Colts made a QB trade mistake at the NFL deadline, writes ESPN insider originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
The Indianapolis Colts are 7-2 and have discovered a leader at quarterback in the form of Daniel Jones.
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That sentence is the reason many wanted the Colts to go after a QB at the NFL trade deadline.
That came and went Tuesday afternoon with no such deal.
On the surface, one would say the Colts are set at quarterback.
But planned-for backup Anthony Richardson is out injured.
That leaves sixth-round rookie Riley Leonard as Jones’ backup. An injury would press the inexperienced Leonard into a huge spot.
“I don’t want to see them stuck with Riley Leonard at quarterback into the playoffs if Daniel Jones gets hurt in the second half, especially after the Sauce trade,” ESPN’s Bill Barnwell wrote on X.
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As Barnwell alludes to, the Colts really went for it on Tuesday. They traded for Jets cornerback Sauce Gardner, and they’ll have him under team control for 5.5 years.
That length of control means it isn’t just about this season. But it also has to be viewed as a deal partially about this season.
Do the Colts take that big a swing if they aren’t having a year like this? Probably not.
And that’s where the backup QB spot comes in. You never know when you might need it, but it’s crucial when you do.
Jones has been great. If the Colts have to go without him, though, things could get dicey, and Indy didn’t do anything about that on deadline day.
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