The Indianapolis Colts have agreed to terms on a one-year contract with free-agent quarterback Philip Rivers on Tuesday, per Adam Schefter of ESPN.
In what was one of the most anticipated moves of the offseason for the Colts, Rivers is joining his former offensive coordinator, who is now the head coach in Frank Reich.
After Jacoby Brissett failed to prove he could be the long-term option under center, the Colts were forced to take a look at the quarterback market. Rivers and the Los Angeles Chargers opted for a mutual parting after 16 seasons, and it seems the Colts had their eye on him all along.
Rivers has been an aggressive passer in his career and would be an upgrade over Brissett. The Colts are likely giving both a chance to compete for the starting spot, but given the money Rivers is commanding, he’s likely the favorite to start on paper.
Rivers saw some setbacks to his production in 2019. He completed 66% of his passes for 4,615 yards, 23 touchdowns and 20 interceptions. His style of play is vastly different than what the Colts saw with Brissett, who is much more conservative.
A day after trading for DeForest Buckner, the Colts appear to be going all-in by signing Rivers to be their quarterback for the short-term future.
