Colts QB Trade Worst in Franchise History

The Indianapolis Colts have been on a quarterback carousel for years, and hope that Anthony Richardson can end that notion in 2025. However, not long ago, former coach Frank Reich believed he could fix the former NFL MVP candidate, signal-caller Carson Wentz.

To acquire Wentz, the Colts forfeited a haul for him, giving the Philadelphia Eagles a 2022 first-rounder and a 2023 third-rounder. What ensued was a statistically good year, but not from the mental side of what it takes to succeed as an NFL quarterback.

Wentz used to be a legitimate budding star at field general. In 2017 with the Eagles, he finished the campaign with 33 touchdown passes to only seven picks, which thrust him squarely into the MVP conversation. However, he ended the campaign with an ACL tear.

The Eagles went on to win Super Bowl LII against the Tom Brady-led New England Patriots, but with Nick Foles and not Wentz. The former second-overall pick was never the same after his injury, but looked good by the numbers when he was dealt to Indy.

Wentz finished 2021 with 27 touchdown passes to only seven interceptions. However, Wentz crumbled at the end of the season when the wins mattered most to get Indianapolis to the playoffs, just one year removed from Philip Rivers leading the squad to the postseason. Indianapolis finished 2021 with a 9-8 record and an early vacation.

In short, then-owner Jim Irsay wasn't having it, trading Wentz to the Washington Commanders for two third-rounders. Given what Indianapolis gave up to get Wentz, and how the season subsequently ended, it can be filed as a disastrous trade.

What followed was purely gross, as Indianapolis would put forth a 4-12-1 record with the trio of Matt Ryan, Foles, and Sam Ehlinger, along with Reich's firing and interim coach Jeff Saturday getting hired on.

After a brutal finish, the Colts acquired Richardson with the fourth-overall selection in the 2023 NFL draft. However, Richardson is a massive question mark after two seasons, with only 15 games played, bad accuracy, and difficult-to-understand decision-making.

The Colts hope they don't have another situation like with Wentz, as Richardson was drafted to lead the team to success now and in the future. However, with Daniel Jones on the roster, it's clear the franchise wants the best from Richardson.

OTAs are in Indy's midst, and all eyes will be on the competition between Richardson and Jones, and which quarterback can get an edge as the starter. With a checkered past since Andrew Luck's retirement, the exhaustion from finding the franchise quarterback for the Colts is at a fever pitch.

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