The Indianapolis Colts are a team that many people are keeping an eye on just days away from the 2023 NFL Draft. It is widely expected that the Colts will be adding a new quarterback to their roster one way or another.
Indianapolis has been seeking a franchise quarterback since Andrew Luck shockingly announced his retirement ahead of the 2019 season. Numerous veteran options have been acquired to fill that void since but none have succeeded.
With Shane Steichen taking over as head coach, there isn’t a better time than now for the Colts to find a long-term answer at the position. Armed with the No. 4 overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft, they may not have to wait long to get their guy.
There are plenty of rumors swirling that the Colts could have set their sights on Will Levis out of Kentucky. There is a chance he is available at No. 4, but a lot of that depends on what the Arizona Cardinals do with the third overall pick.
Trading that pick to another quarterback-needy team would be the worst-case scenario for the Colts; they would presumably be stuck with whoever is left from the top-four quarterback prospects. If the board doesn’t fall in their favor, Indianapolis could pivot to making a trade.
One player who could be an option for the Colts is Mac Jones of the New England Patriots. The 2021 first-rounder has been shopped by New England this offseason as the relationship between him and head coach/general manager Bill Belichick is a rocky one.
What could a trade between the Colts and Patriots look like? Pinpointing what Jones’ value is currently isn’t easy as he took a step back in production in Year 2 compared to his rookie season. But, Indianapolis could offer the No. 35, No. 79 and No. 163 overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft in exchange for Jones and the No. 46 pick.
New England recoups some solid trade value, jumping up in the second round 11 spots along with snagging a third and fifth-rounder. This trade would likely lead the Patriots to start Bailey Zappe, or they could look for a veteran in free agency to be the starter, such as Teddy Bridgewater.
For the Colts, they get a former first-round pick who still has three seasons of team control on his rookie contract. Jones would likely benefit from a change of scenery after a rough 2022. Going from Matt Patricia and Joe Judge as his offensive coaches to a Steichen-led staff would do wonders for him.
After seeing what Steichen did working with Justin Herbert and Jalen Hurts, Jones would have to be excited about this new start. Running back Jonathan Taylor and wide receivers Michael Pittman Jr. and Alec Pierce are a solid trio of skill position players for Jones to grow and develop with.
