Plug pulled on Ryan, and maybe Colts’ season
Colts owner Jim Irsay stood in front of reporters April 30 and expressed optimism that Matt Ryan could finally bring stability to his team’s quarterback position, three years following Andrew Luck’s surprise retirement.
“We hope Matt can be here for four years, maybe,” Irsay said then.
Instead, the Colts have pulled the plug after just seven games. And they did it, possibly, over money — to save $17 million next year.
Ryan suffered a shoulder injury in last week’s loss to the Titans, and his bosses may be using it as pretense to bench Ryan for good. Coach Frank Reich announced Monday that youngster
Sam Ehlinger, the third-string quarterback, will leapfrog Ryan and Nick Foles and be the starter for the rest of the season, starting Sunday against Washington.
Never say never — an emergency injury situation could force him back into the lineup — but the Colts are basically done with Ryan.
“The shoulder injury is real, but this move was going to be made either way,” Reich said Monday. “Extremely difficult decision, obviously given the respect and admiration that we have for Matt Ryan and what he’s done and what he’s brought here.
“Quarterbacks are judged on points and production and turnovers. We understand that’s how it is in this league.”
Ryan, a former Boston College star and 2016 NFL MVP, certainly has struggled in his first season in Indianapolis after 14 years in Atlanta. His nine interceptions lead the NFL, his 24 sacks are tied for second-most, his 84.7 passer rating ranks 20th, and the Colts rank 30th in points (16.1 per game).
But it was still a shocking decision by the Colts to bail on an established star and elevate a 2021 sixth-round pick who has yet to throw a pass in an NFL game.
The Colts’ struggles are hardly all Ryan’s fault. At least some can be blamed on poor offensive line play, and Reich said he told Ryan that “we did not hold up to our end of the bargain.” Ryan also had been showing some improvement, throwing for more than
350 yards in two of his last four games as the Colts embraced more of a nohuddle offense.
And even though the offense is struggling, the Colts are 3-3-1. They’re just a half-game out of the final AFC wild-card spot, and they play in a weak AFC South, which is led by a decidedly average Titans team (4-2).
Reich said all the right things about how Ehlinger has thrived in practice and hopefully can provide a spark.
“There is nobody waiving the white flag. That is not in the DNA,” Reich said. “Excited for Sam and the opportunity this presents for him. We’ve always thought from Day One that Sam had some kind of special sauce.”
But it sure looks like the Colts are taking the long view instead of doing everything they can to win this season.
It’s probably the smarter move for the health of the franchise; the Colts have had a revolving door at quarterback since Luck retired in August 2019, from Jacoby Brissett to Philip Rivers to Carson Wentz to Ryan. Ehlinger now gets a 10-game audition to show whether he can be the answer, or if the Colts need to be all-in on a quarterback in next year’s draft.
“I told [general manager] Chris Ballard last week, Sam had one of the best weeks of practice I’ve ever seen him have,” Reich said. “He made four or five, what I would say to you, are elite throws. I mean elite, big-time throws down the field, threading coverage, putting the ball right where it should be. Those things don’t go unnoticed.”
Still, the QB swap sends a clear message that winning isn’t the top priority in 2022. The players didn’t seem thrilled with it. Star linebacker Shaq Leonard called it “shocking.”
“Everybody has their own opinions on it,” center Ryan Kelly said. “I’m not going to get into mine.”
Ryan’s benching is even tougher to swallow because it may have been done primarily for financial purposes. He has $12 million fully guaranteed in 2023, the final year of his deal, but another $17.2 million that is guaranteed for injury only. If Ryan isn’t healthy enough to pass a physical next March, he gets that additional $17.2 million.
Ryan’s shoulder injury may have kept him out of some games in the short term. But the Colts (read: Irsay) apparently decided that they would rather save the $17.2 million next year than let him try to work through his issues this season and fight for a playoff spot.
They will pay him $7.76 million for the rest of this season, and $12 million next year, to not throw another pass. Ryan, 37, may have played his last NFL snap.
“Obviously disappointed personally, but here for the team,” Ryan said. “I’ve always preached that you’ve got to accept and embrace the role that they decide for you and try to be the best in that role that you can be, and that’s what I’ll do.”
The Colts still have plenty to play for in 2022. Reich needs to make sure the players in his locker room stay on board.
“You want to make sure you make this move that it is truly the best thing for the team and you don’t want to rush into this kind of a judgment,” Reich said. “I don’t think we did that.
“It wasn’t like we’re sitting here saying, ‘Let’s wait until he throws another interception and then we’re going to make a switch.’ It was the exact opposite. For me, it was [Ehlinger] is going to lead us where we want to go and have that belief and confidence. At some point as a head coach, you have to make hard decisions.”