Logical options for the Colts to address the quarterback position

[BlueShoe]

For months, I have been mulling over all the Colts options to address the quarterback position in 2023. I am laying out my thoughts; baring my thought process. Feel free to disagree, but let's all keep an open mind. If you have a pure authentic take on any of this, then I would love to hear it. However, I am not interested in anyone repeating what a "media expert" has to say; packaging another persons thoughts as your own. There are plenty of threads to be negative and nasty in. Please keep this thread rational and logical. Thank you in advance. 

 

Before the 2022 football season (college and pro) began, I had my way too early thoughts. I wanted to have an open mind about Matt Ryan, but my gut was telling me this guy was washed up. I was even on a podcast at the end of 2021, ripping Matt Ryan apart, and I even called him washed. I think Ryan is about as good as a teammate that anyone could ever ask for. He is a true pro, but his game was clearly over. I was surprised when the Colts made him QB1. I thought, well... Maybe I was a little premature in writing Ryan off... I always try to keep an open mind. Contrary to popular opinion around here, I do not always think I am right. I just have an extremely high hit rate of being correct. But for humility sake, I was wrong about Sam Darnold. I can admit that now. I think some of it had to do with the position that Sam was put in... But it was mostly an issue with Sam. I thoroughly scouted him. I felt he had a chance to be elite. I missed. 

 

Going into the the 2022 season, I was very high on Will Levis... I felt he had an opportunity to supplant himself as the clear top pick in the 2023 draft. I projected he was going to have issues similar to Josh Allen... in Allen's final season at Wyoming. Just like Allen, Levis is also not mechanically perfect and there is a lot of room for improvement there. Working with Jordan Palmer will be the best thing for Will Levis this offseason. In Allen's final collegiate season, he lost a lot of talent, and was forced to work with younger, unproven players. This made him the most polarizing player in the draft. I felt the same thing was going to happen to Will Levis, and it did... However, I could not foresee the injuries Levis would have to play through. Turf toe is tough for a player who touches the ball on every play. This compounded the already existing adversity that Levis was dealing with (lack of talent around him). As the year moved on, I began to notice an arrogance about Will Levis. And not the typical arrogance that we see in a young quarterback. Something felt off about his personality. I feel that on the field, Levis has all the tools. But when I start seeing issues with a players personality, my radar goes way up. There is something off about this dude. It could be immaturity, and he could overcome it. Some do, but most don't. If he does grow up, and finds humility, then I think he could be a great NFL QB. Unfortunately I get a lot of Jay Cutler and Jeff George vibes from him. 

 

Historically it has been a challenge to scout Alabama quarterbacks. For years they had the best offensive line, the best backs, the best receivers, and dominating defenses. However, over the past few years we have seen more parity in the SEC. Hell, Tennessee beat Alabama last year, in one of the more amazing and entertaining games of the year. Bryce Young was not playing with the cast that we normally see an Alabama QB have at his disposal. Because of this, I learned how creative Young can be, when he has to. I love his natural instincts to protect the ball and continue looking downfield when the play breaks down. He navigates the pocket like a 10-year NFL veteran. He can throw passes from different angles, and off platform (Mahomes like). His ability to work through his reads are just off the chart. He is going to come into the NFL as one of the more polished QBs we have seen in a long time. I believe if he were 6'4" then we would all be comparing Bryce Young to Andrew Luck, and he would be the clear number 1 player in this draft. I see a lot of Drew Brees in Young. They do a lot of things very similar. Bryce Young is my number 1 quarterback in this draft, and if by miracle he drops to 3, the Colts better give up whatever it takes to get that pick from the Cardinals. I would bet on Bryce Young becoming more like Drew Brees than becoming the next Kyler Murray. Either is possible... But I see Young being very successful in the NFL... 

 

Throwing mechanics start with the feet and CJ Stroud has great footwork. He is smooth and his upper body falls into perfect place because his feet set the throw up correctly. I consider Stroud's throwing motion to be mechanically sound. I have a similar take on Stroud that I did with Burrow. He has played with great receivers... Probably the next great receiver in the NFL is Marvin Harrison Jr... Look at the last 2 seasons of Ohio State receivers... It gives me the LSU vibe that Burrow played with. Plus they are both mechanically sound. I felt that Burrow would be a very good QB in the NFL, but I could not place his ceiling... I thought he was a safe pick and I feel the same about CJ Stroud. In my mind, Stroud fits the mold of what Frank Reich wants in his offense. I am leaning heavily towards, the Panthers taking him with the first pick. If he falls to 3, the Colts need to do whatever it takes to get to 3. I don't see him falling past Houston, and I feel as though he is going number 1 overall. 

 

I think there is a better chance (albeit slim) that Young falls to 3 than Stroud falling. We are talking about ceilings of Burrow vs Brees here... But the floor is much higher with Stroud and that makes him the safer pick. Most likely both will be off the board at 3. 

 

So that takes us back to Levis. [Big IF] If he passes my interviews then I would take him. And I would move up to 3 for him. If I couldn't shake the bad vibes, then I am looking at plan C, D, and E...

 

Plan A would be for Young to fall... Cause I doubt Stroud will. Neither is very likely though. Plan B would be to determine if Levis is the guy. 

 

Plan C and D are geared towards moving back in the draft a couple of times... taking Hendon Hooker in the late teens or early twenties or trading 2 number 1's for Lamar. 

 

I really like Hooker's pocket mobility. There are times when he doesn’t see the rush, but it’s a similar issue I noticed early with Aaron Rodgers, and he can overcame it. Hooker can be very accurate, but he lacks anticipation. Has a strong enough arm, and wheels. While it is not an exact carbon copy, I see a lot of Daniel Jones in Hooker. And he will have the same hurdles in the NFL. But the potential is there. 

 

Making a play for Lamar would consist of a lot of IF's... Can the Colts sign him to a contract that makes sense... Something the Colts would walk away from within a few years, if needed. 

 

Plan E is riding with Minshew. 

 

That is my logic on how I would approach addressing the quarterback... We will see what the Colts do, but I would not be surprised if they share some, if not all of my thoughts on this. 

 

Your thoughts? Let 'em rip. 

[ztboiler]

12 minutes ago, BlueShoe said:

For months, I have been mulling over all the Colts options to address the quarterback position in 2023. I am laying out my thoughts; baring my thought process. Feel free to disagree, but let's all keep an open mind. If you have a pure authentic take on any of this, then I would love to hear it. However, I am not interested in anyone repeating what a "media expert" has to say; packaging another persons thoughts as your own. There are plenty of threads to be negative and nasty in. Please keep this thread rational and logical. Thank you in advance. 

 

Before the 2022 football season (college and pro) began, I had my way too early thoughts. I wanted to have an open mind about Matt Ryan, but my gut was telling me this guy was washed up. I was even on a podcast at the end of 2021, ripping Matt Ryan apart, and I even called him washed. I think Ryan is about as good as a teammate that anyone could ever ask for. He is a true pro, but his game was clearly over. I was surprised when the Colts made him QB1. I thought, well... Maybe I was a little premature in writing Ryan off... I always try to keep an open mind. Contrary to popular opinion around here, I do not always think I am right. I just have an extremely high hit rate of being correct. But for humility sake, I was wrong about Sam Darnold. I can admit that now. I think some of it had to do with the position that Sam was put in... But it was mostly an issue with Sam. I thoroughly scouted him. I felt he had a chance to be elite. I missed. 

 

Going into the the 2022 season, I was very high on Will Levis... I felt he had an opportunity to supplant himself as the clear top pick in the 2023 draft. I projected he was going to have issues similar to Josh Allen... in Allen's final season at Wyoming. Just like Allen, Levis is also not mechanically perfect and there is a lot of room for improvement there. Working with Jordan Palmer will be the best thing for Will Levis this offseason. In Allen's final collegiate season, he lost a lot of talent, and was forced to work with younger, unproven players. This made him the most polarizing player in the draft. I felt the same thing was going to happen to Will Levis, and it did... However, I could not foresee the injuries Levis would have to play through. Turf toe is tough for a player who touches the ball on every play. This compounded the already existing adversity that Levis was dealing with (lack of talent around him). As the year moved on, I began to notice an arrogance about Will Levis. And not the typical arrogance that we see in a young quarterback. Something felt off about his personality. I feel that on the field, Levis has all the tools. But when I start seeing issues with a players personality, my radar goes way up. There is something off about this dude. It could be immaturity, and he could overcome it. Some do, but most don't. If he does grow up, and finds humility, then I think he could be a great NFL QB. Unfortunately I get a lot of Jay Cutler and Jeff George vibes from him. 

 

Historically it has been a challenge to scout Alabama quarterbacks. For years they had the best offensive line, the best backs, the best receivers, and dominating defenses. However, over the past few years we have seen more parity in the SEC. Hell, Tennessee beat Alabama last year, in one of the more amazing and entertaining games of the year. Bryce Young was not playing with the cast that we normally see an Alabama QB have at his disposal. Because of this, I learned how creative Young can be, when he has to. I love his natural instincts to protect the ball and continue looking downfield when the play breaks down. He navigates the pocket like a 10-year NFL veteran. He can throw passes from different angles, and off platform (Mahomes like). His ability to work through his reads are just off the chart. He is going to come into the NFL as one of the more polished QBs we have seen in a long time. I believe if he were 6'4" then we would all be comparing Bryce Young to Andrew Luck, and he would be the clear number 1 player in this draft. I see a lot of Drew Brees in Young. They do a lot of things very similar. Bryce Young is my number 1 quarterback in this draft, and if by miracle he drops to 3, the Colts better give up whatever it takes to get that pick from the Cardinals. I would bet on Bryce Young becoming more like Drew Brees than becoming the next Kyler Murray. Either is possible... But I see Young being very successful in the NFL... 

 

Throwing mechanics start with the feet and CJ Stroud has great footwork. He is smooth and his upper body falls into perfect place because his feet set the throw up correctly. I consider Stroud's throwing motion to be mechanically sound. I have a similar take on Stroud that I did with Burrow. He has played with great receivers... Probably the next great receiver in the NFL is Marvin Harrison Jr... Look at the last 2 seasons of Ohio State receivers... It gives me the LSU vibe that Burrow played with. Plus they are both mechanically sound. I felt that Burrow would be a very good QB in the NFL, but I could not place his ceiling... I thought he was a safe pick and I feel the same about CJ Stroud. In my mind, Stroud fits the mold of what Frank Reich wants in his offense. I am leaning heavily towards, the Panthers taking him with the first pick. If he falls to 3, the Colts need to do whatever it takes to get to 3. I don't see him falling past Houston, and I feel as though he is going number 1 overall. 

 

I think there is a better chance (albeit slim) that Young falls to 3 than Stroud falling. We are talking about ceilings of Burrow vs Brees here... But the floor is much higher with Stroud and that makes him the safer pick. Most likely both will be off the board at 3. 

 

So that takes us back to Levis. [Big IF] If he passes my interviews then I would take him. And I would move up to 3 for him. If I couldn't shake the bad vibes, then I am looking at plan C, D, and E...

 

Plan A would be for Young to fall... Cause I doubt Stroud will. Neither is very likely though. Plan B would be to determine if Levis is the guy. 

 

Plan C and D are geared towards moving back in the draft a couple of times... taking Hendon Hooker in the late teens or early twenties or trading 2 number 1's for Lamar. 

 

I really like Hooker's pocket mobility. There are times when he doesn’t see the rush, but it’s a similar issue I noticed early with Aaron Rodgers, and he can overcame it. Hooker can be very accurate, but he lacks anticipation. Has a strong enough arm, and wheels. While it is not an exact carbon copy, I see a lot of Daniel Jones in Hooker. And he will have the same hurdles in the NFL. But the potential is there. 

 

Making a play for Lamar would consist of a lot of IF's... Can the Colts sign him to a contract that makes sense... Something the Colts would walk away from within a few years, if needed. 

 

Plan E is riding with Minshew. 

 

That is my logic on how I would approach addressing the quarterback... We will see what the Colts do, but I would not be surprised if they share some, if not all of my thoughts on this. 

 

Your thoughts? Let 'em rip. 

My thoughts?  Thanks for your thoughts.  You have a lot of good thoughts.  I enjoy reading many of your thoughts.  
 

But my thoughts?  You just need a public forum to be right in.  I’ve yet to see you value anyone else’s thoughts…

[Hoosier Kriegs]

No richardson?

[BlueShoe]

4 minutes ago, iuswingman said:

No richardson?

 

I do not see it. He struggles to place the ball in the right spot and I think he is going to struggle in the NFL... I would take a flyer on him as a late first round pick, but I think Seattle is taking him at 5. 

[ChuggaBeer]

4 hours ago, BlueShoe said:

For months, I have been mulling over all the Colts options to address the quarterback position in 2023. I am laying out my thoughts; baring my thought process. Feel free to disagree, but let's all keep an open mind. If you have a pure authentic take on any of this, then I would love to hear it. However, I am not interested in anyone repeating what a "media expert" has to say; packaging another persons thoughts as your own. There are plenty of threads to be negative and nasty in. Please keep this thread rational and logical. Thank you in advance. 

 

Before the 2022 football season (college and pro) began, I had my way too early thoughts. I wanted to have an open mind about Matt Ryan, but my gut was telling me this guy was washed up. I was even on a podcast at the end of 2021, ripping Matt Ryan apart, and I even called him washed. I think Ryan is about as good as a teammate that anyone could ever ask for. He is a true pro, but his game was clearly over. I was surprised when the Colts made him QB1. I thought, well... Maybe I was a little premature in writing Ryan off... I always try to keep an open mind. Contrary to popular opinion around here, I do not always think I am right. I just have an extremely high hit rate of being correct. But for humility sake, I was wrong about Sam Darnold. I can admit that now. I think some of it had to do with the position that Sam was put in... But it was mostly an issue with Sam. I thoroughly scouted him. I felt he had a chance to be elite. I missed. 

 

Going into the the 2022 season, I was very high on Will Levis... I felt he had an opportunity to supplant himself as the clear top pick in the 2023 draft. I projected he was going to have issues similar to Josh Allen... in Allen's final season at Wyoming. Just like Allen, Levis is also not mechanically perfect and there is a lot of room for improvement there. Working with Jordan Palmer will be the best thing for Will Levis this offseason. In Allen's final collegiate season, he lost a lot of talent, and was forced to work with younger, unproven players. This made him the most polarizing player in the draft. I felt the same thing was going to happen to Will Levis, and it did... However, I could not foresee the injuries Levis would have to play through. Turf toe is tough for a player who touches the ball on every play. This compounded the already existing adversity that Levis was dealing with (lack of talent around him). As the year moved on, I began to notice an arrogance about Will Levis. And not the typical arrogance that we see in a young quarterback. Something felt off about his personality. I feel that on the field, Levis has all the tools. But when I start seeing issues with a players personality, my radar goes way up. There is something off about this dude. It could be immaturity, and he could overcome it. Some do, but most don't. If he does grow up, and finds humility, then I think he could be a great NFL QB. Unfortunately I get a lot of Jay Cutler and Jeff George vibes from him. 

 

Historically it has been a challenge to scout Alabama quarterbacks. For years they had the best offensive line, the best backs, the best receivers, and dominating defenses. However, over the past few years we have seen more parity in the SEC. Hell, Tennessee beat Alabama last year, in one of the more amazing and entertaining games of the year. Bryce Young was not playing with the cast that we normally see an Alabama QB have at his disposal. Because of this, I learned how creative Young can be, when he has to. I love his natural instincts to protect the ball and continue looking downfield when the play breaks down. He navigates the pocket like a 10-year NFL veteran. He can throw passes from different angles, and off platform (Mahomes like). His ability to work through his reads are just off the chart. He is going to come into the NFL as one of the more polished QBs we have seen in a long time. I believe if he were 6'4" then we would all be comparing Bryce Young to Andrew Luck, and he would be the clear number 1 player in this draft. I see a lot of Drew Brees in Young. They do a lot of things very similar. Bryce Young is my number 1 quarterback in this draft, and if by miracle he drops to 3, the Colts better give up whatever it takes to get that pick from the Cardinals. I would bet on Bryce Young becoming more like Drew Brees than becoming the next Kyler Murray. Either is possible... But I see Young being very successful in the NFL... 

 

Throwing mechanics start with the feet and CJ Stroud has great footwork. He is smooth and his upper body falls into perfect place because his feet set the throw up correctly. I consider Stroud's throwing motion to be mechanically sound. I have a similar take on Stroud that I did with Burrow. He has played with great receivers... Probably the next great receiver in the NFL is Marvin Harrison Jr... Look at the last 2 seasons of Ohio State receivers... It gives me the LSU vibe that Burrow played with. Plus they are both mechanically sound. I felt that Burrow would be a very good QB in the NFL, but I could not place his ceiling... I thought he was a safe pick and I feel the same about CJ Stroud. In my mind, Stroud fits the mold of what Frank Reich wants in his offense. I am leaning heavily towards, the Panthers taking him with the first pick. If he falls to 3, the Colts need to do whatever it takes to get to 3. I don't see him falling past Houston, and I feel as though he is going number 1 overall. 

 

I think there is a better chance (albeit slim) that Young falls to 3 than Stroud falling. We are talking about ceilings of Burrow vs Brees here... But the floor is much higher with Stroud and that makes him the safer pick. Most likely both will be off the board at 3. 

 

So that takes us back to Levis. [Big IF] If he passes my interviews then I would take him. And I would move up to 3 for him. If I couldn't shake the bad vibes, then I am looking at plan C, D, and E...

 

Plan A would be for Young to fall... Cause I doubt Stroud will. Neither is very likely though. Plan B would be to determine if Levis is the guy. 

 

Plan C and D are geared towards moving back in the draft a couple of times... taking Hendon Hooker in the late teens or early twenties or trading 2 number 1's for Lamar. 

 

I really like Hooker's pocket mobility. There are times when he doesn’t see the rush, but it’s a similar issue I noticed early with Aaron Rodgers, and he can overcame it. Hooker can be very accurate, but he lacks anticipation. Has a strong enough arm, and wheels. While it is not an exact carbon copy, I see a lot of Daniel Jones in Hooker. And he will have the same hurdles in the NFL. But the potential is there. 

 

Making a play for Lamar would consist of a lot of IF's... Can the Colts sign him to a contract that makes sense... Something the Colts would walk away from within a few years, if needed. 

 

Plan E is riding with Minshew. 

 

That is my logic on how I would approach addressing the quarterback... We will see what the Colts do, but I would not be surprised if they share some, if not all of my thoughts on this. 

 

Your thoughts? Let 'em rip. 

Geebers God.  Ive had some beers,     is there a cliffs note version of this?    Anyway I gave you a thanks for the effort  not for content. Cause I have no ideas what you posted 

 

Bueller...Bueller?

[lollygagger8]

[Smonroe]

I’m leaning towards drafting Richardson and signing Lamar.  Always a two (big) TE set.  JT, Deon, and Moss in the backfield.  
 

Then we run the Double Wing offense.  Maybe two or three passes a game.  
 

The Olinemen would love it.  The Ds wouldn’t know what hit them.  

[jbaron04]

12 hours ago, BlueShoe said:

For months, I have been mulling over all the Colts options to address the quarterback position in 2023. I am laying out my thoughts; baring my thought process. Feel free to disagree, but let's all keep an open mind. If you have a pure authentic take on any of this, then I would love to hear it. However, I am not interested in anyone repeating what a "media expert" has to say; packaging another persons thoughts as your own. There are plenty of threads to be negative and nasty in. Please keep this thread rational and logical. Thank you in advance. 

 

Before the 2022 football season (college and pro) began, I had my way too early thoughts. I wanted to have an open mind about Matt Ryan, but my gut was telling me this guy was washed up. I was even on a podcast at the end of 2021, ripping Matt Ryan apart, and I even called him washed. I think Ryan is about as good as a teammate that anyone could ever ask for. He is a true pro, but his game was clearly over. I was surprised when the Colts made him QB1. I thought, well... Maybe I was a little premature in writing Ryan off... I always try to keep an open mind. Contrary to popular opinion around here, I do not always think I am right. I just have an extremely high hit rate of being correct. But for humility sake, I was wrong about Sam Darnold. I can admit that now. I think some of it had to do with the position that Sam was put in... But it was mostly an issue with Sam. I thoroughly scouted him. I felt he had a chance to be elite. I missed. 

 

Going into the the 2022 season, I was very high on Will Levis... I felt he had an opportunity to supplant himself as the clear top pick in the 2023 draft. I projected he was going to have issues similar to Josh Allen... in Allen's final season at Wyoming. Just like Allen, Levis is also not mechanically perfect and there is a lot of room for improvement there. Working with Jordan Palmer will be the best thing for Will Levis this offseason. In Allen's final collegiate season, he lost a lot of talent, and was forced to work with younger, unproven players. This made him the most polarizing player in the draft. I felt the same thing was going to happen to Will Levis, and it did... However, I could not foresee the injuries Levis would have to play through. Turf toe is tough for a player who touches the ball on every play. This compounded the already existing adversity that Levis was dealing with (lack of talent around him). As the year moved on, I began to notice an arrogance about Will Levis. And not the typical arrogance that we see in a young quarterback. Something felt off about his personality. I feel that on the field, Levis has all the tools. But when I start seeing issues with a players personality, my radar goes way up. There is something off about this dude. It could be immaturity, and he could overcome it. Some do, but most don't. If he does grow up, and finds humility, then I think he could be a great NFL QB. Unfortunately I get a lot of Jay Cutler and Jeff George vibes from him. 

 

Historically it has been a challenge to scout Alabama quarterbacks. For years they had the best offensive line, the best backs, the best receivers, and dominating defenses. However, over the past few years we have seen more parity in the SEC. Hell, Tennessee beat Alabama last year, in one of the more amazing and entertaining games of the year. Bryce Young was not playing with the cast that we normally see an Alabama QB have at his disposal. Because of this, I learned how creative Young can be, when he has to. I love his natural instincts to protect the ball and continue looking downfield when the play breaks down. He navigates the pocket like a 10-year NFL veteran. He can throw passes from different angles, and off platform (Mahomes like). His ability to work through his reads are just off the chart. He is going to come into the NFL as one of the more polished QBs we have seen in a long time. I believe if he were 6'4" then we would all be comparing Bryce Young to Andrew Luck, and he would be the clear number 1 player in this draft. I see a lot of Drew Brees in Young. They do a lot of things very similar. Bryce Young is my number 1 quarterback in this draft, and if by miracle he drops to 3, the Colts better give up whatever it takes to get that pick from the Cardinals. I would bet on Bryce Young becoming more like Drew Brees than becoming the next Kyler Murray. Either is possible... But I see Young being very successful in the NFL... 

 

Throwing mechanics start with the feet and CJ Stroud has great footwork. He is smooth and his upper body falls into perfect place because his feet set the throw up correctly. I consider Stroud's throwing motion to be mechanically sound. I have a similar take on Stroud that I did with Burrow. He has played with great receivers... Probably the next great receiver in the NFL is Marvin Harrison Jr... Look at the last 2 seasons of Ohio State receivers... It gives me the LSU vibe that Burrow played with. Plus they are both mechanically sound. I felt that Burrow would be a very good QB in the NFL, but I could not place his ceiling... I thought he was a safe pick and I feel the same about CJ Stroud. In my mind, Stroud fits the mold of what Frank Reich wants in his offense. I am leaning heavily towards, the Panthers taking him with the first pick. If he falls to 3, the Colts need to do whatever it takes to get to 3. I don't see him falling past Houston, and I feel as though he is going number 1 overall. 

 

I think there is a better chance (albeit slim) that Young falls to 3 than Stroud falling. We are talking about ceilings of Burrow vs Brees here... But the floor is much higher with Stroud and that makes him the safer pick. Most likely both will be off the board at 3. 

 

So that takes us back to Levis. [Big IF] If he passes my interviews then I would take him. And I would move up to 3 for him. If I couldn't shake the bad vibes, then I am looking at plan C, D, and E...

 

Plan A would be for Young to fall... Cause I doubt Stroud will. Neither is very likely though. Plan B would be to determine if Levis is the guy. 

 

Plan C and D are geared towards moving back in the draft a couple of times... taking Hendon Hooker in the late teens or early twenties or trading 2 number 1's for Lamar. 

 

I really like Hooker's pocket mobility. There are times when he doesn’t see the rush, but it’s a similar issue I noticed early with Aaron Rodgers, and he can overcame it. Hooker can be very accurate, but he lacks anticipation. Has a strong enough arm, and wheels. While it is not an exact carbon copy, I see a lot of Daniel Jones in Hooker. And he will have the same hurdles in the NFL. But the potential is there. 

 

Making a play for Lamar would consist of a lot of IF's... Can the Colts sign him to a contract that makes sense... Something the Colts would walk away from within a few years, if needed. 

 

Plan E is riding with Minshew. 

 

That is my logic on how I would approach addressing the quarterback... We will see what the Colts do, but I would not be surprised if they share some, if not all of my thoughts on this. 

 

Your thoughts? Let 'em rip. 

It was a good read I like a lot of the QB takes and I feel that similar personality issue with Levis. Every time I hear him talk something seems off. He seems very cocky and arrogant for a player who been in college football as long as he has and not that polished doesn’t seem warranted. But it could just be a chip on his shoulder underdog prove them wrong type mentality. I am comfortable with young , stroud , Levis*, Richardson* as the pick and understand each one would take a different plan for success. Young and stroud for the same reason you stated. Richardson I like for the physical tools and that untapped  clay he is only 20 years old turning 21. With Richardson we have to think long term like him and JT running the RPO would be deadly and would make the read’s easier and simple for him while he develops as a passer. With the current team we have I could see a path for success for him. I’m not really sold on hooker because of the age thing like he is gonna be what 25-26 by the time he play when you have all the top QBs in afc right now 23-28 with 2-7 years of exp and he would be a redshirted rookie starting first game at 26-27. I think we should go for it all and trust the staff we put together and take the player with the most upside and is only 20 years old and we can gradually improve him each year even if it takes 2-3 years to make him a good starter he would only be 22—24 which is still younger than Levis and hooker is now. 
No risk it no biscuit , 

[jbaron04]

12 hours ago, BlueShoe said:

 

I do not see it. He struggles to place the ball in the right spot and I think he is going to struggle in the NFL... I would take a flyer on him as a late first round pick, but I think Seattle is taking him at 5. 

We have to trust our coaching staff to say they can develop a guy and make them better he is 20 years old and even if he never because the greatest pure passer we can get a good 8-10 years before his athleticism starts to decline normally for athletic guys. Look I have no fear of drafting QB with the biggest up side you know why……what is worst being a 9-8 , 10-7 team and having to pay too dollar to a Daniels jones or Kurt cousin type QB or drafting a guy he suck you team is bad and you get another shot at getting the next guy. The NFL doesn’t reward middle of the pack teams you have to be a bad team to get the top players with a little bit of luck. But I would rather be bad than mediocre where we not good enough to win or contend but we not bad enough to get the real good players 

[BlueShoe]

1 minute ago, jbaron04 said:

We have to trust our coaching staff to say they can develop a guy and make them better he is 20 years old and even if he never because the greatest pure passer we can get a good 8-10 years before his athleticism starts to decline normally for athletic guys. Look I have no fear of drafting QB with the biggest up side you know why……what is worst being a 9-8 , 10-7 team and having to pay too dollar to a Daniels jones or Kurt cousin type QB or drafting a guy he suck you team is bad and you get another shot at getting the next guy. The NFL doesn’t reward middle of the pack teams you have to be a bad team to get the top players with a little bit of luck. But I would rather be bad than mediocre where we not good enough to win or contend but we not bad enough to get the real good players 

What worries me about Richardson is his accuracy. He is a physical phenomenon. Rarely have we seen a quarterback that athletic. That said, even most of his positive passes are off the mark. Accuracy is something a person is born with, and it doesn’t normally improve that much. I think he is the kind of player that Seattle takes. They take huge risks with early picks. He can create with his legs just a well as Lamar. It’s amazing watching him turn a negative play into a zero loss. He has that rare capability. 
 

He could end up being the best player in this entire draft. Anything is possible. However, history tells me to stay away from him. 
 

To me, it’s his accuracy. I think that’s where he will struggle in the NFL. We have seen crazier things, but I just cant project him to the Colts with an early pick. I would absolutely take a flyer on him later in the first round though. 

[ChuggaBeer]

13 hours ago, BlueShoe said:

For months, I have been mulling over all the Colts options to address the quarterback position in 2023. I am laying out my thoughts; baring my thought process. Feel free to disagree, but let's all keep an open mind. If you have a pure authentic take on any of this, then I would love to hear it. However, I am not interested in anyone repeating what a "media expert" has to say; packaging another persons thoughts as your own. There are plenty of threads to be negative and nasty in. Please keep this thread rational and logical. Thank you in advance. 

 

Before the 2022 football season (college and pro) began, I had my way too early thoughts. I wanted to have an open mind about Matt Ryan, but my gut was telling me this guy was washed up. I was even on a podcast at the end of 2021, ripping Matt Ryan apart, and I even called him washed. I think Ryan is about as good as a teammate that anyone could ever ask for. He is a true pro, but his game was clearly over. I was surprised when the Colts made him QB1. I thought, well... Maybe I was a little premature in writing Ryan off... I always try to keep an open mind. Contrary to popular opinion around here, I do not always think I am right. I just have an extremely high hit rate of being correct. But for humility sake, I was wrong about Sam Darnold. I can admit that now. I think some of it had to do with the position that Sam was put in... But it was mostly an issue with Sam. I thoroughly scouted him. I felt he had a chance to be elite. I missed. 

 

Going into the the 2022 season, I was very high on Will Levis... I felt he had an opportunity to supplant himself as the clear top pick in the 2023 draft. I projected he was going to have issues similar to Josh Allen... in Allen's final season at Wyoming. Just like Allen, Levis is also not mechanically perfect and there is a lot of room for improvement there. Working with Jordan Palmer will be the best thing for Will Levis this offseason. In Allen's final collegiate season, he lost a lot of talent, and was forced to work with younger, unproven players. This made him the most polarizing player in the draft. I felt the same thing was going to happen to Will Levis, and it did... However, I could not foresee the injuries Levis would have to play through. Turf toe is tough for a player who touches the ball on every play. This compounded the already existing adversity that Levis was dealing with (lack of talent around him). As the year moved on, I began to notice an arrogance about Will Levis. And not the typical arrogance that we see in a young quarterback. Something felt off about his personality. I feel that on the field, Levis has all the tools. But when I start seeing issues with a players personality, my radar goes way up. There is something off about this dude. It could be immaturity, and he could overcome it. Some do, but most don't. If he does grow up, and finds humility, then I think he could be a great NFL QB. Unfortunately I get a lot of Jay Cutler and Jeff George vibes from him. 

 

Historically it has been a challenge to scout Alabama quarterbacks. For years they had the best offensive line, the best backs, the best receivers, and dominating defenses. However, over the past few years we have seen more parity in the SEC. Hell, Tennessee beat Alabama last year, in one of the more amazing and entertaining games of the year. Bryce Young was not playing with the cast that we normally see an Alabama QB have at his disposal. Because of this, I learned how creative Young can be, when he has to. I love his natural instincts to protect the ball and continue looking downfield when the play breaks down. He navigates the pocket like a 10-year NFL veteran. He can throw passes from different angles, and off platform (Mahomes like). His ability to work through his reads are just off the chart. He is going to come into the NFL as one of the more polished QBs we have seen in a long time. I believe if he were 6'4" then we would all be comparing Bryce Young to Andrew Luck, and he would be the clear number 1 player in this draft. I see a lot of Drew Brees in Young. They do a lot of things very similar. Bryce Young is my number 1 quarterback in this draft, and if by miracle he drops to 3, the Colts better give up whatever it takes to get that pick from the Cardinals. I would bet on Bryce Young becoming more like Drew Brees than becoming the next Kyler Murray. Either is possible... But I see Young being very successful in the NFL... 

 

Throwing mechanics start with the feet and CJ Stroud has great footwork. He is smooth and his upper body falls into perfect place because his feet set the throw up correctly. I consider Stroud's throwing motion to be mechanically sound. I have a similar take on Stroud that I did with Burrow. He has played with great receivers... Probably the next great receiver in the NFL is Marvin Harrison Jr... Look at the last 2 seasons of Ohio State receivers... It gives me the LSU vibe that Burrow played with. Plus they are both mechanically sound. I felt that Burrow would be a very good QB in the NFL, but I could not place his ceiling... I thought he was a safe pick and I feel the same about CJ Stroud. In my mind, Stroud fits the mold of what Frank Reich wants in his offense. I am leaning heavily towards, the Panthers taking him with the first pick. If he falls to 3, the Colts need to do whatever it takes to get to 3. I don't see him falling past Houston, and I feel as though he is going number 1 overall. 

 

I think there is a better chance (albeit slim) that Young falls to 3 than Stroud falling. We are talking about ceilings of Burrow vs Brees here... But the floor is much higher with Stroud and that makes him the safer pick. Most likely both will be off the board at 3. 

 

So that takes us back to Levis. [Big IF] If he passes my interviews then I would take him. And I would move up to 3 for him. If I couldn't shake the bad vibes, then I am looking at plan C, D, and E...

 

Plan A would be for Young to fall... Cause I doubt Stroud will. Neither is very likely though. Plan B would be to determine if Levis is the guy. 

 

Plan C and D are geared towards moving back in the draft a couple of times... taking Hendon Hooker in the late teens or early twenties or trading 2 number 1's for Lamar. 

 

I really like Hooker's pocket mobility. There are times when he doesn’t see the rush, but it’s a similar issue I noticed early with Aaron Rodgers, and he can overcame it. Hooker can be very accurate, but he lacks anticipation. Has a strong enough arm, and wheels. While it is not an exact carbon copy, I see a lot of Daniel Jones in Hooker. And he will have the same hurdles in the NFL. But the potential is there. 

 

Making a play for Lamar would consist of a lot of IF's... Can the Colts sign him to a contract that makes sense... Something the Colts would walk away from within a few years, if needed. 

 

Plan E is riding with Minshew. 

 

That is my logic on how I would approach addressing the quarterback... We will see what the Colts do, but I would not be surprised if they share some, if not all of my thoughts on this. 

 

Your thoughts? Let 'em rip. 

Ok.  I found time to read it.  Very nice write up.    I get the same feeling about Levis.    There is a difference between confident and arrogant and that is how he comes of to me 

[Indeee]

I'm on record of not wanting anyone of these QBs at four. I'm not really sold on Lamar ether. I have always wanted/wished the Colts would take BPA such as a DT that can rush the passer or a DE at 4 if not trading back. Despite our D being much improved, pass rush/consistent pass rush has been an enigma to the Ballard regime.

 

All I keep hearing is that Richardson reminds people of Cam Newton and Levis reminds people of Jeff George.

 

I have personally lived through seeing both of them play and . ALL Colts fans should want zero part with anyone in the mold of those two, especially Jeff George. 

 

No thanks. I don't care how bad this organization needs to find a QB or whose jobs are on the line or what the owner might be dictating. Hard pass on these guys and don't waste picks on trying to grab Hooker before the raiders do in the back end of the draft.

 

Use our high picks to bolster other areas. DE, CB, WR. 

 

If Steichen doesn't view Sam as valuable, then go get a QB in later rounds like that BYU kid as a possible example and focusing on the QB next year. Regardless of our record, we can most definitely pay the price to move up like the panthers did this year. The panthers were 7-10 and still got it done. 

 

I personally don't feel the Colts will win more than 7 games with or without a QB this year, so moving up next year or being in position for Maye is certainly within reason.

 

I keep using Maye because I believe the Rams will do everything, they can bring the hometown kid into Sophi, being Caleb in 2024.

 

My 

[BlueShoe]

48 minutes ago, ChuggaBeer said:

Ok.  I found time to read it.  Very nice write up.    I get the same feeling about Levis.    There is a difference between confident and arrogant and that is how he comes of to me 

Thanks for the kind words.

 

Levis could be great and prove us both wrong. But something is off about him. I think he going to rub people the wrong way. I remember Jeff George, once told reporters that he didn’t even know the names of his offensive line. This was sarcasm, because the Colts offensive linemen kept getting injured. I could see Levis saying something like that. And that’s scary. 

[BlueShoe]

4 minutes ago, Indeee said:

I'm on record of not wanting anyone of these QBs at four. I'm not really sold on Lamar ether. I have always wanted/wished the Colts would take BPA such as a DT that can rush the passer or a DE at 4 if not trading back. Despite our D being much improved, pass rush/consistent pass rush has been an enigma to the Ballard regime.

 

All I keep hearing is that Richardson reminds people of Cam Newton and Levis reminds people of Jeff George.

 

I have personally lived through seeing both of them play and . ALL Colts fans should want zero part with anyone in the mold of those two, especially Jeff George. 

 

No thanks. I don't care how bad this organization needs to find a QB or whose jobs are on the line or what the owner might be dictating. Hard pass on these guys and don't waste picks on trying to grab Hooker before the raiders do in the back end of the draft.

 

Use our high picks to bolster other areas. DE, CB, WR. 

 

If Steichen doesn't view Sam as valuable, then go get a QB in later rounds like that BYU kid as a possible example and focusing on the QB next year. Regardless of our record, we can most definitely pay the price to move up like the panthers did this year. The panthers were 7-10 and still got it done. 

 

I personally don't feel the Colts will win more than 7 games with or without a QB this year, so moving up next year or being in position for Maye is certainly within reason.

 

I keep using Maye because I believe the Rams will do everything, they can bring the hometown kid into Sophi, being Caleb in 2024.

 

My 

Interesting take. Let’s say the Colts agree with you, and want nothing to do with this quarterback class. I wonder how many times they can trade back, and accumulate draft picks for next year. 
 

It would be interesting to see a team do something like that. Trade back from 4 to 20 something. But with a few different trades. Like 4 to 7, then 7 to 14, then 14 to 25. Then throw a Day 2 or 3 pick on a guy like Stetson. Just to see what happens. 
 

A team could accumulate a lot of draft capital that way.
 

I’m not saying I agree with you, because I like some of these quarterbacks. But I do like your non-mainstream way of thinking. 

[Smonroe]

1 hour ago, BlueShoe said:

What worries me about Richardson is his accuracy. He is a physical phenomenon. Rarely have we seen a quarterback that athletic. That said, even most of his positive passes are off the mark. Accuracy is something a person is born with, and it doesn’t normally improve that much. I think he is the kind of player that Seattle takes. They take huge risks with early picks. He can create with his legs just a well as Lamar. It’s amazing watching him turn a negative play into a zero loss. He has that rare capability. 
 

He could end up being the best player in this entire draft. Anything is possible. However, history tells me to stay away from him. 
 

To me, it’s his accuracy. I think that’s where he will struggle in the NFL. We have seen crazier things, but I just cant project him to the Colts with an early pick. I would absolutely take a flyer on him later in the first round though. 

Accuracy is a major concern. I don t care how physically adept you are, the Ds are not going to have to worry about doubling receivers. They can concentrate on the run and dare you to throw it.  Lamar was seeing a lot of that.  
 

After Stroud and Young the remaining options are a big step behind.  Still, we can’t just keep waiting around for the next Luck to fall in our lap.  They have to take a QB. 

[richard pallo]

41 minutes ago, BlueShoe said:

What worries me about Richardson is his accuracy. He is a physical phenomenon. Rarely have we seen a quarterback that athletic. That said, even most of his positive passes are off the mark. Accuracy is something a person is born with, and it doesn’t normally improve that much. I think he is the kind of player that Seattle takes. They take huge risks with early picks. He can create with his legs just a well as Lamar. It’s amazing watching him turn a negative play into a zero loss. He has that rare capability. 
 

He could end up being the best player in this entire draft. Anything is possible. However, history tells me to stay away from him. 
 

To me, it’s his accuracy. I think that’s where he will struggle in the NFL. We have seen crazier things, but I just cant project him to the Colts with an early pick. I would absolutely take a flyer on him later in the first round though. 

I definitely stay away from Richardson with the 4th overall pick.  That's a no brainer for me.  That pick is should be a sure fire blue chip pick.  You don't waste it on Richardson for all of the reasons you mentioned.  Picking him at 4 is GM malpractice in my eyes.  You trade back out of the top 10 that's a different conversation.  So Richardson is out at 4 for me and so is Stroud and Young.  Although I think Reich is going to agonize over Levis but will eventually settle on Stroud.  That leaves Levis or BPA or a trade back.  The fly in the ointment is Lamar.  Can they sign him?  Do they want to sign him?  That is what they need to find out before draft day.  That is what they have to determine.  If they are interested and can sign him that will change everything.  Kicking off trade conversations or when to sign him to an offer sheet if trade talks fail would be the next decision.  We might not even know where everything stands with Lamar until during or after the 1st round.  If Lamar is off the table then I think we are back to Levis, BPA or a trade back.  If that's where we end up then I think they take Levis.  At 4 without a quarterback it will be pretty hard not to take Levis.  That's why I'm hoping for Lamar and BPA at 4 or a trade back.  If need be have him sign the offer sheet after the draft with the contract constructed so they are unable to match.  It's pretty easy for us to do from the reports I have read.  We have the wherewithal the Ravens do not.  That's how I see this playing out right now.  The most important decision to make right now before the draft is in or out on Lamar.  

[chad72]

I would see if there is a bidding war on Anderson, should he fall to us and all 3 QBs other than Richardson are already gone. Then move back and gain picks before either drafting AR or using that equity for a future QB. That seems like a logical thing to do.

 

However, like @BlueShoe said, you can't teach accuracy and processing easily. So, if one of Stroud or Young are available at No.3, I would be disappointed if Ballard doesn't move up. Yes, Young could get hurt but if you trust he was smart enough to release the ball and protect himself in what we know is the bigger boys' league in the SEC, you have to take the shot knowing the floor he brings with reading Ds and accuracy. You can always protect yourself with a Round 4 backup like Kirk Cousins with RG3 but you take the shot there, get an upside backup like Stetson Bennett or someone else and protect yourself.

[BlueShoe]

Watching the Live Anthony Richardson Pro Day right now on NFL+. 
 

We will see if his accuracy has improved any today. 

[throwing BBZ]

14 hours ago, BlueShoe said:

For months, I have been mulling over all the Colts options to address the quarterback position in 2023. I am laying out my thoughts; baring my thought process. Feel free to disagree, but let's all keep an open mind. If you have a pure authentic take on any of this, then I would love to hear it. However, I am not interested in anyone repeating what a "media expert" has to say; packaging another persons thoughts as your own. There are plenty of threads to be negative and nasty in. Please keep this thread rational and logical. Thank you in advance. 

 

Before the 2022 football season (college and pro) began, I had my way too early thoughts. I wanted to have an open mind about Matt Ryan, but my gut was telling me this guy was washed up. I was even on a podcast at the end of 2021, ripping Matt Ryan apart, and I even called him washed. I think Ryan is about as good as a teammate that anyone could ever ask for. He is a true pro, but his game was clearly over. I was surprised when the Colts made him QB1. I thought, well... Maybe I was a little premature in writing Ryan off... I always try to keep an open mind. Contrary to popular opinion around here, I do not always think I am right. I just have an extremely high hit rate of being correct. But for humility sake, I was wrong about Sam Darnold. I can admit that now. I think some of it had to do with the position that Sam was put in... But it was mostly an issue with Sam. I thoroughly scouted him. I felt he had a chance to be elite. I missed. 

 

Going into the the 2022 season, I was very high on Will Levis... I felt he had an opportunity to supplant himself as the clear top pick in the 2023 draft. I projected he was going to have issues similar to Josh Allen... in Allen's final season at Wyoming. Just like Allen, Levis is also not mechanically perfect and there is a lot of room for improvement there. Working with Jordan Palmer will be the best thing for Will Levis this offseason. In Allen's final collegiate season, he lost a lot of talent, and was forced to work with younger, unproven players. This made him the most polarizing player in the draft. I felt the same thing was going to happen to Will Levis, and it did... However, I could not foresee the injuries Levis would have to play through. Turf toe is tough for a player who touches the ball on every play. This compounded the already existing adversity that Levis was dealing with (lack of talent around him). As the year moved on, I began to notice an arrogance about Will Levis. And not the typical arrogance that we see in a young quarterback. Something felt off about his personality. I feel that on the field, Levis has all the tools. But when I start seeing issues with a players personality, my radar goes way up. There is something off about this dude. It could be immaturity, and he could overcome it. Some do, but most don't. If he does grow up, and finds humility, then I think he could be a great NFL QB. Unfortunately I get a lot of Jay Cutler and Jeff George vibes from him. 

 

Historically it has been a challenge to scout Alabama quarterbacks. For years they had the best offensive line, the best backs, the best receivers, and dominating defenses. However, over the past few years we have seen more parity in the SEC. Hell, Tennessee beat Alabama last year, in one of the more amazing and entertaining games of the year. Bryce Young was not playing with the cast that we normally see an Alabama QB have at his disposal. Because of this, I learned how creative Young can be, when he has to. I love his natural instincts to protect the ball and continue looking downfield when the play breaks down. He navigates the pocket like a 10-year NFL veteran. He can throw passes from different angles, and off platform (Mahomes like). His ability to work through his reads are just off the chart. He is going to come into the NFL as one of the more polished QBs we have seen in a long time. I believe if he were 6'4" then we would all be comparing Bryce Young to Andrew Luck, and he would be the clear number 1 player in this draft. I see a lot of Drew Brees in Young. They do a lot of things very similar. Bryce Young is my number 1 quarterback in this draft, and if by miracle he drops to 3, the Colts better give up whatever it takes to get that pick from the Cardinals. I would bet on Bryce Young becoming more like Drew Brees than becoming the next Kyler Murray. Either is possible... But I see Young being very successful in the NFL... 

 

Throwing mechanics start with the feet and CJ Stroud has great footwork. He is smooth and his upper body falls into perfect place because his feet set the throw up correctly. I consider Stroud's throwing motion to be mechanically sound. I have a similar take on Stroud that I did with Burrow. He has played with great receivers... Probably the next great receiver in the NFL is Marvin Harrison Jr... Look at the last 2 seasons of Ohio State receivers... It gives me the LSU vibe that Burrow played with. Plus they are both mechanically sound. I felt that Burrow would be a very good QB in the NFL, but I could not place his ceiling... I thought he was a safe pick and I feel the same about CJ Stroud. In my mind, Stroud fits the mold of what Frank Reich wants in his offense. I am leaning heavily towards, the Panthers taking him with the first pick. If he falls to 3, the Colts need to do whatever it takes to get to 3. I don't see him falling past Houston, and I feel as though he is going number 1 overall. 

 

I think there is a better chance (albeit slim) that Young falls to 3 than Stroud falling. We are talking about ceilings of Burrow vs Brees here... But the floor is much higher with Stroud and that makes him the safer pick. Most likely both will be off the board at 3. 

 

So that takes us back to Levis. [Big IF] If he passes my interviews then I would take him. And I would move up to 3 for him. If I couldn't shake the bad vibes, then I am looking at plan C, D, and E...

 

Plan A would be for Young to fall... Cause I doubt Stroud will. Neither is very likely though. Plan B would be to determine if Levis is the guy. 

 

Plan C and D are geared towards moving back in the draft a couple of times... taking Hendon Hooker in the late teens or early twenties or trading 2 number 1's for Lamar. 

 

I really like Hooker's pocket mobility. There are times when he doesn’t see the rush, but it’s a similar issue I noticed early with Aaron Rodgers, and he can overcame it. Hooker can be very accurate, but he lacks anticipation. Has a strong enough arm, and wheels. While it is not an exact carbon copy, I see a lot of Daniel Jones in Hooker. And he will have the same hurdles in the NFL. But the potential is there. 

 

Making a play for Lamar would consist of a lot of IF's... Can the Colts sign him to a contract that makes sense... Something the Colts would walk away from within a few years, if needed. 

 

Plan E is riding with Minshew. 

 

That is my logic on how I would approach addressing the quarterback... We will see what the Colts do, but I would not be surprised if they share some, if not all of my thoughts on this. 

 

Your thoughts? Let 'em rip. 

 

All good points.

The Big ?

 How much does Steichen like the offense he ran last season. Is it his best work? And what is Richardsons potential? And can we build an OL to run it?

[BlueShoe]

13 minutes ago, chad72 said:

I would see if there is a bidding war on Anderson, should he fall to us and all 3 QBs other than Richardson are already gone. Then move back and gain picks before either drafting AR or using that equity for a future QB. That seems like a logical thing to do.

 

However, like @BlueShoe said, you can't teach accuracy and processing easily. So, if one of Stroud or Young are available at No.3, I would be disappointed if Ballard doesn't move up. Yes, Young could get hurt but if you trust he was smart enough to release the ball and protect himself in what we know is the bigger boys' league in the SEC, you have to take the shot knowing the floor he brings with reading Ds and accuracy. You can always protect yourself with a Round 4 backup like Kirk Cousins with RG3 but you take the shot there, get an upside backup like Stetson Bennett or someone else and protect yourself.

I like where you went with this. We are focused on the QBs, and many teams are not. We have to factor in the need of other teams too. 
 

I have this feeling that AR does not fall past Seattle. He is exactly the type of risk they strive to take. High risk reward type. They don’t get more high upside and bigger risk than AR. 

[BlueShoe]

Steve Smith is speaking the truth right now. That’s how I see it too. 
 

For those not watching, Steve Smith just said… And I am paraphrasing here… That he would not take AR with a high draft pick. He said too much will be expected of him early. And that could hurt him in the long run. He said that AR has leaned on his physical abilities and has not learned how to be a QB yet. 
 

Spot on!

[BlueShoe]

I probably should have spent more time talking about AR in the original post. 
 

I love his personality, and his physical toolset. However, I believe he needs to sit a year. Not many teams will take a quarterback in the top 5 knowing their plan is to sit a QB. Seattle is the perfect fit for AR. And they love to roll the dice on players with huge upside. He might be the number 1 ranked player on the Seahawks board. I think he goes to the Seahawks at either 3 or 5. 
 

If Levis had half the personality that AR has… I would think completely different about him. 
 

People are going to fall in love with AR. He is upbeat and humble, and a great kid. I just can’t take him at 4, and I think he will be gone if we move back. 

[BlueShoe]

57 minutes ago, throwing BBZ said:

 

All good points.

The Big ?

 How much does Steichen like the offense he ran last season. Is it his best work? And what is Richardsons potential? And can we build an OL to run it?

It’s possible. Steichen said the most important traits are accuracy and does the QB love the game. AR appears to love playing football. But he hasn’t faced real adversity yet.

 

I think the accuracy part removes AR from the top of our board. 

[NewColtsFan]

1 hour ago, throwing BBZ said:

 

All good points.

The Big ?

 How much does Steichen like the offense he ran last season. Is it his best work? And what is Richardsons potential? And can we build an OL to run it?

Strichen has said he builds his offense to what the quarterback does best.   He does not ask the quarterback to fit into a set offense even if it’s not what the QB excels at.   
 

Rough translation:   Steichen does not have one set offense.   He’s open to a custom fit for whoever his QB turns out to be. 

[throwing BBZ]

46 minutes ago, BlueShoe said:

Steve Smith is speaking the truth right now. That’s how I see it too. 
 

For those not watching, Steve Smith just said… And I am paraphrasing here… That he would not take AR with a high draft pick. He said too much will be expected of him early. And that could hurt him in the long run. He said that AR has leaned on his physical abilities and has not learned how to be a QB yet. 
 

Spot on!

 

  So he believes the Colts, Seahawks, Oakland would be under pressure to play him extensively in year one. 

 Wondering if Bayless snuck this on his teleprompter and he read it WITHOUT THINKING.

 NONE of these teams would likely play him much if at all year 1.

 Oh wait, Steichen would on short yardage Rugby plays, probably from day 1.

  

[chad72]

3 minutes ago, throwing BBZ said:

 

  So he believes the Colts, Seahawks, Oakland would be under pressure to play him extensively in year one. 

 Wondering if Bayless snuck this on his teleprompter and he read it WITHOUT THINKING.

 NONE of these teams would likely play him much if at all year 1.

 Oh wait, Steichen would on short yardage Rugby plays, probably from day 1.

  

Seahawks with Geno Smith and Oakland with Jimmy G will be under less pressure, IMO

[BlueShoe]

3 minutes ago, NewColtsFan said:

Strichen has said he builds his offense to what the quarterback does best.   He does not ask the quarterback to fit into a set offense even if it’s not what the QB excels at.   
 

Rough translation:   Steichen does not have one set offense.   He’s open to a custom fit for whoever his QB turns out to be. 

Steichen also said that accuracy is a must. AR struggles putting the ball in the right place. 
 

I don’t see us taking AR at 4. But anything is possible. 

[BlueShoe]

1 minute ago, chad72 said:

Seahawks with Geno Smith and Oakland with Jimmy G will be under less pressure, IMO

Correct. The best landing spot for AR is Seattle though. If I’m him, that’s where I’d want to go. Perfect match. 

[superrep1967]

16 hours ago, BlueShoe said:

For months, I have been mulling over all the Colts options to address the quarterback position in 2023. I am laying out my thoughts; baring my thought process. Feel free to disagree, but let's all keep an open mind. If you have a pure authentic take on any of this, then I would love to hear it. However, I am not interested in anyone repeating what a "media expert" has to say; packaging another persons thoughts as your own. There are plenty of threads to be negative and nasty in. Please keep this thread rational and logical. Thank you in advance. 

 

Before the 2022 football season (college and pro) began, I had my way too early thoughts. I wanted to have an open mind about Matt Ryan, but my gut was telling me this guy was washed up. I was even on a podcast at the end of 2021, ripping Matt Ryan apart, and I even called him washed. I think Ryan is about as good as a teammate that anyone could ever ask for. He is a true pro, but his game was clearly over. I was surprised when the Colts made him QB1. I thought, well... Maybe I was a little premature in writing Ryan off... I always try to keep an open mind. Contrary to popular opinion around here, I do not always think I am right. I just have an extremely high hit rate of being correct. But for humility sake, I was wrong about Sam Darnold. I can admit that now. I think some of it had to do with the position that Sam was put in... But it was mostly an issue with Sam. I thoroughly scouted him. I felt he had a chance to be elite. I missed. 

 

Going into the the 2022 season, I was very high on Will Levis... I felt he had an opportunity to supplant himself as the clear top pick in the 2023 draft. I projected he was going to have issues similar to Josh Allen... in Allen's final season at Wyoming. Just like Allen, Levis is also not mechanically perfect and there is a lot of room for improvement there. Working with Jordan Palmer will be the best thing for Will Levis this offseason. In Allen's final collegiate season, he lost a lot of talent, and was forced to work with younger, unproven players. This made him the most polarizing player in the draft. I felt the same thing was going to happen to Will Levis, and it did... However, I could not foresee the injuries Levis would have to play through. Turf toe is tough for a player who touches the ball on every play. This compounded the already existing adversity that Levis was dealing with (lack of talent around him). As the year moved on, I began to notice an arrogance about Will Levis. And not the typical arrogance that we see in a young quarterback. Something felt off about his personality. I feel that on the field, Levis has all the tools. But when I start seeing issues with a players personality, my radar goes way up. There is something off about this dude. It could be immaturity, and he could overcome it. Some do, but most don't. If he does grow up, and finds humility, then I think he could be a great NFL QB. Unfortunately I get a lot of Jay Cutler and Jeff George vibes from him. 

 

Historically it has been a challenge to scout Alabama quarterbacks. For years they had the best offensive line, the best backs, the best receivers, and dominating defenses. However, over the past few years we have seen more parity in the SEC. Hell, Tennessee beat Alabama last year, in one of the more amazing and entertaining games of the year. Bryce Young was not playing with the cast that we normally see an Alabama QB have at his disposal. Because of this, I learned how creative Young can be, when he has to. I love his natural instincts to protect the ball and continue looking downfield when the play breaks down. He navigates the pocket like a 10-year NFL veteran. He can throw passes from different angles, and off platform (Mahomes like). His ability to work through his reads are just off the chart. He is going to come into the NFL as one of the more polished QBs we have seen in a long time. I believe if he were 6'4" then we would all be comparing Bryce Young to Andrew Luck, and he would be the clear number 1 player in this draft. I see a lot of Drew Brees in Young. They do a lot of things very similar. Bryce Young is my number 1 quarterback in this draft, and if by miracle he drops to 3, the Colts better give up whatever it takes to get that pick from the Cardinals. I would bet on Bryce Young becoming more like Drew Brees than becoming the next Kyler Murray. Either is possible... But I see Young being very successful in the NFL... 

 

Throwing mechanics start with the feet and CJ Stroud has great footwork. He is smooth and his upper body falls into perfect place because his feet set the throw up correctly. I consider Stroud's throwing motion to be mechanically sound. I have a similar take on Stroud that I did with Burrow. He has played with great receivers... Probably the next great receiver in the NFL is Marvin Harrison Jr... Look at the last 2 seasons of Ohio State receivers... It gives me the LSU vibe that Burrow played with. Plus they are both mechanically sound. I felt that Burrow would be a very good QB in the NFL, but I could not place his ceiling... I thought he was a safe pick and I feel the same about CJ Stroud. In my mind, Stroud fits the mold of what Frank Reich wants in his offense. I am leaning heavily towards, the Panthers taking him with the first pick. If he falls to 3, the Colts need to do whatever it takes to get to 3. I don't see him falling past Houston, and I feel as though he is going number 1 overall. 

 

I think there is a better chance (albeit slim) that Young falls to 3 than Stroud falling. We are talking about ceilings of Burrow vs Brees here... But the floor is much higher with Stroud and that makes him the safer pick. Most likely both will be off the board at 3. 

 

So that takes us back to Levis. [Big IF] If he passes my interviews then I would take him. And I would move up to 3 for him. If I couldn't shake the bad vibes, then I am looking at plan C, D, and E...

 

Plan A would be for Young to fall... Cause I doubt Stroud will. Neither is very likely though. Plan B would be to determine if Levis is the guy. 

 

Plan C and D are geared towards moving back in the draft a couple of times... taking Hendon Hooker in the late teens or early twenties or trading 2 number 1's for Lamar. 

 

I really like Hooker's pocket mobility. There are times when he doesn’t see the rush, but it’s a similar issue I noticed early with Aaron Rodgers, and he can overcame it. Hooker can be very accurate, but he lacks anticipation. Has a strong enough arm, and wheels. While it is not an exact carbon copy, I see a lot of Daniel Jones in Hooker. And he will have the same hurdles in the NFL. But the potential is there. 

 

Making a play for Lamar would consist of a lot of IF's... Can the Colts sign him to a contract that makes sense... Something the Colts would walk away from within a few years, if needed. 

 

Plan E is riding with Minshew. 

 

That is my logic on how I would approach addressing the quarterback... We will see what the Colts do, but I would not be surprised if they share some, if not all of my thoughts on this. 

 

Your thoughts? Let 'em rip. 

This is a absolute great post I agree with everything you just said. I like Levis but wonder how coachable he would be it’s a great concern of mine. So because of that I like Young a great kid who would work his take off and be very coachable . I think Young is going to have a special career in the nfl for somebody unfortunately it’ll probably be Houston and will have to face him twice a year. I’m not a fan Richardson only because I think he’ll be more of a project because of lack of experience and accuracy. 

[BlueShoe]

47 minutes ago, throwing BBZ said:

 

  So he believes the Colts, Seahawks, Oakland would be under pressure to play him extensively in year one. 

 Wondering if Bayless snuck this on his teleprompter and he read it WITHOUT THINKING.

 NONE of these teams would likely play him much if at all year 1.

 Oh wait, Steichen would on short yardage Rugby plays, probably from day 1.

  

The pressure from the fan base would be enormous. I think the only team (picking in the top 5) that could get away with drafting AR and sitting him, is Seattle. 

[jbaron04]

3 hours ago, BlueShoe said:

What worries me about Richardson is his accuracy. He is a physical phenomenon. Rarely have we seen a quarterback that athletic. That said, even most of his positive passes are off the mark. Accuracy is something a person is born with, and it doesn’t normally improve that much. I think he is the kind of player that Seattle takes. They take huge risks with early picks. He can create with his legs just a well as Lamar. It’s amazing watching him turn a negative play into a zero loss. He has that rare capability. 
 

He could end up being the best player in this entire draft. Anything is possible. However, history tells me to stay away from him. 
 

To me, it’s his accuracy. I think that’s where he will struggle in the NFL. We have seen crazier things, but I just cant project him to the Colts with an early pick. I would absolutely take a flyer on him later in the first round though. 

Well sometimes accuracy is of the mark for mechanical reasons or type of system you running etc… but what I do know is Seattle to a chance on metcaf and colts played it safe and how did that turn out for us. And his accuracy should get better with more reps. More reps and coaching leads to more anticipation and mechanics which leads to some what improvements in accuracy. But that’s why you get a coaching staff and they have to build players 

[richard pallo]

42 minutes ago, BlueShoe said:

Correct. The best landing spot for AR is Seattle though. If I’m him, that’s where I’d want to go. Perfect match. 

Those are better landing spots for AR.  No pressure to play right away.  In Indy the pressure would be enormous.  It won’t take long for the chants and pressure to ramp up.  Ballard needs to ace the 4th pick with a starter.   That’s not AR.

[indyagent17]

Very valid points and the truth is that nobody can assess how good or bad the QB's are in this draft. There is not a QB that doesn't have question marks and the first four picks in the draft later this month could all be QB's. It shows how desperate teams are to find that QB they desire but its what you get. I like Stroud the most but I get a strong feeling he is going #1 to Carolina. If we are sitting at #4 I could still see Ballard looking to trade back IF a QB he trusts will still be on the board a few picks later. This will be a very intense month with rumors and player movement. Its actually a fun surprise to be in this position 

[chad72]

50 minutes ago, BlueShoe said:

Correct. The best landing spot for AR is Seattle though. If I’m him, that’s where I’d want to go. Perfect match. 

 

Seattle does have 2 first rounders though, just like the Lions and Texans. So the Seahawks can always move back ahead of the Bucs at 19. I still think the Titans at #11 will be a dark horse if AR gets past the first 7.

[BlueShoe]

15 minutes ago, jbaron04 said:

Well sometimes accuracy is of the mark for mechanical reasons or type of system you running etc… but what I do know is Seattle to a chance on metcaf and colts played it safe and how did that turn out for us. And his accuracy should get better with more reps. More reps and coaching leads to more anticipation and mechanics which leads to some what improvements in accuracy. But that’s why you get a coaching staff and they have to build players 

We can cherry pick the players who turned out great, with huge risk and high payoffs. But that doesn’t paint the true picture of how many times those players flop. It’s a very high percent  these types of gambles don’t pay off. 
 

And it’s also not easy dealing with a player like Metcalf. You can’t have too many of them in the same locker room. We are talking about different issues though. 
 

AR is a great kid. His personality is exactly what you’re looking for. Metcalf’s ability was never in question. It was his mental toughness, which he still struggles with. 
 

AR can only improve his accuracy so much. Cleaning up his mechanics will help. However, there is a ceiling for his accuracy, and it is not very high. It’s an algorithm of depth perception, touch/feel, hand-eye coordination, and so many other things… intangible things too. A person is either born an accurate passer or they are not. AR was not born an accurate passer. Just like other QBs we’re not born with the special physical gifts that AR was born with. 

[BlueShoe]

24 minutes ago, richard pallo said:

Those are better landing spots for AR.  No pressure to play right away.  In Indy the pressure would be enormous.  It won’t take long for the chants and pressure to ramp up.  Ballard needs to ace the 4th pick with a starter.   That’s not AR.

I agree 100%!
 

The same Colts fans who are willing to sit him a year now, will be screaming for him to play in week 4. 

[BlueShoe]

6 minutes ago, chad72 said:

 

Seattle does have 2 first rounders though, just like the Lions and Texans. So the Seahawks can always move back ahead of the Bucs at 19. I still think the Titans at #11 will be a dark horse if AR gets past the first 7.

What I love about AR’s personality is that he is just honored to be mentioned in the top 10. None of this has gone to his head. He appreciates everything and he is having fun. He is very authentic. He is just a great kid. I want to root for him. I hope he gets a chance to sit a year, and he does great things. 

[ShuteAt168]

If you’re going to criticize Levis for being cocky, I think you have to say the same about AR. He said at the combine, “I feel like I’m going to be one of the greats in the next few years.” The quote that gave me more concern was when he was asked about his accuracy, he said “I also can’t catch every pass.” A leader doesn’t call out his WR. 

[Smonroe]

36 minutes ago, richard pallo said:

Those are better landing spots for AR.  No pressure to play right away.  In Indy the pressure would be enormous.  It won’t take long for the chants and pressure to ramp up.  Ballard needs to ace the 4th pick with a starter.   That’s not AR.

If we’re winning with the Stash, there would be no pressure to roll out any rookie we drafted.  If we’re losing because the Oline hasn’t been, it would be a real mistake to bring in the rook.  I’m pretty sure our coaches are smarter than that.

 

Have to assume Stroud and Young are gone.  Out of the next three AR has the least experience but maybe biggest upside.   
 

Going to be a life changing decision, not only for the player, but for the GM.  

[ShuteAt168]

1 hour ago, BlueShoe said:

I probably should have spent more time talking about AR in the original post. 
 

I love his personality, and his physical toolset. However, I believe he needs to sit a year. Not many teams will take a quarterback in the top 5 knowing their plan is to sit a QB. Seattle is the perfect fit for AR. And they love to roll the dice on players with huge upside. He might be the number 1 ranked player on the Seahawks board. I think he goes to the Seahawks at either 3 or 5. 
 

If Levis had half the personality that AR has… I would think completely different about him. 
 

People are going to fall in love with AR. He is upbeat and humble, and a great kid. I just can’t take him at 4, and I think he will be gone if we move back. 

What’s the difference between Levis saying “I have a cannon for an arm” and AR saying he’s going to be “one of the greats in a few years” and throwing his WR under the bus? AR is humble but Levis is cocky?