Indianapolis Colts QB depth chart 2021: Starters and backup players

Indianapolis Colts QB Carson Wentz
Indianapolis Colts QB Carson Wentz

Carson Wentz or bust is the situation on the Indianapolis Colts roster at the moment. The Colts signed veteran quarterback Philip Rivers during the 2020 off-season, but Rivers only gave the Colts one year of his service. The Colts then had to start afresh, needing to find a new starting quarterback after Rivers hung up his boots.

At the time, there was a lot of discussion between the Colts and Eagles about Carson Wentz.

The Colts knew that something had to be done with having just one quarterback on their depth chart. Jacob Eason was the lone quarterback for the Colts before Wentz, and Eason hasn't played a snap in the NFL yet. Is it a comfortable situation in Indy? Not quite.


Indianapolis Colts QB depth chart

QB 1: Carson Wentz

QB 2: Jacob Eason

QB 3: Sam Ehlinger

QB 4: Jalen Morton


Indianapolis Colts depth chart analysis at quarterback

QB 1 - Carson Wentz

Carson Wentz is coming off a very forgettable 2020-2021 season with the Philadelphia Eagles. Wentz only completed 57.4% of his passes in 2020, throwing for 2,620 yards, 16 touchdowns and 15 interceptions.

Wentz's 2020 stats made for brutal reading and last season was statistically the worst of his career. His touchdown-interception totals almost matched his rookie season. The Indianapolis Colts are hoping that Wentz can return to his 2017 season form, when he threw for over 3,000 yards, 33 touchdowns and seven interceptions.

QB 2 - Jacob Eason

Jacob Eason hasn't registered a single snap in the NFL entering his second season. The Indianapolis Colts are going to have issues if Carson Wentz gets injured. That said, Eason did have a successful college career in both Georgia and Washington.

Eason threw for 5,590 yards, 39 touchdowns and 16 interceptions between the two programs. His best season was in 2019, when he threw for 3,132 yards, 23 touchdowns and eight interceptions for the Huskies. If Wentz gets injured, it's likely the Colts will turn to Eason.

QB 3 - Sam Ehlinger

Indianapolis selected former Texas Longhorns quarterback Sam Ehlinger with the 218th pick in the 2021 NFL Draft. Ehlinger put together a historic career in Texas - he featured in 46 games, throwing for 11,436 yards, 94 touchdowns, and 27 interceptions.

Ehlinger will compete with Jacob Eason for the backup quarterback spot on the Colts' depth chart in 2021. Eason and Ehlinger are two different styles of quarterbacks, though. Eason is more of a pocket passer, while Ehlinger has a dual-threat mentality.

QB 4 - Jalen Morton

Jalen Morton is the third quarterback on the Indianapolis Colts' depth chart with no NFL experience. He joins Sam Ehlinger as the second rookie quarterback on the depth chart.

Morton played his college football at Prairie View A&M, throwing for 1,841 yards, 15 touchdowns and ten interceptions in his junior season.

The chances of Morton competing with Eason and Ehlinger are slim. Indianapolis will most likely enter the season with three quarterbacks, and Morton could be the casualty on the Indianapolis Colts' depth chart.

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