Can you imagine if the Colts had signed…

admin | December 28, 2023 | Other Clubs | No Comments

Can you imagine if the Colts had signed Russell Wilson?

In Denver, the quarterback has been benched. That is the same quarterback who Colts fans urged the organization to acquire in 2022.

The Indianapolis Colts were dealing with an intriguing situation. When Andrew Luck retired, many supporters felt that the team should have picked Russell Wilson instead of Luck in the 2012 NFL draft because he had led his team to two Super Bowls. Many others regarded 2022 as an opportunity to make things right. Wilson was supposed to be on the market with the Seahawks, and while it would cost a king’s ransom, many supporters were eager to pay it.

In early 2022, it was claimed that Jim Irsay was a fan of the quarterback. That speculation sparked debate on Colts message forums about what it would take to acquire Wilson and if it would be worth it. Sure, some probably didn’t want him, but after the Colts missed the playoffs and Carson Wentz was blamed, many thought Wilson could get them over the hump and bring long-term stability. To acquire his services, the Broncos handed up players, including two first-round picks, two second-round picks, and a fifth-round draft pick less than two years ago.

The Colts did not obtain a world beater in Matt Ryan, but they were able to cut their losses one year later for much less after giving up considerably less. It didn’t work out, but as you can see, things could have turned out far worse.The Broncos will be on the hook for a large sum of money, approximately $85 million.

Can you image if the Colts had gone through all of this trouble to acquire Wilson just to bench him before the end of his two-year contract? This team has had its fair share of egg on its face when it comes to quarterback selection, but this would have been a full carton’s worth. Irsay would have looked like an idiot, potentially setting the team back another five or more years. First, the incorrect decision would have been made. Second, the team would have given up high and low draft picks. Third, for the next two years, the team would be saddled with a hefty dead cap hit. Teams do not recover quickly from such blunders.

Yes, the Colts have had their share of negative headlines, but thank goodness this wasn’t one of them. This transaction appears to be a flop. For all the armchair GMs out there hoping for the Colts to make the deal to bring Wilson in, Chris Ballard either couldn’t or wasn’t listening. The finest deals are sometimes the ones that never happen. This is undeniably true for Colts fans and Wilson.