The Indianapolis Colts are mulling their avenues to upgrade the quarterback position, but it appears owner Jim Irsay wants the organization to lean toward using the 2023 NFL draft.
While the debate about a potential Lamar Jackson trade has been raging, the widely expected outcome is that the Colts will use the No. 4 overall pick to select a quarterback prospect they believe can be the face of the franchise.
If it were up to Irsay, that’s how the team would go about answering the question at the game’s most important position.
“We’re looking for the future guy, and we want the guy that can be there for the next 10 years. After Philip’s (Rivers) year, I wanted to go young. I was, ‘Let’s go young. Let’s grow our own. It’s time,’” Irsay said at the NFL owners meetings Monday. “It was great having Philip the one year and he was very successful and exceeded our expectations, but [we] knew it was a short-term thing. I really wanted to go young and drafting our own and finding our own that way.’’
While the Colts signed free-agent Gardner Minshew to a one-year deal, he’s expected to be the backup/bridge quarterback in the offense run by new head coach Shane Steichen.
The Colts certainly will have their options to draft a rookie quarterback. Even though Ohio State’s C.J. Stroud and Alabama’s Bryce Young are expected to go with the first two picks in the draft, the Colts are guaranteed at least one of the top four prospects, which also includes Florida’s Anthony Richardson and Kentucky’s Will Levis.
The potential of a Jackson trade isn’t something the Colts are dismissing out of hand, but Irsay seems to be leaning toward building through the draft.
“You’re always looking at salary cap, draft picks, which are like gold,’’ Irsay said. “Our belief and my belief is you build through the draft. The draft is your pipeline for success or failure.’’
The move for Jackson would be an expensive one. Even if the Colts made an offer that the Baltimore Ravens wouldn’t match, they’d have to give up two first-round picks in the process. That, or they could negotiate a sign-and-trade scenario, but that option may be more expensive from a draft capital standpoint.
Irsay mentioned that money and the contract are less of an issue. But when it comes to draft picks, he believes the foundation of the roster is built within the first three rounds.
“You have to have the quarterback, but to go where you want to go, everyone knows you need more than the quarterback,” Irsay said. “And you have to find the way to get that ‘more.’ And the best way to find it is in the top three (rounds) in the draft. Those first three rounds, you start giving away those gold nuggets . . . oh boy, I tell ya. Also, making sure salary cap-wise you can be in a [good] position.’’
The draft is just under a month away so we’re likely to have our answer by then, but it appears Irsay is leaning toward his team using the draft to make a splash at the quarterback position.
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