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The Indianapolis Colts will have three quarterbacks on their 53-man roster to begin the season.
ESPN’s Stephen Holder reported on August 30 that quarterback Sam Ehlinger “is expected to remain on the final roster” following the final roster cuts the team must make by the 4 pm deadline. Holder also reported the Colts plan to keep Nick Foles as the team’s backup signal caller.
Ehlinger played so well during the preseason that this doesn’t come as a surprise. Unfortunately, it just means Indianapolis will have one less roster spot to keep a player somewhere else on the roster.
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Colts to Keep Ehlinger
If Indianapolis didn’t want another team to pick up Ehlinger, the Colts really had no choice but to find room for him on the 53-man roster.
Ehlinger starred during the preseason, going 24 for 29 with 289 yards with 4 touchdowns and no interceptions. In all three preseason games, Ehlinger led Colts quarterbacks in passing yards and yards per attempt.
He also shined on the ground, rushing for a 45-yard touchdown against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
It’s hard using the word perfect to describe anything in the NFL, but Ehlinger has been just about perfect over the last several weeks.
“Sam (Ehlinger) has had a phenomenal preseason,” Colts head coach Frank Reich said on August 28. “It’s hard to imagine having a better preseason than he’s had. Really excited about him and his continued development.”
Even if Ehlinger wasn’t claimed on waivers if the Colts released him before the roster cut deadline at 4 pm on August 30, there’s no guarantee Indianapolis would be able to bring him back.
Any player who clears waivers becomes a free agent. Then at that point, teams can offer Ehlinger any amount of money they wish even if they plan to stash him on the practice squad.
Retaining Ehlinger keeps the Colts out of a bidding war for the quarterback.
The second-year signal caller shared with staff writer Zak Keefer of The Athletic that he worked with quarterback guru Tom House this offseason. That appears to be mostly responsible for Ehlinger’s great improvement.
NFL analyst Brent Sobleski of Bleacher Report called Ehlinger’s accuracy and increased arm strength “eye-popping.”
Future at Quarterback for Colts
Fans shouldn’t overreact too much to the preseason. But it’s still worth noting what making room on the roster for Ehlinger means for Indianapolis beyond 2022.
In all likelihood, Ehlinger won’t see much of the field this season. So keeping Ehlinger is a sign the Colts view him as a possible contributor in 2023 or even 2024.
With his rookie contract, Ehlinger is signed through the 2024 season. Quarterbacks Matt Ryan and Nick Foles have contracts expiring at the end of 2023.
That doesn’t mean Ehlinger assumes the starting role in two years. If things go well with Ryan, he could very well get a small extension as early as next March.
But Ehlinger figures to be competing for at least the backup role in the near future. If the Colts felt otherwise, they likely would have cut Ehlinger.
Playing college at Texas, Ehlinger threw for 94 touchdowns and rushed for 33 scores during his four-year career. He appeared in three games but did not attempt a pass for the Colts last season.
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