Is there any player in the NFL worth the Colts trading the No. 4 pick for?
The Indianapolis Colts are set up with the No. 4 pick in the 2023 NFL Draft. Could Indy trade that pick for an established NFL veteran?
Fans of the Indianapolis Colts spent the back half of the 2022 NFL season hoping that the team would lose. While fandom is generally about wanting success for a team, it was clear that Indy wasn’t going to accomplish anything this past season, so fans hoped for losses so that the Colts could have one of the top picks in the 2023 NFL Draft. Those wishes came true. Indianapolis finished the season on a seven-game losing streak and secured the fourth-overall pick in the draft.
While a top pick is always good to have, it’s especially great for the Colts because it gives them the opportunity to draft a franchise quarterback of the future. Indy hasn’t had that opportunity since Andrew Luck unexpectedly retired, so the team just cycled through veterans whose best football was behind them. But now, at No. 4, Indy has the chance to land one of the top quarterbacks in this year’s class.
While this opportunity has been a long time coming, is it possible the Colts could pass it up? General manager Chris Ballard already admitted that it’s no guarantee Indy selects a QB. Though it is likely that the Colts do draft a quarterback, what if Indianapolis explored flipping the No. 4 pick? Instead of trading the pick for more picks, what if Indy traded it for an established superstar in the league? Would any veteran be worth giving away the No. 4 pick and a chance to select a franchise QB?
What if the Colts traded the No. 4 pick?
Kenneth Teape of the NFL Analysis Network recently pitched a trade where Indianapolis would send the No. 4 pick as part of a bigger package that would help bring wide receiver Davante Adams back to the Colts. Understanding Indy’s need for a quarterback, Teape makes the case for Indianapolis settling for one of the veterans on the market like Jimmy Garoppolo, or Adams’ teammate, Derek Carr.
Obviously, every team in the league would love to have Davante Adams, he’s arguably the best wideout in the NFL. Additionally, adding Adams and a quarterback like Jimmy G or Carr would put Indy in a better situation than it was this past year. However, that path probably isn’t worth moving the No. 4 overall pick. In fact, very few players are worth the Colts trading that pick.
The league is filled with talented guys that Indianapolis should be willing to trade a first-round pick for. However, considering the circumstances, Indy needs to hold on to this pick. This isn’t just about drafting a top player, it’s about stopping a brutal cycle that has limited Indy’s ability to be a contender. Having a different starting quarterback every season makes having consistent success very hard, and that’s why Indy hasn’t had any.
The Colts need to land a quarterback this offseason with tremendous upside and the ability to be around for years to come. If it was any player in the NFL that Indy should consider trading the fourth-overall pick for, it would have to be a player like Lamar Jackson, who could become available in a tag-and-trade scenario. The only reason Jackson should be the exception is that he’s an elite quarterback and would be a sure answer to Indy’s problems at the position.
If it isn’t a trade for Lamar Jackson or some other top quarterback, the only trade involving the No. 4 pick that the Colts should be discussing is a trade up to the No. 1 pick in this year’s draft.
