It's the question that haunts every NFL front office: What if we had picked someone else? For the Indianapolis Colts, that hypothetical sting is particularly sharp right now.
The team's decision not to pick up Anthony Richardson's fifth-year option came as little surprise. At a hefty $22 million price tag, combined with his trade request and current status as a third-string quarterback, the writing was on the wall. But with the fourth overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft, the Colts had a golden opportunity to reshape their future. So, who could have been wearing horseshoe blue instead?
Jahmyr Gibbs & Jack Campbell (Lions) – When Detroit took a running back and a middle linebacker in the first round, critics howled. Two seasons later, those critics are quiet. Campbell has been a tackling machine, racking up 402 stops, 19 for loss, and earning First-Team All-Pro honors last season. The Colts had Zaire Franklin emerging in 2023, so Campbell wasn't a need then. But would they love to have him now? Absolutely.
Jalen Carter (Eagles) – Widely viewed as one of the draft's elite talents, Carter's stock dipped after an arrest for reckless driving and racing just before the draft. He's since made two Pro Bowls, posting 13.5 sacks and 37 quarterback hits from the defensive tackle spot. With Grover Stewart and DeForest Buckner already anchoring the interior, defensive tackle wasn't on Indy's shopping list in 2023. But a talent like Carter changes any team's calculus.
Will McDonald IV (Jets) – The undersized pass rusher didn't start as a rookie, but he's been relentless over the last two seasons, piling up 18.5 sacks and 43 quarterback hits. At 245 pounds, he's built to do one thing well: get after the quarterback. And that, as any Colts fan can tell you, is exactly what this defense has been missing.
Puka Nacua (Rams) – Here's the one that really stings. Every single NFL team passed on Nacua multiple times, so the Colts aren't alone in their regret. But after leading the league with 129 catches, 1,715 yards, and 10 touchdowns last season, he looks like a superstar in the making. The Colts already had Alec Pierce, Michael Pittman, and Josh Downs in the receiving room. Is Nacua better than all of them? Yes. Should they have seen it coming? Hindsight, as they say, is 20/20.
In the end, the 2023 draft will be remembered as a turning point—either for Richardson's eventual resurgence or for what could have been. For now, Colts fans are left wondering what if, while watching other teams' stars shine.