INDIANAPOLIS -- The final month of the NFL offseason has arrived. At this time next month, the Indianapolis Colts will be at Anderson University for training camp.
There’s been plenty of hype -- and deservedly so -- surrounding the additions the Colts made during the offseason. On the flip side of that, there’s also several players and a head coach who have plenty of pressure on them next season. It could be because a player is in the final year of his contract, has failed to live up to expectations or has a teammate breathing down his neck for his starting spot.
We’ll start our countdown looking at No. 10.
RB Vick Ballard
2014 stats: Did not play.
Why the pressure: Ballard led the Colts in rushing as a rookie in 2012 with 814 yards. The Colts thought they had found their running back to go with quarterback Andrew Luck for years to come. But then the injuries started. Ballard missed most of the 2013 season after tearing his ACL after Week 1. He missed the entire 2014 season when he tore his Achilles in training camp last season. The Colts, in the meantime, signed veteran Frank Gore and drafted Josh Robinson. Plus, Daniel “Boom” Herron proved that he’s a serviceable running back in the NFL last season, so playing time is far from guaranteed for Ballard.
What Ballard has to do: Remain healthy, overcome the mental obstacle of previous injuries and produce. Sounds simple, but it’s going to be a challenge for Ballard because he’s only played one game in the past two seasons. How long will it take for him to play and not think about his knee or Achilles when he puts the pads? The Colts aren’t going to wait around for Ballard. They can’t wait. They have their sights set on winning the Super Bowl next season.
Quotable: “I think the only thing he needs to do is just get a mindset to have a devil-may-care mindset. Because if you think about getting hurt or you’re concerned about getting hurt again, then you probably will. That’s something where the mental toughness, and he’s a tough kid, that’s where mental toughness comes into play I think and just mental discipline.” -- Colts GM Ryan Grigson