Insider: Colts' Frank Reich doesn't want to hear about rebuilding

ORLANDO – Feel free to describe the Colts’ current status however you wish.

Rebuilding, retooling, reassessing. Whatever.

Just know this: Rookie coach Frank Reich is having none of it.

Even while his team’s general manager and owner are espousing the idea of rebuilding the roster and asking fans for patience through the process, Reich hit a much different note during the NFL’s annual meeting.

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You’re talking about a guy who is the ultimate competitor, who, as a player, stared down and overcame two of the biggest deficits in the history of the pro and college games.

You think Reich was focusing on “next year” when his Bills were down 35-3 in the third quarter against the Oilers in that legendary 1993 comeback he authored? Don’t let the nice-guy demeanor and his history as a minister fool you. Reich wants to win. And he wants it more than you probably know.

“I get that there’s certain positions in the organization where there are different perspectives,” Reich said in a nod to owner Jim Irsay and GM Chris Ballard. “And I think it’s mature to be able to say something can be both/and. But as a coach, I’m not both/and. I’m not being paid to be both/and. Other guys are being paid to see the rebuilding and have the patience. I’m not being paid for that. There’s not one ounce of me being patient. There’s not one ounce of me that thinks we are in a rebuilding project.

“Every ounce of me feels that we are winning this year.”

Say this for Reich: He’s not subtle. And why should he be? This is the guy who is getting sized for a Super Bowl ring after helping Philadelphia to a title in February as the Eagles’ offensive coordinator.

And you what else? He’s not wrong.

The NFL is famous for its unpredictability. It is the league where parity is king. This is hardly a prediction the Colts are suddenly Super Bowl-bound. They have much heavy lifting left to do.

But lost in the conversation around the rebuilding is the reality that quick turnarounds are a dime a dozen in the NFL.

“For the last 20-some years, there has been a team that has gone from last place to first place in their division, and then who knows what happens from there?” Reich said. “That’s the way we are wired. We’ve got to go. We’ve got to win this year. We were 4-12 last year. That can turn around with a few breaks, staying healthy, a few more players and we can get it done.”

It’s not hyperbole. Reich’s Eagles are a case study in exactly what he’s describing. They had middling 7-9 records in 2015 and 2016, getting an early start on their offseason vacations both years.

But in 2017, with some roster tinkering and in their second year under an impressive coaching staff, the Eagles propelled themselves to a 13-3 regular-season finish and Super Bowl title. The Eagles were one of three teams to increase their win total by at least 6 games and you have to go back to 1996 to find the last time at least one team didn't make such a turnaround.

Granted, Philadelphia is an extreme example. And the Colts’ situation is unique in that they are going to be a particularly young team, so few parallels likely exist here.

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But this does bring us to a related point. Ballard is the man spearheading this revamping of the roster, one that will lean heavily on young players, some of whom are yet to be drafted. Irsay in recent days referred to a “three-year window” that gives some context on how long all this might take.

And yet, Ballard is balancing his tempered expectations with a zeal for winning that isn’t much different than Reich’s.

“Are we trying to win? Damn right!” Ballard said. “Yeah, we’re trying to win. But who says you can’t do it with young players?

Optimism is great and all, but it must be based on something tangible. To that end, Ballard was asked whether he feels his team is currently better than the day he took the helm 14 months ago.

“I think so, because our young players have had a chance to grow,” he said. “So, now, all of a sudden you’re going to see a Quincy Wilson, Nate Hairston, Grover Stewart, all these young guys, hopefully they take another step. That’s how you take another step (as a team). The way players get better is by playing. It’s pretty simple. I think all of them showed they’re good enough to play in the league.

“I thought at the end of the year, it was fun to watch that young secondary play against Baltimore and Houston. And Baltimore was fighting for a playoff spot and we took them down to the wire. Was it good enough? No, it’s never acceptable to lose. But we got some young players, (Anthony) Walker, Kenny Moore, who we claimed, those guys got valuable experience that I think is going to benefit them moving forward.”

Add to that 18 selections in the next two drafts (the Colts are including an anticipated 2019 compensatory pick in that total), and the picture starts to take shape. If the young players get the kind of coaching Ballard thinks they will from the new staff, and the Colts can hit on their picks, the process doesn’t necessarily have to be a protracted one.

“Do we expect to just draft and go out and win the Super Bowl every year?” Ballard said. “No. But is that our goal? You’re damn right it is. But we just want to build it the right way.”

Find Colts Insider Stephen Holder on Twitter: @HolderStephen.