Yet again, the Colts will have a different opening day starter. Matt Ryan will follow Scott Tolzien, Andrew Luck, Jacoby Brissett, Philip Rivers and Carson Wentz. The Colts traded a third-round choice to the Falcons for Ryan, the 2016 NFL MVP.
Receivers coach Reggie Wayne said Ryan reminds him of a different Colts’ quarterback.
Peyton Manning started 227 consecutive games for the Colts, including the postseason, from 1998-2010 and won Super Bowl XLI with Wayne as one of his wideouts.
“It makes me throw up how much he reminds me of Peyton so much,” Wayne said of Ryan, via Daniel Chavkin of SI.com. “He’s the epitome of a leader. In meetings, he’s vocal. He’s trying to get connections with the receivers, trying to get extra as much as possible.”
Wayne spent 10 seasons with Manning, producing seven 1,000-yard seasons.
The Colts don’t have a wideout of Wayne’s (or Marvin Harrison’s) stature. Michael Pittman Jr., Ashton Dulin, Keke Coutee, Alec Pierce, Dezmon Patmon, DeMichael Harris and Parris Campbell are young, but Wayne is confident a quarterback with Ryan’s resume will make all of them better.
“With (Ryan’s) years and experience in this league, it will kind of help these young guys,” Wayne said. “I remember having a quarterback with some experience. That was everything for me. He comes in. He’s vocal. He demands excellence. He admits his mistakes. As a receiver, that’s what you love.”