Surprise! Matt Ryan Trade Named Colts' Best Move of Offseason
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In today's NFL, it's often said that you don't have anything if you don't have a quarterback.
Gone are the days when serious teams built a rock-solid roster and hoped to plug in a pedestrian quarterback while still getting to the Super Bowl. Now, it's almost a quarterback-or-nothing approach if you hope to get anywhere.
That's a big reason why the Indianapolis Colts made a trade for quarterback Matt Ryan earlier this offseason, prying him away from Atlanta after 14 seasons with the Falcons.
The Colts actually did already have a well-rounded roster but they got a firsthand look last season at how things can go wrong when you don't have reliable quarterback play. While the burden wasn't solely on the shoulders of former quarterback Carson Wentz, the Colts went from the hottest team in the NFL to missing the playoffs altogether, and Wentz shriveled during the collapse.
The Colts' trade for Ryan — one of the most consistent passers in the league for over a decade — was a largely celebrated move. Most recently, Pro Football Focus declared it the Colts' best move of the offseason:
TRADING FOR QB MATT RYAN
The Colts will once again have a new starting quarterback under center in 2022, marking the fifth straight season they’ll trot out a different option in Week 1.
Indianapolis and general manager Chris Ballard undoubtedly deserve criticism for trading a second- and future first-round pick to the Philadelphia Eagles for quarterback Carson Wentz, but they mitigated the damage as much as possible this offseason.
By acquiring two third-round picks from the Washington Commanders for Wentz, and using the latter of those picks to acquire Ryan, Indianapolis upgraded at the quarterback position hopefully for the foreseeable future (though Ryan will be 37 years old in 2022).
Despite his increased age, Ryan earned a 95.0 grade on passes thrown 10-plus yards downfield in 2021, fourth among quarterbacks. This is behind the 31st-ranked pass-blocking offensive line in the NFL, with rookie Kyle Pitts as his top receiving weapon following the loss of Calvin Ridley after just five games. Ryan will be a major upgrade for Frank Reich’s offense and could push Indianapolis right back into the playoffs.
The Colts have made some significant moves this offseason, such as trading for Yannick Ngakoue and his 55.5 career sacks or signing former Defensive Player of the Year Stephon Gilmore, but nothing else they've done moves the needle as much as adding Ryan.
It's safe to say that Colts head coach Frank Reich certainly likes what he's seen from his new quarterback so far throughout the offseason program, organized team activities, and minicamp.
“Matt was unbelievable, did a great job, great command – really, A-Z," Reich told reporters last month. "He did everything right – just great leadership, great play. I mean the whole way he took command, great collaborating as an offensive staff with him to kind of work in and nuance some of the things we do to kind of suit him and his style...”
The Colts feature an offense with three pillars on the line in Quenton Nelson, Ryan Kelly, and Braden Smith, one of the NFL's best running back tandems featuring Jonathan Taylor and Nyheim Hines, a 1,000-yard receiver in Michael Pittman Jr., and several players viewed to have untapped potential.
On the defensive side of the ball, all three levels feature an All-Pro in defensive tackle DeForest Buckner, linebacker Darius Leonard, and Gilmore at cornerback, and have plenty of other young talent waiting to hit their prime.
The man pulling the strings is Reich, who is revered for his work with reliable, cerebral quarterbacks in the past such as Andrew Luck and Philip Rivers, leading many to believe that Reich, Ryan, and the Colts are destined for big things in 2022.
Add a former NFL MVP like Ryan into the mix and that roster might just make a deep playoff run.
Was the Colts' trade for Ryan the team's best move of the offseason? Drop your thoughts below in the comment section!
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