The Indianapolis Colts sent shockwaves across the NFL when they acquired Carson Wentz in a blockbuster trade with the Philadelphia Eagles early on in the offseason.
When the Eagles first started fielding offers for Wentz, they set a package baseline of multiple first-round picks.
Given his limited trade market and his performance, which made him one of the worst quarterbacks in the league last season, they were never going to receive that kind of haul.
When all was said and done, Indy was able to land Wentz for a 2021 third-round pick and a conditional second-rounder in 2022, which could morph into a first-rounder if the former No. 2 overall pick reaches certain playing incentives next season.
When you consider Wentz’s overall upside and the fact he’s walking into an incredibly favorable situation, the Colts really made out like bandits in this trade, though some folks in the media will try to convince you otherwise.
In more good news for Indianapolis, they’re well on their way to replenishing some of the draft capital they lost in the deal. If there’s one downside in all this, it lies in the fact that these picks won’t come into play until next year, but that’s hardly a steep price to pay.
A relatively quiet free agent period has the Colts in position to score a couple of extra draft picks next season: https://t.co/s7bzxu6054
— Jim Ayello (@jimayello) April 7, 2021
The Colts are already reloading on draft picks following the Carson Wentz trade.
Thanks to the NFL’s compensatory pick process, the Colts will actually be rewarded for failing to sign any big-ticket free agents and letting a couple of impact players (including defensive end Dencio Autry and linebacker Anthony Walker) walk thus far.
According to Jim Ayello of the Indianapolis Star, it seems like the Colts are slated to gain an extra fifth- and sixth-round pick next year, which is a big time win when you consider that they’ll be down at least a second-rounder (maybe a first) as part of the Wentz trade.
The way the process works is pretty self-explanatory. Essentially, the more value a player has, which is determined by a formula that calculates price tag, production and playing time, the higher the compensatory pick becomes.
When you consider that the likes of defensive end Justin Houston, cornerback TJ Carrie, safety Malik Hooker and tight end Trey Burton could all ended up leaving in free agency, the Colts could secure even more compensatory picks down the road.
#Colts gain another compensatory pick in 2022. That’s now an extra 5th (Autry) and two 6th-round picks (Brissett + Walker). https://t.co/EGlb8KZcp4
— Locked On Colts Podcast (@LockedOnColts) March 19, 2021
The highest possible compensation is a third-rounder, which is what the Patriots received following Tom Brady’s departure last offseason. It goes without saying that no player in that aforementioned group could return that kind of value, but the Brady situation is an anomaly.
The bottom line is that Chris Ballard is playing chess will the rest of the NFL’s executives are playing checkers. The four-year GM might have ruffled fans’ feathers by refusing to sign any marquee free agents, but these compensatory pick nuggets further prove there’s a method to his madness and he always deserves the benefit of the doubt, even amid controversy.
Indianapolis Colts: Rashawn Slater is a prospect worth trading up for
If the Indianapolis Colts find the intestinal fortitude to trade up, they should select Northwestern offensive lineman Rashawn Slater