With the Indianapolis Colts trading their starting quarterback Carson Wentz to the Washington Commanders, the Colts will have to look in a thin quarterback market to replace him.
The Colts don’t have a first-round pick for 2022 because of their trade with the Philadelphia Eagles in 2021 to acquire Wentz, which puts them out of the running for an elite draft class QB.
While Wentz wasn’t like Andrew Luck in his time with the Colts, Luck was never like Peyton Manning, one of the best Colts quarterbacks of this era.
Since Manning’s departure and the early retirement of Luck, the Colts have been settling for less in the QB position.
Andrew Luck is the latest NFL superstar to hang up his cleats in his prime. pic.twitter.com/NATeKsUKS8
— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) August 25, 2019
So what can the Colts do to turn their quarterback woes around?
The free agency market, or a mega trade, might be the team’s only hope to land one of these three best starting quarterback options.
3. Deshaun Watson
While many people might have him as number one, I have him at number three for a few reasons.
Deshaun Watson still has unresolved issues with his legal situation from 2021, making a Watson acquisition risky if he gets suspended or arrested for the ten criminal complaints against him.
While there can be more clarity on that after Friday, when the D.A. in the Watson case presents findings to a grand jury, it could be too risky to go forward even after discovering what happens to Watson.
Are you high??
Trading for Watson, even if his legal issues are behind him, comes with significant risk and a public relations nightmare.
Not worth nearly that much…especially when everyone knows that he will never play for the Texans again.
— Joe Nash's Trick Knee (@YellowHaynes) March 10, 2022
The other issue is the Houston Texans’ asking price for Watson being multiple first-round and second-round draft picks, something the Colts lack some of this year.
If you take all these things away, Watson’s raw talent puts him number one; however, the facts are this might be more fantasy than reality for Colts fans.
2. Ryan Fitzpatrick
With the Commanders trading for Wentz, and Ryan Fitzpatrick being a free agent, he might be a good fit for a Colts team that was good with the running game last season.
While Fitzpatrick missed most of the season due to a season-ending hip injury, and he has age working against him, he wants to get on a team that can take him to the NFL playoffs.
The Colts have the pieces to make it to the playoffs with a stellar running game and great defense, and if they add a hungry Fitzpatrick to the mix, the Colts might have the final piece they will need to make a playoff run.
1. Jameis Winston
Jameis Winston is the best option for the Colts from the free agency market to replace Wentz.
Winston has youth and a cannon for an arm on his side, which the Colts might need at the QB position.
While Winston had his issues with ball control when he was the quarterback for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, he showed some improvement with his short time with the New Orleans Saints last season.
Winston suffered a torn ACL injury that ended his season with the Saints last year, which at worst would keep Winston off the field until the beginning of November in 2022.
If the Colts can bite the bullet for the first half of the season, Winston has the potential to be a long-term fix to the Colts’ QB problems.
NEXT: Frank Reich Forced To Apologize Over Carson Wentz
