Colts bench Matt Ryan: History repeats itself in Indianapolis

When fires begin, they typically appear to require a double-take to ensure that the mind to totally comprehend a way of emergency. The primary look is one to make sure that all is nicely. The re-assessment is to problem the concept smoke, warmth and flickering mild aren’t quickly climbing a curtain in the home, bent for destruction. The re-assessment additionally alerts us to totally interact in a state of panic.

This course of involves thoughts when occupied with the 2022 Colts, who, on Monday, let the world know that they’ve completely benched Matt Ryan in favor of Sam Ehlinger. Earlier than this season began, and even up till final week, one might safely look over on the roster, the file, the personalities and the individuals concerned and assume all was nicely. Ryan and Frank Reich collectively? What might go flawed? Perhaps a whiff of burning leaves, a bit of plume of one thing oddly coloured, however nothing to set off the alarm.

As of Monday, with yet one more of Indianapolis’s veteran quarterbacks successfully receiving his strolling papers, we’ve got turned to look once more, this time at a totally fashioned blaze.

The Colts have now dealt two third-round picks and a first-round choose for Carson Wentz and Matt Ryan, neither of whom will make it to a second season in Indianapolis (we assume). Whereas one might argue the Colts did one of the best they might—they didn’t totally debase themselves for Deshaun Watson, though they requested a gathering that was denied by the Texans in order to dam Watson from staying within the AFC South, they didn’t commerce even extra draft capital for an equally ineffective Russell Wilson, they didn’t overspend for somebody similar to Jimmy Garoppolo, they didn’t tackle any of Baker Mayfield’s wage and they didn’t take a first-round quarterback on this yr’s draft—their finest efforts have pinned the franchise ready the place the Ehlinger transfer was their best possibility; the last word, blind haymaker on the finish of a struggle through which they’ve been clearly overwhelmed.

The arson investigation here’s a troublesome one. The Colts’ solely different smart possibility—relationship again to the retirement of Andrew Luck—was to theoretically go all-in for a quarterback within the 2020 draft, once they might have discovered a commerce companion forward of the Dolphins or Chargers for Tua Tagovailoa or Justin Herbert. Their low first-round draft capital that yr was tied up in a deal for DeForrest Buckner, which was essential to amp up a threadbare move rush that was overperforming underneath Matt Eberflus. They might have made a extra aggressive push to signal Tom Brady when Brady was out there, as an alternative of Philip Rivers, although one would think about Brady wasn’t thrilled with the thought of boosting a membership that ratted on him throughout Deflategate (Brady additionally knew Josh McDaniels nicely, and was actually aware of the the reason why McDaniels bailed on the Colts on the final minute).

Additionally saying Brady was, on the time, a markedly higher possibility than Rivers was a little bit of revisionist historical past. Whereas we’ve got clearly come to understand Brady’s profession in a brand new mild and perspective after his profitable two-year run in Tampa Bay, Rivers was additionally wildly achieved, a bit youthful and intimately educated of Frank Reich’s offense.

Maybe we are able to chalk it as much as the top of blind fortunes. That is, in spite of everything, a crew that stumbled into each Peyton Manning and Luck in subsequent eras. Outdoors of the Packers, no crew was as abundantly blessed on the place over the previous few a long time. When it comes to Ryan, we might query the scouting processes that led to the choice to commerce for a quarterback who appears to be out of fuel, and completed final yr twenty fourth in passing effectivity.

However principally we could be left with this sense that we don’t know who began the hearth, solely that it’s been burning to a point for the previous half decade now (isn’t that what Billy Joel stated?). We are able to cease feeling dangerous for the Colts and blaming Luck, as we famous we must always earlier within the season, whereas recognizing that there actually wasn’t one other means that this might occur. Sooner or later, they had been destined to reach at a spot the place their need to repeatedly increase a aggressive roster met the restricted basin of sources at their disposal.

It’s not a fantastic search for Ryan. It’s horrible optically for the Colts. Fires all the time are. The query now’s who will get to place it out. Experiences from Indianapolis counsel proprietor Jim Irsay has been heavily involved in the decision-making of late. Proper now, Reich and GM Chris Ballard are those tasked with as soon as once more determining the place to go from right here, however it could finally be somebody sifting by way of the ashes.

Extra NFL Protection: