First, Chris Ballard was fired; then, Pro Bowl guard Quenton Nelson and All-Pro defensive tackle DeForest Buckner were traded on the same day. What's next? Indianapolis Colts fans everywhere are asking: 'What about this season?'
The second is a valid question also. Are the Colts punting on the season? Trading away two massive pillars within the locker room almost forces outsiders to assume yes. Worse, the Colts might not be done yet. What about Jonathan Taylor? Or Josh Downs's trade request?
Right now, Shane Steichen is dealing with all this chaos while trying to prepare for Week 8's showdown with the Jacksonville Jaguars, their AFC South rival. It's not outside the realm of possibility that Steichen will coach his last game as the Colts' head coach this weekend.
Shane Steichen reacts to the Indianapolis Colts trading Quenton Nelson and DeForest Buckner
Nevertheless, he took time this week to send off some veterans, while challenging the up-and-comers as best he could.
As Colts fans watched in sadness as two veteran cornerstones were traded away to Super Bowl contenders this week, Steichen must have been wondering if he's next, if not another of his star players. Taylor and Downs are the next two Colts players making the headlines, and both could be traded by the end of this week.
For now, Steichen appears safe, but another crushing loss—and to the Jaguars, of all teams—could change things quickly. Steichen needs this win more than anyone, or anything else, and it won't be easy. Nevertheless, Steichen appeared fired up for the next game while speaking to the Colts media on Wednesday, and reflected on losing Nelson and Buckner.
"I have the ultimate respect for those two guys," Steichen said via Kevin Bowen of 107.5 The Fan. "What they meant to this organization, this team, this city. Two of the ultimate competitors, the best to ever do it. They're the definition of the standard in what you want in a football player. Definitely going to miss those guys.
"Like I said, I can't say enough good things about them. Building a relationship with those guys over the past three years has been phenomenal, and I know they're going to do well on their new teams. I got a lot of respect for those guys. A deep amount of respect, and I'm excited for the young guys to step up, without a doubt.
"Farmer's got an opportunity to step up. Tomi's been playing good ball -- he's gotta step up. But we're excited for those young guys to step up going forward."
Steichen is having a rough go at it. Losing two key veterans, staples of the team for almost 16 years combined, has to be a gut punch. This is the start of a rebuild, and the likely collective upstairs mindset is 'let's see what we have in our rookies and younger players as the season progresses.'
The Colts will find it incredibly difficult to stay competitive, but if they end up trading Taylor or Downs, or others, that difficulty will only increase. As for Steichen, it's quite possible Wednesday was one of the final times Colts fans will hear from him representing the horseshoe on his hat.
Today, Steichen's head coaching job is the most endangered across the NFL, although Nick Sirriani's job in Philadelphia is also under heavy scrutiny. In any case, for Steichen's sake, let's hope that the players he mentioned taking Nelson's and Buckner's spot do indeed step up.
The Colts must step up overall if Steichen is to last a while longer, if not at least to the end of the season.
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