Getty Shane Steichen's have been linked to potentially trade up from No. 4 in the draft all offseason.
Much of the Indianapolis Colts’ offseason has been fueled by the team holding the No. 4 overall pick and the possibility of trading up to select a young franchise quarterback.
Those rumors could continue to increase, as The Athletic’s Kevin Fishbain wrote on March 1 that the Chicago Bears plan on making the No. 1 pick available for trade in the upcoming draft.
No teams have inquired about trading for Bears starting quarterback Justin Fields yet. Chicago has not fully committed its future to Fields but will communicate its plans with him as the offseason continues, per Fishbain.
Bears general manager Ryan Poles told Fishbain that with the top spot in the draft, the team will continue to evaluate all options.
“We are going to do our homework on this class and if something changes, and I’ll use the same statement, we have to be blown away to say, ‘You know what? I think this is what is best for our organization,’” Poles said.
Another team that publicly made its draft pick up for trade was the Arizona Cardinals, who own the No. 3 selection. The Athletic’s Zak Keefer tweeted on March 1 that Cardinals general manager Monti Ossenfort is open to having discussions with other organizations.
“We are prepared to select a player with our pick,” Ossenfort said. “That said, our phones will be open for any team that desires to move up. We will listen to offers.”
Eagles HC Reveals Shane Steichen’s Attempt to Hire Assistants
Since Shane Steichen departed the Philadelphia Eagles as offensive coordinator to join the Colts as head coach, he has been at work assembling his coaching staff.
The Indianapolis Star’s Nate Atkins tweeted that Eagles head coach Nick Sirianni said there was “no doubt” Steichen wanted to take Eagles assistant coaches with him to Indianapolis. Sirianni, however, blocked those potential moves from happening.
“They’re Eagles coaches,” Sirianni said. “It’s my job to keep good coaches here.”
Philadelphia lost both of its coordinators this offseason (former offensive coordinator Steichen to the Colts and former defensive coordinator Jonathan Gannon to the Arizona Cardinals). The team did, however, reel in Brian Johnson as OC and Sean Desai as DC.
The Colts, on the other hand, hired offensive coordinator Jim Bob Cooter, running backs coach DeAndre Smith, tight ends coach Tom Manning and offensive line coach Tony Sparano Jr. within two weeks of Steichen’s tenure. On March 1, Steichen also added quarterbacks coach Cam Turner, who previously coached quarterbacks and was co-passing game coordinator for the Arizona Cardinals.
Two coaching positions remain vacant in Indianapolis: passing game coordinator and run game coordinator. It is, however, unclear if those spots will be addressed. In 2022, the Colts’ coaching staff did not fill those roles.
Colts Staff’s Experience with Young QBs
Steichen, Cooter and Turner have each played a role in developing young quarterbacks during their pro coaching careers.
As Los Angeles Chargers offensive coordinator in 2020, Steichen guided Herbert to a record-breaking rookie season. Within the next two years, Steichen joined the Eagles and turned quarterback Jalen Hurts into an MVP candidate, as the team became NFC champions in 2022.
Cooter, who was Jacksonville Jaguars offensive coordinator in 2022, was pivotal in the improvement of 2021 No. 1 pick Trevor Lawrence. Lawrence threw for over 4,100 yards with 25 touchdowns and eight interceptions last year.
Turner – the Colts’ latest hire – has contributed to the development of Cardinals’ two-time Pro Bowl quarterback Kyler Murray. He also served on the Carolina Panthers’ staff from 2015-2017. Then Panthers QB Cam Newton won league MVP in 2015.
While it’s unclear exactly who the Colts’ quarterback will be in 2023, owner Jim Irsay has expressed interest in drafting and developing a quarterback. During a press conference on March 1, Steichen noted that teams must consider the ceiling of quarterbacks when they’re signed and developed.
“You have to see the future,” Steichen said, according to a tweet from Atkins.
Atkins also followed up with general manager Chris Ballard, who said it’s important to remember quarterbacks come in “different shapes and sizes.”
“He cares about measurables but acknowledged there’s always exceptions,” Atkins wrote.