Colts Have Cap Space But No Starting QB

On Wednesday, the Colts ended the failed Carson Wentz experiment, sending the veteran quarterback to the Washington Commanders in exchange for three draft picks.

Since Peyton Manning’s departure in 2010 and Andrew Luck’s stunning early retirement in 2019, Indy has been on a QB carousel. 

According to the NFL, the Colts are the only team in league history to go four consecutive seasons with a different QB starting 15-plus games: Luck, Jacoby Brissett, Philip Rivers, and Wentz.

Wentz arguably cost them a playoff appearance, and he’ll affect them in the 2022 draft — though there is a silver lining.

• They hold nine selections, but don’t have a first-round pick — because they sent it to the Eagles for Wentz.
• But Washington will pay the full $28M due Wentz, leaving the Colts with the most cap space ($69.3M).
• With Sam Ehlinger and James Morgan the only QBs on the roster, Indy currently has the league’s lowest combined cap hit ($1.7M) at the position.

The Colts aren’t likely to land their next franchise QB in this draft, so GM Chris Ballard will have to find the 2022 starter via free agency — Mitchell Trubisky, Jameis Winston, Marcus Mariota — or a trade. 

Possible trade candidates include the 49ers’ Jimmy Garoppolo, who is in the final year of a five-year, $137.5 million contract ($27M cap hit), the Raiders’ Derek Carr ($20M), or the Vikings’ Kirk Cousins ($45M).