The Indianapolis Colts just fired general manager Chris Ballard on Monday, and suddenly, everyone’s talking about the biggest “what if” in franchise history. An old report from Peter Schrager popped back up, showing how close the Colts were to landing Matthew Stafford in 2021, a move that could have flipped the entire script for Indy and maybe even the Rams. Stafford himself wanted to go to the Rams, sure, but he reportedly would have approved a trade to the Colts if Ballard had just outbid Les Snead. Obviously, that never happened, and the QB merry-go-round in Indy just keeps spinning.
The Price of “Not Willing To Meet The Winning Price”
Think about it: the Rams traded Jared Goff, two first-round picks, and “more” to get Stafford. What did the Colts do? They settled for Carson Wentz. Wild, right? Wentz later even backed up Stafford in L.A. in 2023. This isn’t just a missed opportunity; it’s a moment in time where Indianapolis could’ve solved the Andrew Luck retirement saga, but Ballard wasn’t willing to meet the Rams’ winning price. The QB carousel for the Colts continues on today because of that decision.
So, since the Colts didn’t outbid those two first-round picks, what did they actually get with their draft capital instead?
* **2021 first-round pick:** They used the 21st overall pick on pass rusher Kwity Paye. Paye got 30.5 sacks over five seasons with Indianapolis, but he’s now with the Las Vegas Raiders. You could rate his success as a B- because, honestly, mid-first round pass rushers rarely become superstars. He wasn’t a bust, but is he as valuable as an MVP quarterback? Nah.
* **2022 first-round pick:** This one vanished because they traded it for Wentz! Alongside a 2021 third-round pick, that conditional first-rounder went to Washington because Wentz played in over 75% of the team’s snaps. The Colts went 9-8 in 2021, missed the playoffs, and that pick became the 16th overall selection, which Washington used on receiver Jahan Dotson.
The Hypothetical Haunting: Could The Colts Have Won A Super Bowl?
Imagine what could have been. The Colts traded a third-round pick and a future first for Wentz. What if they had actually matched or beaten L.A.’s offer of first-round picks in 2022 and 2023, plus Goff and a third-round pick? Indy didn’t have a starting quarterback to offer like Goff, and even Lions GM Brad Holmes apparently viewed Goff as “another first-round pick” in value.
The source article speculates on a hypothetical Colts offer:
* 2021 first-round pick (21st)
* 2021 second-round pick (54th)
* 2021 third-round pick (84th)
* 2022 first-round pick
* 2022 third-round pick
Yeah, that’s a ton of draft capital, but think about it: the Browns later coughed up three first-round picks for Deshaun Watson, and the Broncos sent two firsts and two seconds for Russell Wilson. Those deals happened *after* Stafford. It would have been a bold move for Indianapolis to make that trade, but let’s be real, it was just as bold for Snead to make the deal he did, offering a starting QB and two first-rounders.
So, would the Colts have won the Super Bowl with Stafford? The article ends on that question, with Stafford in 2021 playing for Frank Reich and paired with the NFL’s… well, we’ll never know for sure what that ending was. But what we do know is that Ballard’s firing is a stark reminder of the massive swing-and-a-miss that shaped the Colts’ present and keeps their QB search going.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Turf Show Times.
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