The Indianapolis Colts have a new quarterback in town after an undesirable result from Jacoby Brissett last season.
Indy went out and signed 16-year veteran quarterback Philip Rivers to a one-year $25 million deal this offseason.
The front office clearly has faith in Rivers since they dished out that kind of money to a 38-year-old quarterback.
However, head coach Frank Reich also believes that Rivers is going to have success in Indy this season.
On Philip Rivers, Frank Reich says "he hasn't fall off physically, and I feel like he's the same guy he was five years ago." Adds that "he's really gonna benefit from playing behind our line, handing the ball off and not having to throw it 35 times a game."
— Zak Keefer (@zkeefer) May 4, 2020
Reich believes that Rivers should benefit from the team’s running game and offensive line.
The Colts have one of the best offensive lines in the league right now.
Running back Marlon Mack is coming off a fantastic season, but Indy also added Wisconsin running back Jonathan Taylor as well.
Rivers 2019 Season
It was a down year for the eight-time Pro Bowl quarterback in 2019.
He threw for 4,615 passing yards with 23 touchdowns and 20 interceptions through 16 games.
Those 20 picks were the third-highest by any quarterback last season, but it wasn’t all bad for Rivers.
He finished with the fourth-highest passing yard total in 2019, but the Chargers also finished 5-11, so it’s not a great accomplishment when you aren’t winning games.
However, it doesn’t appear that Rivers ability is declining, but maybe he just wasn’t put it the best situation last season.
He was asked to pass the ball too often and eventually bad things will happen when you’re forced to throw the ball as much as Rivers did last season.
Will the Colts Offense Help Rivers?
The Chargers had a below-average offensive line and forced Rivers into bad situations last season.
Indy has one of the best o-lines and incredible talent all around the board on offense.
The Colts added USC wide receiver Michael Pittman Jr. to pair alongside star receiver T.Y. Hilton this season.
Mack is coming off back-to-back strong campaigns and Taylor is one of the best Big Ten running backs ever.
Pro Bowl tight end Jack Doyle is returning and Indy added veteran Trey Burton to slide into the second tight end role.
The Colts are absolutely loaded with weapons, which means Rivers should bounce back with ease.
Indy could become a run-first team, which would open up the passing game for Rivers.
It sounds like the Colts should not have many problems moving the ball on offense in 2020.
What Happens After 2020?
The Colts have Rivers and Brissett locked up for the 2020 season, but both players are free agents after the season.
At the moment, it’s unclear if either player will be returning after the year.
#Colts GM Chris Ballard and HC Frank Reich discussing Jacob Eason before the draft:
Ballard: “I love the arm. He has moments of really good accuracy.”
Reich: “Saw this guy make a couple throws on tape and I said oh my goodness. He makes a couple throws that you just don’t see.” pic.twitter.com/ipmGyyoW9s
— Locked On Colts Podcast (@LockedOnColts) April 30, 2020
During the fourth round of the NFL Draft, the Colts decided to take Washington quarterback Jacob Eason.
He’s coming off a fantastic junior season, but is not expected to see the field in 2020.
The Colts love Eason’s potential, but want him to sit behind Rivers for at least one season and learn.
The hope is that Eason can become the quarterback of the future in Indy.
The Colts are loaded with young talent that should help this organization continue to succeed for a long time.
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