INDIANAPOLIS – Colts owner Jim Irsay has gone from not having to really worry about the quarterback position for nearly 20 years to now heading into his second straight low season without knowing who the incumbent will be in 2021.
“The kind of team we have would really benefit us the most if we could have someone who can come in and play at a high level, with a veteran vision,” Irsay said Wednesday.
The Colts have a young, talented roster, led by defender Darius Leonard and guard Quenton Nelson, but they have a substantial gap in the quarterback. Veteran Philip Rivers, 39, led the Colts to the playoffs for the second time since 2014, but announced on Jan. 20 that he would retire after 17 seasons.
Rivers ’retirement means the Colts could have the fifth starting quarterback in Week 1 in 2021 after having Peyton Manning or Andrew Luck basically from 1998 to 2019. Rookie Jacob Eason is the only quarterback currently hired by to the Colts. Jacoby Brissett, who started the first week in 2019, plans to be a free agent.
Colts general manager Chris Ballard believes a team isn’t just about the quarterback; it’s about having a complete list. But there has to be stability in the quarterback, as the four teams that made it to the NFC and AFC Championship Games (Green Bay, Tampa Bay, Kansas City and Buffalo) have it all.
“We think we’re close, that we have a huge core of players who are able to compete for the Super Bowl very soon,” Irsay said. “Ideally, someone who is ready to come this year will give you the best opportunity.”
The Colts are expected to have around $ 69 million in salary cap, but it’s not really a free agent market as a quarterback, as players like Cam Newton and Jameis Winston highlight this group. Ballard did not seem optimistic when it came to writing a quarterback in his current position, No. 21, in the first round.
The other option is the commercial market, where Matthew Stafford of Detroit remains linked to the Colts as a possible destination.
Irsay acknowledged that the franchise would welcome Luck, who suddenly retired in August 2019, if he decides to resume his career. The two have not discussed a possible return, but the owner joked about continuing to look at his fax machine in case the quarterback decided to take a page out of Michael Jordan’s book by sending a message that simply said “I” again “, like Jordan after his first retirement from the Chicago Bulls.
“He knows how much we’d like him to be our quarterback, there’s no doubt about it,” Irsay said. “But at the same time, we know it’s going to work, it has to be him who says‘ You know what? I’m ready. I want to create a little bit of history, in unprecedented ways. “
Irsay added, “I don’t know if we’ll see. I think she’s happy. She’s raising her daughter. She has a wonderful family. She’s a big foal and she knows she can come back whenever she wants, but at the same time, I respect that she made that decision.” .