Colts GM has funny warning about pre-draft comments

Feb 25, 2020; Indianapolis, Indiana, USA; Indianapolis Colts general manager Chris Ballard speaks to the media during the NFL Combine at the Indiana Convention Center. Mandatory Credit: Brian Spurlock-USA TODAY Sports

NFL team executives field a lot of questions about their thinking and targets in the weeks prior to the NFL Draft. Whether they’re telling the truth or not, however, is a fair question.

Colts general manager Chris Ballard took on a more honest approach Friday, humorously pointing out to the media one thing: everyone they talk to publicly is lying.

Chris Ballard: "Everybody's lying. I might be the most honest, unfortunately. But everyone is lying."

Is he telling the truth?

— Andrew Siciliano (@AndrewSiciliano) April 21, 2023

Colts GM Chris Ballard in his pre-draft press conference is asked about how much lying is happening at this point in the draft process:

"I don't lie. I'll either dance around the question or give you an answer.

"Today, I'm a dancer."

— Stephen Holder (@HolderStephen) April 21, 2023

“I don’t lie. I’ll either dance around the question or give you an answer,” Ballard clarified.

Ballard probably has a point. Even Colts owner Jim Irsay, who is known to be a straight shooter, is keeping things close to the vest when it comes to the team’s first-round pick. Pretty much everyone who speaks publicly is watching themselves closely to avoid giving too much away. That’s why you should probably take it with a grain of salt if a team goes out and confirms or denies a specific rumor.