Colts General Manager Chris Ballard isn’t being coy about his willingness to trade up in the 2023 NFL draft — if the team decides that there’s a franchise-changing quarterback available first overall.
Ballard was asked today if he would trade up if he decides there’s a quarterback who could lead the Colts for years to come, and he said he absolutely would.
“Yes, I’d do whatever it takes,” Ballard said.
That’s good news for Bears General Manager Ryan Poles, who owns the first overall pick in the draft and may decide his best course of action is to stick with Justin Fields at quarterback and trade down with a quarterback-needy team. The Colts own the fourth overall pick, and if they fall in love with a quarterback like Alabama’s Bryce Young, they may be willing to give up multiple first-round picks to move up from No. 4 to No. 1.
Ballard has been the Colts’ GM since 2017, and he still hasn’t figured out the quarterback position, going through Andrew Luck, Jacoby Brissett, Brian Hoyer, Philip Rivers, Carson Wentz, Matt Ryan, Sam Ehlinger and Nick Foles and never finding a quarterback who can stand the test of time as the Colts’ unquestioned starter. He’d like to find one in the draft this year.