Are the Colts and Broncos really any better with their new QBs?

Matt Ryan and Russell Wilson are set to face off in Week 5, and though it‘s not the most riveting matchup, it is kind of symmetrical in a way. See, both of these teams came into the 2022 season with high expectations. Both came in with a (presumed) huge upgrade at quarterback and plenty of offensive and defensive weapons in tow to help pave the way to Super Bowl LVII.

The only catch is that things haven’t gone as smoothly as planned so far. The Colts are 1-2-1 😬 and the Broncos are 2-2. Neither quarterback ranks top-20 in the NFL passer rating. Neither are putting their respective teams on their backs. Neither are must-see TV. Blah, right?

So, did either of these teams really win out with their "quarterback upgrades" this offseason? Let's take a closer look.

Broncos: Drew Lock ➡️ Russell Wilson

On paper, this looks like an absolute no-brainer. It is a no-brainer. So why does this team look so underwhelming through four weeks?

Wilson really does have all of the offensive playmakers a quarterback could dream of at his disposal. Even after a season-ending knee injury to stud RB Javonte Williams, this team is stacked — Courtland Sutton, Jerry Jeudy, and yes, even the fumbly Melvin Gordon, who still has plenty of juice to his game. The issue, my friends, is Nathaniel Hackett at head coach. His short tenure has already been marked by clock management so poor even fans were attempting to help out by counting down for him.

The verdict: Yes, the Broncos made the right move at QB and are a better team with him under center. They really flubbed it at head coach though. The sooner they realize Nathaniel Hackett can't... hack it... the better for Wilson.

Broncos odds to win 10 or more games | +125 (Bet $10 to win $12.50)

Colts: Carson Wentz ➡️ Matt Ryan

The Colts traded a 2022 third-round pick to the Falcons for Matt Ryan in hopes that he'd be the final piece of the puzzle. Spoiler alert: That doesn't appear to have been the case. Through four weeks, Ryan does rank top-five in passing yards... but also ranks top-five in interceptions and fumbles. Whoops.

The good news for the Colts, however, is that they've got a lot of solid pieces in place. Sure, Ryan isn't looking like a spring chicken, but they do have All-Pro G Quenton Nelson, All-Pro RB Jonathan Taylor, breakout receiver Michael Pittman, veteran DeForest Buckner... and so on and so forth. The pieces are there to become a balanced team. They just need to execute. If they don't, it might be bad news bears for head coach Frank Reich who's sat on the precipice of greatness since taking the job back in 2018.

The verdict: The Colts traded a third-round pick for what was essentially a lateral move. Through four weeks, we're gonna assign an L to this trade, boss — even if they do still have a chance to compete for the AFC South.

Colts odds to win the AFC South | +200 (Bet $10 to win $20)