The Indianapolis Colts face a major decision when it comes to the use of their first-round pick in the 2023 NFL draft, and it seems that decision will be made by general manager Chris Ballard and head coach Shane Steichen.
In a typical offseason, that wouldn’t really be in question and this wouldn’t be a newsworthy topic of discussion. But this isn’t a typical offseason for the Colts.
They hired Steichen following an exhaustive head coach search that spanned 21 total interviews and roughly 35 days. They’ve parted ways with some key veterans from the 2022 season and appear primed to select a quarterback on the first night of the draft.
Whether they will pull the trigger on a quarterback prospect is a decision that will be left up to Ballard and Steichen as owner Jim Irsay takes more of a back seat.
“I know they will line up together, there’s no question, and I’ll line up with their thinking unless something was very unusual,” Irsay told reporters at the NFL owners’ meeting in Arizona this week.
Following the firing of former head coach Frank Reich, it appeared Ballard may have been next on the chopping block. During a 2022 season that saw Irsay become far more involved in the decision-making process, it wasn’t clear how solid Ballard’s standing with the team was.
Even though Irsay didn’t give an absolute vote of confidence for Ballard’s future, he refuted the notion that the seventh-year general manager was on a hotter seat than expected.
“Everyone has to be successful to keep their job, if you’re a general manager or head coach,” Irsay told reporters. “I really feel that he’s not on some quick, hot seat. But the expectations are there.”
Make no mistake, Ballard’s job is far from secure beyond the 2023 season. This upcoming campaign is likely to be the one that makes or breaks his tenure with the organization.
And it all likely comes down to the decision he makes at No. 4 overall.
With C.J. Stroud and Bryce Young currently expected to come off the board with the first two picks in the draft, the Colts may be looking at a decision between quarterback prospects Anthony Richardson and Will Levis.
Other dark horse candidates include Oregon cornerback Christian Gonzalez, Georgia defensive tackle Jalen Carter and Alabama edge rusher Will Anderson. None of those prospects are expected to be selected by the Colts, but those would be the alternatives to taking a quarterback—as well as trading back.
We still have a month left of speculation and predicting what the Colts will do with the No. 4 overall pick, but it appears Irsay is trusting his new tandem to make the right one.
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