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Indianapolis Colts

Team should consider Lamar run

Some drama was added to the Baltimore Ravens and Lamar Jackson situation yesterday, when Jackson revealed he's asked to be traded. It can be debated whether the Ravens or Jackson are being more stubborn in this contract standoff. But I think the Colts should think long and hard about making a run at the running quarterback.

Various teams have come out to say they're not interested in pursuing Jackson, either because they're happy with their own options at the position or no more eager to meet Jackson's contract demands than Baltimore to this point. One team that hasn't said they're not interested is the Colts, which is easy to understand.

The Colts have Gardner Minshew, who I've expressed some fondness for in the past, but the size of his contract (1 year, $3.5 million) makes it clear he's in no way considered a sure thing. Their other quarterbacks (Nick Foles, Sam Ehlinger) are just competing for a roster spot, probably behind the quarterback the team drafts at 1.04. But making an effort to trade for Jackson might be just as good a move.

At 1.04, the team isn't guaranteed to get any better than their 3rd-favorite quarterback coming out of college, with the Panthers definitely taking one at the top and the Texans probably taking one at 1.02. And some team might well trade ahead of the Colts with the Cardinals, picking at No. 3. Even assuming they get one of their top 2 choices, that player is a complete unknown, while Jackson is a former MVP.

The last four years, since Andrew Luck retired, the Colts have brought in four different veteran starting quarterbacks. Among the 100 quarterbacks who've started at least 12 games over the last four seasons, the Colts have sent out four of the 25 worst -- fantasy scoring -- quarterbacks, in terms of points per game. Not to rip Philip Rivers, who had a fine year while taking the team to playoffs, but he wasn't carrying the team, either.

Jackson in those four seasons has three of the top 25 seasons among those 100 quarterbacks in terms of fantasy points per game; his worst was 37th last year.

QUARTERBACK FANTASY POINTS PER GAME, 2019-2022
YearPlayerGSPassTDIntRunTDFF/G
2019Lamar Jackson, Balt.1531273661206730.9
2022Josh Allen, Buff.1642833514762729.8
2020Josh Allen, Buff.1645443710421829.6
2020Patrick Mahomes, K.C.154740386308229.2
2022Patrick Mahomes, K.C.1752504112358429.1
2022Jalen Hurts, Phil.1537012267601328.7
2021Josh Allen, Buff.1744073615763628.4
2020Kyler Murray, Ariz.16397126128191128.2
2020Aaron Rodgers, G.B.164299485149327.5
2020Deshaun Watson, Hou.164823337444327.3
2020Russell Wilson, Sea.1642124013513227.2
2021Justin Herbert, LAC1750143815302327.2
2021Tom Brady, T.B.175316431281226.9
2019Jameis Winston, T.B.1651093330250126.7
2022Joe Burrow, Cin.1644753512257526.6
2020Justin Herbert, LAC1543363110234526.5
2021Patrick Mahomes, K.C.1748393713381226.1
2019Deshaun Watson, Hou.1538522612413726.0
2019Dak Prescott, Dall.1649023011277325.8
2020Lamar Jackson, Balt.1527572691005725.8
2020Tom Brady, T.B.16463340126325.6
2021Kyler Murray, Ariz.1437872410423525.6
2021Lamar Jackson, Balt.1228821613767225.1
2020Ryan Tannehill, Ten.163819337266724.9
2021Dak Prescott, Dall.1644493710146124.8
2021Joe Burrow, Cin.1646113414118224.5
2021Matthew Stafford, LAR174886411743024.5
2019Patrick Mahomes, K.C.144031265218224.4
2021Jalen Hurts, Phil.1531441697841024.4
2019Daniel Jones, NYG1230272412279224.3
2020Kirk Cousins, Min.1642653513156124.1
2019Gardner Minshew, Jac.123271216344024.0
2019Russell Wilson, Sea.164110315342324.0
2021Aaron Rodgers, G.B.164115374101323.9
2019Ryan Fitzpatrick, Mia.1335292013243423.6
2019Matt Ryan, Atl.1544662614147123.3
2022Lamar Jackson, Balt.122242177764323.0
2022Justin Fields, Chi.15224217111143823.0
2021Kirk Cousins, Min.164221337115122.5
2020Matt Ryan, Atl.164581261192222.3
2022Geno Smith, Sea.1742823011366122.2
2019Kyler Murray, Ariz.1637222012544421.9
2020Carson Wentz, Phil.1226201615276521.9
2022Tua Tagovailoa, Mia.13354825870021.9
2022Kirk Cousins, Min.174547291497221.8
2020Ben Roethlisberger, Pitt.153803331011021.8
2022Trevor Lawrence, Jac.174113258291521.8
2020Derek Carr, L.V.164103279140321.7
2022Dak Prescott, Dall.1228602315182121.6
2019Josh Allen, Buff.163089209510921.6
2019Carson Wentz, Phil.164039277243121.5
2019Kyle Allen, Car.1233221716106221.4
2020Drew Brees, N.O.122942246-2221.2
2019Andy Dalton, Cin.133494161473421.1
2022Daniel Jones, NYG163205155708721.1
2019Jared Goff, LAR164638221640221.0
2019Aaron Rodgers, G.B.164002264183120.9
2020Jared Goff, LAR153952201399420.9
2022Justin Herbert, LAC1747392510147020.9
2020Cam Newton, N.E.1526578105921220.6
2022Jared Goff, Det.17443829773020.6
2021Russell Wilson, Sea.143113256183220.6
2019Philip Rivers, LAC164615232029020.5
2020Teddy Bridgewater, Car.1537331511279520.4
2022Tom Brady, T.B.174694259-1120.3
2020Matthew Stafford, Det.1640842610112020.2
2019Jimmy Garoppolo, S.F.163978271362120.2
2021Derek Carr, L.V.1748042314108020.2
2019Tom Brady, N.E.16405724834320.1
2021Ryan Tannehill, Ten.1737342114270720.1
2019Kirk Cousins, Min.15360326663119.9
2021Jimmy Garoppolo, S.F.153810201251319.7
2019Baker Mayfield, Cle.1638272221141319.6
2021Taylor Heinicke, Was.1534192015313119.4
2019Sam Darnold, NYJ133024191362219.3
2020Baker Mayfield, Cle.163563268165119.3
2019Derek Carr, Oak.16405421882219.2
2022Russell Wilson, Den.1535241611277319.1
2021Tua Tagovailoa, Mia.1226531610128319.1
2020Philip Rivers, Ind.1641692411-8019.1
2020Drew Lock, Den.1329331615160319.0
2022Derek Carr, L.V.1535222414102018.8
2021Carson Wentz, Ind.173563277215118.7
2022Marcus Mariota, Atl.132219159438418.7
2022Matt Ryan, Ind.123057141370118.5
2021Jared Goff, Det.14324519887018.2
2022Aaron Rodgers, G.B.173695261294118.1
2019Jacoby Brissett, Ind.152942186228417.9
2021Ben Roethlisberger, Pitt.16374022105117.8
2021Teddy Bridgewater, Den.143052187106217.8
2021Baker Mayfield, Cle.1430101713134117.4
2021Mac Jones, N.E.1738012213129017.4
2021Matt Ryan, Atl.173968201282117.3
2020Daniel Jones, NYG1429431110423117.2
2019Mitchell Trubisky, Chi.1531381710193217.2
2022Ryan Tannehill, Ten.12253613698216.9
2022Davis Mills, Hou.1531181715108216.6
2021Trevor Lawrence, Jac.1736411217334216.4
2022Mac Jones, N.E.1429971411102116.0
2022Andy Dalton, N.O.14287118954015.9

Merely signing Jackson while he's on the franchise tag would cost the Colts two first-round picks, one of which is of course No. 4 overall. And the contract needs to be such that the Ravens wouldn't match. But perhaps a deal can be worked out, with the Ravens apparently hesitant to commit to Jackson long-term, and maybe enamored of one of the rookies they could select with that pick. Some risk for the Ravens, of course, but it's a deal that might make sense for the Colts. Considerable risk in selecting a rookie and hoping that player works out. With Jackson, they could at least put an end to their annual search for a new quarterback.

--Andy Richardson

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