CB
Chris Ballard
GM since Jan 2017(9 years, 6 mo)
GM rankings — every move graded by contract value, sentiment, and fan votes.
F
F
F
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The Verdict on Chris, in One Read
On the Contract Value Index, Chris Ballard's front office has been significantly overpaying relative to production (F Contract Value Index). That ranks 25th of 32 on Sentiment among graded GMs. Reaction to the front office’s moves has been sharply negative (F Sentiment), drawn from current news and social signal. The crowd-sourced Fan Verdict currently sits at F.
About Chris Ballard
Background and career path of the Indianapolis Colts general manager.
Path to the role
Ballard played wide receiver at Wisconsin before knee injuries ended his career, then taught junior-high history and coached college football at Texas A&M–Kingsville before breaking into scouting. He spent 11 seasons with the Chicago Bears, rising to director of pro scouting, then moved to the Kansas City Chiefs, where he helped draft Travis Kelce, Tyreek Hill and Marcus Peters. The Indianapolis Colts hired him as general manager during the 2016 playoffs.
Philosophy & notable moves
Ballard won PFWA Executive of the Year in 2018 after his draft class produced Quenton Nelson and Shaquille Leonard — the first pair of rookie teammates named first-team All-Pro since 1965. His philosophy centers on building through the draft, accumulating picks and prioritizing the trenches, a steady approach grounded in his long apprenticeship as a scout.
Fun facts
- His 2018 draft produced Quenton Nelson and Shaquille Leonard, the first rookie teammates named first-team All-Pro since 1965.
- He taught junior-high history and coached college football before becoming an NFL scout.
- A lifelong Steelers fan growing up, his favorite player was Terry Bradshaw.
60
Transactions
60
Graded
0
Fan Votes
9 years
Tenure
League Comparison
#25
Sentiment Rank
of 32 GMs
#13
Most Active
60 moves
Contract Value
F
Poor contract value
OverpayFair ValueGreat Value
The Indianapolis Colts have been paying a premium this season, with several contracts that outpace the expected production level. Across 51 contracts, 3 grade out as good value and 5 look like overpays based on comparable deals around the league. The best bang-for-the-buck deal was Akeem Davis-Gaither (B) at $2.7M/yr — getting linebacker production well above the price point. The priciest commitment relative to production was Sean McKeon (D) at $1.2M/yr — the tight end market may have been richer than the on-field return suggests. Cap flexibility could become a concern if these contracts don't produce at the expected level.
Public Sentiment
F
Poor reception
NegativeMixedPositive
Indianapolis Colts' 2026 moves under Chris Ballard have drawn significant criticism from fans and media alike. Of 60 graded moves, 21 landed well with the fanbase, 28 drew mixed reactions, and 11 were viewed negatively. The standout move was bringing in Arden Key (A+), which generated the most positive buzz. The most questioned decision was the Colby Wooden trade (F), which drew the sharpest criticism. The fanbase remains split — some moves look promising while others need time to prove their worth.
Draft History (During Tenure)
Elite drafter — 90% hit rate (Rds 1-3)2026 Draft
All 2026 Transactions
News & Buzz
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About this general manager
Chris Ballard is the general manager of the Indianapolis Colts, in his 10th year as the lead executive. FanVerdicts covers every NFL GM and the full body of moves they've made — and asks fans to render the verdict. Cast your Fan Verdict on Chris Ballard, see where the crowd lands, and argue the call. FanVerdicts brings its own read too — the contract value of the deals they signed, the performance of the players they assembled, and the sentiment around recent moves — as one honest input alongside the crowd's. Where FanVerdicts has weighed in so far: Contract Value Index F, Performance C-, Sentiment F, Fan Verdict F.
Each GM grade is rolled up from the underlying transactions attributed to that GM's tenure. When a GM signs a player, that signing's Contract Value Index grade flows into the GM's portfolio score; the same player's subsequent performance and sentiment grades flow into the GM's respective summaries. Phased attribution applies for new GMs: the first three years weight the prior GM's legacy deals at 100%/66%/33%, ramping the new GM's ownership of roster outcomes.
For broader context, the NFL hub has team rankings, GM report cards, and the transactions feed. The NFL GM rankings page ranks every front office side-by-side on the same four dimensions.
