ESPN’s latest suggestion for Colts’ draft plan couldn’t be worse

Please, refresh our memory, but didn’t the Indianapolis Colts solve their quarterback problem for the time being with the Carson Wentz trade in order to avoid trading up at a prohibitive price in the first round of the NFL Draft to get their hands on a prospect?

Yeah, we thought so too.

But apparently ESPN doesn’t agree!

Look, we’re not saying Wentz solves the “franchise QB” problem — after all, reports suggested the Colts weren’t fully sold on him lasting more than two seasons — but they likely made that move solely so they wouldn’t have to scramble this offseason for unproven talent.

Let’s face it: they’re not getting Trevor Lawrence or Zach Wilson.

After that, the next top prospects in Justin Fields, Trey Lance and Mac Jones come with a lot of question marks.

Nonetheless, ESPN thinks Fields or Lance are worth “multiple first-round picks” and that the Colts’ one “daring move” this offseason is to acquire one of them in a draft day trade.

And with Alex Smith, who could be a Colts target, set to hit the open market, there’s no chance this move is in the cards for general manager Chris Ballard.

ESPN’s ‘Daring Move’ for the Indianapolis Colts is a big whiff.

The fact of the matter is that the Colts have little time or assets to waste.

Everything will be in place after Ballard makes the necessary additions this offseason, and it’d be counterintuitive to part with valuable draft picks just to get your hands on another quarterback, who probably won’t play for a year.

Wentz is going to get a year in this offense to prove himself, or else there’s no way the Colts can justify sending the Eagles two draft picks to absorb those cap hits in each of the next two seasons.

So can anyone explain to us why the Colts would use this year’s first-round pick on a position they already settled for the time being, miss out on selecting a top offensive lineman following Anthony Castonzo’s retirement, and surrender next year’s first-round draft pick for someone who isn’t going to play right away or might not even be the answer?

Even if they don’t get Smith, the Colts used a fourth-round pick on Jacob Eason for a reason. In the event he needs to step in, Indy will see what they potentially have in the former Washington Huskies gunslinger, whose arm is expected to translate well to the NFL.

To summarize: the Colts are NEVER going to move forward with this hypothetical. Thanks for coming.

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