
INDIANAPOLIS — After a decorated year on the field for the Indianapolis Colts in 2018, it's no longer just their players winning awards this postseason.
On Thursday, the Professional Football Writers of America announced that Colts general manager Chris Ballard was voted by its members as the 2018 NFL Executive of the Year.
Indianapolis Colts general manager Chris Ballard, whose moves helped the Colts earn an AFC playoff spot for the first time since 2014 with a 10-6 record, was selected as the 2018 NFL Executive of the Year.
— Pro Football Writers (@PFWAwriters) January 17, 2019
CONGRATS to my GM Chris Ballard! Pro Football Writer's Association 2018 NFL EXECUTIVE OF THE YEAR.
— Jim Irsay (@JimIrsay) January 17, 2019
The rise to such recognition in 2018 started the year prior, however.
Although the Colts struggled to finish out games as a team in 2017, finishing with a 4-12 record, Ballard — then a rookie general manager — helped set the franchise up well for the future by acquiring veterans who could play at a high level immediately, while also supplementing the roster with quality, young talent.
In 2018, he took his game to the next level.
While the year didn't get off to the most ideal of starts after Josh McDaniels backed out of an agreement to become the team's new head coach, Ballard more than recovered by hiring Frank Reich, who would reward the team by turning himself into a top candidate for the NFL's Coach of the Year award, leading the team to the playoffs after starting the season with a 1-5 record.
Ballard's 2018 NFL Draft, meanwhile, was one of the best overall hauls the NFL has seen in a while. Before the draft, he made a trade with the New York Jets to send the Colts' No. 3 overall pick to New York for its No. 6 overall pick, two 2018 second-round picks and a 2019 second-rounder.
Ballard's first two picks — No. 6 overall pick Quenton Nelson and No. 36 overall pick Darius Leonard — would become the first rookie teammates to be named First-Team All-Pro since Dick Butkus and Gale Sayers with the Chicago Bears in 1965. Nelson, Leonard and No. 37-overall pick Braden Smith have all made just about any 2018 All-Rookie Team that you can find.
All 11 draft picks in 2018 remain with the team — as well as three of their original undrafted free agent signings — and most of them either contributed heavily as rookies or even became regular starters.
When free agency came around, the noise from outside got loud as the Colts refused to blindly throw their large sum of cap space at free agents that didn't fit their locker room culture, their schemes or with players who demanded too much over their positional budget.
Ballard & Co. stuck to their convictions and came out with some major free agency wins, however, landing standouts like Denico Autry and Eric Ebron; Ebron led all NFL tight ends in touchdowns and made the Pro Bowl, while Autry led the team with 9.0 sacks and became a Pro Bowl alternate.
However, some of the Colts' in-season free-agent pickups were just as important — guys like Dontrelle Inman and Mike Mitchell.
"I have learned he's a man of high character, a man of integrity, a straight shooter," Reich said of Ballard. "That's what I love most about Chris (Ballard). He does not hesitate to tell you the truth, but he just has a good way of doing it. I really appreciate him a lot.
"I have leaned on him a lot in my first year," Reich continued. "Obviously, that relationship is very key between the two of us and it's one that I think the chemistry is about as good as it can be. I trust him implicitly with everything. I think he's top notch in every way."
Ballard represents the fifth Colts general manager to take home the PFWA's NFL Executive of the Year award since its inception in 1993, and joins Bill Polian (1999, 2005, 2009) and Ryan Grigson (2012).
Colts 2022 Position Recap: Running Backs
Jonathan Taylor battled through ankle injuries while Zack Moss was a late-season bright spot for the Colts' running backs in 2022.
Colts 2022 Position Recap: Quarterbacks
The Colts changed starting quarterbacks four times during the 2022 season but did not get the results they hoped for, finishing with the NFL's second-lowest points per game average.
Colts 2023 NFL Mock Draft Monday: Jan. 30, Pre-Senior Bowl
Mock Draft Monday, our weekly roundup of experts' predictions for who the Colts will take in the NFL Draft, is back with the Senior Bowl on the horizon. Check it out below.
Colts' Dallis Flowers Named To PFWA All-Rookie Team
Flowers, who led the NFL in yards per kickoff return, was named to the PFWA's All-Rookie Team as a kick returner.
Colts 2023 Head Coach Search: Full List Of Interviews, Candidates
The Colts over the last few weeks have conducted several interviews for the team's head coaching position. Here's a recap of where things stand:
Colts 2023 NFL Mock Draft Monday: Jan. 23
Mock Draft Monday, our weekly roundup of experts' predictions for who the Colts will take in the NFL Draft, is back for 2023 this week with a focus on quarterbacks, as well as a few Day 2 selections. Check it out below.
Colts Interview New York Giants Defensive Coordinator Don 'Wink' Martindale For Head Coach Position
Martindale's aggressive defense helped propel the Giants to the playoffs in 2022.
Colts Interview New York Giants Offensive Coordinator Mike Kafka For Head Coach Position
Kafka spent five seasons coaching for Andy Reid with the Kansas City Chiefs before joining the Giants in 2022.
Colts Interview Dallas Cowboys Defensive Coordinator Dan Quinn For Head Coach Position
Quinn's Cowboys defense has helped Dallas reach the playoffs in each of the last two seasons.
Colts Interview Cincinnati Bengals Offensive Coordinator Brian Callahan For Head Coach Position
The Bengals' offense, under Callahan, has ranked seventh in points per game in each of the last two seasons.
Colts Interview Green Bay Packers Special Teams Coordinator Rich Bisaccia For Head Coach Position
Bisaccia has 21 years of experience as an NFL special teams coordinator.
Colts Interview Jeff Saturday For Head Coach Position
Saturday spent the final eight games of the 2022 season as the Colts' interim head coach.