Surprise Candidate is Vying for Backup QB Job

Scott Tolzien will likely enter the season as the backup quarterback, but rookie Phillip Walker is beginning to get some reps with the second-team offense.

Andrew Luck‘s recovery from offseason shoulder surgery has kept Colts fans up at night, and it is possible that he may miss time in the regular season. The Colts are now forced to come up with a contingency plan if Luck is unable to play Week 1 against the Rams.

The Colts’ backup quarterback situation is one of the NFL’s worst.

30-year-old Scott Tolzien has three NFL starts in his career, and the Colts’ offense did not fare well in his only start last season. He threw for 205 yards on 36 attempts with 1 TD and 2 INT’s, and the Colts were blown out by the Steelers 28-7.

Stephen Morris figured to be the other option at backup QB, but undrafted rookie Phillip Walker is reportedly getting more snaps with the 2’s than Morris during training camp.

Walker was a four-year starter at Temple who developed into a strong passer.

He threw for 3,295 yards on 8.3 yards per attempt in his senior season with 22 touchdowns and 13 interceptions.

At 5′ 11″, his small stature caused him to fall all the way out of the NFL Draft. However, it sounds like he’s making the most out of his situation in Indianapolis possibly passing up Stephen Morris on the depth chart.

Next: Why the Colts Should Sign Colin Kaepernick

It will be interesting to see what the quarterback rotation looks like in the Colts’ first preseason game on Sunday against the Lions. All three quarterbacks are sure to get some reps, but the order of QB’s and how many series each player gets will be something to watch for.

Stephen Morris has been on the roster bubble for his entire career with the Colts, and it looks like his job is in trouble with the emergence of Walker.