The Colts have had no luck finding a long-term answer at quarterback since Andrew Luck’s unexpected retirement ahead of the 2019 season. They had seven starters in four years.
They’ve tried free agency, draft, and the commercial market.
In the post-Luck era, the Colts are 31-34 with one playoff appearance and no playoff wins.
The Colts, who own the No. 4 pick overall, are expected to draft a quarterback after hiring Eagles offensive coordinator Shane Steichen as their new head coach.
“Shane had a lot of that offensive magic that’s hard to find in this league,” Colts owner Jim Irsay said Tuesday. “In my opinion, offense can be a bit more complex and takes longer to develop because we know we need to find a young quarterback to develop. That’s a key factor but he had to show the lead, he had to show he was present and boy did he pull through on that in his interview.”
Steichen, 37, helped develop Justin Herbert and Jalen Hurts. He will have another young quarterback to develop in 2023, Irsay admitted Tuesday.
Irsay also revealed that he likes Alabama quarterback Bryce Young in a casual comment on a question about a potential trade back.
“The guy from Alabama isn’t bad-looking, I can tell you that,” Irsay said.
The Colts may have to act to get Young if they want that. The Texans are also in the quarterback market with the second overall pick.
CJ Stroud from Ohio State, Will Levis from Kentucky and Will Levis from Florida are also highly rated candidates for the position.
“I think accuracy, decision making and the ability to be creative are the three things I look at in a quarterback,” Steichen said. “Over the neck, I think the players I’ve been with – Jalen Hurts, Justin Herbert and Philip Rivers – all have one thing in common: They’re obsessed with their craft. If you can find that in a quarterback, chances are you’ll succeed.”
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