The Indianapolis Colts have been stuck in QB purgatory since Andrew Luck retired, and even with their high draft pick, they should trade for Derek Carr. Currently, Indy has the fifth overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft and are in a perfect position to land one of the best quarterbacks in the upcoming draft.
However, it might be safe to assume that Colts’ owner Jim Irsay, who likely initiated the firing of Frank Reich, might want immediate results from General Manager Chris Ballard, who has had a mostly underwhelming tenure as the GM.
Since Andrew Luck retired, Ballard has not been able to put in a plan in place in terms of getting a long-term option settled. The team cycled through Philip Rivers, Carson Wentz, Jacoby Brissett and Matt Ryan. It’s been four total NFL seasons since Luck retired, and for Ballard to not have a clear plan in place is ridiculous.
I am lower on Ballard than some people might be. Sure, he’s done well in the draft, but he’s failed to take calculate risks in free agency and has not done enough at the quarterback position. Even with that, the Colts are still largely viewed as a stable franchise that, for the most part, is a competitive club.
That is not the same for the Raiders, who he’s been with for his entire NFL career. It seems as if the Raiders are scapegoating Derek Carr and are prepared to move on from him. He’s been a stabilizing presence for them for years, and I don’t think it’s fair that he is getting some of the blame here.
Given that Chris Ballard has not put in a QB plan, the Indianapolis Colts should be the most aggressive in pursuit of a franchise quarterback. I think Carr gives them the flexibility of having competent and consistent QB plan for several years and could allow Ballard to look for a tool-sy quarterback prospect he might like and could try to develop.
The Indianapolis Colts have a solid defense and some nice pieces on offense. Please, just go get Derek Carr.