The Indianapolis Colts are likely going to be without starting quarterback Carson Wentz, who was placed on the reserve/COVID-19 list on Tuesday, for the Week 17 matchup against the Las Vegas Raiders.
Given that Wentz is unvaccinated, he will be out for 10 days under the current protocols, assuming he tested positive. If he’s a close contact to a positive test, it’s five days. The likely event is that it is a positive test, which we will find out by the end of Tuesday.
There is a chance that the protocols change to a five-day quarantine, in which case Wentz would be eligible to return for the game on Sunday if he tests negative and is asymptomatic.
If Wentz is out, the Colts are going to have to weigh their options. A large chunk of starters on both sides of the ball is currently on the COVID-19 list due to positive tests. Amid both injuries and positive COVID-19 tests, the Colts could be without their starting offensive line.
In a game that would clinch a playoff berth with a win, the Colts have to weigh all of their options, which includes reaching out to a familiar name.
Let’s dive into the realistic possibilities for the Colts at quarterback in Week 17 if Wentz is out:
AP Photo/Bruce Kluckhohn
The rookie quarterback is the most likely option. But with a win-and-in scenario on Sunday, will the Colts trust him enough with a likely-depleted offensive line?
Ehlinger started the season on the injured reserve list due to a knee sprain but since he returned in October, he has been the main backup to Wentz on game days. Given how much Wentz has played this season, the sixth-round pick has only played a total of 18 snaps across three games. Those were blowouts and Ehlinger has yet to attempt a pass.
The rookie lacks arm strength and would need to have a limited offensive gameplan but one that could be effective enough with a ton of RPOs built in. That’s if star running back Jonathan Taylor avoids hitting the COVID-19 list in Week 17.
Ehlinger is the most likely option for the Colts and if I had to put my money on it, he will be the one to get the start on Sunday.
QB Brett Hundley
AP Photo/Tony Avelar
I would avoid this route the most if the Colts can. But they certainly view Hundley in a different light than I do. The veteran has yet to attempt a pass for the Colts during his month of being the backup quarterback to Wentz to open the regular season.
Hundley hasn’t taken a snap with the offense yet this season but has been with the Colts since the preseason. His skills severely limit the offense even if they will adopt a run-heavy approach in a favorable matchup with the Raiders.
Hundley does have experience over Ehlinger, but this still should be the team’s desperation option.
QB Philip Rivers
AP Photo/Adrian Kraus
You knew this was going to be on the list. The Colts haven’t made the call to Uncle Phil as of Monday but that was before Wentz was placed on the COVID-19 list. Two things have to happen for this hypothetical to become even close to a reality: the Colts have to really feel Rivers gives them a different edge AND Rivers has to want to come back.
We know Rivers already declined a last-minute pitch from the New Orleans Saints in Week 16. Then again, he doesn’t have the same experience he did when he played for the Colts in 2020.
Rivers did express interest in a potential late-season return if all things line up in a perfect way. But that was a few months ago and it isn’t clear if Rivers feels the same way.
There’s a chance Rivers would be working with a depleted offensive line and he hasn’t seen game speed since retiring at the end of 2020.
I’d consider Rivers to be the second-best option behind Ehlinger and I wouldn’t necessarily argue with anyone who believes he would be a better option than the rookie in a break-glass scenario.
Overview
AP Photo/Bruce Kluckhohn
The most likely option is that the Colts roll with the rookie in Ehlinger against the Raiders. They could very well give a call to Rivers to gauge his interest in coming back but that likely comes with the notion that the Colts feel he gives them a different kind of edge over Ehlinger. In any case, both of those options give the Colts their best chance of winning over Hundley.
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