During a Sunday press conference in Indianapolis, Colts owner Jim Irsay claimed that the team was going to take Russell Wilson in the fourth round of the 2012 draft had he still been on the board.
It’s interesting to think about how different the league would be had the Colts doubled down on quarterbacks after taking Andrew Luck first overall, but it does nothing to help the Colts as they try to move forward after Luck’s retirement last year. Jacoby Brissett took over as the starter and Irsay said on Sunday that he thinks Brissett needs time to develop, but stopped well short of guaranteeing he’ll get it in Indy.
“I can’t talk about any specific player,” Irsay said, via Andrew Walker of the team’s website. “I will say that all options are open. . . . All options are on the table. I’ve never quite been in a year when this was so unusual, if you will.”
One option that doesn’t seem to be on the table is a change of heart from Luck. Irsay suggested the door remains open from the team’s side, but he hasn’t spoken to Luck about it after trying to convince him to keep playing last summer and Luck’s father said recently that his son is enjoying life out of the public eye.
Many have noted that Colts head coach Frank Reich and offensive coordinator Nick Sirianni worked with outgoing Chargers quarterback Philip Rivers in the past, but there are plenty of paths the team could take in free agency, the draft or via a trade. Irsay expressed his confidence that Reich and General Manager Chris Ballard will make the right call on which of them the team will ultimately take this offseason.