Colts and Starting QB Jacoby Brissett Agree to New 2-Year Deal
By Michael Luciano
Colts fans who were hoping to bottom out in the 2019 season with the intention of drafting a franchise quarterback are going to be bitterly disappointed, as Chris Ballard and Indianapolis are committing to former backup Jacoby Brissett for the foreseeable future.
Following Andrew Luck's surprise retirement, Brissett took over as the starter for Frank Reich. Indianapolis has now given Brissett some added security, inking him to a two-year, $30 million contract.
The #Colts and QB Jacoby Brissett have agreed to terms on a 2-year extension worth $30M, source said. He gets $20M guaranteed at signing. Some security for the new Indy starter.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) September 2, 2019
Brissett will pocket $20 million in guaranteed salary as part of his new deal, getting some financial padding as he steps into the starting role in Indy.
After being acquired in a trade from the New England Patriots, Brissett started 15 games for the Colts in 2017 while Luck sat out the year, going 4-11 and throwing for 3,098 yards, 13 touchdowns, and seven interceptions.
Those numbers may not look great, but Brissett played on a Colts team that was overseen by Ryan Grigson and coached by Chuck Pagano. The current infrastructure combined with Brissett's improvements as a passer makes this current team more of a catalyst for success.
.@Colts and QB Jacoby Brissett agree to terms on a two-year, $30M extension. (via @RapSheet) @JBrissett12 pic.twitter.com/bfvHUIoweh
— NFL (@NFL) September 2, 2019
It remains to be seen what Brissett's ceiling as a passer is, but this is still a low-risk move that will assure Brissett that this job is firmly his for the moment. The amount of money and length of the deal also mean that they aren't locked in to anything serious if he flops.