The Indianapolis Colts simply cannot catch a break with their quarterbacks. Just when it seemed like they had found their guy for the first time since Andrew Luck’s sudden retirement, they lost Daniel Jones for the remainder of the season with a torn Achilles injury in a loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars.
Jones was playing the best football of his career, and with rookie Riley Leonard as his backup, Shane Steichen’s team’s playoff hopes might be slipping right through their fingers.
With that in mind, ESPN analyst Bill Barnwell had a major proposition to salvage the Colts’ season. In his latest column, he made a case for them to go after Russell Wilson.
Russell Wilson is a potential savior for the Colts
“The obvious veteran lurking at the bottom of a roster who would make sense is Russell Wilson, who was inactive as the third-string quarterback for the Giants last week,” Barnwell wrote. “Wilson is owed $444,444 in base salary over the rest of the season, so the Giants wouldn't be saving a ton of money by waiving the veteran, but this would be doing a player who is on his way out a favor. Wilson wasn't great in New York and would also need to learn what the Colts want to do on offense. Still, it would be worth a flier for Indy if the Giants did release the 37-year-old.”
Of course, the Giants would have to waive Wilson first, and given the financial situation, the only incentive to do so would be to allow the veteran signal caller to go out on his own terms.
He has lost his spot as the backup, with Jameis Winston taking the reins of the offense in Jaxson Dart’s absence, and even though he’s a veteran leader, the Giants might have that covered with Winston there as well.
The Colts could also save Russell Wilson
Wilson’s fall from grace has been one of the most surprising in recent years. What seemed to be a Hall of Fame career has now been an ugly watch since he was traded to the Denver Broncos, and his reputation has taken a big hit.
That being said, Colts’ coach Shane Steichen might be the right guy to help him go out with a bang. If anything, he’s kept the Colts hovering around playoff contention despite the team’s questionable quarterback situation since he arrived in town.
Steichen nearly made the playoffs with Gardner Minshew, Joe Flacco, and Anthony Richardson. And with an MVP candidate in Jonathan Taylor doing most of the heavy lifting, perhaps he can finish what he started even with this version of Russell Wilson on the field.