Pending free agent quarterback Philip Rivers and the Indianapolis Colts have “mutual interest” in each other for 2020, NFL Network reported.
“It’s safe to say it is not really a secret here in Indianapolis that the organization is expected to make a run at him,” Ian Rapoport said on “NFL Total Access.”
Rivers spent the whole of his 16-year NFL career with the San Diego/Los Angeles Chargers, but the team is parting ways with the veteran when his contract officially expires at the start of the new league year, March 18. Rivers, 38, told the Los Angeles Times last month that if he keeps playing, he doesn’t see himself playing longer than two more seasons.
That would make him a short-term solution at quarterback for a team like the Colts, who went through a unique situation in 2019 when Andrew Luck retired a few weeks before the regular season began.
The Colts went 7-9 with Jacoby Brissett playing all but one game at quarterback. The franchise could look to Rivers or even fellow free agent Tom Brady to push the team into the playoffs and make a run at a Super Bowl, rather than draft a quarterback this year.
Rivers and Indianapolis coach Frank Reich worked together for three seasons in San Diego, when Reich was the Chargers’ quarterbacks coach in 2013 and offensive coordinator in 2014 and 2015. Before the Chargers and Colts played each other last September, Rivers and Reich had complimentary things to say about their time together.
Depending on other moving parts on the quarterback carousel this offseason, Rivers’ other options could include the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Carolina Panthers or Tennessee Titans.
• Adam Zielonka can be reached at azielonka@washingtontimes.com.
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