Since Shane Steichen was hired on Feb. 14, the Indianapolis Colts have looked to the future. Questions about staff, coaching philosophy, and what the makeup of the team will be have loomed large.
Among the questions the team has mulled over includes what to do at the quarterback position. If the team has been listening to fans, they’ll notice a common theme: angst.
Fans are frustrated and growing restless by the day because, like leadership, they want more for their beloved franchise.
At the end of the season, general manager Chris Ballard said the quiet parts out loud, lamenting about failing the organization and needing to “get it right.”
But what does “right” look like? Should the team attempt to trade for a highly intriguing veteran in Lamar Jackson, or should they take a chance in the 2023 NFL draft with several prospects expected to be available when the team picks at No. 4 overall?
The answer is not easy.
Ballard understands that whatever decision he lays at the feet of owner Jim Irsay will be met with a microscope.
Undertaking another veteran quarterback means the team would likely have to be convinced that the quarterback can elevate the team tremendously and is worth the cost of acquiring him.
Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson presents an intriguing choice.
The quarterback is at a crossroads with the Ravens over his perceived value and has asked for a trade, seemingly making him available for quarterback-needy teams like the Colts. At a minimum, the Colts would need to give up two first-round draft picks and present a contract that the Ravens are not likely to match, which could include guarantees of over $130 million.
If the team opts not to trade for the savvy veteran, they can turn their eyes to the 2023 draft where they have an opportunity to draft a young franchise quarterback who they can build around.
Drafting a quarterback means he won’t have the proven record, knowledge, or quite the skillset Jackson has, but he will have potential and upside. Also, it’s worth mentioning that such a choice is much more cost-friendly to the team moving forward.
What will the Colts do?
The answer will largely remain unknown for the next several weeks, but leadership has given hints about their thinking and why at the very least, this will continue to be an ongoing process.
On Monday, when asked about Lamar Jackson, Ballard said: “Any time at that position when you got a chance to acquire a guy, you got to do your work on it to see if it’s doable. Sometimes it is, sometimes it’s not.”
Owner Jim Irsay shared that his desire to get younger has existed since the days of Phillip Rivers. He also said that while he is not ruling out Jackson, cap implications and draft picks decide to pursue that much more challenging.
From these insights, Ballard and Irsay will do their homework on Jackson, but something fans should keep in mind: Ballard has yet to have the opportunity to draft a quarterback with the intent for that player to start and for the franchise to build around him.
With an owner wanting to get younger so that his team can formidably compete with the heavyweights of the NFL, Ballard likely will leave no stone unturned to bring that vision to life.
He recently shared some revealing thoughts for fans to understand where his mind is.
“Everybody talks about the top four, but there are some more guys out there…I think history has shown here, especially in the last few years, with Jalen (Hurts) being one and Brock Purdy coming in and playing well; they come at every level. We’ll do our work on every one of them, and…we’ll try to get one that we like and fits us, and we think we can win with.”
