Colts Now Favored To Land Philip Rivers

As the debate rages on about where Tom Brady will land (or if he’ll return to the New England Patriots), another interesting tidbit was reported this week: the Indianapolis Colts are the favorites to land Philip Rivers. The Colts came up as a surprise destination where Brady might end up but it looks like the Colts are clearly in the market for a veteran quarterback.

BetOnline has Philip Rivers odds up for his various destinations, so let’s take a look at the top three options on the board:

INDIANAPOLIS COLTS
ODDS: +140

We weren’t exactly sure what the Colts were planning to do with their quarterback situation. Remember, they signed Jacoby Brissett to a two-year, $30 million deal last offseason, so he still has one year to go. At times – mostly early – he did look like a starting caliber quarterback but as the season wore on, it became clear that he’s simply not the guy.

The Colts have a ton of salary cap space and the thinking is that this team is really just a quarterback away from being back in the playoffs. With Rivers under center, this team could be in great shape. They have a strong offensive line and a good running game – two things Rivers often lacked in Los Angeles. This looks like the most likely fit as of right now.

TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS
ODDS: +200

The Bucs have long been favored to land Rivers but that’s not the case anymore. They’re now second on the board behind the Colts but are not far off. As you might recall, Rivers moved his whole family to Florida this offseason, so the general thinking was that playing for the Bucs – who are close to home and need a quarterback – makes sense.

What’s thrown a wrench into these plans is that Rivers wants to win and he has a great relationship with Colts head coach Frank Reich. Also, the Bucs still are undecided as to what to do with Jameis Winston. Tampa Bay still seems like the logical destination but if they’re unsure about which way to go, the Colts will swoop in and snap him up.

MIAMI DOLPHINS/CAROLINA PANTHERS
ODDS: +500

The Dolphins and Panthers are in third and tied with odds of +500 but both teams seem like a longshot. For Miami, they appear to be set to draft a quarterback like Tua Tagovailoa or Justin Herbert early in the 2020 NFL Draft. They’re not exactly one piece away, so signing a veteran like Rivers doesn’t exactly move the needle for them.

As for the Panthers, the latest reports indicate that the new regime, headed by new head coach Matt Rhule, is going to give it a go with Cam Newton. The team’s veteran quarterback has been recovering well from his injuries and they don’t really have too many options with him. They can either cut him or keep him, but if they cut him, they’ll probably pay similar money to someone like Rivers. Is Newton really a step down from Rivers? Probably not if he’s healthy, so the Panthers are likely to stick with that route.

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