INDIANAPOLIS – Colts owner Jim Irsay has gone from having to worry about defending for nearly 20 years and now heading into his second consecutive offseason, not knowing who he will be. the holder in 2021.
“The type of team we have would bring us the greatest benefit if we could have someone who can come in and play at a high level with a veteran vision,” Irsay said on Wednesday.
The Colts have a young and talented roster, led by defender Darius Leonard and goalkeeper Quenton Nelson, but they have a substantial goal for the defender. Veteran Philip Rivers, 39, led the Colts to the playoffs only for the second time since 2014, but announced on January 20 that he was retiring after 17 seasons.
Rivers’ retirement means the Colts could have a fifth-quarter start in Week 1 in 2021 after having Peyton Manning or Andrew Luck practically from 1998 to 2019. Rookie Jacob Eason is the only defender to have a contract in present for the Colts. Jacoby Brissett, who started week 1 in 2019, is scheduled to be a free agent.
Colts general manager Chris Ballard’s belief is that a team is not about the defender; it’s about having a complete list. But there must be stability in the defender, because the four teams that reached the NFC and AFC Championship Games – Green Bay, Tampa Bay, Kansas City and Buffalo – have all this.
“Our belief is that we are close, that we have an extraordinary core of players who are able to compete for the Super Bowl very soon,” Irsay said. “Ideally, if you can get someone to come this year who is ready to go, it gives you the best opportunity.”
The Colts are estimated to have about $ 69 million in salary cap, but it’s not really a hot free agent quarterback market, as players like Cam Newton and Jameis Winston highlight that group. Ballard did not seem optimistic about drafting a quarterback at the current position, number 21, in the first round.
The other option is the commercial market, where Matthew Stafford of Detroit continues to be linked to the Colts as a possible destination.
Irsay acknowledged that the franchise will happily welcome Luck, who abruptly retired in August 2019, if he decides to resume his career. The two did not discuss a possible return, but the owner joked that he would continue to look at his fax machine if the defender decided to take a page out of Michael Jordan’s book by sending a message that simply said : “I” I’m Back, “like Jordan after his first retirement from the Chicago Bulls.
“He knows how much we would love to be our defender, there is no doubt about that,” Irsay said. “But at the same time, we know it works, he has to be the one to say, ‘You know what?’ I’m ready. I really want to create a little bit of history, in unprecedented aspects. “
Irsay added: “I don’t know if we’ll see that. I think he’s happy. He’s raising his daughter. He has a wonderful family. He’s a great corner and he knows he can come back whenever he wants, but at the same time, we respect that he took that decision “.