Colts have one of the best quarterback situations in the NFL, according to latest ranking

At the NFL Scouting Combine later this month and in the months leading up to the Draft, there will be plenty of talk about the top quarterback prospects, and there are several teams that are desperately in need of a franchise guy - or even a capable guy - at the game’s most important position.

Consider that a contrast with teams like the Colts, who have plenty of needs and weaknesses but don’t have to worry about the quarterback. That was certainly appealing to new general manager Chris Ballard when taking the Colts job, as he has the rare opportunity to take over a franchise with the most important piece already in place.

Colts fans need some encouraging talk from time to time, and ESPN’s recent quarterback confidence rankings give an opportunity for that. The rankings are basically about how much confidence a team should - and does - have in their quarterback, and Dan Graziano ranked the Colts fifth.

The Colts need offensive linemen, receivers and a bunch of help on defense. But they believe Andrew Luck is the truth. They're committed to him long term, and their mission is to build around him.

The Colts are ranked behind only the Patriots, Packers, Falcons, and Lions. Considering three of those teams have a quarterback who was seriously in the MVP conversation this year and that all four of them made the postseason, that’s really good company for Luck and the Colts.

In 2016 Luck started 15 games and completed 346 of 545 passes (63.5%) for 4,240 yards (7.78 yards per attempt), 31 touchdowns, and interceptions for a passer rating of 96.4, while also rushing for 341 yards and two touchdowns. He was terrific all year and was as good as ever. That was incredibly encouraging for the Colts after Luck had a rough 2015 season plagued by injuries, as last year proved that he wasn’t broken. They can have confidence in Luck moving forward, and that’s a rarity in the NFL. The Colts have plenty of problems, but the quarterback position isn’t one of them.