Indianapolis Colts: 3 Quarterback trades to fill Carson Wentz void

Carson Wentz could need surgery for his foot injury and that could leave the Indianapolis Colts in a tough spot. Who could they possibly trade for?

Seeing a starting quarterback go down with an injury is never comforting for a fanbase but the belief around the Indianapolis Colts on Thursday when Carson Wentz was hobbled by a foot injury seemed to be rooted in optimism. Unfortunately, that may have been unfound as the prognosis is a bit worrisome as it pertains to being able to play early in the 2021 season.

NFL Network’s Michael Silver and Mike Garafolo reported on Friday that the tests on Wentz’s foot revealed a bone and ligament issue. Team doctors and the organization are now weighing in on if they believe surgery will be required. And while it’s not a season-ending injury, it does seem like a very real possibility that Wentz could miss Week 1, if not longer.

That’s bad news for the Colts as they are built to win but are also thin at quarterback. Second-year pro and 2020 fourth-rounder Jacob Eason filled in with the first team but anyone who watched his college tape is likely not confident that he’s the answer. The same is true of rookie Sam Ehlinger.

Subsequently, the Colts might be looking for a replacement for Wentz and, given his injury history prior to this, perhaps a substantial upgrade at the backup spot. There are three intriguing options they could possibly explore.

3 Quarterbacks the Indianapolis Colts could trade for after the Carson Wentz injury.

3. Jimmy Garoppolo, San Francisco 49ers – San Francisco and head coach Kyle Shanahan have maintained throughout the offseason that Jimmy Garoppolo will start over Trey Lance at the start of the year. But given the fact that the 49ers just drafted the latter No. 3 overall in an aggressive trade, perhaps the right deal could sway them to move faster in their plans and deal Jimmy G.

Garoppolo has proven that he’s nothing overly special but he’s a fine player that, in an offense like the well-constructed one in Indianapolis under Frank Reich, can lead a team to success. He’s a bit on the expensive side still but, with easy outs in his contract, it may be worth it for Indianapolis to kick the tires on him as the 1B option to Wentz and as the fill-in should Wentz miss time.

2. Nick Foles, Chicago Bears – Stop me if you’ve heard the story before about Nick Foles filling in for Carson Wentz with Frank Reich in control of the offense.

This would obviously be a similar situation to the one that transpired in Philadelphia that led to the Eagles winning a Super Bowl after Wentz went down late in the season with a knee injury. Foles came in and was lights-out in the playoffs to get the franchise a ring.

Foles hasn’t shown much of that level of play recently but he’s definitively the odd-man-out in Chicago right now with Andy Dalton and Justin Fields now in the building. Foles is a likely cut candidate but, if the Colts need to ensure they get him, they could likely swing a very cheap trade for the veteran that ensures they get their guy.

1. Marcus Mariota, Las Vegas Raiders – After failing to live up to his draft status in Tennessee, Marcus Mariota signed with the Raiders last offseason and eventually filled in for one game with the silver and black. He looked quite good, though not spectacular, and offers a ton of upside for what he could bring to the Colts offense in Wentz’s absence.

Not only would Mariota’s mobility allow Reich to run some of the offense in the way he would with Wentz but the risk-averse mentality is perfect for a backup filling in as well as for a team that will rely heavily on Jonathan Taylor and the run game. If the Raiders are willing to bite, it’s hard to think of better replacement option while Wentz is out than Mariota.