The Indianapolis Colts were touted as dark horses for the NFL Super Bowl until several weeks ago. However, after their back-to-back defeats to the Jacksonville Jaguars and the Las Vegas Raiders, the Colts’ season is already over.
The Colts’ quarterback, Carson Wentz, didn’t cover himself in glory during his last outing for the team, so it is not clear if the Colts will keep him for next season too. Coach Frank Reich’s comments about the quarterback’s future didn’t shed any light on the situation either, but his refusal to commit to the player could be indicative of Reich thinking that Wentz is not the right man for his team.
Uncertain Future for Wentz
The quarterback position was a problem for the Colts going into this season. However, they seemed to have found the man to fix that, Carson Wentz. The former Eagles quarterback played well enough for much of the season, but when it mattered the most, he dropped the ball.
So, instead of preparing for the wild-card game next weekend, the Colts can now start thinking about next season. One of the biggest decisions coach Frank Reich and his coaching staff will have to make is whether to keep Wentz. If Reich’s first comment is anything to go by, Wentz’s future with the Colts is far from certain.
When coach Reich was asked to comment on Wentz’s future, he gave a vague answer that can be interpreted as a paragraph-long “No comment”. Reich said that they loved the team they had this year, but that next year’s team will be next year’s team. He claimed that if he started talking about one player, he would have to continue about all the others too.
A Disastrous End to the Season
Carson Wentz arrived in Indianapolis after the Colts traded for him with the Philadelphia Eagles during the offseason. Even though he played a big role in the Colts becoming favorites for the playoffs, he would probably like to forget his last two games.
Against the Jaguars, Wentz completed 17 of his 29 passes for 185 yards and had a meaningless touchdown in the last quarter. The quarterback was on the wrong end of six sacks and his intercepted pass at the beginning of the third quarter led to a touchdown that basically ended the game and the Colts’ chances for reaching the playoffs.
The Jaguars defeat was the final nail in the coffin for the Colts’ playoff prospects after they lost to the Las Vegas Raiders in Week 17. The Jaguars defeat hurt a tad more than the one to the Raiders, though, as the Jacksonville team is the worst in the league with a 3-14 record.
Can the Colts Find a Better Quarterback in this Market?
Wentz played in all of the Colts’ games this season but failed to deliver when it mattered the most. He is also under a bigger risk of being placed on the COVID/reserve list than other players, as he is unvaccinated. So, it is understandable that coach Reich still hasn’t committed to the quarterback and might never do.
The Colts, like so many other teams in the league, seem to be only a quarterback away from putting together a great team that would fight for the Super Bowl. They have an excellent defense, and an offensive line containing top players, including Jonathan Taylor, a candidate for the Offensive Player of the Year award.
Whether they will decide to go in the market for a quality quarterback, which recent moves show is harder than ever, or continue with Wentz, will definitely be one of the decisions they will be focusing on during the offseason.
