The Colts Are Now in Prime Position To Move Up For a Rookie Quarterback
The Carson Wentz era in Indianapolis is officially over. Adam Schefter reported today that the Indianapolis Colts have agreed to a trade to send Wentz to the Washington Commanders for draft picks.
The details of the trade are:
Colts Send:
- Carson Wentz
- 2022 2nd Round Pick (47th overall)
Commanders Send:
- 2022 Second Round Pick (42nd overall)
- 2022 Third Round Pick (73rd overall)
- 2022 Third Round Pick (That could become a 2nd with 70% or more snaps played by Wentz)
This was simply a home run of a deal for a Colts' team that was clearly ready to move on from Wentz. With this trade, the Colts now find themselves littered with valuable draft capital that could be used in a trade.
They currently possess the 42nd, 73rd, and 82nd picks in this upcoming draft along with an extra third (which could possibly be a second) in next year's draft. With this extra draft capital, the team is perfectly primed to trade back into the first round for a potential quarterback they like.
These types of deals are not uncommon, as a team trading from the second round into the first for a quarterback has happened seven times in the past 20 years. The most notable of these trades came when the Baltimore Ravens traded up for Lamar Jackson back in 2018.
Looking at the framework of that trade in particular could be an easy way to assess what the Colts would have to depart with to move back into the first. The Ravens gave up a 2018 second round pick (52nd overall), a 2019 second round pick, and a 2018 fourth round pick to move up to the 32nd pick to select Jackson.
If the Colts really like a quarterback in that range, they have plenty of ammunition to make that kind of move. In a class where every team will have a completely different ranking of these quarterbacks, it is very feasible to say that a guy Indy likes will be there late in the first round.
While there is obviously still a lot of time between now and the draft, this seems like the most logical outcome for the Colts this offseason. They should/could sign a stopgap veteran like Marcus Mariota or Teddy Bridgewater and select a quarterback in the late first after a trade up.
The one thing that is easy to say right now; If Chris Ballard is sold on a quarterback in this class, there is no reason at all for him not to go get his guy. He has the capital to finally make a move for a young quarterback in the draft.
It is time for the Colts to finally build around a rookie quarterback.
Follow Zach on Twitter @ZachHicks2.
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