The Indianapolis Colts don't seem to need a quarterback, and, in fact, appear to have one too many currently. Daniel Jones will start, Riley Leonard will likely backup, and Anthony Richardson is hoping to be traded. Where does that leave Cole Payton?
If you said, "Who?" you would have a right to do so. Payton was the starting quarterback for North Dakota State last season, and is a dual threat with good accuracy but not great arm strength. He is a good runner, though, and can be difficult to tackle once the 6'3" and 232-pounder gets moving at full speed.
None of that means he will be a good professional quarterback, of course, and he is not likely to be drafted until the fourth round or later. He is expected to be no better than a QB3, but does Indianapolis need to spend a draft pick on such a player due to the team's other needs?
Indianapolis Colts visit with quarterback Cole Payton ahead of the 2026 NFL draft
The reason this is a possibility is that Indy, according to NFL insider Tom Pelissero, had a visit with Cole Payton this week, one of the team's 30 visits that the Colts can take with prospects before the 2026 NFL draft. If a team isn't interested in a player, they won't host them on a visit.
Payton's skill set would not allow him to transition from quarterback to tight end, for instance. He is a quarterback, but he isn't one that head coach Shane Steichen or general manager Chris Ballard would expect to be leading the Indy offense at any point in the future.
Maybe Ballard is thinking he can take Payton and then hide him on the practice squad after he doesn't make the Indianapolis roster, but that is a two-way gamble. One is that Payton might play well enough to earn a roster spot, but Indianapolis doesn't have three quarterbacks again next season on its 53-man roster.
Keeping two would be wise, and have the spot that would have been taken up by a quarterback go to a greater position of need, such as edge rusher or along the defensive line. Plus, Ballard has to hope that Daniel Jones can stay healthy and be very good in 2026 because his job relies on it, and so does the team's long-term success.
Another issue with potentially taking Cole Payton is that it means not taking a player at a more needy position, unless Payton lasts until the seventh round. Even if that happens, though, the above situation would come into play.
The possibly overlooked aspect of Payton visiting with the Indianapolis Colts is that it could imply Indy plans to do something with Anthony Richardson before the draft. Maybe he will be released, or a trade might occur just ahead of the draft. His presence, with the addition of Cole Payton, makes zero sense otherwise.
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