Indianapolis Colts general manager Chris Ballard knows what he is doing in most aspects. He has struggled with choosing quarterbacks for his team in recent years, but appears to have gotten it spot on this season by signing Daniel Jones. The rest of the roster, when healthy, is a good one.
Still, coaches and GMs are held accountable to a greater degree based on how their quarterbacks are doing. Ballard and head coach Shane Steichen are winners this season because Daniel Jones has been elite. Hopefully, that will stay the case.
But if something happens to Jones, things could turn sour quickly. This probability is compounded by the fact that backup Anthony Richardson is on injured reserve and cannot return until Week 12 at the earliest. He suffered an orbital fracture in a freak accident in pregame warmups ahead of Week 6.
Indianapolis Colts projected to make a trade for New York Giants quarterback Russell Wilson
Rookie Riley Leonard, a hard worker and good guy to have in the locker room, is the current QB2, but he is nowhere near ready to get real snaps in the NFL. Should something happen to Jones soon, the team would have to look outside the current roster for answers for a temporary QB1.
ESPN's Bill Barnwell believes he has the answer for this. The wise NFL analyst projects Indianapolis could send a 2026 seventh-round draft pick to the New York Giants for veteran Russell Wilson. This would be a mistake, and one that Chris Ballard likely wouldn't make.
Ballard simply doesn't like doing in-season trades. He is unlikely to start now.
Set aside the irony of Wilson potentially coming to the Colts and doing well in a pinch, and being the second recent perceived New York Giants quarterback failure to do so, Wilson is a poor fit for Shane Steichen's system. Whereas Jones knows to get rid of the ball quickly, Wilson often holds on to the ball far too long, takes bad sacks, and leads inefficient offenses over the past few years.
The Giants have another veteran quarterback who might be better to try to acquire. Jameis Winston is going to have too many turnovers, but he uses all of his receivers, including those over the middle of the field. Wilson has always been poor in that facet.
Ultimately, of course, the hope is that Daniel Jones continues to stay healthy and productive. He is a perfect fit in Steichen's scheme. The 6-1 Indianapolis Colts need him, and the team certainly doesn't need Russell Wilson.