Chris Ballard, general manager of the Colts, is willing to trade picks up or down if the circumstances…

Chris Ballard, general manager of the Colts, is willing to trade picks up or down if the circumstances warrant it.

The teams that could move up into the top few picks have been the focus of most pre-draft talk leading up to Thursday’s festivities. However, Indianapolis Colts general manager Chris Ballard joked Friday during his pre-draft news conference that it appears reporters already expect him to trade down because he can “already see the article.”

Ballard made it plain that, despite his humor, he currently believes that, depending on the circumstances, the Colts may go in any direction in the order.

“I simply kind of forget about history. You already know that your chances of hitting are better the more picks you have. Naturally, you won’t hit on every one of them, but it increases your chances of

As he mentioned, over his seven seasons as general manager of the Colts, Ballard has made significant deals in both directions, bringing some of the team’s core players to Indianapolis through a well-planned choice exchange. He gained access to the No. 41 overall pick in 2020 after striking a deal with the Browns. Naturally, Taylor has been a key member of the offense since he joined the squad. Additionally, the Colts selected wide receiver Michael Pittman earlier in the same draft with a second-round selection they obtained by trading out of the first round in 2019. The wide receiver just inked a new agreement after rewarding them with two seasons of 1,000 or more receiving yards.