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In a shocking turn of events, the Indianapolis Colts announced on Monday that quarterback Sam Ehlinger would be the starting quarterback in place of injured veteran Matt Ryan for the remainder of the 2022 NFL season. Though the move is somewhat puzzling on the surface, Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk shed some light on Tuesday as to why this move makes sense for the franchise. Of course, it's all about the money and ensuring Ryan's shoulder injury doesn't get worse.
To distill the situation, the language of Ryan's contract stipulates that he is already owed a guaranteed $12 million base salary in 2023. More guaranteed money to the tune of around $7 million would be added if Ryan sustained an injury that would cause him to fail a physical in March 2023, on top of another roster bonus of $10 million guaranteed for injury. In total, a near-$17 million would be owed to Ryan by the Colts if he further damages his already-hurt shoulder by playing this year and he cannot pass a physical next spring.
Plainly speaking, the Colts would be risking giving their veteran quarterback more than double the amount of money he's already owed on the books for 2023 if he keeps playing and hurts himself long-term. On the bench, Matt Ryan can heal his shoulder and increase his chances of being able to pass a physical in a few months that would save the franchise a ton of cash.
Presently, the Colts hold a 3-3-1 record on the 2022 NFL season and still hold firm in second place in the AFC South division. However, how the team will perform with a second-year signal-caller, who has never started an NFL game before, remains to be seen. Ehlinger appeared in three games in his rookie campaign in 2021, attempting zero passes.
