On Sunday, the Indianapolis Colts informed backup quarterback Matt Hasselbeck that they will be moving on without him. Despite playing valiantly in eight starts in 2015, it became noticeably clear Hasselbeck lacks the physical skills needed to endure another NFL season. This was not an easy decision for the Colts to make, but they made the right move.
In his last season with the Colts, Hasselbeck had to fill in for an oft-injured Andrew Luck. In his eight starts, Hasselbeck completed 60.9 percent of his passes and for 1,690 yards, five touchdowns and three interceptions. The Colts also had a 5-3 record with him as the starting quarterback.
Despite the positive results, Hasselbeck’s play began to noticeably decline towards the end of the season and he actually missed the last game of the season due to a shoulder injury. Many people believed his injury happened because of the Colts’ porous offensive line. However, the reality is Hasselbeck just does not have the physical endurance he once had.
In addition to Hasselbeck lacking the endurance needed to handle a full season, he also does not fit what the Colts want to do on offense moving forward. New offensive coordinator Rob Chudzinski is looking for a quarterback with a strong arm. Luck certainly fits this desire, but Hasselbeck does not. Looking back at the 2015 season, the Colts could not push the ball down the field due to Hasselbeck’s lack of arm strength. It makes sense for the Colts to let the 40-year-old Hasselbeck leave and replace him with a younger and stronger quarterback like Josh Freeman.
Hasselbeck certainly had a positive impact for the Colts. He was a great resource for Luck in the early part of Luck’s career, and he got the job done when asked to contribute. Unfortunately, father time always wins, and the 40-year-old Hasselbeck is nearly at the end of his career. Ultimately, the Colts made the right decision by not bringing Hasselbeck back.
