Indianapolis Colts 2022 Mock Draft: Who Replaces Carson Wentz?
By Hunter Haas
Regardless of who the team has at quarterback, the Indianapolis Colts will be in a great position to add talent around them. They currently sit at ~70 million dollars in available cap space and will be able to add top talent if they choose to do so.
Historically, Chris Ballard is not a big spender in free agency. You can count on one hand the times he has paid a player big money that he didn’t draft himself. Pressure from his boss might be enough to push him into being a little more liberal with the money this offseason, but his bread and butter will always be the NFL Draft.
Outside of Michael Pittman Jr., the Indianapolis Colts do not have a single above-average player in the wide receiver group. That is unacceptable in this day and age. Kylen Granson is currently the only tight end on the roster and — even if they bring back Mo Alie-Cox — they should be looking to add more talent there.
The left tackle position is arguably the second most important spot on the roster, behind only quarterback. The Colts unfortunately do not have a starter at either spot for the 2022 season. They’ll definitely need to find a solution there, because it doesn’t matter who the quarterback is if he doesn’t feel protected.
Defensively, the unit is very strong overall. The young edge rushers — Kwity Paye and Dayo Odeyingbo — improved throughout the past season. Cornerback features two starters on the outside (Rock Ya-Sin and Isaiah Rodgers), and one of the best slot cornerbacks in the NFL — Kenny Moore ll.
The safety duo is great, when healthy. The “when healthy” part is a major caveat there, because Julian Blackmon and Khari Willis have both missed time in their professional careers. Darius Leonard is one of the best in the league at his position, as is Deforest Buckner. They’re supported by Bobby Okereke and Grover Stewart, giving the Colts a dominating presence up the middle.
Indianapolis Colts 7-Round Mock Draft: Replacing Carson Wentz
Now that we know what the roster is currently in need of, let’s see what a potential draft class could look like. I am working under the assumption that the team will add a veteran to be the week one starter at quarterback and left tackle. Under that premise, it’s time to kick this mock off at pick 42!