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The Indianapolis Colts have found themselves in a position that no team wants to be in. They are fighting in a world of mediocrity. And they hope to address the problem by adding a different veteran quarterback each season.
The Colts are now on their fifth starting quarterback in just as many seasons. Since losing star quarterback Andrew Luck to retirement in 2019, they have been in a state of disarray.
For a breakdown of the top 10 quarterbacks entering the 2022 NFL season, listen below:
Since Luck’s retirement, their starters heading into the season have been Jacoby Brissett, Philip Rivers, Carson Wentz, and now Matt Ryan. Each one has led the Colts to a season of mediocrity. They have always been good enough to be competitive, but this has prevented them from having a high draft pick. This, in turn, stops them from being able to draft any of the game's best young prospects.
They combat this issue by trading their picks for quarterbacks either near the end of their career, or those who are looking for another opportunity. This season will mark three straight years of the Colts taking this approach.
In 2020, they brought in a 39-year-old Philip Rivers. In what would be the final season of his career, Rivers led the Colts to an 11-5 record and a trip to the playoffs. He threw for 4,169 yards and 24 touchdowns. Unfortunately, their season ended in a Wild Card loss to the Buffalo Bills.
After the retirement of Rivers, the Colts were again in need of help at the quarterback position. They chose to trade for Carson Wentz. When they added Wentz, they hoped that he could reunite with former coordinator Frank Reich and play at a high level.
In his lone season with the Colts, Wentz threw for 3,563 yards, 27 touchdowns, and seven interceptions. He led the Colts to a record of 9-8, but unfortunately couldn't get them to the playoffs.
After the end of the season, the Colts sent Wentz to the Washington Commanders. They then traded for veteran Matt Ryan. The decision to add Ryan could haunt the Colts for the near future.
Why the Colts may regret trading for Matt Ryan
The Colts gave the Atlanta Falcons a third-round pick for Ryan. At age 37, he has already played 14 seasons in the NFL. Now entering year 15, the window could be small for Ryan and the Colts.
Since entering the NFL in 2008 as the third overall pick, Ryan has been one of the game's best passers. He has a career record of 120-102. The former MVP winner has thrown for 59,735 yards, 367 touchdowns, and 170 interceptions.
In 2021, his final season with the Falcons, he threw for 3,968 yards, 20 touchdowns, and 12 interceptions.
While Ryan was once capable of leading a team to a Super Bowl appearance, he hasn't been able to get back. He also hasn't posted a winning record since 2017. Now with the Colts, there’s no indication that he will be able to get them over the hump.
The Colts have assembled a solid, but fairly young roster. On the offensive side, they will be leaning heavily on running back Jonathan Taylor and wide receiver Michael Pittman Jr.
The real question will be what will happen if Ryan can't help the Colts make a Super Bowl push. As noted, they have been in a state of mediocrity for some time now. While Ryan will put them in a good position to win games, is that necessarily a good thing if they won't reach the Super Bowl.
With a draft class approach that is full of talented young quarterbacks, the Colts could find themselves missing out yet again. Matt Ryan still clearly has enough talent left in the tank to get this team to at least a Wild Card spot. If they were to make that push, they would be drafting in a spot that would all but take them out of contention for a top quarterback prospect.
So, yes, Ryan may be good for the Colts in 2022. But for this team, it is now Super Bowl or bust.
