With the Manning and Luck eras over, where do the Colts go from here?

Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

After starting this past season with a 5-2 record, the Indianapolis Colts fell off the map in a big way. They lost seven of their final nine games en route to finishing third in the AFC South. 

The season started with franchise quarterback Andrew Luck shockingly announcing his retirement. Indy then locked up backup Jacoby Brissett on what was, on the surface, a long-term deal

Now heading into the offseason, there’s renewed questions about Brissett’s future in Indy under head coach Frank Reich. With the team in the post-Luck and Manning era, what must the Colts do moving forward to once again become relevant on the broader NFL stage?

It’s about the quarterback, stupid: It should not come as a surprise that it starts and ends with Brissett under center. The Colts reportedly don’t believe he’s the long-term solution at quarterback. 

First seven starts: 64.8% completion, 14 TD, 3 INT, 99.7 rating

Final seven starts: 56.4% completion, 4 TD, 3 INT, 75.0 rating

This seems to suggest that Brissett is no longer the long-term solution in Indy as the organization has reportedly soured on him. If that is the case, what must the Colts do this offseason to find a solution at quarterback and add to a roster with multiple holes?

Trade Brissett: Despite his relatively lofty $21.375 million cap hit for the 2020 season, Brissett seems to be a tradable commodity. The Colts would likely get something for him.

Add a stopgap veteran option: The free-agent and trade markets will be plentiful for quarterback-needy teams once the spring comes calling.

Draft a quarterback in Round 2: While we have the Colts going a different direction in the first round of the 2020 NFL Draft, they could look quarterback later.

A couple veteran free-agent options: We’re obviously not talking about Indianapolis tearing it down. The team still has a ton of talent and could contend for the AFC South title with the right mix in 2020.

Bottom line

Indianapolis remains in position to contend for a playoff spot in 2020. If the team were to hang on to Brissett, that wouldn’t necessarily change things.

Even then, improvement has to be the name of the game for Chris Ballard and Co. It could very well start at quarterback.

If the Colts were to add someone like Brady, Rivers or Newton and team him up with a pair of solid receivers, contention would be the name of the game in 2020.

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