The 2021 season could not have been bookended any worse than it was for the Indianapolis Colts. They began the season 1-4 before getting things on track and getting above the .500 mark heading into their bye week in Week 14 with a 7-6 record.
They picked up right where they left off following the bye week, winning two more games. They were turning into a team no one wanted to face in the playoffs, but the Colts ultimately wouldn’t even qualify.
Indianapolis failed to defeat the Las Vegas Raiders in Week 17 or the Jacksonville Jaguars in Week 18, ending the season more disappointingly than they began it. That loss led to some major changes this offseason, with the most prominent one coming at the quarterback position.
The Colts traded Carson Wentz, who spent one season as their starter, to the Washington Commanders. Replacing him will be veteran Matt Ryan, who the team acquired from the Atlanta Falcons for a third-round pick.
This is a sizable upgrade at the position and one that could catapult the Colts to a higher level this season. One NFL executive that spoke to NFL Analysis Network believes the Ryan acquisition makes the Colts contenders in 2022.
“Indianapolis aced this offseason. Matt Ryan is exactly the kind of leader that the Colts were missing last season. If they stay healthy, I don’t see any reason why they aren’t going to be a legitimate Super Bowl threat.”
There are a few more holes on the roster, as the team needs to address the offensive line and could use some more weapons at wide receiver. However, their biggest hole coming into the offseason was at quarterback and they filled that need by landing Ryan.
Ryan brings a lot to the table that the team didn’t get from Wentz last season. Wentz came up small in the biggest moments, such as the Week 18 game against Jacksonville, which was his worst performance of the season.
While Ryan isn’t at the MVP level anymore, he can still be a productive player. The Colts don’t need MVP-level Ryan to succeed given how strong the roster is overall. The level at which Ryan produced at in recent seasons despite an underwhelming supporting cast is more than enough to help get Indianapolis over the hump this season.
