All eyes have been on the quarterback position for the Indianapolis Colts this offseason. It is easy to see why, as they have constantly changed their signal caller since Andrew Luck retired ahead of the 2019 season.
In addition, they have a new head coach, Shane Steichen, who has a good track record of working with quarterbacks as he did excellent work with Jalen Hurts while with the Philadelphia Eagles. Armed with the No. 4 overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft, Indianapolis should finally be able to address that need.
Alas, quarterback is far from the only need that the Colts have. Their defense could use some work as well with multiple key pieces no longer with the team. Linebacker Bobby Okereke signed a deal in free agency with the New York Giants and edge rusher Yannick Ngakoue will not be back with the franchise after leading the team in sacks in 2022.
With nine total selections in the 2023 NFL Draft, the Colts will have an opportunity to address some of those needs. But, the front office could also elect to use some of that draft capital to bring in an established player.
While linebacker may not be the most pressing need, it wouldn’t be the worst idea to bring in someone with some experience to replace Okereke, especially with Shaquille Leonard dealing with so many injuries last season.
One player who could pique their interest is Patrick Queen of the Baltimore Ravens. The Ravens have yet to decide whether or not they will exercise the fifth-year option on Queen’s rookie contract. If there are any hesitations about keeping him long-term they should see what they can get for him on the trade market.
What could a trade between the Colts and Ravens look like? Indianapolis could offer their fourth-round pick, No. 106 overall, in exchange for him. With Roquan Smith signing a record-setting contract this offseason, the Ravens may not want to commit another large contract to a linebacker.
Queen is coming off of the best season of his career, so the Ravens could decide to keep him. If not, the Colts would be getting a playmaking linebacker that showed real promise as a pass rusher in 2022 and improved in coverage as well. He would make for a dynamic pairing with Leonard, who made the All-Pro team every season of his career before an injury-riddled 2022.
