Bleacher Report ponders an absurd trade where Joe Burrow ends up on the Colts
The NFL offseason is full of possibilities, so Bleacher Report looked at the wild possibility of the Indianapolis Colts trading for Joe Burrow.
The Indianapolis Colts will certainly be adding a quarterback this offseason and they’ll likely do that in the 2023 NFL Draft. Currently sitting at No. 4, Indy could trade up to the No. 1 pick for their franchise quarterback. But what if the Colts traded for another quarterback that was taken first overall? Specifically, what if Indianapolis traded for Joe Burrow? Bleacher Report examined that very unrealistic acquisition in a recent piece looking at absurd trade ideas.
Alex Kay of Bleacher Report looked at five trades that were admittedly “all but assured to never happen.” However, Kay wanted to explore the what if of these trades that would certainly flip the NFL on its head. One of the five trades was the Cincinnati Bengals sending Joe Burrow to the Colts for pretty much everything valuable Indy has. The actual package that Indianapolis sent back in this hypothetical was “Four First-Round Picks (2023-2026), Four Second-Round Picks (2023-2026), OG Quenton Nelson, LB Shaquille Leonard.”
While this is a crazy amount to trade away, it’s likely the necessary package to get the Bengals to even consider moving Burrow. Kay argues that if any team was “desperate” enough to move that much, it would be the Colts because they have to find an answer at quarterback. Kay admits that Indy could select a guy in this draft but makes the case for trading for a sure product in Burrow as opposed to gambling on a rookie.
Colts acquire Joe Burrow in unrealistic trade
After sending away everything, Indianapolis would be able to extend Burrow and have its quarterback of the future. While Burrow is an elite talent and arguably the best quarterback in all of football, it’s fair to ask if he’s worth this level of compensation. The Colts would have traded away two of their top three players and also eight premium draft picks.
However, in this hypothetical trade, Indy was able to keep Jonathan Taylor, Michael Pittman Jr., Alec Pierce, and all of their promising young defensive players outside of Leonard. Although the team wouldn’t have any picks in the first two rounds for four years, they’d still be able to build through late rounds and free agency. Would that be enough for the Colts to contend?
Joe Burrow is certainly special but would this slow Indy’s chances to keep building too much? Obviously, it’s a trade that isn’t going to happen but hypothetically, what’s better for Indy’s long-term success: drafting a quarterback in 2023 or trading everything for Joe Burrow?
