How many more wins will Shane Steichen get the Colts in 2023?

The Indianapolis Colts have a promising new head coach in Shane Steichen but how many more wins is Steichen actually worth?

This offseason, the Indianapolis Colts carried out one of the more deliberate and unique coaching searches in NFL history. There were a ton of candidates, multiples rounds, and really long, in depth interviews. In the end, Indianapolis believes it got the right guy by hiring Shane Steichen.

Steichen came to Indy after being the offensive coordinator for the explosive Philadelphia Eagles, who lost in last season’s Super Bowl. In addition to being an offensive guru, Steichen has earned a reputation for his ability to develop young quarterbacks, having worked with Justin Herbert and Jalen Hurts. Considering that Indy’s offense was terrible in 2022, and that Indy now has rookie QB Anthony Richardson, Steichen seems like the perfect coach for the Colts.

But, how many wins is Steichen actually worth? Despite all of the advanced stats across several sports, it’s hard to determine a single person’s worth to wins in team games with so many factors. However, Brent Sobleski of a Bleacher Report is trying in a recent piece, looking at how many wins some new coaches are worth.

Highlighting Indy’s 4-12-1 record from last year, and the Colts projected 2023 record of 7-10, Sobleski says Steichen is worth +2.5 wins.

Shane Steichen expected to be an immediate boost for Colts

Sobleski highlights the effect Steichen can have on Richardson, but also points out that Steichen’s coaching style that demands accountability will also be great for Indianapolis. Additionally, Sobleski says, “The Colts are young in certain areas, but the roster features capable veterans, who can keep this team competitive.”

These are all facts. Indianapolis may not be expected to be contenders next season but Indy is certainly expected to be better than last season. As far as how many wins Steichen is actually worth, we’ll have to wait until the conclusion of next season to actually find out. Even still, Steichen’s worth will be defined by what he does in his entire tenure as head coach, not just his first season.

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