What are my Colts going to do at QB?
Options are becoming more limited each week. Who is left? Who can we go get?
Indianapolis is Super Bowl Contender.
Put any top 5 QB with the Colts' roster, and nobody thinks twice about that statement. Carson Wentz was not quite good enough, but he was not far off. The Colts ended the season 9-8, with only two losses to non-playoff teams (Seahawks with a healthy Russell Wilson and Ravens with a healthy Lamar in OT).
Five of those losses (Rams, Buccaneers, Titans, Raiders, Ravens) were one possession losses. The Colts' point differential on the year was +86. If it was not for an absolute collapse against Jacksonville in the last game of the season, the Colts would have made it to the playoffs and
They have the money to bring in whoever they want AND go get you whichever receivers they want. They have a sound offensive line (when healthy). They have Jonathan Taylor who will carry the load. They have a win-now roster on the defensive side of the ball and the AFC South may be the weakest division in the NFL. People want to play in Indy. I was so excited when there were rumors about trading for Kirk Cousins. He is one of the best play action QBs in the league, and getting another threat to go alongside Michael Pittman and a healthy Parris Campbell would have made for a dangerous offense. However, Kirk has signed an extension with Minnesota. Derek Carr is another possibility, but I don't see Vegas letting him go. Jimmy Garoppolo is the next best option. The problem is that the Colts don't have much to trade. Most picks have been ruined by the Carson Wentz experiment. I think Jimmy G would be an upgrade from Wentz, but not by a lot. The Colts are definitely in the market for someone who takes care of the ball, which excludes Jameis Winston and puts Trubisky in a grey area. The Texans are not going to trade Deshaun Watson within the division. The Colts are also trying to avoid another one-year guy which probably puts Teddy Bridgewater, Marcus Mariota, Tyrod Taylor, and Andy Dalton out of the conversation due to their battle scars. There are three other names that I can see the Colts making a trade offer for in the coming weeks:
Jared Goff - let's not forget that Jared Goff led the Rams to the Super Bowl in 2018. When he was at his best with the Rams, his greatest asset was Todd Gurley in his prime. He understands the run-first mentality but has the ability to read the defense and make sound throws. I'm not sure that Goff is a huge upgrade over Wentz but he's a move that could add to the team's overall goal of being efficient behind Jonathan Taylor.
Jalen Hurts - The Eagles have been shopping Hurts a lot this offseason. The Colts have made it obvious that they want to commit to the running game. Jalen Hurts led one of the best running teams in the league in 2021. His passing stats from last year are deceiving because they were one of the only teams with a worse receiving group than the Colts. I would be intrigued if the Colts went this route.
Gardner Minshew - Interestingly enough, Minshew also plays for the Eagles. Minshew never really did anything but earn a starting job in the NFL. Injury set him back but the Jaguars sat him down when he came back strong to tank for Trevor Lawrence. Minshew was then traded to the Eagles behind their 2nd year guy in Hurts. When opportunities presented, Minshew made plays and grabbed a much needed win for the Eagles. I would not say he is an upgrade from Wentz, but it would be an intriguing move. I always love to see worthy athletes get a second shot.
Nobody is going to ask me, but I still think the Colts' best move would be to trade for Kirk Cousins despite his extension with Minnesota. He has several years left in the tank, the Colts can afford the upgrade, and he will add so much to the play action game, which is just going to make things better for Jonathan Taylor.
I also may be a little bias as Kirk is a personal friend of mine and I would immediately buy season tickets if he were to come to Indiana.
(this video was two price changes ago, but the program is still a fun way to rip)
