Rumor has it that the Colts are looking into acquiring the wideout from the Broncos. Is that a good idea?
By Jon Spradley
As the October 31st trade deadline nears, NFL rumors will start to heat up. The Indianapolis Colts are getting into those rumors early with apparent interest in Broncos receiver Jerry Jeudy.
Now, with any rumor, this has to be taken with a grain of salt. One has to be skeptical of “sources”, and if the Colts traded for or signed every player they were linked to, the roster would sit at 223 players. With that said, it is fair to think that Jeudy will be traded as the Broncos’ season dissolves to nothing in front of our eyes. Even the supposed savior that is Sean Payton can’t seem to save this one.
Yes, Jeudy seems destined to be adorning a new helmet in the next week or so, but which one is unknown. Should he “Benjamin Button” it by turning from a Bronco into a Colt? That is the question in front of the Colts currently. There are two questions, however. The first being, should the Colts want him? Steve Smith Sr. gave a strong warning on the broadcast last night after having called Jeudy a J.A.G. (just another guy) previously.
As the 15th overall pick in the 2020 draft, Jeudy’s best season came in 2022 in which he put up 972 yards on 67 receptions and 6 touchdowns. For comparison, Michael Pittman Jr.’s 2022 came in at 925 yards on 99 receptions with four touchdowns. Both players had less than ideal quarterback play in 2022, but Pittman is off to a much better start in 2023. If the argument behind acquiring Jeudy is that is makes it more difficult to sign Pittman, count me out.
If, however, the focus moves to Jeudy being your number two, which I have to believe is the argument, then it gets more interesting. Instead of comparing his production to Pittman, we would be looking at Alec Pierce who has struggled to get on track in his second year only putting up 124 yards through five games. For the right price, I am listening.
What is the right price however? When players are traded for picks, the returns seem to always be underwhelming. I am usually shocked to see player X who had extremely solid numbers go for late round picks. Sometimes blockbusters occur and teams break the bank to obtain rare talent, but those are far and few in between.
I think someone like Jeudy goes for a fourth or fifth. I would lean more towards a fifth for the Colts just because I don’t know that he is worth more than that for the 2023 version of this team. Yes, the Colts are overachieving on some levels this year, but what does Jeudy really do for them?
On top of that, Chris Ballard doesn’t put a lot of stock into the receiver position, and he loves draft picks. We all know he will move back in the third or fourth round and could easily recoup a fifth-round pick, so at that price, maybe he pulls the trigger. Maybe Ballard is starting to see that light that is the modern NFL. Skilled positions are needed in today’s game. Yes, if the price is right and the need is seen as high enough, Jeudy could be on his way to Indy.
Originally posted on stampedeblue.com