Colts: Brett Hundley move could screw up rest of roster this week

The Indianapolis Colts spent most of the preseason conducting a competition for the backup quarterback job between Jacob Eason and Sam Ehlinger. After some impressive play from the former and an injury to the latter, it was even more surprising when the 2020 fourth-rounder was leapfrogged by Brett Hundley.

Hundley has bounced around the league as a backup for years, with his only starting experience coming when he filled in for an injured Aaron Rodgers in Green Bay. Still, Frank Reich appears to believe that the mobile UCLA alum is a better fit for his offense than the statuesque Eason.

Hundley was named the backup quarterback behind Carson Wentz during last week’s win against Miami, with Eason relegated to a healthy scratch as the third string. While that trend is expected to continue against the Baltimore Ravens on Monday Night, this could present a bit of a roster quandary.

If the Colts want to keep Hundley as the backup, they will need to promote him to the active roster. This means that one of their quarterbacks could end up being released, as carrying four active quarterbacks when Ehlinger returns is not a very prudent strategy.

Will the Colts keep Brett Hundley?

We know Wentz isn’t going anywhere, but if the Colts are sold on Hundley, the expectation is that either Eason or Ehlinger will get axed. Chris Ballard already cut fifth-rounder Shawn Davis, and he might do the same with Ehlinger if he feels it’s the right move.

Likewise, if Eason can’t beat out a player like Hundley during his second year in the league, it’s highly unlikely that he will be involved in Indianapolis’ long-term plans.

Unfortunately, waiving either of those two young backups with the intent of bringing them back on the practice squad means that they would have to be exposed to waivers, which is a gamble that Indianapolis may not want to take at this point in time.

Considering Wentz’s history with injuries, getting a solid backup plan should’ve been absolutely imperative. Instead, the Colts appear to be waffling between a career clipboard holder, a rookie, and a second-year player with five pass attempts, which is not the ideal scenario.

However, if the Colts believe strongly enough in Hundley as a QB2 that they would be willing to part with two recently drafted quarterbacks to keep him, that’s a move that this front office has to make considering what could happen if Wentz is forced to miss time with an injury.

Indianapolis Colts: 3 stars who saved Indy from 0-4 start vs Miami

These three Indianapolis Colts stars saved the team against the Miami Dolphins on Sunday afternoon in Week 4. Let's. Go. Boys.