Can Sam Ehlinger turn into a star for the Indianapolis Colts?

The Indianapolis Colts have been in desperate need of a franchise quarterback, and you never know, Sam Ehlinger might wind up being that guy.

After spending only a year in Indianapolis, starter Carson Wentz was traded to the Washington Commanders a few weeks ago. The move wasn’t surprising, after seeing him fail to lead the Colts to the playoffs this past season.

Indianapolis has finally found Wentz’s replacement, recently acquiring former MVP Matt Ryan from the Atlanta Falcons.

Several quarterbacks have been linked to the team, including Baker Mayfield, Jimmy Garappolo, Jameis Winston, and Marcus Mariota. Yet, Ryan was the player that ultimately landed in the Hoosier State.

The 36-year-old Ryan is the Colts' short-term starting quarterback. However, Ehlinger, who is on the roster right now, may turn out to become the franchise quarterback the team has been searching for.

Who is Sam Ehlinger?

Ehlinger was selected by the Colts in the sixth round (218th overall pick) of the 2021 NFL draft. He later beat out 2020 draft pick Jacob Eason to become Wentz’s primary backup.

During a preseason contest against the Carolina Panthers, the quarterback looked impressive, powering the Colts to a comeback victory. He completed 10 of his 15 pass attempts, threw for 155 yards and rushed for 30 yards as Indianapolis overcame an eight-point fourth quarter deficit.

He achieved a little bit of success in the preseason, but as everybody knows, preseason games don’t count. He has played briefly in three regular-season games, although he has yet to attempt a pass.

Ryan is the Colts' starting quarterback for now. However, there’s always the possibility that he will underachieve and get benched, or (knock on wood) suffer an injury. If that happens, the quarterback, who’s expected to be the primary backup again next season, will finally get his chance to shine.

A sixth-round pick is never expected to transform into an NFL star. No one thought Tom Brady would morph into arguably the greatest quarterback in NFL history.

While the Colts quarterback certainly isn’t the next Brady, he possesses the tools that can aide him in becoming a Pro Bowler down the road. The former Texas Longhorn is a natural leader who is blessed with a high football IQ. Colts head coach Frank Reich said this about him last season, via The Herald Bulletin:

"I think Sam’s made for moments like this, have a lot of confidence in him," Colts head coach Frank Reich said. "He’s got that special ‘it’ factor. He’s got really good quarterback skills. He’s continued to improve. I’m excited about the opportunity he has this week to prepare. Then we’ll see how it plays out as the week goes on."

The Colts have lacked a superstar QB since Andrew Luck retired out of the blue in 2019. Will Ehlinger emerge as Indy's best since No.12 left the game? We shall see.