Colts sign former Chiefs Super Bowl champion WR after firing GM Chris Ballard

1 week ago 21

After a brutal Week 6 loss, the Indianapolis Colts decided to fire general manager Chris Ballard. A loss to the winless Tennessee Titans was the final straw, as the Colts now begin to transition into a new era for the organization.

So, what's next after firing Ballard? To start, it could come in the form of correcting some of the mistakes Ballard has made recently. One of the more egregious mistakes has been the team's wide receiver room.

While not a season-altering move, the Colts have announced that they've signed former Kansas City Chiefs Super Bowl champion wide receiver Mecole Hardman to the practice squad, along with signing Pro Bowl punter Thomas Morstead, as the Colts make their first moves after Ballard was fired.

Colts sign Mecole Hardman, Thomas Morstead in first moves after firing Chris Ballard

"We have signed WR Mecole Hardman Jr. and P Thomas Morstead to the practice squad," the Colts announced Tuesday. "We have also released WR Eli Pancol from the practice squad."

This Colts team could use a lot of help, and while neither Morstead nor Hardman is likely to make a noticeable difference, these are still two noteworthy moves.

Morstead is a former Pro Bowl punter who won a Super Bowl with the Saints back in 2009, when he was a rookie at just 23 years old. Now at 40 years old, Morstead is an interesting addition to the Colts' practice squad.

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But the more notable move is the signing of Hardman. The three-time Super Bowl champion and one-time Pro Bowler is joining a Colts team that could use all the wide receiver help it can get.

Josh Downs and Keenan Allen aren't enough to make up a competitive WR room. Laquon Treadwell is better as depth than as a key cog of the offense, which he's become since the Alec Pierce injury.

Rookie Deion Burks saw some real opportunity in Week 6, which isn't necessarily a bad thing, but it made clear that the Colts could really use another wide receiver.

Hardman is a solid veteran presence who should help out a shaky Colts WR room this season. It's a low-risk move for the Colts, who are the first in the post-Ballard era.