Who's In
- Carson Wentz (acquired in trade with Philadelphia Eagles)
- Sam Ehlinger (drafted in sixth round, No. 218 overall)
- Jalen Morton (signed to reserve/future contract in February)
The Colts dealt two draft picks to the Philadelphia Eagles in exchange for the 28-year-old Wentz this spring. In Indianapolis, Wentz will be re-united with Frank Reich, who was his offensive coordinator with the Eagles in 2016 and 2017 — and, in 2017, Wentz was an MVP candidate before he suffered a season-ending knee injury in Week 14.
Ehlinger was a four-year starter at Texas who threw for 11,436 yards and rushed for another 1,903 yards while leading the Longhorns to three consecutive AP top 25 finishes. Ehlinger was named the 2019 Sugar Bowl MVP for his dual-threat efforts in Texas' win over Georgia that year.
Who's Out
- Philip Rivers (retired)
- Jacoby Brissett (signed with Dolphins as unrestricted free agent)
The 39-year-old Rivers announced his retirement after the Colts' 2020 season concluded while Brissett, a West Palm Beach, Fla, native, departed Indianapolis after four impactful years with the Colts to sign with the Dolphins.
Who's Back
- Jacob Eason (second year)
Eason didn't play in 2020, so this year's preseason will provide first chance at game action with the Colts.
What To Watch For
Certainly Wentz will be among the most-watched Colts players at Grand Park in July and August. How he continues to grow chemistry with his teammates will be important to watch during practice — and it already got off to a good start during OTAs in May. But more than anything, fans going to Grand Park will notice how big Wentz is; how athletic he is in and out of the pocket; and how impressively strong an arm he possesses.
But there will be a strong competition behind Wentz to see who the Colts' backup will be between Eason, Ehlinger and Morton. None of those players have thrown a pass in an NFL game — preseason or otherwise — so it'll be fascinating to track all three's progress in practices and then in the Colts' three preseason games, which will likely be where this competition is decided. That backup battle should make for some awfully fun full days in Westfield between different offensive units.
Training Camp Information
The Colts will return to Grand Park Sports Complex in Westfield for training camp in 2021. Click here for a full schedule of practices open to fans. Free tickets will be required to attend, which can be obtained here. For more information on Colts 2021 Training Camp Powered By Kerauno, click here.
Statistically Speaking
Wentz had the fifth best passer rating (98.3) among NFL starting quarterbacks from 2017 through 2019, training only Drew Brees (111.3), Russell Wilson (103.6), Deshaun Watson (101.0) and Kirk Cousins (99.9). While Wentz's best season was 2017 — with Reich has his offensive coordinator — he still was productive despite some challenging circumstances in 2018 and 2019, in which he completed 66 percent of his passes for 7,113 yards with 48 touchdowns and 14 interceptions.
Links To The Past
Catch up on stories from earlier this year about the QBs on Colts.com:
- Carson Wentz, Frank Reich picking up where they left off
- How Carson Wentz, Colts receivers are building chemistry ahead of training camp
- Colts embracing Carson Wentz's leadership
- T.Y. Hilton excited to work with "special talent" in Carson Wentz
- Strong belief in Carson Wentz a "no-brainer" for Press Taylor
- Inside why Colts are so excited about Carson Wentz, Frank Reich reunion
- Mailbag: Where does Jacob Eason stand in backup QB competition?
- Marcus Brady "very pleased" with Jacob Eason's progress
- Jacob Eason taking advantage of OTA practice time
- Through the Scouts' Eye: Sam Ehlinger
- Podcast: One-on-one with Sam Ehlinger
They Said It
"There are a lot of things that make this situation for the trade for Carson (Wentz) really special. I really feel that it's a rare long-term answer that you're able to achieve through a trade. It doesn't happen very much. There are short-term answers that have been achieved through trades. Of course there are long-term answers – Brett Favre, others that came in through a trade that set the tone for many years to come with franchises.
"But I really feel that with Carson coming in, he's a veteran but he's a young veteran. The excitement in the building in talking to Frank Reich, I wish you guys could hear his voice and the things we've talked about to this point because I really don't see a lot of weaknesses in Carson's game, in his leadership and everything he brings to the table. I think they are all strengths." - Colts Owner and CEO Jim Irsay
