Colts officially have the No. 4 pick in the 2023 Draft which sets them up for a lot

After finishing the 2022 season with a 4-12-1 record, the Indianapolis Colts will be picking fourth in the 2023 NFL Draft.

The 2022 NFL season was one to forget for the Indianapolis Colts. They entered the season with expectations to be a Super Bowl contender but fell incredibly short of those standards. Instead of being one of the best teams in the league, Indianapolis suffered through a chaotic season and finished with a 4-12-1 record. However, it’s not all bad. The Colts are in possession of their 2023 first-round pick, and since they were so bad, they will be picking fourth overall.

Falling inside the top five is extremely ideal for Indianapolis. Considering the teams in front of Indy on the draft board and the prospects in the draft, Indy is in the perfect position to address its needs. While the Colts showed this season that they have a lot to address, it’s only one position that will be on everyone’s mind for Indy when the draft season approaches: quarterback.

Can the Colts draft a quarterback at No. 4?

Anything can happen on draft night but being at No. 4 puts Indianapolis right in the mix for one of the top two quarterbacks. Currently, the Chicago Bears have the No. 1 pick, the Houston Texans are at No. 2, the Arizona Cardinals are third, and then the Colts are picking fourth. Chicago and Arizona already have their franchise quarterbacks, so they’ll be drafting other positions. If the Texans do go with a quarterback like the majority of experts expect them to, the second-best quarterback will be available for Indy to select. That could be Bryce Young or CJ Stroud but fans would likely be happy with either.

But say the Colts do have a preference. Let’s say, during the pre-draft process, Indianapolis falls in love with one quarterback specifically and wants to make sure they get him. Even with the fourth-overall pick, Indianapolis is within a feasible range to negotiate a trade and move up to No. 1. It’s much easier to negotiate with the Bears when Chicago knows they’ll only be moving back three spots. Indianapolis won’t have to send as large of a trade package as it would if it wasn’t in the top five.

So ultimately, after the first night of the 2023 NFL Draft, the Colts should have a rookie quarterback to whom they’re ready to commit multiple years. That means Indy will be stopping the cycle of veterans and possibly gaining some stability at the quarterback position for years to come.

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