The Colts opted to make a change at general manager relatively late in the hiring cycle when they dismissed Ryan Grigson on Jan. 21, but they quickly developed an eye for his replacement after a brief period of soul searching.
Eight days later, Indianapolis made the hiring of Chris Ballard, the Chiefs' director of football operations, official.
Ballard, who seemed to have edged out Colts vice president of football operations Jimmy Raye III for the job, has been with the Chiefs' and Bears' organizations since 2001.