The Indianapolis Colts have their new starting quarterback, but they might need to look outside of their organization to find his backup.
Jacoby Brissett vaulted to the top of the Colts’ QB depth chart in wake of Andrew Luck’s retirement. Brissett’s understudies, at least at present, will be third-year signal-callers Chad Kelly and Phillip Walker, neither of whom would be viewed as viable options if things were to go south in Indy.
As such, many expect the Colts, by one way or another, to bring on a veteran quarterback to back up Brissett. In a recent column for NFL.com, Gregg Rosenthal floated two names who could be on Indianapolis’ radar.
“I believe Jacoby Brissett is primed to succeed in Indianapolis, but the Colts are now in the market for a veteran backup quarterback,” Rosenthal wrote. “(Their only roster option for Week 1, with Chad Kelly’s two-game suspension, is … Phillip Walker.) The Patriots’ Brian Hoyer and 49ers’ C.J. Beathard are two options that should be available.”
Hoyer to the Colts makes quite a bit of sense, and it wouldn’t be the first time New England shipped a QB to Indy right before the start of the season. The Colts acquired Brissett from the Patriots in exchange for Philip Dorsett days before the 2017 campaign got underway.
Ironically enough, New England might be more inclined to strike this deal than Indianapolis. Rookie Jarrett Stidham has impressed in the preseason, potentially enough to earn the backup job behind Tom Brady. The Patriots might view depth at other positions more critical and elect to roll with only two QBs, especially considering its new need for offensive line help. Hoyer, who’s on an expiring contract, might not have a spot on the roster anyway, in which case New England likely would jump at an opportunity to receive something in return for him as opposed to letting him walk for nothing.
We won’t have to wait very long to learn of Hoyer’s future in New England, as teams must trim their rosters down to 53 players by Saturday afternoon.
