The Indianapolis Colts are in need of some major changes after they suffered an extremely disappointing 4-12-1 season in 2022.
They traded standout cornerback Stephon Gilmore to the Dallas Cowboys while releasing veteran quarterback Matt Ryan, which may seem like they’re just gutting their roster.
However, both moves will reportedly create $27.1 million in salary cap space, allowing them to go out and bring in some reinforcements.
Between trading Stephon Gilmore and releasing Matt Ryan, the Colts will create $27.1 million in cap space.
Flexibility for the team to reshape the lineup. https://t.co/fg4lv9bsb9
— Field Yates (@FieldYates) March 14, 2023
Indianapolis traded for Ryan last offseason and had some legitimate hopes of finishing first in the anemic AFC South and returning to the NFL playoffs.
But Ryan played poorly and was benched late in the season after going off for 33 points against the Minnesota Vikings, and it was clear the 37-year-old wasn’t going to be the answer.
Moving forward, the Colts have star running back Jonathan Taylor, who missed six games with an injury, and solid wide receiver Michael Pittman Jr., who had 925 yards and four touchdowns in 2022.
But they were weak on the defensive side of the football, ranking 28th in points allowed.
The Colts will also have the fourth overall pick in next month’s NFL Draft, and if they’re lucky, they’ll likely have a chance to draft a potential franchise quarterback like C.J. Stroud, Will Lewis or Anthony Richardson.
The future starts now for Indianapolis, as the team could begin the 2022 season at running back with a new QB and a new head coach in Shane Steichen, the former offensive coordinator of the Philadelphia Eagles.
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The Colts have reportedly made a decision about Matt Ryan