6 QBs for Colts to consider after Philip Rivers’ retirement

The Indianapolis Colts learned a vital piece of information Wednesday as veteran quarterback Philip Rivers announced his retirement from the NFL after 17 seasons.

Though only one of those seasons was with the Colts, Rivers made a strong impact by helping bring Indy back to the playoffs. But now, the Colts have to move on and find his replacement this offseason.

There are several ways they can go. Some are more likely than others but we will try to cover all relevant paths for Indy in searching for their new quarterback.

Whether through the draft, free agency or even a trade, here are six quarterbacks the Colts should consider this offseason:

Zach Wilson, BYU

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This would be a popular choice for the Colts and the fanbase. With Trevor Lawrence and Justin Fields likely gone early, Wilson might fall to a range in which they can trade up for him. That might not even happen, though, as teams could view Wilson as the QB2 in the draft. Regardless, he's still one of the top options. The Colts would certainly have to trade up for Wilson's services in the draft and going from No. 21 into the top-eight will be pricey. But Wilson has a ceiling that would be magnificent for the offense. If the Colts wound up landing Wilson, chalk that up as a major win this offseason.

Trey Lance, NDSU

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Another prospect the Colts would likely have to trade up for in the draft, Lance is a bit of a wildcard. His ceiling is as high as any prospect in this class but given his limited work as a starter and the fact that he only played in one game during the 2020 season gives a lot of unknowns. Not to mention, the competition wasn't all that strong. Even so, Lance is the type of quarterback that teams are going to start falling in love with. He's shown flashes of having arm talent while his rushing ability falls in line with the new wave of quarterbacks we are seeing take over the league. Lance is a project, but his ceiling would be worth it. Regardless, the Colts would have to move up from No. 21 to get him.

Dak Prescott, Free Agent

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As of this writing, Prescott is set to be an unrestricted free agent in March. It isn't often a quarterback of his caliber hits the market but there's at least a chance he does. If that happens, the Colts should be all over him as their next quarterback. With Prescott at the helm, the Colts would become Super Bowl contenders overnight. However, this is most likely a pipe dream. The Cowboys are likely to lock up Prescott this offseason even after his devastating ankle injury that ended his 2020 campaign after just five games. In those five games, Prescott continued to show his maturation as a thrower and his rushing ability would open up Frank Reich's offense. This would be an ideal situation for the Colts even with the salary cap implications but it is unlikely to happen.

Mac Jones, Alabama

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He's likely an option in the draft but it isn't clear if the Colts will want to bring him in. Jones showed plenty of flashes throughout the 2020 season while helping lead the Crimson Tide to another National Championship. He also helped DeVonta Smith earn the Heisman Trophy. Jones seems like the kind of quarterback that Frank Reich would enjoy working with. He seems like a perfect fit for the West Coast offense where he works the field horizontally with the occasional deep shot. Jones could be available at No. 21 but given the way quarterbacks get pushed up now, he might go before then.

Matthew Stafford, Detroit Lions

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This would be a sweet deal for the Colts but it is unlikely to happen. The Colts would have to trade for Stafford and while the package might be a bit expensive, Indy would be getting a 32-year-old quarterback who can still sling it enough to make the Colts contenders. Stafford has been dealing with a lack of playmakers around him. Kenny Golladay missed most of the season with a hip injury while the Lions can never really get their running game going. He would thrive in Indy, but that would mean the Lions would actually want to sell him. There's a chance they might if they want to rebuild and tear everything down, but there are no indications of that yet. Don't expect a deal like this to happen.

Jacob Eason, Indianapolis Colts

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Probably the most unlikely scenario but never say never. Eason is the only quarterback under contract currently on the roster so we are going to include his name. That said, he is far from being ready as a starter, and Chris Ballard said as much during his year-end press conference. It would take an odd offseason for Eason to be the starter in 2020. The Colts would have to whiff in the draft while other options in free agency likely wouldn't be available. Eason has a high ceiling but a lot to prove. The Colts feel like they haven't seen anything from him because of a lack of preseason in 2020. They should get a better look in 2021, but it is highly unlikely Eason will be under center for the upcoming campaign.

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