Colts’ Decision Makers Still Noncommittal on QB Carson Wentz Being Team’s 2022 Starter

When general manager Chris Ballard and head coach Frank Reich stepped to the podium at the NFL Combine Tuesday, everyone around the NFL wanted to know whether QB Carson Wentz was going to be the Colts’ starter in 2022.

Even after having a few weeks to think it over, both Ballard and Reich, once again, appeared noncommittal on Wentz being the QB moving forward.

“I don’t know,” Ballard said, when asked about the quarterback and the direction the team wants to go. “We’re still working through it, and I know I’m going to get a lot of questions about Carson right now. (owner Jim) Irsay, Frank and I will sit down over the next ten days figure out where it’s going.”

To this point, all indications and reports have pointed to the Colts moving on from Wentz after just one season as the starter. And of all the answers Ballard gave on the team’s current questions at QB, this one stood out the most.

“We’ll do what’s best for the Colts, both in the short-term and the long-term,” Ballard said.

It’s clear the Colts still have major reservations about Wentz, who they traded a first and third-round pick for last February. What became even more apparent Tuesday was their lack of faith in the QB.

“I’m not there yet,” Ballard said, when asked if he believes in Wentz. “And that’s something we’ll talk about as a group and move forward. Whatever decision we make will be the best one for us.”

Ballard made sure to emphasize the importance of being able to have respectful discussions with one another and that, when it’s said and done, everyone in the room will walk out with a clear understanding of a decision that’s been made.

“You can have a good relationship and disagree,” Ballard said. “You can have a great relationship and not always agree with what one person said, but ultimately, when we make the final decision, we walk out with whatever that decision is.”

Reich, who stuck his neck out for Wentz last offseason, didn’t exactly give the QB his vote of confidence either.

“I believe in Carson, I stuck my neck out for him last year,” Reich said. “I believe he’s going to continue to have a lot of success at quarterback. That might be here, it might not be here. That decision has yet to be determined. But I still believe in the person, and I still believe in the player.”

Reich, like Ballard, also admitted that even though he, Ballard and Irsay may differ in opinion at times, they trust one other enough to be united in what’s best for the organization.

“Not every opinion will be the same,” Reich said. But the thing that’s true is that, when you come out of that room, we’re all together. We believe in each other, and we believe in what we’re gonna do.”

Whatever decision the Colts end up making, what they do know is they have to get the QB position right.

“That’s the one position you have to keep firing at until you get it right,” Ballard said.

Ballard’s right, too. The Colts as a whole are far too talented to be plagued by the QB position. It appears that the writing has been on the wall for the last few weeks, and the team’s decision on Wentz’s future will likely be made soon.