Colts head coach Frank Reich: Indy was planning to draft QB until Carson Wentz 'fell into our laps'

Before landing Carson Wentz in a trade with the Eagles, Colts head coach Frank Reich said that he and GM Chris Ballard were considering drafting a quarterback to replace Philip Rivers. 

Reich admitted that Indianapolis has struggled to find a long-term solution at quarterback since Andrew Luck's surprise retirement in 2019. The team was able to find a "great answer" when Philip Rivers joined last season but Reich knew that was "just the short answer," as Rivers retired earlier this year. With no clear replacement for Rivers, Reich told Albert Breer of MMQB that he and Ballard began looking to the draft for answers.

"Was it going to be a draft pick? Honestly, I think Chris and I were thinking, somehow we were going to figure out how we were going to be able to draft the quarterback of our future," Reich explained. "And then this thing came with Carson and it fell into our laps."

The Colts ended up sending the Eagles 2021 third-round draft pick and a conditional 2022 second-round draft pick in exchange for Wentz, who now has the chance to be Indianapolis' quarterback for the foreseeable future, which would give Reich and Ballard some peace of mind.