Colts Reveal How Much They Wanted Matt Ryan

It’s difficult to pinpoint the exact moment when the Indianapolis Colts decided to trade Carson Wentz away.

Was it during their final regular-season game, wherein they couldn’t defeat a lowly Jacksonville Jaguars team to potentially clinch a playoff berth?

Or was it an incident that happened earlier in the season that they chose to amplify when they deliberated on their quarterback situation?

Regardless of the tipping point, Wentz is now with the Washington Commanders and the Colts got two draft picks out of the trade.

General Manager Chris Ballard is a master of draft day trades and he might have something up his sleeve with the second and seventh-round selections he received from Washington.

But while no one knows when they decided to move on from Wentz, their intentions to bring in former league MVP Matt Ryan were clear, as IndyStar’s Colts insider Joel A. Erickson revealed.

Reich also said this morning that once Matt Ryan became available:

“Once that became an option, that was the No. 1 option the whole way, as far as I was concerned, and Chris.”

— Joel A. Erickson (@JoelAErickson) March 28, 2022

Erickson tweeted, “Reich also said this morning that once Matt Ryan became available: ‘Once that became an option, that was the No. 1 option the whole way, as far as I was concerned, and Chris.'”

Reich mentioned this statement during the NFL’s annual meetings at The Breakers in Palm Beach, Florida.

No Hesitation In Acquiring Ryan

All football fans and experts can tell that Ryan is an upgrade from Wentz.

Even at an advanced age, the former Boston College standout demonstrated his accuracy and ability to dissect defenses.

Unfortunately, the Atlanta Falcons’ didn’t have many assets to help him win more games.

More importantly, the 36-year-old quarterback remains a durable and reliable option after playing all 17 games last season.

During his final year with the team that drafted him in 2008, Ryan completed 66.9 percent of his passes for 3,968 yards and 20 touchdowns.

He will have a chance to improve on those stats, given that the Colts have one of the best offensive lines in the NFL.