The Indianapolis Colts are hoping to usher in a new era with the hiring of head coach Shane Steichen, a move many believe will be paired with the addition of a rookie quarterback in the 2023 NFL draft.
Even though the process took a while, leading all the way into the middle of February, there are plenty of pundits praising the Colts’ taking a swing on the first-year head coach.
We can add Bleacher Report’s Kristopher Knox to that list now after he named the hiring as the team’s “smartest offseason move” in 2023.
Like the Texans, the Indianapolis Colts are widely expected to take a quarterback in April’s draft. That means they’ll be drafting and developing their quarterback of the future for the first time since landing Andrew Luck in the 2012 draft.
Following Luck’s surprise retirement in 2019, the Colts have leaned on veterans Jacoby Brissett, Philip Rivers, Carson Wentz and Matt Ryan. Only Rivers helped deliver a playoff berth.
With that in mind, the Colts made a wise move by hiring Shane Steichen as their new head coach. The former Eagles offensive coordinator helped develop Jalen Hurts into a Pro Bowl quarterback and a legitimate MVP candidate over the past two seasons.
Steichen also helped forge one of the league’s most dynamic and potent offenses. The Eagles ranked fifth in rushing yards, ninth in passing yards and third in both total yards and points scored last season.
“I think Shane does a good job with Jalen of connecting with him, not just in football, and I think Shane has continued to do a very good job of connecting with all the offensive players,” Eagles head coach Nick Sirianni said in September, per Reuben Frank of NBC Sports Philadelphia.
It remains to be seen which quarterback Indianapolis lands in the draft, but Steichen has already proved that he can help transform a young quarterback into a bona fide star in short order.
Steichen’s recent success with a variety of quarterbacks is what makes him extremely appealing to the Colts. He won the press conference with his adoration and determination to improve in every aspect of the game.
The Colts have a lot of holes remaining on their roster as we head into the month of April. It may not be a full rebuild, but this team will have several question marks going into the 2023 NFL draft.
Whether the Colts walk away from the draft with a new quarterback is a bit of a mystery with one month remaining until the big weekend, but there should be optimism that Steichen can get the most out of whoever is under center.
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