Obscure ex-Bengals QB may be only hope to save Colts from Daniel Jones injury

The ties between the Cincinnati Bengals and Indianapolis Colts seem inexorable this season.

Most obvious is the fact that the Bengals' defense continues to be historically awful while new Colts defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo keeps on cookin' in Indy, even generating buzz as a head coach candidate.

Unfortunately for Anarumo, his job is about to get a whole lot tougher without the benefit of quality quarterback play.

Daniel Jones was enjoying a career resurgence as the Colts' QB until a fractured fibula caused him to regress some. Then, disaster truly struck on Sunday when Jones went down with a torn Achilles, which ends his 2025 campaign and puts Indianapolis' future in serious upheaval.

Between Jones' devastating setback and a knee injury to his backup, Riley Leonard, Indy may need to turn to a former Bengal to run Shane Steichen's offense the rest of the way.

Brett Rypien could be Colts' only healthy QB for Week 15 after Daniel Jones tears Achilles

Since entering the NFL in 2019 with the Broncos as an undrafted free agent, Brett Rypien is the epitome of a journeyman quarterback. The Colts already mark Rypien's eighth different team, and across all that time, he's made only four starts in 11 game appearances.

Rypien isn't a bad backup per se, but Indianapolis fans can't expect him to light it up if called upon. Well, when called upon it seems, in light of Monday's updates on Jones and Leonard via Steichen.

Once Joe Burrow went down in Week 2 with his major turf toe injury, Rypien was the Bengals' primary backup behind spot starter Jake Browning. Once the latter blew his chance to build on a promising stint in 2023, Cincinnati traded for Joe Flacco, and the rest is [bizarro] NFL history. Rypien was let go right after that splashy transaction.

Indianapolis scooped up Rypien a week later, signing him to the practice squad. He's had ample time to digest Steichen's playbook, and the freak-accident injury to Anthony Richardson paved the way for Rypien to stick around longer.

Rypien has a career passer rating of 59.9 on 162 pass attempts. He has enough functional mobility to make plays with his legs, but nowhere near the level of a healthy Jones, Richardson, or Leonard.

As you can see, Steichen is hoping that Leonard is good to go for Sunday's impending duel with the Seahawks in Seattle. Talk about a tough assignment, though.

This could be a situation where the Colts play it safe by sitting Leonard, a rookie sixth-round pick, rather than risk sabotaging his development in a nightmare outing in the Emerald City. The Seahawks have the NFL's No. 1 defense, and Seattle is one of the league's most hostile environments to play in.

Although Indy is still squarely in playoff contention, we might see the more experienced Rypien thrown to the wolves this coming weekend. Much of Leonard's appeal is his dual-threat playmaking. Limiting him to pure pocket passer status on a bum wheel versus a defensive mastermind like Mike Macdonald is asking for trouble.

Look no further than what Seattle's D did to ballyhooed Vikings rookie Max Brosmer not many moons ago as proof Leonard shouldn't be thrust into starting duty, especially while banged up.

That was one of Brosmer's four interceptions on the day. Although something similar could be in store for Rypien, it's less likely than a meltdown from an immobile Leonard given his play style.

Thoughts and prayers to Brett Rypien if Indianapolis trots him out there as QB1 at Seattle. Talk about a pressure spot with serious playoff stakes. Then, the Colts travel back home for Monday Night Football against the San Francisco 49ers. Not getting any easier!

UPDATE: Unless 44-year-old Philip Rivers comes to the rescue — as of this writing, nothing has been signed yet — we will most likely see Rypien for at least one game.

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