The 2022 season has been an embarrassing one for many reasons for the Indianapolis Colts. Blowing a 33-0 halftime lead against the Minnesota Vikings in Week 15 was just the icing on the cake for a season they cannot wait to have over.
Indianapolis came into the year with playoff aspirations as a Super Bowl dark horse. They fell one game short of the postseason in 2021 as Carson Wentz imploded in Week 18 against the lowly Jacksonville Jaguars, who had the first pick in the 2022 NFL Draft.
Looking to make an upgrade at the quarterback position, the Colts traded Wentz to the Washington Commanders and then made a deal to acquire Matt Ryan from the Atlanta Falcons. It was panned as a successful deal at the time as Ryan was seen as an upgrade over Wentz, but once the game started, it was clear this was yet another miss by Indianapolis.
Ryan has struggled all season, even getting benched at one point for Sam Ehlinger, a sixth-round pick in the 2021 NFL Draft. The veteran Ryan has been a turnover machine this season as the entire offense regressed from last season under Wentz.
Since Andrew Luck surprisingly retired ahead of the 2019 season, the quarterback position has been a mess for the Colts. They will once again be looking for some stability this offseason as Ryan was unable to provide it.
Indianapolis will almost certainly be back on the quarterback carousel this off-season for the fifth year in a row. Given how poorly the season has gone, it could result in them landing one of the top prospects in the 2023 draft class. If not, David Kenyon of Bleacher Report believes Mike White could be an option for them.
White has become a folk hero with the New York Jets, as fans and teammates have rallied around him whenever he has been called upon to step into the lineup for Zach Wilson. This season he went 1-2 as a starter, but the offense looked much stronger with him at the helm.
He missed the game last week against the Detroit Lions because of a rib injury and won’t be healthy enough to play this week against the Jacksonville Jaguars, but he is someone that garners the respect of his teammates in the locker room. He put New York in a position to defeat the Vikings in Week 13 and held his own while taking a beating against the Buffalo Bills in Week 14.
Playing out an expiring contract, it would not be surprising to see a team take a chance on White and make him their starter in at least 2023. He has shown toughness and moxie with the Jets and it would be interesting to see what he looks like as the unquestioned starter with a full training camp.
Indianapolis has the pieces in place for any quarterback to succeed with Jonathan Taylor at running back and Michael Pittman and Alec Pierce at wide receiver. The offensive line was one of the best in the NFL two years ago and would look better without an immobile quarterback such as Ryan playing center. White would be in a position to thrive should the Colts go after him and cement himself as a long-term option for the franchise.
