NFL Rumors: Why Colts Pursued Matt Ryan, Not Jimmy Garoppolo

Indianapolis for some time was viewed as a logical landing spot for Jimmy Garoppolo, but the Colts ultimately made a run at a different veteran quarterback.

Frank Reich’s team on Monday traded for Matt Ryan to replace Carson Wentz, who offically was dealt to the Washington Commanders last week. Ryan joins the Colts after spending the first 14 seasons of his NFL career in Atlanta, where he was drafted with the third overall pick in the 2008 draft.

Ryan arguably is a better option than Garoppolo at present, but the case could be made that the latter could have turned into a superior longer-term play for Indianapolis. The Colts perhaps would have agreed under ideal circumstances, but Garoppolo currently comes with some baggage.

“So why didn’t the Colts go after Jimmy G?” ESPN’s Dianna Russini tweeted Monday. “Form what I was told, there were concerns over the shoulder injury. Not so much the medical side of it but the idea of missing time in the offseason with a new team. This was a red flag.”

Durability certainly is not an issue for Ryan, who only has missed three games over the course of his career. Ryan also has proven to be able to consistently win his team games rather than merely being along for the ride, which still is a concern for Garoppolo.

Is Ryan the future in Indianapolis? Probably not. But he has the makings to be an above-average stopgap.