The Indianapolis Colts seemingly had seen enough of veteran quarterback Matt Ryan, announcing Monday that second-year passer Sam Ehlinger will take over the starting role for the remainder of the 2022 season.
While Ryan did suffer a shoulder sprain in his throwing arm during the 19-10 loss against the Tennessee Titans in Week 7, head coach Frank Reich said this move was going to be made regardless of Ryan’s injury status.
So now, the 3-3-1 Colts will be playing the remaining 10 games with their 2021 sixth-round pick under center. It will be the first time Ehlinger sees meaningful snaps during an NFL game.
In what seems like a move to help save face for Reich and general manager Chris Ballard, it likely will have massive implications when the 2023 NFL draft rolls around.
Here’s a look at the pros and cons of the big move made by the Colts on Monday:
Pro: We'll see what he's made of
Drafting Ehlinger in the sixth round of the 2021 NFL draft after the Colts had already traded for Carson Wentz seemed a bit odd considering it was likely that Ehlinger wouldn’t see the field during his rookie season. Then, they traded for Ryan and signed Nick Foles this offseason, which made it even more of a long shot that Ehlinger would see playing time.
With this news, though, we will get to see just what Ehlinger is made of as an NFL player. He dominated the preseason just a few months ago, but the regular season is an entirely different animal. At least now, the Colts can somewhat form an opinion on him and make their decision about the future of the quarterback position after these next 10 games.
Con: Likely conceding the season
Even with Matt Ryan under center, the Colts probably weren’t going to make the playoffs. Even though they’re 3-3-1 through seven games, they are 1-3-1 in the division and the top team in the AFC South already completed the season sweep following the 19-10 loss to the Tennessee Titans on Sunday.
No team will ever admit to tanking, but a better draft slot in 2023 is likely going to be a by-product of this move. Even if Colts fans can get excited about potential drafting a quarterback, they still have to watch this offense play the next 10 games with a quarterback who has yet to make an NFL start.
The offense can’t get much worse than the product they’ve already put on the field, but the likely outcome is that this move will move the Colts up the draft board.
Pro: Finally, some mobility
The spark that Ehlinger can bring to the offense will be provided by his legs. He made some improvements as a passer during the offseason, and that was evident during the preseason. But he makes a better impact because of his legs.
Ehlinger completed 24-of-29 passing for 289 yards with four touchdowns and zero interceptions during the preseason and added for 71 rushing yards, which included a 45-yard touchdown run. Having that mobility should help with the fact that the Colts offensive line has allowed pressure at an extremely high rate.
Though Matt Ryan leaned much more on the cerebral part of his game, his lack of mobility often doomed the Colts anytime there was pressure in his face. Now, we’ll get to see how much a mobile quarterback can help in Frank Reich’s offense.
Con: Matt Ryan's contract
The Colts made the move this offseason to acquire Ryan and then fully guaranteed his 2022 salary. That money isn’t going anywhere because Ryan will remain on the roster. However, his salary-cap hit for 2023 is $35.2 million, and that includes $18.7 million guaranteed.
The Colts will owe Matt Ryan $18.7 million next season even if he never plays a down.
On the bright(ish) side, Sam Ehlinger is set to make $973K.
— Nate Atkins (@NateAtkins_) October 24, 2022
Pro: Forces Chris Ballard to change his ways?
Ever since the retirement of Andrew Luck, Colts fans have been waiting for Ballard to make a move for a quarterback prospect in the draft with significant capital. Though they will want to see what they have in Ehlinger, it’s a real possibility the benching of Ryan forces Ballard to move up for a quarterback.
Ballard and Reich have both been on the hot seat since the Disaster in Duval, and most of the discourse has stemmed from Ballard’s refusal to take a shot on a young quarterback prospect. The only way Ballard can seemingly keep his job is if he convinces Jim Irsay that they are planning to move up for a prospect in what looks like a strong class in 2023.
I’ve always been a fan of Ballard, especially in his ability to scout talent and find hidden gems. But his fear of taking a shot on a quarterback prospect has kept this roster from really taking the next step. If he can change his approach when it comes to a quarterback, it gives them a shot to be a contender at least.
But if Ballard isn’t willing to change his philosophy about moving up for a quarterback after this entire debacle, then his removal as general manager would have been long overdue.
