By Ben Arthur
FOX Sports AFC South Writer
Frank Reich lauded Sam Ehlinger. He called the second-year pro "special," that everyone around the Indianapolis Colts knows it. That he has a certain makeup to him. That he can win with his mobility and is an improving pocket passer, too.
In front of local media, he built up the 2021 sixth-round pick, who suddenly has been chosen to save the Colts' season amid the benching of Matt Ryan. The veteran QB suffered a separated shoulder in Indy's loss to the Titans Sunday, but Reich indicated that the move would have been made regardless of the injury.
"He'll be ready," Reich said of Ehlinger Monday. "Is he going to have some growing pains? Of course. Is he going to make mistakes? Of course, he's going to make mistakes. But I think Sam will make plays. Sam is going to make plays. He's proven that everywhere he's been, and we believe that's what he's going to do for our offense. He's going to make plays."
Reich can praise Ehlinger all he wants. Heck, the former Texas standout could surprise the NFL world and play better than expected.
But It does nothing to change the fact that Indianapolis must draft a first-round quarterback in 2023 to try to salvage the failures of Reich and general manager Chris Ballard.
Ehlinger, a former late-round pick who has never attempted a pass in an NFL regular-season game, being asked to lift a win-now roster is the franchise's quarterback hell reaching a new low.
Ryan is just the latest band-aid for the Colts at quarterback peeling off. Sure, the thought was that the former NFL MVP was coming to a team with a dominant run game and pass protection. (That protection has flopped, thanks largely to the shortcomings of a high-priced offensive line). But there was always reason to question the decision to acquire a then-36-year-old Ryan in the first place — to give up a third-round pick and absorb the final two years and $34.4 million in base salary of his contract — considering his declining play in his last years with the Atlanta Falcons.
Since Andrew Luck last suited up on Jan. 12, 2019, an AFC divisional-round playoff loss to the Chiefs, the Colts have started five quarterbacks: Jacoby Brissett (2019), Brian Hoyer (2019), Phillip Rivers (2020), Carson Wentz (2021) and Ryan (2022). It will be six after Sunday, with Ehlinger in line to start against the Washington Commanders.
"This is another point that needs to be made crystal clear, and I told this to Matt: ‘Hey Matt, we did not hold up to our end of the bargain,'" Reich said. "‘You came here and we promised you a top NFL rushing game and we promised you great protection, and we haven't really, as an offense, delivered on that,' and that really starts with me.
"Given our crazy quarterback scenarios over the last five years, it wasn't a move of desperation," Reich continued on trading for Ryan. "This decision was made based off of watching the tape on him, seeing he's been productive in play-action. … He's older, so doesn't run around a lot, but we can give him good protection. As an offense, I think we're making strides towards that, but we're not there yet."
So much turnover at football's most important position doesn't bode well for long-term success, something running back Nyheim Hines alluded to after the Colts' first loss to the Titans this season.
"Not an excuse, but every year we have a new quarterback," Hines told The Athletic, in part. "So each year we have growing pains while we sit here [and] watch Tennessee, which has had [Ryan] Tannehill, what, my whole career? And each year we're restarting and we have to turn the page."
Since 2019, no other NFL team has spent more in salary cap dollars on quarterbacks than the Colts, who have put more than $133 million into the position, according to Over The Cap. Indianapolis has also spent the fourth most in actual salary at QB in that span, trailing just the Los Angeles Rams, Dallas Cowboys and Minnesota Vikings, per OTC.
What do the Colts have to show for the significant financial investment? One playoff appearance from 2019-21 (a wild-card round loss in ‘20), a 3-3-1 start to 2022 and five straight losses to the Titans (just two wins in eight matchups since 2019), their stiffest division rival.
It's why the Colts need a change. Stop with the veteran, bridge options at quarterback. Draft one at the top of the draft. Since Luck abruptly retired before the 2019 season, the Colts have selected two quarterbacks — Ehlinger (2021) and Jacob Eason (2020) — neither of whom was selected before the fourth round.
Pundits say it's a deep 2023 class at the position, with Alabama's Bryce Young, Ohio State's C.J. Stroud, Kentucky's Will Levis and Florida's Anthony Richardson among the headliners. If you're the Colts, find a way to get one of them.
Taking a risk on a four-year rookie deal is much more palpable than a short-term fix or potential flop on a high-price veteran — again.
"I told Chris Ballard last week," Reich said Monday, "Sam had one of the best weeks of practice I've ever seen him have. He made four or five, what I would say to you, are elite throws. I mean elite, big-time throws down the field, threading coverage, putting the ball right where it should be. Those things don't go unnoticed."
Neither does organizational failure at quarterback, leaving a proud franchise like the Colts running out of answers.
Ben Arthur is the AFC South reporter for FOX Sports. He previously worked for The Tennessean/USA TODAY Network, where he was the Titans beat writer for a year and a half. He covered the Seattle Seahawks for SeattlePI.com for three seasons (2018-20) prior to moving to Tennessee. You can follow Ben on Twitter at @benyarthur.
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