Sam Ehlinger QB1: What It Means for the Colts’ Present and Future
It is hard to believe that we are only seven weeks into the season, and it feels as if the Indianapolis Colts are turning toward the future.
And yet, that is exactly what they did when head coach Frank Reich announced Monday that Sam Ehlinger would be the starting quarterback for the rest of the season. Matt Ryan, who the Colts acquired from the Atlanta Falcons in the spring, will be relegated to the bench for the rest of the season.
“Extremely difficult decision,” Reich said on Monday. “Obviously given the respect and admiration that we have for Matt Ryan and what he’s done and what he’s brought here. He is a pro’s pro. This guy is special, special, special. We know at the quarterback position that our poor production on offense is not on one person. It’s not on Matt Ryan. But we also know as Matt and I talked it though, as head coach and quarterback – as head coach ultimately it doesn’t matter, I’m judged on wins and losses. Quarterbacks are judged on points and production and turnovers. We understand that’s how it is in this league.”
Reich continued, “Excited for Sam and the opportunity this presents for him. We’ve always thought from Day One that Sam had some kind of special sauce. He’s continued to show it. I’ve been particularly impressed with Sam this year in practice once the season has started, the look he’s given on scout team, the quality of his throws, the way he’s commanding himself out there – the total package. Just feel like at this point that’s the best decision for our team going forward.”
The decision comes with the Colts 3-3-1 on the season after losing to the Tennessee Titans on Sunday, their fifth consecutive loss to the AFC South champs. But the decision to start Ehlinger goes much further than just another loss to the Titans. Instead, the decision comes as the franchise currently sits at a major crossroads.
Here is what the decision to start Ehlinger means for the Colts both now and in the future of this team.
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The Matt Ryan Experiment Has Failed
When the Colts traded for Ryan last spring, the hope was that the former NFL MVP would finally bring some stability to the quarterback position. Ryan would be Reich’s fifth different starting quarterback in five seasons, but the Colts hoped he could be the starter for at least the next two seasons. Pairing Ryan with the Colts’ stellar running game and a top-notch offensive line would be just what the team needed to make a deep playoff run.
It took all of seven games for the Colts’ plan to entirely fall apart.
Ryan and the Colts’ offense have been one of the worst in the NFL to begin the year. Ryan has been a turnover machine, leading the league in interceptions (nine) and fumbles (11). Ryan has also been sacked 24 times, which is tied for most in the NFL.
While Ryan has four fourth-quarter comebacks and three game-winning drives, the turnovers have been too much for the Colts to overcome on many occasions. His arm does not have the strength it once did, and Ryan is now dealing with a Grade-2 shoulder separation. The experiment has been nothing like the Colts envisioned.
While Ryan has had his troubles, the Colts have not held up their end of the bargain either. The offensive line has been an absolute mess, forcing Ryan to run for his life every Sunday while taking a beating in the process. Because the offensive line has struggled, the running game has provided very little production. Reich admitted as much this week.
“The other thing, this is another point that needs to be made crystal clear,” Reich emphasized, “And I told this to Matt, ‘Hey Matt, we did not hold up to our end of the bargain. You came here and we promised you a top-NFL rushing game and we promised you great protection and we haven’t really, as an offense, delivered on that,’ and that really starts with me.”
Ryan has likely played his last game in a Colts uniform. Even when he returns from injury, the Colts plan to start Ehlinger for the remainder of the season. The Colts will either trade Ryan, cut him, or the veteran will retire after the season. But this much is certain: Ryan will not be the Colts’ quarterback moving forward.
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Reich and Ballard are Fighting for Their Jobs
Who is to blame for the mess the Colts currently find themselves in? The correct answer is everyone, from the front office to the coaching staff to the players. But make no mistake, the brunt of the blame goes to the two men at the top in Reich and general manager Chris Ballard.
Starting with Ballard, the general manager did not do an adequate job of acquiring the players necessary to give Ryan the help he needed. Ballard has stressed the importance of the offensive line since he took the job as GM in 2017. Six years into his tenure, the offensive line looks as bad as it has ever been.
Ballard has not properly addressed the left tackle position since Anthony Castonzo retired in 2020. In 2021, he signed Eric Fisher, coming off a torn Achilles, over Charles Leno Jr., who has gone on to be a solid left tackle for the Washington Commanders. For 2022, Ballard did not bring in adequate competition at left tackle and instead handed Matt Pryor, a right guard for most of his career, the spot. Pryor has been abysmal this season.
The same can be said for the right guard position. Ballard let long-time starter Mark Glowinski and veteran Chris Reed walk out the door in favor of Danny Pinter, a backup center his whole career. Pinter lasted all of two games at right guard, and now the spot is manned by Pryor.
On top of all of this, the Colts are paying their offensive line a league-leading $42.2 million this season. These contracts have all been handed out by Ballard, and the Colts have little to show for it.
Reich is certainly not absolved from blame. It is his coaching staff that is charged with getting the offense, in particular the offensive line, ready to play each week. Yet the Colts have routinely struggled with communication issues and the inability to block stunts and twists as Ryan gets pummeled in the backfield.
Reich’s offensive line coach Chris Strausser has provided little proof that he can fix the issues plaguing his unit. The offensive line has progressively gotten worse since Strausser became the Colts’ offensive line coach, and has culminated with the unit looking beyond repair.
But it is not just the offensive line issues where Reich has failed the offense. Questionable play calling and a lack of creativity on offense have hindered the Colts’ ability to move the ball down the field. There have been questions as to why certain players are playing over others as well, making it seem like the Colts’ coaches are playing favorites rather than the players who give the Colts the best chance to win.
Altogether, the Colts under Ballard and Reich only have two playoff appearances, one playoff win, and zero division titles. With Ballard in his sixth year and Reich in his fifth, those numbers are unacceptable for a franchise that expects to be competing for championships. Instead, the Colts are regressing and look to be going nowhere.
The retirement of Andrew Luck back in 2019 undoubtedly set the franchise back and should be acknowledged when talking about what Ballard and Reich have had to overcome. But it is now 2022, and Luck’s retirement can no longer be used as an excuse. The Colts should be a much better team than they are at this point, and instead are talking about starting over again.
The bottom line is when the focus of the GM and the strength of the head coach have become the team’s worst qualities, changes need to be made. Those changes very well could include Ballard and Reich not being with the Colts after the season.
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Ehlinger Gets His Shot
Finally, we come to the man of the hour. The former sixth-round pick out of Texas will get his chance to prove that he can be the starter for the Colts moving forward. Ehlinger has plenty of fans in the locker room, and Reich believes he deserves this opportunity.
“This guy is special,” Reich explained. “You all know it, everybody knows it. Talk to anybody in that locker room and we’re fortunate to have a guy – really, three quarterbacks like that. Sam, he’s got that about him, he carries himself in a way, he practices in a way. He’ll be ready. He’ll be ready. Is he going to have some growing pains? Of course. Is he going to make mistakes? Of course, he’s going to make mistakes. But I think Sam will make plays. Sam is going to make plays. He’s proven that everywhere he’s been, and we believe that’s what he’s going to do for our offense. He’s going to make plays.”
Ehlinger becoming the starting quarterback finally allows the Colts to move into the future at the most important position in football. No more band-aid fixes. No more one-year rentals.
The situation at quarterback will go one of a few ways as the season goes along. The first is Ehlinger proves that he can be more than a spot starter at quarterback and has what it takes to be the guy moving forward. To do that, Ehlinger will need to show that he can turn the team around, leading the offense to be more productive and showing the traits of a winning quarterback.
Another possible outcome is that while Ehlinger is not the future quarterback for the Colts, he can be a high-end backup and someone the Colts can trust in a pinch. While he will not be able to turn the season around, he will not be a disaster or the reason the offense spirals. This is the most likely option, meaning the Colts will be in the market for a quarterback once again this spring. The expectation would be the Colts would address this in the upcoming draft.
The final outcome is that Ehlinger fails as the starter and looks lost in leading the team. The Colts win very few games with Ehlinger at the helm, putting them in a prime position to draft one of the top quarterback prospects in April’s draft.
No matter how the situation plays out, the Colts will have their answer at quarterback. Either Ehlinger is the answer, or the Colts will draft their quarterback of the future this spring. Whether Ballard and Reich are around to make that decision remains to be seen.
At the center of the change is owner Jim Irsay, who came into the 2022 season with such high expectations for his team. Irsay is not going to settle for his team living in mediocrity any longer. A change at quarterback has already happened, and more could be on the way.
Buckle up.
Follow Andrew on Twitter @AndrewMooreNFL.
