Locked On Colts - Daily Podcast On The Indianapolis Colts - Indianapolis Colts are in big trouble as QB dominoes begin to fall

Episode Date: March 9, 2022

On today's episode, Evan and Stephen react to the first offseason QB dominos falling. Aaron Rodgers is staying with the Green Bay Packers. Meanwhile, Russell Wilson was traded to the Denver Broncos in a blockbuster deal only hours later. What happens next for the Colts in this scenario?Is Derek Carr the best option potentially available now? How about Jimmy Garoppolo? Will Indy seriously run it back with Wentz?All of this, plus so much more, in a Colts-centric offseason deep dive. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

You are Locked On Colts, your daily Indianapolis Colts podcast. Part of the Locked On Podcast Network, your team every day. Hello everyone and welcome into your latest episode of Locked on Colts. I am your host Evan Sidery. You can follow the Locked on Colts Twitter page down already on Twitter at Locked on Colts. I'd be greatly appreciative with you guys every single day throughout the offseason. We have a big day full of dominoes that fell as far as the quarterback and the future for the Colts QB1 in 2022 goes. Aaron Rodgers stays put in Green Bay on a new contract per former Colt punter Pat McAfee.

And we saw a blockbuster trade happen about an hour or so later from that news about Aaron Rodgers, where Russell Wilson, one of the Colts names that we've talked about as a potential all-chips-in type of move, Russell Wilson was traded away from the Seattle Seahawks to the Denver Broncos. And the package that the Seahawks received for the Broncos was absolutely massive. They got back three players, multiple future first-round picks. They got back multiple second-round picks as well. Let me go ahead and pull up the deal for you guys right now because we're going to be talking about these two moves today.

I'm going to be spending the first segment by myself talking through what happened today, get my reaction on it, and then we're going to bring on Steven Reed for the last 20 or so minutes to talk through exactly what's happened and what's next for the Colts. But that trade today for Russell Wilson was an absolute gut punch that the Broncos threw to the Colts. And just thinking about it all day today, I think the realization that the Colts have come to now and why Russell Wilson chose the Broncos.

Remember, Russell Wilson had a no-trade clause. He didn't really decide where he wanted to go. And according to Ian Rapport of NFL Network, Russell Wilson always wanted to go to Denver Broncos. So you had two quarterbacks, Aaron Rodgers, Russell Wilson, wanting to go to Denver. I mean, that just says a lot about the Broncos, good for the Broncos. But, I mean, it just says a lot from the Colts' perspective, too,

because you have the offensive line. I'd say a better offensive line than the Broncos, good for the Broncos, but I mean, it just says a lot from the Colts' perspective, too, because you have the offensive line. I'd say a better offensive line than the Broncos. I think you have an equal or better defense than the Broncos. The main difference, though, the weapons. I mean, that's the main thing, and that's the antiquated approach the Colts have put out there. They did the right thing, getting the offensive line for Andrew Luck in 2018 and 2019. When Luck walked away, though, it just didn't make much sense, just investing so much money into the offensive line. Luck in 2018 and 2019. When Luck walked away, though, it just didn't make much sense just

investing so much money into the offensive line. And they have a much better offensive line than the Broncos. And the main thing I come back to is the weapons. I mean, you have Jerry Judy, you have Cortland Sutton, you have KJ Hamler, you have multiple others, Tim Patrick as well. The Broncos have four or five weapons, and the Colts have one. They have one perimeter weapon, and that's Michael Pittman Jr. And I'm sorry to be laughing about it, but, I mean, the Colts dug themselves this grave. The Colts dug themselves this grave when Carson Wentz was acquired, and Wentz ruined it for the Colts.

I mean, they gave the number 16 overall pick in this year's draft, could have addressed wide receiver there, could have moved up for a quarterback, but the Carson Wentz experiment fell flat on its face when it mattered most, I mean, they get the number 16 overall pick in this year's draft, could have addressed wide receiver there, could have moved up for a quarterback, but the Kirsten Wentz experiment fell flat on its face when it mattered most, and that's the reason why I've heard so much smoke around the Colts moving on from Kirsten Wentz within the next 10 days when that March 18 guarantee date for his contract comes around. It's just a situation to me where, from a Colts fan perspective, today does suck.

It does suck because all chips in, Jim Irsay hyping everything on Twitter. You see the Colts have one need for this team. This team is ready to go. They are ready to go. We saw it last year when Carson Wentz is an average quarterback. The Colts are one of the best teams in the AFC for a two and a half month stretch. When Carson Wentz was awful, when Carson Wentz is below average, they work terrible. It's all about the quarterback. And Chris Ballard in 2017 said it's not about the quarterback. But I think Chris Ballard nowadays realizes it truly is all about the quarterback. Because you can build a great roster, but if your quarterback sucks, it doesn't matter.

It truly does not matter. We're seeing that today in the modern NFL. It's just a gut punch. It truly is a gut punch to see Russell Wilson get traded to the Broncos. But the Colts are never going to beat the Broncos offer. They have the number nine overall pick in this year's draft. The Colts, of course, don't have a first-round pick. It's because of that Carson Wentz trade.

Like I mentioned, they sent Drew Locke. They also sent Noah Fanny, promising tight end prospect as well. Shelby Harris, a veteran defensive tackle in there as well. So, I mean, if you're building off of that, you could say, hey, the Colts, let's give up three first-round picks. Let's give up Grover Stewart. Let's give up Kylan Granson. There's really, the Colts couldn't beat that offer because they don't have a top-ten pick.

They would have to give up literally one of their best players, a Darius Leonard or a Quentin Nelson, to offset that to really have a proof of, hey, we'll give you a couple future first-round picks since we have no first-round pick, but take one of our best players instead of a first-round pick, instead of a top-ten pick in this year's draft. And that just wasn't going to happen. I just got the indications that that wasn't going to happen. The Colts really never had a chance compared to the Broncos' offer. And obviously Russell Wilson, these dominoes are falling now.

Aaron Rodgers staying put in Green Bay. The Packers are running it back for next season and beyond. Russell Wilson now in Denver. That AFC West is loaded. You have Russell Wilson with the Broncos. You have Patrick Mahomes. You have Justin Herbert. You have maybe Derek Carr there as well to bring you easily the best four quarterbacks

of any division, potentially in the history of the NFL. I'm not even joking on that because those four guys are legit top 12 quarterbacks in the NFL. You have all of them in one division. It would be incredible to watch from that standpoint. But where exactly do the Colts go from here? That's the big question we're going to dive into with Steven coming up here in a few minutes. But just again, just from a Colts fans perspective, not a great day.

What happens next year? I mean, from my perspective, I still don't think Carson Wentz is the quarterback next year. Just the way that the Colts have thrown Carson Wentz kind of in front of the bus, let him get run over multiple times, reversed on multiple times. I have a very hard time seeing how Chris Ballard and Frank Wright can look Carson Wentz in the eye and be like, hey man, you're back next year with no issue. Hey, we didn't defend you in the media. We didn't deny any reports out there. Maybe we don't like you as a leader, but hey, we're going to run it back one more year since your contract has no guaranteed money after this upcoming season because we were stuck with

you. I just don't see that happening. I think the Colts can save money just by cutting Carson Wentz over $13 million in that scenario, but I think the more likely scenario here is Carson Wentz is traded within the next 10 days because Jimmy Garoppolo and that shoulder surgery, I think, is going to really push his market down a little bit and maybe push it back until people know he's fully healthy from that shoulder surgery. I think Carson Wentz might be the next domino to fall here. Maybe it's Deshaun Watson, whose legal case will be heard on Friday. But it seems like Carson Wentz is on his way out of Indy still. I'd still bet money that Carson Wentz will not be the Colts quarterback next year because

the optics of it is not great at all from both Wentz and the Colts. Jim Irsay is irate. I just have a hard time thinking of any scenario where Jim Irsay, Frank Reich, and Chris Ballard look to themselves and say, we're going to run back to Carson Wentz because we couldn't do better. And Carson Wentz knows we couldn't do better. And Carson Wentz knows we don't believe in him. I just don't think that's going to happen. I think Wentz will move on. The question is, what happens next? Do you bring in a veteran like a Marcus Mariota, a Mitch Trubisky? Maybe that's where you go. Maybe you swing for Jimmy

Garoppolo. Maybe you trade Wentz and then you use the pick you get for Wentz for Jimmy Garoppolo. Maybe that makes sense. And the one thing I'm going to talk about with Steven here in a minute is Derek Carr because that's the one thing we've heard about so far from the Cuban dominoes that could be a realistic splash move for the Colts still. And let me pull up the tweet here. It's from Vincent Bonsignor, the Las Vegas Journal-Review Vegas beat writer for the Raiders. Very plugged in with the Raiders. Someone messaged him talking about, is the Colts-Carr rumor true?

And it was a report. We've heard Rich Eisen, for those wondering, Rich Eisen mentioned yesterday that Derek Carr could be on the way out, and if the Colts are looking for an upgrade outside of Wilson or Rodgers, Las Vegas could be a place to look for Derek Carr. Obviously, Derek Carr's fit within the Colts' offense is awesome, so that'd be something to watch out for there. I think in the meantime, you'll obviously keep tapping Derek Carr, but Vincent Bonsegno said that a fan tweeted him on Twitter and mentioned Derek Carr rumors, and Bonsegno said that a fan tweeted him on Twitter and mentioned Derek Carr rumors, and he said multiple teams have inquired

about Derek Carr, but specifically mentioned, as the fan did, if the Colts have, and he did not deny that. So that's very, very interesting to me. Derek Carr has been in rumors of the Colts since before Phillip Rivers was signed. I think the Colts have been kicking around on Derek Carr for the last couple years. They've been told no multiple times. Maybe with Josh McDaniels, this is different. Maybe they can get Carr.

But Carr's going to be a lot of money. It's going to be a lot of draft capital, too. It's going to be a future first-round pick, potentially more than that. You're going to be paying Derek Carr closer or more than $40 million per year for the next five or so years. That's a tough pill to swallow. But I think Derek Carr is a legitimately good quarterback. I think he's a legit tier or two above Carson Wentz as well.

And some Colts fans, I know Colts fans really, really can get under the skin of themselves sometimes, but I'm going to throw this out there. I'll probably get flack for it, but Colts Twitter is in a cesspool right now attacking each other, so it's not a surprise. But I do believe that Derek Carr is a legitimate upgrade over Carson Wentz and that he could be Phillip Rivers 2.0 in this offense. I know Phillip Rivers is a Hall of Fame quarterback, but Derek Carr, accurate. Very accurate. He knows how to use his checkdowns.

He's a great leader in the locker room. He's a great leader. Polar opposite of Carson Wentz from all we've been hearing so far. He's just like Phillip Rivers. Guys galvanize around Derek Carr. That's the one move I'm thinking right now. If the Colts will make a splash and stay in a competitive mode, I think Derek Carr and the AFC South, the Colts, is an 11-win team.

I think they're at least an 11-6 team, if not 12-5. I think Derek Carr is that good, very accurate. In terms of advanced metrics, blows Carson Wentz out of the water. It's not even close. These guys aren't in the same stratosphere as quarterbacks. So that's one thing to watch out for there. I think Derek Carr could be someone the Colts knock on the door of. And according to Vincent Bonsegna of the Las Vegas Journal-Review,

that could already be happening. So keep an eye on Derek Carr there. I don't think Kirk Cousins is a legit option either. I just don't think he's a guy that fits here. He's unvaccinated as well. Kind of be rubbing the same thing with Carson Wentz there. I don't think Kirk Cousins is an option at all. Maybe Jimmy Garoppolo, like I mentioned.

Maybe it's a veteran like a Marcus Mariotto for a bridge, and you draft a quarterback like a Desmond Ritter in the second round. Maybe that makes sense in a different scenario. But those are the main scenarios I'm kicking around in my head now because, I mean, the Colts are in trouble, folks. I mean, the Colts are truly in trouble if they don't hit this right. Because if you try to out-Curse them once again in 2022, you're admitting to themselves and you're admitting to your fans

that you had no other better option and that we know we're not going to be good next year. I hate to be that blunt about it, but that's exactly how it is. If the Colts try to out-Curse them once again in 2022, you're admitting failure, you're admitting you couldn't move on from Curse them once, and you're admitting that Curse them once is not the answer. I don't think that's how the Colts are going to do it. I think they're going to move on from Carson Wentz in the next 10 days. Something to watch out for there.

But we're going to close out this first segment. We're going to be with Stephen Reed on here in just a minute to go through his reactions, where me and him are going to, as we always do, talk through all these situations. So stay tuned for Stephen Reed. In the meantime, here's our sponsor of today's show. And make sure you enjoy the second half of Locked On Colts for a loaded QB Curious episode once more. Football might be over for this season, but basketball is in full steam ahead for both pro and college hoops. From all the latest odds, totals, player performance, props to where the next fire coach is going to land,

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and we are joined by a good friend of the show, Stephen Reed of Stampede Blue, as we're here to get his reactions, and me and him are also going to chat back and forth for the next 20 or so minutes talking about what's happened today, massive QB dominoes we've been waiting for, Steven fell today, Aaron Rodgers staying put in Green Bay, Russell Wilson, that blockbuster trade with the Broncos. What's next for the Colts?

We're going to head on that with Steven, but first off, Steven, how are you doing tonight? It's been a very eventful day on Colts Twitter because, man, Colts Twitter is a cesspool right now. It's not fun. It's certainly not fun. I got a brunt end of it so far, but yeah, Colts fans are definitely freaking out today. I think it's great.

You know, it's so much fun. I'm doing well. Yeah, Colts Twitter, just Twitter in general, I found social media to not be fun, but it is part of the beast in what you do when you talk publicly and professionally about the Colts or the NFL. You deal with it. I mean, here's the thing with Colts Twitter in and of itself. Yeah, they're freaking out, and for good reason.

Unfortunately, Aaron Rodgers decided to stay with Green Bay. Russell Wilson got traded to Denver in large part because the Colts didn't have a first-round pick this year. So that's frustrating. I honestly don't know if Chris Ballard would have been willing to give up what Denver gave up. Because when you think about it, Denver in that trade gave up three starters, two first-round picks and two second-round picks. Like, that's a heck of a lot for Russell Wilson in a fourth-round pick.

So, I mean, don't get me wrong. Frances quarterback is something you definitely want to spend to get. But yeah, I, I don't know. Of course Ballard really would have been in on that, that game anyway, because you, he literally had people don't understand how good Noah Fant is. And he's, you know, his solid's got two years left on a rookie deal. You know, Harris is good. They're the, the defensive tackle position.

And then through and drew lock who believe it or not, drew locks is pretty decent quarterback. He's not great, but he's manageable. He's serviceable. And then to get back the ninth pick as well in the, in this draft, when you know, you've got an opportunity to drop somebody like Malik Willis for Seattle and be fine and move forward. But I look at this and I say, all right, I don't think the Colts are going to match that anyway.

So I think Jim Irsay painted them a little bit in a corner, and that stinks. But Chris Ballard and Frank Riker just going to continue to do what they do and and try to like what they've said in the press cameras do what's best for the Colts in the short term in the long term so we'll see what that means but they're going to weigh all their options and see what see what they can do yeah I was just talking about this on the first segment Stephen I want to get your thoughts on this what I've said because you're running the money there I don't think the Colts had any shot once the Broncos got into it and realized Aaron Rodgers is going to stay put. Let's go ahead and pursue

Russell Wilson and get multiple young assets, multiple future first-round picks, a guaranteed top-ten pick in this year's draft. The Colts don't even own a first-round pick. It made me think and wonder out loud, Stephen, especially with the news that they released Bobby Wagner. I think the only way the Colts could have gotten those discussions is if they traded one of Nelson or Leonard. Do you agree there? Yeah. And it had to have been Nelson because Leonard, if the Colts trade Leonard, then they also

take in, there's a significant dead cap hit. There's no cap savings in trading Leonard because of the contract that he signed last year. So the only option they could have traded would have been Nelson in, in that move along with Wentz. And I don't, I don't know if Chris Ballard does that. I mean, quite, I don't think he does that because Jim Irsay likes Hall of Famers and Chris Ballard, he's one of the foundational pieces that Chris Ballard drafted.

So I just don't see Chris Ballard giving that up for, again, is it worth it to give Quentin Nelson up for Russell Wilson? Yeah, it is. I don't think that he necessarily would have done it. So yeah, once Denver got involved and had all those picks and then added those three starters um and not like three like bottom of the road like this is like the Colts trading Carson Wentz uh Grover Stewart uh and Kylan Grant yeah not not even caught better version of Colin Granson yeah like in in like say say like Michael Pittman were like're like a tight end. Like it's, that's what it is. Like they gave up a lot to Seattle. Now should Seattle have gotten more probably to be honest,

because two first round picks and two second round picks. And then those three players, I don't know if that equals Russell wasn't a fourth round pick. You know? So when you sit there and look at it like that you go okay well really like neither team got like absolutely hosed in this because you can't really look at this and say one team was a definite winner um but at the same time I just don't see the Colts giving up what Denver was willing to give up to get Russell Wilson and not only, but Washington apparently allegedly made a better offer to Seattle.

Like that included three first round picks to get Russell Wilson, but Russell Wilson wouldn't waive his no trade clause. And that was, I think Washington and Philly both, both made offers to Seattle for, for Russell Wilson. And Wilson refused to waive the no trade clause. So that's the other aspect of it is Russell Wilson has a say in this. And if he believes that going to Denver and playing with the talent that they've got there is better than playing at Indianapolis,

then that's a recruiting thing that the Colts have to work on to make themselves a priority destination for some, some of these top flight quarterbacks, if they want to get traded. But Russell Wilson has a say in he, it was reported, widely reported by Ben Albright from the start back in January, February that Russell Wilson's first choice, if he were to be traded was Denver. was Denver. So it is what it is. Like you can't – Russell Wilson had a say.

And his top choice was Denver, and that's where he got traded. So like I said, it is what it is. Yeah, just hypothetically speaking, this is what the Colts would have had to thrown at the Seahawks if Wilson and Dee wanted to come to the Colts and match that type of off for the Broncos. It would have been Quentin Nelson, I think in my opinion, Quentin Nelson, Carson Wentz, Rover Stewart, Kylan Granson, 2023 and 2024 first round picks, number 47 overall in this year's draft, and a 2023 second and multiple 2023 day three picks.

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And Rock Auto prices are always reliably low for every single customer. Go explore their website today to find a solution your auto part needs. Go to rockauto.com right now to see what parts are better for your car or truck. Write LOCKEDON in the How To Your Boss box so that we sent you over there. They have main selection, reliably low prices, all the parts your car will ever need. Cold stand, go to rockauto.com right now and write locked on l-o-c-k-e-d-o-n and how's your boss box so that we sent you over there i think that's probably i think you you're undervaluing quentin nelson in that deal to include four players plus the two first round picks and then the two second round picks and some other picks. But in general,

it's, it would have been a lot. It would have been a big name guys that all of our fans and all Colts fans know, not some bottom of the roster guys that you're like, Oh, well, you know,

I didn't even realize he played kind of thing. It would be guys that with the jerseys walking around the stadium that you would see. And so that's where ultimately it came down to that. And I don't think Chris Valley would have done it anyway. So the one positive part about all this is that Carson Wentz is the best free agent or best quarterback available in terms of teams openly saying that he's available. Because none of the free agent quarterbacks are worth it.

Now you look at the rest of the quarterbacks that could be available. Jimmy G just had shoulder surgery. Derek Carr, Las Vegas has said he's not available, but apparently the Colts allegedly called the Raiders to find out whether that's a true statement or not um we'll see but then you've got Carson Wentz and Washington I want to put this out there to to all the listeners Washington is coached by Ron Rivera Ron Rivera when he went like just reminder he's a Super Bowl coach. Like, he went to a Super Bowl, lost it, but still went to a Super Bowl. His year he went to the Super Bowl,

his quarterback was Cam Newton, who was a big quarterback, inaccurate, who liked to extend plays with his legs, get out of the pocket and play outside the constructs of a normal offense cam newton the year they went to the super bowl averaged 200 less than 240 yards per game passing had a 99 quarterback rate a 61 qbr had a 35 to 10 touchdown interception ratio and had a completion percentage of under 60%. I sit there and I say, if Washington was willing to give up three first round picks for Russell Wilson, and they are definitely looking for an upgrade right now,

I say they probably are reaching out to the Colts. And Colts might get more than people think for Carson Wentz if they do end up trading him. And I'm not even certain that they end up trading him, to be honest, because, again, he's the best thing, and you have to have a plan. Once he's traded, somebody's got to play quarterback. So that's really what it comes down to is they've got to have a plan, and if they do end up trading or releasing him, what's next?

You've got to have an option. If Washington, for whatever reason, panics after this Russell Wilson deal and wants to send the Colts a first-round pick, what is that, 11 overall? I don't think that they'll do that. Teams have made stupid trades before. So who knows? Colts get a first-round pick, even if it's 42. Or say it's 42 and in a conditional second in 2023, that could turn into a first based on the number of snaps he plays.

Doing a similar deal to what the Colts got. It could work out. Who knows? Here's the thing, though, when it comes to that, just because I see where you're coming from on that, but also Jim Irsay and the Colts have done nothing to paint a good picture of Carson Wentz. They've done nothing to boost his value, at least in the trade market,

where they've kind of said the opposite of what they should be saying as far as, like, oh, they're not doing like a Josh Rosen thing where Cliff Kingsbury was saying, oh, he's my quarterback. They're at least defending him until it actually happens in the media, and the Colts have done none of that. So I just have a hard time seeing how the Colts can get even a second-round pick for Carson Wentz. I know he's probably the best guy on the market right now,

but just the way the Colts have gone about it, I think maybe a third-round pick is the best they can get even a second-round pick for Carson Wentz. I know he's probably the best guy on the market right now, but just the way the Colts have gone about it, I think maybe a third-round pick is the best they can get for it. But even still, if they can even get a third-round pick for it, I think the Colts jump all over that. But let me ask you this, Dean, because this is the one name I talked about in the first segment, I brought it up at the end of the segment, talking about he's probably the most realistic, quote-unquote, splash name out there the Colts can still go after, and that's Derek Carr.

And I didn't even think about Derek Carr again until after the Russell Wilson trade happened where Rich Eisen on his show I believe it was yesterday someone sent over a clip of Rich Eisen talking about the Colts and what's next for them and he said flat out Derek Carr could be an option for them and that really caught me off guard I watched the video and he mentioned that Vegas might be open to moving Derek Carr and he mentioned the Colts in that as well so that really caught my ear and then Vincent Bonsegno the Raiders B-Ride for the Las Vegas Review Journal a Raiders fan tweeted him saying are the Derek Carr rumors true about the Colts he said he didn't deny him he said multiple teams have inquired about Derek Carr doesn't mean that Raiders are shopping Derek Carr

but with the Seahawks weren't exactly shopping Russell Wilson here. They got blown out of the water by an offer. So what's your opinion of Derek Carr, Steve? Because this seems like maybe the last splashy option the Colts have. And I'm on record now saying that I think Derek Carr would be a legitimate upgrade over Carson Wentz. He's very accurate. It'd be almost like Phillip Rivers 2.0 again within this offense.

I know he's not like Phillip as far as the overall efficiency goes, but I think he's at least multiple tiers ahead of Carson Wentz. Derek Carr is at least the top 12 quarterback in the NFL. So what's your assessment of Derek Carr? Because I have to imagine the Colts have called about Derek Carr before the last two offseasons. Why can't it be three in a row? I have to imagine it's probably been the third offseason in a row now

where according to Vincent Bonsegna, multiple teams have called about Derek Carr. I have to imagine it's probably been the third offseason in a row now, where according to Vincent Bonsegno, multiple teams have called about Derek Carr. I have to imagine the Colts are one of those teams. Probably. They're going to do their due diligence on Derek Carr. I mean, ultimately it comes down to what the compensation is going to be. So if the Raiders are looking for two future first-round picks,

like a Matt Stafford sale deal, then I'm not sure the Colts go for that. If you're looking at trading back a player along with Carson Wentz and maybe a first-round pick next year for Derek Carr, maybe they might look at it. But, yeah, right now it's all smoke until something actually gets reported. So when people talk about teams inquiring, of course, their courts are going to reach out to everybody. Like, they've not publicly said negative things about Carson Wentz, but they haven't been positive either.

And so that in and of itself tells you, hey, they're not super excited about this guy. They've been really noncommittal. Jim Irsay hasn't helped the situation in terms of his tarmac videos. Although I really love Jim Irsay. I think he's a fantastic owner and he loves this team. But that said, we have to understand that we view things from a very

insulated perspective being in social media and seeing all the fans reactions, everything like this. The NFL is its own entity. The general managers, they have a value set. And so public perception of a player in terms of what fans think, that's not going to change what other general managers think about a player. So I don't know how much I look into what everybody's saying on social media or even necessarily what the Colts are saying. Teams saw his film. They have a value for him. They're going to bid their value.

They might go a little over that, but they've got a value set for him. So I think it's going to be interesting what's going to happen. And again, I think it was reported that Chris Mortensen, when he reported that there was a source, which we all assume is Jim Irsay, that said Carson Wentz would be cut or traded by March 15th. There was rumors out there that Chris Mortensen broke trust there. Like, that wasn't supposed to be public information.

Like, that was supposed to be private. It got leaked out. Unfortunately, it is what it is. The Colts haven't gone so far as saying hey you know we're not taking offers you know everything like that the Colts haven't lied to us which again we're like okay man you guys really need to say that you support him like like these other teams are doing not necessarily I'm not saying you guys as in you but like in general the fan base is like oh well look like las vegas said that derrick car is going to be their starting quarterback seattle said we're

not trading russell wilson and then three days later they trade was a listen or three days later las vegas is you know take fielding offers for derrick car and the colts are just straight up honest with you like they, they're like, yeah, well, you know, we'll see. Now we're going to look at it and we're not going to, you know, commit one way or another how this goes. You know, we're going to take it one step at a time and whatever happens, happens. We're going to do what's best for us in the short term and long term. Like, I know it's super frustrating for fans to hear that, but it's, they're just being honest about the situation and not

trying to mislead you or get your hopes up like Jim Irsay is passionate and his all chips in situation like that's kind of blowing up in his face right now because Russell Wilson is now Denver Bronco or will be on March 16th and Aaron Rodgers is still a Green Bay Packer those are the only all chips in scenarios for for the Colts this offseason unless there's some like crazy trade or you know Jimmy from the Colts goes and convinces a certain former quarterback to come out of retirement that there's no other all chips in scenario for the Colts here. And if there is, and it's trading a bunch of picks for Derek Carr, then they're vastly overpaying for that. Let me give you some names here, Stephen.

I know the top two are already off the list. Obviously, Aaron Rodgers staying put and Russell Wilson now at Denver Bronco. But let's just real quickly, use simple yes or no. If you want to add anything in, you can. But I'm going to go just down a couple names here. I want to get your thoughts here. If you're open to acquiring them via trade, Derek Carr, yes or no. If you want to add anything in, you can. But I'm going to go just down a couple names here. I want to get your thoughts here if you're open to acquiring them via trade. Derek Carr, yes or no?

Yes, for the right price. Okay. Jimmy Garoppolo? No. Okay. Kurt Cousins? No. Jordan Love?

Emphatic, no. No. Jordan Love I actually think would be interesting. I'll say this. Jordan Love had issues with accuracy and footwork and things like that when he was at Utah State. The interest in Jordan Love would be that he is an athletic quarterback that can function in Frank Kirk's offense and if they put him with Tom House and fix some of those

accuracy issues I feel like that's more of a lateral move from Carson Wentz and so it depends on what you give up there but it's a lateral move for a guy on a rookie contract that still that has two years of NFL experience learning behind Aaron Rodgers yeah he had one game that he stunk it up but it was against Kansas City on basically a surprise week that he didn't know he was going to start because Rodgers got COVID. So it really kind of tossed him to the wolves there. And so Jordan Love is a really interesting one. I don't know how much I'd want to give for him, but it's just interesting. I think that if it were Carson Wentz or Jordan Love, I would prefer Jordan Love just to take the salary issue off the table. And then

you basically have the same quarterback, but it's somebody that's a little bit more multiple than what you can have with Carson Wentz. So hypothetically speaking, let's just say the Colts trade Carson Wentz for a third round pick. Would you be open to trading like a fourth-round pick for a Jordan Love? Yeah, absolutely. Yeah, I'm right there. I think that could actually make a lot of sense. But the question is, is Chris Ballard in on Jordan Love? Because we've heard that, I guess, Jordan Love rubbed Chris Ballard the wrong way during the pre-draft process.

He had a one-on-one meeting with Love. I heard, according to Kevin Bowen, it did not go well in that. So just something to watch out for there and obviously the turnover issues in college the weed citation I guess rubbed out the wrong way as well yeah Kevin Bowen so something to watch out for there I don't think I don't think Jordan Love's a an option for the Colts to be honest for the things that you mentioned and then the other like you said the weed thing um and once you rub somebody the wrong way like you really want somebody that's going to come in and be a leader and quite honestly the colts in that draft were what sitting at 34 um in that draft and could have traded up to 25 or 26 to get Jordan Love,

which is what the Packers did. But Colts could have traded up to get him if Chris Ballard really thought he was going to be a franchise quarterback. And so instead of doing that, they went with Michael Pittman Jr. and Jonathan Taylor, which I think they made home run hits there. Do you think, Stephen, I mean, just looking back now and realizing that the Colts' dream scenario is off the table with Aaron Lars and Russell Wilson,

do you think there's still any chance the Colts are running back with Carson Wentz even after today's news where both those guys are off the mark? Because I'm still at the camp. I think you are too, just talking to you off air as well, that I just see no way Carson Wentz is still back. I know people are going to say, oh, it's a downgrade. Oh, it's a lateral move to go from Wentz to someone else. But I just have a hard time seeing, because you mentioned trust there.

And I just, from what we've heard from Bowden and Reich, I think along the way, they lost trust in Carson Wentz. I just don't see how they can accept themselves and look themselves in the face saying, hey, we looked out there, but you know what? We're going to try out the guy in 2022 that we don't trust at all. I just don't see that happening still. What's your thoughts? I think there's a slim chance that Carson Wentz is back just because there's not a lot of options out there. That said, my gut feeling, like 95% of me thinks that he's going to be gone one way or another because like you mentioned and

like we talked about there's a trust issue and and will carroll put out a tweet that i think now has been deleted um that something happened like he doesn't know what it was but he thinks something happened between frank reich and carson went uh near the end of the season it doesn't he didn't go into details people were like, what's going on? And then he deleted it. So I don't know what that is, but it kind of felt that way at the end of the season because Frank Reich is, he's such a rah-rah guy

in terms of supporting his guys. Carson Wentz was unapologetically his guy. So I have a hard time thinking that there wasn't something that happened in the locker room, in a meeting, some kind of communication where it just, there was something that rubbed in the wrong way. And I jokingly said, maybe it was when Carson, you know, made the Gideon reference at the arizona game i mean who knows uh because gideon that whole story i don't know

it was like 300 soldiers that like blew trumpets and chased away an army of 135 000 um if anybody wants to go read judges um in the in the Bible, uh, that it's right there. So I don't know, maybe that rubbed Frank Wright the wrong way. Who knows? Um, that was a joke by the way, everybody, just in case I know I say things pretty dry, but, um, I don't know. Like, I don't think that they can run it back with him, but at the same time, the question is what's your other option?

Like, do they go out and draft a rookie do they like bring in uh a sam howell or a ritter a jasmine ritter or do you pray that kenny pickett's hand size drops him down to the lap back into the first round and you can jump up into the 31 32 range and snag him like there's a lot of questions about about what they can do going forward um i just i have a hard time thinking that it's going to be carson wentz because he said there's there's something that's broken there it feels broken um There's something that just feels off. And you could tell by the way that the Colts addressed the Colts front office, in terms of head coach, GM, owner, all addressed the situation in a very non-committal, in one of those situations where they said everything by not saying it

and so that's where i look at that and say all right there's there's some disconnect here something happened um frank reich just somehow is is off the carson wentz bandwagon maybe it's carson got paid in philly and it changed him. Like he went from a kid throwing a ball, a country mile up in North Dakota and, you know, getting paid, whatever, you know, that second round pick, but then he got 25, 20, $27 million a year salary in Philly. And all of a sudden he, there are some people that when they get paid, they change. I mean, you see it all the time in the NFL. It's why Eric Decker is such an important part of the Colts operation

in terms of who they give second contracts to and who they bring in free agents in his draft picks. You know, not sure how much say he had in this trade, but I bet there would have been red flags. So I don't know. I feel like they can't go forward with him, and they would rather just go something with, like, Mitch Trubisky or Ryan Fitzpatrick or, you know, somebody like that

and accept that this year is basically going to be a down year and then look at the 2023 draft where you've got a lot of really high quality quarterback options coming up and just go ahead and and take some swings there um but yeah i just there's it's gonna be tough for them to bring them back um based on everything that they didn't say yeah i'm right there with you and i think looking ahead now because we're i think we're gonna know the answer if you the colts quarterback is next season within the next 10 days. Because 10 days from now is March 15th. So we're going to know for sure one way or the other if Carson Wentz is here

or staying or if he is gone, who the Colts likely have at that point. But I have three options on the board here now, Steve. And I wrote this out as you were talking there because I think we're on the same page as far as if they do move off of Carson Wentz, I think they're going to go for like a strong locker room voice, a leader in that locker room. It might be more in the Jacoby Brissett type of lane than it is a big splash, maybe like a Russell Wilson, so to say,

because obviously Russ is in Denver now. But I think it might be along the lines there because we've heard a lot of smoke around Carson Wentz's leadership the last couple weeks. Dan Orlovsky came out today on ESPN and said from what he's talked to, he's heard it's more of an off-the-field thing with Carson Wentz, a leadership thing, than it is on the field. So I have three names here I wrote down.

And obviously the first one, Derek Carr. The second one, Jimmy Garoppolo. And the third one, which is really intriguing to me because I can see this one being the most realistic option just based off of price and what the Colts could do. But what's your thoughts on Marcus Mariota? You sign him to like a one or two-year deal, and you see like a Desmond Ritter or a Sam Howell slip to 47. Like, what's your thoughts on that one?

Because that feels like the most realistic outcome now for the Colts, unless they do swing a big trade all of a sudden out of nowhere for like a Derek Carr kind of guy. I think, honestly, I think if they move on from Carson Wentz, I think signing a guy like Marcus Mariota or Mitch Trubisky makes the most sense. Or Tyrod Taylor for that matter. All three of those guys are good locker room guys, guys that are leaders. And that if you bring in a rookie quarterback to compete or not to compete necessarily but to learn they are willing teachers as well and so I think that's what's going to be the most important thing and I wonder if that might be part of the thing that happened with

Carson is he just didn't want to work with Sam Ellinger like I mean who knows what what happened behind the scenes it's just all speculation at this point. But, you know, he got real upset back in Philly when they drafted Jalen Hurts and, like, pouted. So, you know, I think that the Colts would be looking for somebody that's kind of polar opposite to that, that would be willing to help and to teach. And so that's why you look at guys, like you said, like Marcus Marioni has been around for a while. He's 29 years old.

Probably would be a pretty cheap option. Kind of same thing with Mitch Biscay or even Tyra Taylor. None of those guys are probably going to be making over $10 million a year. So you cut Carson Wentz, you sign one of these guys for $8 million, $10 million. Then you've got those guys, and you still have an extra $3 million in cash space. Plus, if you draft a rookie quarterback, you give them a year to develop, get used to an NFL system, all that. You've got yourself some options um you know it's just it's real hard being in quarterback purgatory especially in a draft class that is weak at quarterback and not having a first round pick like the carson wentz trade itself is

it's getting worse as it goes along because, like we said earlier, they missed out on Russell Wilson because they didn't have a pick this year. Again, Chris Ballard may not have traded all those assets needed to get him, but you probably could have kept a couple assets in terms of players. You throw in an extra first-round pick in 2024. You probably could have kept a couple assets in terms of players you throw in an extra first round pick in 2024 like you probably could have pulled that off but or 2023 so you give them no 2022 2023 and 2024 those three first round picks who knows Russell Wilson might have liked to play here but Carson Wentz trade is still hurting hurting the Colts because and the other part is this draft really strong at positions that the Colts need

help at especially at the top you put it at 16 a couple teams reach for quarterbacks you know who falls left tackle a defensive end like those are the guys that fall a number one wirekeeper too they could a number one wide out to go to that, DJ. Yeah, they could. They could have a number – the number one wide out in the draft. Like, they could – I mean, what, Drake London, I think, is the overall one for betting odds to go first wide receiver overall.

So, you could have had an MPJ's teammate there and be right alongside him. So, yeah, it's a tough situation. And like you said, we'll find out in the next 10 days. What's your – last thing here, Steve, before I let you go. I appreciate the time as always. I don't want to put you on the spot here, but I'm going to put myself on the spot here too.

I'll let you go after me. But what's your prediction of what happens here in 10 days? I mean, just the way that the news has been moving around, it's almost impossible to tell, but just as of today, March 8th, on the evening of March 8th, 10 days from when we'll know for sure about Carson Wentz, one, it's a two-parter. One, do you think Carson Wentz is here? And two, if he's not here, who do you think replaced him? Because for me, I think Carson Wentz is gone.

I'm still like 99% sure he's gone. And if I had to guess, I'm going to go in a direction of a Jimmy Garoppolo. I just think that's one. I think they'll be the less of a cost, and it will be Derek Carr. I think the Colts are desperate to get an upgrade, or at least a lateral move to make a winning push next season. I just think all the chips stack up in the deck of Jimmy Garoppolo, where he's not a sexy name, so to say, like a big upgrade over Carson Wentz,

but he's at least a guy that's not going to lose you a lot of games. He's a guy that's accurate in the pocket. He's a guy that's a galvanizing leader in the locker room as well. Guys in San Francisco love Jimmy G. So I just feel like we're on the track of a Jimmy G type of move here or even like a Marcus Mariota. But just putting myself on the spot here 10 days before we know about Carson Wentz, I think Wentz is gone and they trade for Jimmy G.

What do you think? So I think Wentz is gone. I'm pretty certain about that one. I think that in all likelihood, I think he's going to get traded to Washington probably for a second and fourth round pick. So pick 42 and pick 111, something like that. I think in terms of the most likely option, if they really want to make a splash move and Jim Irsay really wants to make a splash move, I think they might look at like derrick carr um to be honest and then who knows uh

it's just i i and they might be able to the trouble is is going to be a price tag um if if derrick carr's they're asking two first round picks for him, then I don't think the Colts make that move. But yeah, if I'm going to put betting money on it, I'm going to say Carson Wentz gets traded to Washington for second and fourth round pick. And then the Colts end up making a trade for, I'm going to say Derek Carr. Okay. I mean, that's something I'm all aboard with. I think Derek Carr would make an awful lot of sense here, Nandy. But as we mentioned, we'll know more for sure over the next week plus. We might have a Carson Wentz trade by then. We might have a new quarterback by then.

So a lot of moving parts here on the table. Steven, appreciate the time as always. Go ahead and follow me if you haven't already on Twitter, at NiceReachSteve. And you'll be with us here as we see these QB dominoes fall. But today was not a good day for the Colts as Aaron Rodgers stays put. Russell Wilson goes to Denver. And the Colts are still in no man's land for a quarterback.

So I'm pretty sure everyone listening in, as always, again, make sure you follow us on Twitter at LockedOnColts. Make sure you follow Steven on Twitter at NiceReadSteve. Thanks again, guys. And I hope you guys enjoy your night. And we'll be back with you guys tomorrow for the next episode.