Colts GM Chris Ballard on Carson Wentz

[JAFF]

https://www.indystar.com/story/sport...ts/6847471001/

NDIANAPOLIS — Six weeks after their season ended in embarrassment, the Colts have not changed their messaging on the starting quarterback position.

Indianapolis is not committing to bringing back Carson Wentz, the quarterback the Colts traded a first- and a third-round pick to get at this time last offseason. From the end of the season through March, the Colts have not said they will bring Wentz back as the starter.

And that leaves open the door for coach Frank Reich to be working with a fifth different starting quarterback in five seasons.

“I know I’m going to get a lot of questions about Carson right now. I don’t have a direct answer for you,” Colts general manager Chris Ballard said in his NFL Combine news conference Tuesday. “(Jim) Irsay, Frank and I will sit down over the next 10 days and figure out where it’s going.”

The discussion, a discussion that Ballard acknowledged might begin with differing viewpoints, will over the next 10 days center on whether bringing Wentz back as the starter represents the best long-term answer for the franchise. When Indianapolis traded for Wentz last year, there was hope that he could fill that void.


"I believe in him, I stuck my neck out for him last year," Reich said. "I was a big part of that discussion last year. I believe he's going to continue to have a lot of success at quarterback. That might be here, that might not be here. That decision has yet to be determined."

The way the season progressed opened the possibility of Indianapolis making another move at quarterback.

Working under Reich, Wentz was able to bounce back somewhat from his disastrous final season in Philadelphia by throwing for 27 touchdowns, seven interceptions, 3,563 yards and a 94.7 rating, the third-best of his six seasons as a starter.

But Wentz’s lack of accuracy, his decision-making and a penchant for ignoring the short throw in favor of trying to make the big play cost the Colts’ passing game deeply, and by season’s end it had become the team’s Achilles heel. Indianapolis finished 26th in the NFL in passing, and Wentz’s play got worse as the season progressed, even though defenses increasingly stacked the box to stop All-Pro running back Jonathan Taylor, who became the overwhelming focal point of the offense.


W entz’s play cost the Colts dearly in the final two weeks of the season. Playing behind Taylor and an opportunistic defense that finished second in the NFL in takeaways, Indianapolis came back from a 1-4 start to get to 9-6, a spot that looked like a sure playoff berth.

"Ultimately, we didn't win as a team. I'm not putting this all on Carson," Reich said. "We didn't win the big game, the must game, the gotta-have game. ... When you go 9-8 and miss the playoffs, those are the questions that have to be answered."

The Colts collapsed in winnable games the final two weeks against the Raiders and Jaguars, and Wentz struggled mightily in both games, completing a collapse that beganhalfway through the season.

Wentz’s salary cap hit is more than $28 million, but the Colts would be able to get rid of all of that figure if they traded Wentz; and if they released the quarterback outright, they’d save $13 million against the cap, even though they would take a $15 million dead hit.

Ballard, and the Colts at large, have made it clear this offseason that the costs — both Wentz’s current salary and the draft picks Indianapolis gave up to get him — would not keep them from making a move at the position.

More:Insider: Why Carson Wentz's contract isn't a factor in Colts QB decision

“Don’t let it,” Ballard said. “You always do what you think is the best with the information at the time. I don’t ever worry about what we gave up or what we didn’t. We make the best decision going forward. Whatever the repercussions of that are, they are, and we deal with them and we figure out how we can move forward.”

The Colts have also made it clear the team will not make a decision simply to preserve continuity at a position that has been a revolving door since Andrew Luck's retirement two weeks before the start of the regular season.

"Whatever ends up happening, whether it's five in five years or Carson's back, however that decision ends up playing out, you play the hand that you're dealt, and you just try to play a winning hand," Reich said.

The Colts are aware that their decision to avoid committing to Wentz publicly will be noted by the quarterback himself. Ballard met with Wentz for an hour on Tuesday, and said that one of the things the quarterback must do is acknowledge that some of the criticism around his play is warranted.

What I think you always have to ask yourself. … is the criticism fair?” Ballard said. “I’ll take it in if it’s fair. If it’s not fair, then what am I doing? I’m not wasting my headspace on that, but if the criticism is fair, then we’ve got to be able to look internally and accept that and grow from it. I’m not saying all of it is, but most of it’s pretty fair. It’ll be interesting to see how he grows from this. I think he will.”

The ability to handle adversity and criticism, remain steady and keep playing well, is critical to the position.

So critical that Ballard singled it out as the most important trait a quarterback has to have in today’s NFL.

“Ultimately, you’ve got to have a guy you believe in, and you can win with,” Ballard said. “That will play some into it, but ultimately, we will make the decision that we think is best, both in the short and the long-term

[Chromeburn]

I saw within the next 10 days something should happen. Also rumors that they are trying to do a Stafford type deal. With who, I don’t know.

[JAFF]

PTF reports

Colts coach Frank Reich had no update today on the status of quarterback Carson Wentz, whose late-season struggles appear to have him on the chopping block.

“We’ll continue the evaluation process,” Reich said. “In this business everybody and everything get evaluated every year. And the second thing we know is head coach and quarterback get the most scrutiny.”



Wentz got plenty of scrutiny after his disastrous play in the season finale, when the Colts lost to the Jaguars and were eliminated from playoff contention. And Reich got scrutiny because he was the driving force behind the Colts’ decision to trade for Wentz, a trade that cost the Colts their first-round pick in the 2022 NFL draft.

“I believe in Carson. I stuck my neck out for him,” Reich said today.

Reich said the Colts do believe Wentz improved in 2021 over his terrible final season in Philadelphia in 2020. But he likely didn’t improve enough for the Colts to think they can win with Wentz in 2022.

[CletusPyle]

Sounds like he'll be back to me....CBS says Derrick Carr will be a Colt next season. I've seen reports that Wentz will be traded to Washington, so I guess we just have to wait!

[apballin]

I thought he was as good as gone, now I’m not sure since Reich is all on his nuts seems like there’s a civil war amongst Irsay, Ballard, and Reich

Hopefully they can make something happen I have zero faith in Wentz, stick to your guns Jim fuck Wentz

[Oldcolt]

It sure sounds like Irsay wants him gone and Reich wants him another year. It also sounds like 3/4 of the year through they though they might have found their answer. Next year will be a crap shoot at QB. There is no sure thing for us. I think it will be Wentz or Trubisky, or an exciting thought. Hope I’m wrong.

[Hoopsdoc]

Originally Posted by CletusPyle

Sounds like he'll be back to me....CBS says Derrick Carr will be a Colt next season. I've seen reports that Wentz will be traded to Washington, so I guess we just have to wait!

Carr isn’t going anywhere, McDouche loves him.

I just don’t see how the Colts are going to improve the quarterback position. There are SO many teams that need a quarterback, teams with a lot more draft capital than we have.

I think it’s going to require trading a player or two if they’re truly serious about getting a good quarterback. And I’m not sure they’ll be willing to do that.

Just please, for the love of God, no more Wentz. I’m not sure I could handle it.

[Discflinger]

Blah blah blah…same old shit.

[Brylok]

What a mess.

[nate505]

I'm sure he'll be back, which fucking sucks because the guy just absolutely refuses to make a check down pass. He's either too stupid or too stubborn, and it's not just here.

https://theeagleswire.usatoday.com/2...heckdown-pass/

At least guys like Allen and Mahomes bring so much more to the table when they don't. Wentz refuses to make a check down pass just to get sacked or overthrow a receiver.

One more year of him sounds really depressing. Like I don't care if they roll with someone way worse or some unknown. If they suck, they get a high pick next year and can get a QB. If they find a diamond in the rough and develop it, great. I just don't see the upside to Wentz. The bad traits he has can't be fixed.