The Indianapolis Colts face an interesting season in 2026 for many reasons. Hopefully, the team succeeds, and everyone keeps their jobs. If Indy falls short of the playoffs again, massive changes could (and should) take place.
If general manager Chris Ballard and head coach Shane Steichen lose their jobs after the team doesn't make the playoffs, a new GM is going to want to remake the team the way he or she thinks will help the Colts get back to being perennial postseason darlings. That means a new head coach, and it could mean a new quarterback.
After all, while Daniel Jones has shown to be a great fit in Steichen's offensive system, he might not be the same in another coach's. He wasn't exceedingly good with his first team, the New York Giants, for instance.
2027 NFL Draft quarterback prospects the Indianapolis Colts should take if 2026 goes badly
A new GM might also want to tear the team down some, too. It is more difficult to get a mediocre team, which is exactly what Indianapolis has been for several seasons, to be great than to get a bad team to be good.
Always picking in the middle of the first round is where no team wants to be. Plus, currently Indy doesn't have a first-round pick in 2027, as that was given to the New York Jets for Sauce Gardner.
If changes are made and the team's front office and coaching staff are starting over, the new general manager needs to make moves in hopes of getting that first-round selection back, potentially using that choice on a quarterback. While Jones was re-signed this past offseason for two years, the team has an out after year one.
Should Jones be released next offseason, the team would save $38 million. The same is true if he is traded, according to Over the Cap. That is less likely because of how his contract is structured, however.
In a worst-case scenario in which the Indianapolis Colts fail to make the postseason and Chris Ballard is fired, the new general manager would theoretically make a trade to get a first-round choice (that could involve dealing running back Jonathan Taylor, who just recently signed an extension, or a sign-and-trade deal involving Quenton Nelson), and get one of the players below.
Julian Sayin - Ohio State Buckeyes
One thing we won't do here is basically rank the top prospects for 2027 because that would be a different article and not realistic in terms of the Colts. Indianapolis could acquire a first-round choice in next year's draft, but not likely to get one in the top five. Indianapolis doesn't have the trade capital for that, and a team choosing that high might not want to give up the selection.
Instead, the quarterbacks here could go after the first five overall picks. The 2026 college season will, of course, make some of these players race up draft boards, and others sink.
One that could sink is Sayin. He isn't overly big at 6'1" and 210 pounds, and that could scare some teams off. What makes him succeed is his ability to process quickly and throw in rhythm. This is something that would work well in every system.
He isn't going to outrun some other quarterbacks and doesn't have the strongest arm of the potential draft class, but his high football IQ should make him a long-term successful player. He is the type of smart QB that a team can build around.
CJ Bailey - North Carolina State Wolfpack
Bailey is a different quarterback from Sayin altogether. He won't have the elite talent around him that Sayin has with the Buckeyes, but one might rightly wonder what Bailey would be able to accomplish if he did. He is 6'6" and a bit thin for his frame at 215 pounds, but has a strong arm and understands where he needs to put the ball.
He is also polished enough to not need much time to develop in the NFL. He could be a year-one starter, make his share of errors (as every rookie does), but learn from those quickly and improve as the year goes on.
Trinidad Chambliss - Ole Miss Rebels
Chambliss could be a riser on draft boards, and his only real weakness is his size. He is 6 feet tall and 200 pounds, and teams might be afraid he wouldn't hold up well against NFL-type punishment. What would help him with the Indianapolis Colts is that the team has a very good offensive line, and that isn't likely to change in the next few years.
The quarterback also needs to prove he can succeed at the highest level of college for a second straight season and without the wise offensive direction of head coach Lane Kiffin, who left to work at LSU. Chambliss offers high-end athleticism with good arm strength; however, in the right system could be terrific.
CJ Carr - Notre Dame Fighting Irish
Carr is fairly close to the kind of quarterback Daniel Jones is. Both quarterbacks can get the ball deep, but instead, at their best, rely on a patient approach and giving what the defense gives them underneath. Each can be accurate to any part of the field.
The difference might be in their approaches. Carr is a bit more fiery, even while being cerebral. He excels at winning close games, both because of his throwing ability and his raw need to win. He is the kind of leader every team needs.
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