Matthew Stafford, discussing the trade rumors before his 2021 move from the Lions to the Rams, mentioned his search for homes on Zillow. He casually revealed he was looking at properties in Indianapolis, hinting that the Colts were involved in the trade talks, along with the Lions and Rams. However, it’s unclear if any other teams were in the mix.
The Colts were definitely interested in Stafford, which raises questions about how different their post-Andrew Luck era could have been if they had acquired him. Since Luck’s sudden retirement in 2019, the Colts have cycled through multiple quarterbacks with limited success. Here’s a list of the quarterbacks they’ve started since Luck’s departure
In total, the Colts have used 10 different quarterbacks as starters since Luck’s retirement.
This struggle to find stability at quarterback has left Indianapolis searching for a lasting solution. Had they traded for Stafford, the outcome might have been significantly better than the ongoing quarterback carousel they’ve endured over the last six years.
Since Luck’s retirement, the Colts have continued to bring in aging veterans to fill the gap as they look for their future star quarterback. Richardson, a project quarterback with injury troubles, has missed many games in his early career. Given the struggles with Richardson, it’s clear the Colts might have preferred Stafford’s leadership over the uncertain path they’re currently on.
But things didn’t unfold that way, and Indianapolis remains on the hunt for their next Andrew Luck, relying on veterans to bridge the gap.