Multiple reports have connected the Colts to Kentucky quarterback Will Levis, and the organization is still very interested in the prospect. However, things could get tricky if Ohio State’s C.J. Stroud falls to Indy at No. 4. One NFL scout told ESPN’s Matt Miller that the Colts may prefer Levis over Stroud, while another scout indicated that the Colts are hoping another front office will make the decision for them.
[RELATED: Latest On Colts’ Plans At No. 4]
“The Colts would probably love for someone to jump them and select Stroud so they can take Levis,” the scout said.
The conversation involving the Colts and Levis initially involved Florida’s Anthony Richardson, with most draft pundits assuming the Colts wouldn’t have a shot at Bryce Young or Stroud. Young is still the favorite to go first-overall, but there are now whispers that the Texans may not select a QB at No 2. If the Cardinals are unable to find a trade partner at No. 3, then the Colts could have their choice of the three remaining QBs with first-round grades.
There’s a better chance that trades impact the top-three selections and, in that scenario, the Colts won’t have their preferred target on the board by the time the fourth pick is on the clock. Previous reports indicated that the front office was not interested in making a move up the draft board, but if Chris Ballard and co. are determined to draft a QB and aren’t enamored with Richardson, then they may have no choice than to make a trade for Levis or Stroud.
Of course, all of these reports could simply be a smokescreen while the Colts hide their true intentions. Ballard seemed to question the legitimacy of the recent reports, stating that there’s no incentive to show their hand.
“I always love to read the reports that the Colts love this guy and they love that guy,” the GM said (via Zak Keefer of The Athletic). “Like, who’d that come from? It didn’t come from me. Who’s telling them who we love and who we don’t love? They don’t know.
“…Like, there’s always this assumption we’ve targeted one player,” he said. “This is the main assumption right now. I don’t know if that’s an accurate assumption. Matter of fact, I’d say it’s not.”
As a Seahawks fan, I’m hoping somebody comes up for the QBs too!!
The move is right in front of the colts.
Trade down in 2023 for an extra 2024 first pick.
Sign Lamar for a 2024 and 2025 draft pick.
Give Lamar 5/256 with 180 guaranteed with a poison pill contract language that if he is not on the colts roster or injured list for game 1, he gets a full no trade clause, inability for the new team to add void years and the guarantee goes up to 200m
Ravens wont match. You strengthen your team and weaken a rival.
Poison pills haven’t been legal for 13 years. The only way you guarantee Balt doesn’t match is if Indy guarantees the whole contract.
No escalators so maybe guarantee is pushing it
But no trade clause and wonder if nonvoid years counts
Balt wouldnt touch 180m guaranteed, they withdrew the 135m guaranteed offer.
Umm…Chris, they do that for every team and have for years. It’s just the reporters having to say something, whether it’s true or not. Most people know it’s not.
He’s really giving off a “doth protest too much” vibe. Maybe just don’t comment on rumors next time Chris.
Interesting that both the Texans and Colts may not want Stroud. If multiple other teams see Stroud that way, have to think that adds to the reports that Carolina is taking Young, unless they go against the grain.
Colts are going to pass on Levis because stroud is still on the board? If only there was some precedence of the colts not caring about mel kipers draft rankings….
Seriously, is Mel Kiper ever more than 10-20% correct? Are any of those click bait experts?
He’s actually about average, at least according to percentage based draft rankings. He’s a little on the upper side, but not near the top.
Even the top guys only score just north of 40%, though. Most of the best can pick position right, not necessarily player.
If you “hope another team makes the decision for you”, you probably shouldn’t be in charge of the draft
All of this
Or Ballard is a notoriously conservative evaluator. Last thing he and Colts fans want is to trade 3 1sts for Trey Lance. Sure the 49ers got to the NFC championship game, but that bill will come due.
I like how he thinks because he didn’t leak it, that nobody else in the building knows their quarterback rankings.
Thursday can’t come soon enough.
Wouldn’t put it past the Colts to have started the negative Stroud talks just so he drops to Indy. Stroud is not in the Mahomes-Burrow range but he could be in the Goff-Prescott range imo. If the Texans pass on him then someone would have to jump to 3 and grab him before Ballard gets what he wants.
The Colts want Richardson. He’s close to a Jalen Hurts style QB who Steichen just went to the SB with. Anything else you hear is BS
Richardson isn’t Hurts, they are both mobile QB’s but Hurts is special. He was awesome in college, Richardson is to raw of a talent to win now, and Jim Irsay wants to win right now imo. Steichen said he doesn’t build a system and try to fit a guy into it, he said he builds a system around his guys and what they do best. Yes it would be easier perhaps to copy what he did with the Eagles but that was Steichen doing what he does best and that’s building around his QB’s skill set.
With that being said I think Steichen is more then capable of creating an offense that can win with Stroud. Steichen brought Minshew with him from Philadelphia because he trust him and yet Minshew isn’t a run first QB. I remember someone commented that Minshew wasn’t a good backup to Hurts because they had very different play styles, but Steichen is very smart and knew how to use him when Hurts went down with injury. I personally think Minshew would make more sense as a backup to Stroud rather then a backup to Richardson considering play styles. But this is just me rambling, I have no idea who they will draft, it depends on who is available when its their turn to pick honestly. All I know is that I cannot wait to see how it all plays out this Thursday. lol
Just for consideration…but it may be that you’d get the same product by starting Minshew. He is not old at all, and may be equivalent to the ceiling development wise to theseQBs for all we know. Maybe, maybe not, but is there any real reason to grab Levis or Stroud other than for the sake of simply drafting “a guy”?
A bit of devil’s advocacy here, to be sure. But other than Ballard’s seat getting a bit hot, I don’t think that there’s a slam dunk reason that he should expect less out of Minshew than a second tier QB in this current crop.
I find it hard to believe the Colts would bet on a long term project like Richardson. Steichen is a great offensive mind but he won’t have all the pieces around the QB he had in Philly- at least for a season or two. And that knucklehead owner is too impatient.. We’ll see on Thursday..
Would anyone be surprised if they draft Richardson, shove him on Steichen, then fire Steichen before the season is over, Ballard gets another extension, Irsay somehow gets himself arrested again, they re-hire Saturday as coach with no other interviews, and then tweet out agreements later on that the league is racist, and they end up with the number one pick next year, and trade it.
Yes, I’d be extremely surprised if your prediction happens