INDIANAPOLIS – Chris Ballard was hired as the Colts general manager on Sunday, Jan. 29.
At the end of his first week on the job, Ballard phoned his scouting staff scattered all across the United States.
It was time for everyone to gather in Indianapolis.
A thorough roster dissection and formulating the off-season plan for the Colts was needed.
So on Tuesday, Feb. 7, the Colts scouting department began 17 straight days of meetings. From 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., Ballard and his staff have prepared for the events that are lurking ahead on the highway.
The NFL Combine (starting Tuesday) and free agency (starting a week from Thursday) are the first major events for Ballard's tenure as a new general manger.
This week's Combine will see Ballard and Chuck Pagano both meet the media.
Ballard's media session will come Wednesday afternoon at 3:00 p.m. Questions about pending free agents, the 2017 draft depth and overall roster impressions after further evaluation will all come at Ballard.
Pagano will speak on Thursday at 10:00 a.m. for the first time since the 2016 season ended. A timetable on Andrew Luck's recovery, possible position changes and where improvement must occur this offseason will all be topics for the soon-to-be sixth-year head coach.
The bulk of the pertinent Colts' information will end on Thursday.
But Friday will have one more important off-season detail.
On Friday, the NFL will have a coin toss to decide who will select 14th or 15th overall in the 2017 NFL Draft. The Colts and Vikings (who are trading their first-round pick to the Eagles) are in limbo, after both teams finished 8-8 last season and had identical strength of schedule percentage. Next up is a coin toss to see who will pick where in April. That will occur Friday.
Outside of the Colts, there will be some other local flavor at this year's Combine.
Here are the local prospects participating in the coming week:
Indiana
OG-Dan Feeney (Indiana)
RB-Devine Redding (Indiana)**
Marian**
WR-Krishawn Hogan (Marian, Warren Central High School)**
Notre Dame**
DT-Jarron Jones (Notre Dame)
QB-DeShone Kizer (Notre Dame)
DT-Isaac Rochell (Notre Dame)**
Local High School**
C-Jon Toth (Kentucky, Brebeuf High School)
The analysis from those producing content on Colts.com does not necessarily represent the thoughts of the Indianapolis Colts organization. Any conjecture, analysis or opinions formed by Colts.com content creators is not based on inside knowledge gained from team officials, players or staff.
For the first time ever, you can get in on the action like never before at the new NFL Combine Experience, March 2-5 at the Indiana Convention Center. Watch the bench press up-close; listen to interviews with NFL prospects, coaches and GMs; and be a part of a free fan festival complete with player autographs, virtual reality, the 40yard dash, and more. Get your free tickets at NFL.com/CombineFMP.*
