After a tumultuous season, the Indianapolis Colts and quarterback Carson Wentz finally divorced.
On Wednesday, Indianapolis traded Wentz to the Washington Commanders for multiple valuable Day 2 draft picks. Also, Washington is taking on Wentz’s full 2022-23 salary, which opened up $28.3 million in cap relief for the Colts.
How exactly did the Colts and Wentz end up in this awkward position one year after originally trading away a third-round pick and future first-round pick (No. 16 overall)? According to The Athletic’s Zak Keefer, it wasn’t solely because of on-field performance where Wentz wilted with a playoff berth on the line in Jacksonville.
The Colts reportedly weren’t fans of Wentz’s lack of leadership ability, plus he refused to be coached hard by his former offensive coordinator Frank Reich.
Throwing 27 touchdowns to only seven interceptions in his lone season in Indianapolis, the box score numbers don’t exactly paint a bad picture of Wentz. If anything, it shows Wentz is still a capable starting-caliber NFL quarterback when everything is built competently around him.
Where it went wrong for Wentz was in the most important moments, a true lack of being able to thrive within chaotic situations. Wentz simply lacks the key traits Indianapolis covets in the face of its franchise.
In games against the Tennessee Titans, New England Patriots, Las Vegas Raiders and Jacksonville Jaguars, all arguably must-win throughout the Colts’ up-and-down season, Wentz was the crutch to their success.
Here’s how Wentz’s numbers fared in those four outings where Indianapolis finished 1-3: Six touchdowns, four interceptions, 5.3 yards per attempt, 53.1% completion percentage. Wentz was the anchor to the Colts achieving postseason success, not the other way around.
Colts owner Jim Irsay was so irate with Wentz that he refused to speak to Wentz after the quarterback requested to, according to The Athletic. That alone speaks volumes to how fed up the Colts were with the Wentz saga after less than one calendar year.
After moving off Wentz, what comes next for the Colts? With a team ready to make a deep postseason push with the right quarterback, which options stand out the most from an already thinning pool?
Derek Carr
The Raiders have made sure to let it be known publicly they are not shopping Carr. However, the Seattle Seahawks said the exact same thing during the NFL Scouting Combine before trading Russell Wilson only a few days later to the Denver Broncos.
Is Indianapolis working behind the scenes to make a splashy move like Carr? Honestly, it makes a lot of sense, but the question, as always, comes down to potential compensation.
Carr would bring a stabilizing presence to the Colts’ offense in desperate need of one. Carr is an extremely accurate quarterback who is a galvanizing leader in the locker room as well. Colts head coach Frank Reich covets two statistics more than most for his quarterbacks: completion percentage and yards per attempt. Carr is excellent in both of those categories, which would be a welcome addition within Reich’s explosive offense.
The question is, will the Raiders actually trade Carr? The AFC West is historically loaded with elite quarterback play. Patrick Mahomes, Justin Herbert and Wilson are now all alongside Carr in a loaded division. Will the Raiders continue to push forward and pay Carr upwards of $40 million annually or decide to bottom out in the short-term?
It’s something to monitor, because NFL Network’s Rich Eisen has mentioned Indianapolis is interested in Carr.
“They’re going to try and maybe go YOLO for Derek Carr,” Eisen said on his show on Wednesday.
Among the most realistic upgrade options for the Colts, Carr certainly checks all the boxes with emphasis.
Jimmy Garoppolo
Only a few minutes after the Wentz trade was officially announced on Wednesday, NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport immediately pointed to the Colts being aggressive in the quarterback market. One name Rapoport mentioned was San Francisco 49ers signal-caller Jimmy Garoppolo.
After San Francisco traded for Trey Lance last season, the baton is now being passed to a new quarterback in the bay. Garoppolo enters the market as one of the top options, and one that actually fits very well within Indianapolis’ system.
The Colts could be viewed as the AFC version of San Francisco. Not only does Indianapolis have the power running game with superstar Jonathan Taylor, but they also have a top-10 defense with multiple game-changers on that side of the field (Darius Leonard, DeForest Buckner, Kenny Moore).
Yes, the Colts come nowhere close to the offensive weapons the 49ers had with Deebo Samuel and George Kittle, but a league-leading $70 million in cap space gives them a perfect opportunity to reload around Garoppolo.
Compared to Wentz, Garoppolo is the polar opposite. Not only is he less volatile, but he takes what the defense gives him in passing situations. If the Colts simply have a consistently steady presence, it would do wonders for their passing attack.
Keep an eye on this one, because Jimmy G to Indy makes way too much sense from all angles.
Veteran Stopgap + Rookie
Outside of making a big move for Carr or Garoppolo, what actually is out there for Indianapolis to upgrade from Wentz? In short, nothing much at all. If there’s a “Plan C” for the Colts to enact post-Wentz, here’s an idea that’s crossed my mind. What about a veteran free agent alongside a Day 2 draft pick? If the Colts take a conservative approach at quarterback, this route could seriously be in play.
The free agent crop for quarterbacks is not great, which is headlined by the following: Jameis Winston, Marcus Mariota, and Mitchell Trubisky. What if the Colts signed Mariota then drafted a prospect many have compared to him in Cincinnati’s Desmond Ridder at No. 42 overall?
It’s not a sexy solution, but it paints a clearer picture of what’s next for the Colts at quarterback. Mariota would be a temporary starter before giving way to Ridder in this scenario.
Whichever names you want to clump together via free agency and the draft, Indianapolis could decide to go in this direction as a safer bet.
For a team in win-now mode, though, does this strategy appease Colts ownership?
The Wentz era is now officially done in Indianapolis. After a rollercoaster ride for a full year, the Colts decided enough was enough with the 2016 No. 2 overall pick. And it’s a damning indictment for Wentz that the coach he trusted most decided to cut bait this soon as well.
