Colts: Should Alex Smith or Jacob Eason be Indy’s backup in 2021?

The Indianapolis Colts might be zeroing in on a potential selection with the No. 21 overall pick in the 2021 NFL Draft, but there are still some holes Chris Ballard could address on the free-agent market.

With Carson Wentz and Jacob Eason currently composing the quarterback room, will Alex Smith potentially be added to the mix?

Smith might’ve led the Washington Football Team to the playoffs after capping off one of the most amazing stories in football history by returning from his shocking leg injury, but it became clear his limited mobility has made him a compromised quarterback, as he threw more interceptions than touchdowns.

That hasn’t stopped Smith, who was not retained by Washington after they signed Ryan Fitzpatrick, from garnering interest as a free agent.

Urban Meyer and the rival Jacksonville Jaguars have reportedly had discussions about bringing him in and mentoring a potential No. 1 overall pick like Trevor Lawrence.

With the Colts also a potential landing spot for Smith, would he make sense as Wentz’s backup over Eason, whom Indy used a fourth-round pick on in 2020?

Going purely off of potential, Eason’s ceiling is multiple tiers above what Smith could offer at this point in his career.

Jacob Eason should be the Indianapolis Colts ‘backup over Alex Smith.

Eason is not a perfect prospect, as his accuracy issues and struggles when the play breaks down helped contribute to his slide, but he has as much arm talent as anyone picked in the 2020 NFL Draft. The former 5-star can push the ball downfield with ease, and he trusts his arm enough to squeeze throws into tight windows.

Finding a backup quarterback that fits well into an offensive scheme is incredibly important. Wentz is a strong-armed quarterback that struggles when holding the ball too long, yet is mobile and talented enough to throw off-platform and fit the ball in precise locations down the sideline.

Let’s just say that Wentz goes down with an injury or needs to be relieved due to ineffectiveness. Who would you trust to lead the offense? The guy who has one of the strongest arms in the league and a huge reservoir of potential, or a declining veteran that makes your heart stop every time he gets hit in the pocket due to his injury history?

Eason might be a bit of a risk, but he could throw the ball through a piece of aluminum siding, and that arm talent could help him potentially take over a starter role in his career. With Smith’s leg a constant injury risk and his already-average arm strength starting to decline, Eason makes more sense from purely an on-field perspective.