With Carson Wentz now in Washington, the Colts need to find their quarterback of the future. Their lack of a first round pick in this year’s draft means they will miss out on the top quarterback prospects. That, coupled with the lack of quality in this year’s crop, means they will likely look to another veteran. Here are their three best options for a new signal caller.
1. Baker Mayfield
It isn’t every day you get chance to trade for a former No. 1 overall pick, but with Deshaun Watson now in Cleveland, Mayfield looks set to move on. He is coming off a disappointing 2021 season that was hampered by injuries, and that is no doubt going to worry some fans. He is also in the final year of his contract, meaning that any trade would likely involve the Colts committing to a long-term deal.
That said, there are plenty of reasons that this would be a smart move for the Colts. Mayfield may have been inconsistent, but he has flashed the ability to perform at a high level throughout his time in Cleveland. In 2020 he ranked ninth in quarterback efficiency and big-time throw rate. His 3% turnover-worthy play rate was also amongst the lowest at the position.
If Mayfield can get back to full fitness, he has shown that he can be an above average quarterback. The Colts also operate a run-heavy offense with plenty of play action that should suit Mayfield’s skillset. With the asking price apparently set at just a day two pick and the chance to potentially sign him to a cost-effective extension, Mayfield is the best option the Colts have this offseason.
2. Matt Ryan
If the Colts want to go for a more experienced option, they could do far worse than Matt Ryan. The former MVP has been a quality starter throughout his NFL career and would be a reliable, if not wholly exciting option moving forward. The Colts took a similar approach with Philip Rivers in 2020 and that move saw them make the postseason, so it wouldn’t be surprising if Chris Ballard tried to repeat that with Ryan.
Ryan is coming off a down year in 2021, but he wasn’t helped by the loss of Julio Jones and Calvin Ridley’s departure half way through the season. He finished up with 3,968 passing yards, with 20 touchdowns and 12 interceptions. This might not be the most exciting stat line, but Ryan has been a reliable option ever since he entered the league, posting a 75+ PFF grade in every season since 2010.
The big question with Ryan is whether or not the Falcons are willing to make the move. With no obvious alternative on the roster, this move would be reliant on them starting over with a rookie in this year’s draft. The Falcons would also have to absorb a hefty cap hit – even with a post-June 1st trade, Ryan would still count almost $25m against Atlanta’s cap. If this all works out though, the Colts have a veteran signal caller on a cheap deal for the next two seasons.
3. Jimmy Garoppolo
Garoppolo doesn’t offer the upside of Mayfield, nor does he offer the record of Ryan. That said, he has consistently shown himself to be a solid starter at the NFL level. His two full seasons as the 49ers’ quarterback both ended with the team reaching the NFC Championship game. In 2019 they even made the Super Bowl itself. Whilst Garoppolo wasn’t the driving force behind these runs, he does enough to keep the offense ticking. That kind of safe and steady pair of hands may be just what the Colts are looking for.
There is also the fact that Garoppolo has seen success playing in a run-heavy offense and is comfortable with many of the passing concepts the Colts run. He is also likely to be considerably cheaper to acquire than both Mayfield and Ryan. That said, for many fans it will be difficult to get Garoppolo’s awful 2021 postseason performance out of their minds. There will also be worries about his alarming 4.6% turnover-worthy play rate last season. With just one year left on his contract, Garoppolo would be a short-term fix for this Colts team.
