The Indianapolis Colts are ready to move on from Carson Wentz and if the decision is left up entirely to owner Jim Irsay, Russell Wilson will be the Colts starting quarterback in 2022.
Indianapolis took a big swing last offseason, acquiring Wentz from the Philadelphia Eagles. The move backfired, with Wentz playing enough snaps to unlock the conditional first-round pick being sent to Philadelphia. Unfortunately, he often struggled and seemed to validate the concerns the Eagles had about him.
After missing out on the NFL Playoffs – thanks to the quarterback’s struggles – the Colts are bracing to part ways with Wentz. In an offseason without great options in the 2022 NFL Draft and free agency, a trade seems to be the primary focus for a quarterback change.
According to Jordan Schultz, Irsay is a huge fan of Wilson and would love for the Colts to swing a trade for him this offseason.
The 33-year-old quarterback was floated in NFL trade rumors at the start of the offseason. However, acquiring him could prove quite difficult for Indianapolis.
- Russell Wilson stats (2021): 3,113 passing yards, 25-6 TD-INT, 64.8% completion rate, 103.1 QB rating
Can the Indianapolis Colts acquire Russell Wilson?
The first problem the Indianapolis Colts would face is quite simple. The Seahawks have zero interest in trading Russell Wilson. Furthermore, the face of the franchise seems happy in Seattle and doesn’t want to leave right now.
A year ago, the Colts likely had a better chance. Wilson provided the Seahawks with a list of teams he would like to play for via trade. However, Seattle ultimately decided to keep him and the relationship between the two sides is improving.
Even if Wilson requests a trade, there’s another issue for Indianapolis. Because it traded its 2022 first-round pick for Wentz, the Colts would be operating at a significant disadvantage in a bidding war. NFL rules don’t allow a team to trade a pick more than three years out, meaning the Colts would only be able to package their 2023 and 2024 first-round picks.
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Irsay certainly has plenty of power, but he can’t get Wilson away from the Seahawks. Instead, he’ll have to settle for second-tier options to replace Wentz.