Colts Team Roster Needs: Drastic Changes Must Be Made in Offseason

The Indianapolis Colts are all but eliminated from the playoffs once again, which must be the catalyst for significant change in the offseason.

Feb 28, 2024; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Indianapolis Colts general manager Chris Ballard talks to the media at the 2024 NFL Combine at Indiana Convention Center. Mandatory Credit: Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images / Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images

The Indianapolis Colts are at a crossroads. Okay, maybe really it's more like a round-about.

For years, they have gone around and around, staying the course and achieving mediocre outcomes without taking a risk and picking an exit, because at least they know what to expect if they keep going through that round-about.

If they want to finally get where they want to go -- a place of consistent success, the playoffs being the norm, and ultimately a championship -- then they're gonna need to get off on that exit with the heavy construction. It's time.

Sunday's loss to the Denver Broncos was a new low for the tenures of both general manager Chris Ballard and head coach Shane Steichen. On paper, the Colts were the underdogs heading into the game. However, as has become routine, the Colts had control of the game for a decent portion of it and should have been able to nurture their lead to a win but instead devolved into chaos and a calamity of self-inflicted wounds.

It's far from the first time the Colts have been in that situation, sitting with a 6-8 record, with five of those losses being one-score deficits. They struggle to maintain a lead, play consistently on either side of the ball for four quarters, or perform well both offensively and defensively in the same game. It's why they're just 1-7 against teams with a winning record this season. They eke out wins against the bottom feeders because their mistakes don't matter as much in those matchups.

Ballard inherited a broken roster when he came aboard in 2017 but has accomplished little in the grand scheme since then, as the Colts have a 60-68-1 record (.465) in that time with only two playoff appearances, and none since 2020. In the eight seasons under Ballard's construction, the Colts' offense and defense have both ranked in the bottom half of the league five times.

With the current state of the roster (and the coaching staff and front office), who can you confidently say should be back in 2025? You could argue the only players who have played up to their high salaries are Quenton Nelson, DeForest Buckner, Grover Stewart, Kenny Moore II, and Matt Gay. Outside of that, there are young players who have played serious time but haven't become impactful enough, and players who are paid handsomely but have either been hurt or underperformed.

Regardless of whether it's Ballard or someone else calling the shots again this offseason, it's imperative that things move forward differently than they have over the last eight years. Get out of your comfort zone and spend some money. Yes, "the locker room is watching," and you don't want to create any toxic situations, but this is largely the same group from the disaster that was the 2022 season. Many of them have seen it all; they just want to win. Consummate pros like Buckner, Nelson, and Moore don't have forever and have already had the majority of their primes wasted.

This is all part of a much larger conversation that will be had here at Horseshoe Huddle over the next several weeks and months, but for now, here are the biggest areas of need on the Colts' roster moving forward.

TIGHT END

Under Contract in 2025: Drew Ogletree, Will Mallory, Jelani Woods
Upcoming Free Agents: Mo Alie-Cox, Kylen Granson, Sean McKeon (PS)

The most consistent thing you can say about the Colts' offense this season is that they've been inconsistent. There have been quarterback changes, there have been offensive line changes. The run game has had peaks and valleys, and the passing game is either feast or famine.

One thing that could've brought the passing game some stability was any sort of contribution from the tight ends. The group has accounted for just 33 of the team's 233 receptions (14.2%). This once was a group with a ton of potential, featuring great athletes like Jelani Woods, Drew Ogletree, Will Mallory, and Kylen Granson, but they have not panned out.

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LINEBACKER

Under Contract in 2025: Zaire Franklin, Jaylon Carlies
Upcoming Free Agents:  E.J. Speed, Grant Stuard, Segun Olubi (ERFA), Cam McGrone (ERFA), Liam Anderson (PS), Austin Ajiake (PS)

When you consider the main problems for the Colts' 28th-ranked defense, it tends to all come back around to issues tackling and an inability to sufficiently defend the middle of the field. The team has had four games this season where they've allowed at least 180 yards rushing, including three 200-plus-yard performances. Opponents have been able to open holes in the defensive line and move the linebackers out of the way in order to get runs to the second and third levels. When the linebackers are in position, it's resulted in a bevy of missed tackles.

According to Pro Football Focus, going into Sunday's game in Denver, E.J. Speed led NFL linebackers in missed tackles (20), while Zaire Franklin (13) was tied for 18th out of 91 qualifying linebackers. Due to an injury to rookie Jaylon Carlies, this also meant an increased role at linebacker for special teamer Grant Stuard, which meant the Colts were using three linebackers in Franklin, Speed, and Stuard who are primarily run defenders and struggle in coverage.

To his credit, Franklin is coming off of his strongest performance of the season and has shown growth in the mental aspect of coverage. However, the group as a whole having the same strengths and weaknesses has been exposed throughout the season. Carlies returning should help a little bit, but it's by no means a cure-all.

DEFENSIVE BACKS

Under Contract in 2025: CB – Kenny Moore II, JuJu Brents, Jaylon Jones, Samuel Womack III | S – Nick Cross, Rodney Thomas II, Daniel Scott
Upcoming Free Agents: CB – Chris Lammons, David Long | S – Julian Blackmon, Ronnie Harrison Jr., Trevor Denbow (ERFA), Darren Hall (RFA)

This group hasn't been as big of a mess as it could've been, but just the same as it needed bolstered last offseason, it needs it next offseason.

The Colts' pass defense ranks 23rd, which means it could be worse, but this still needs to be viewed as an opportunity to improve. They boast the third-worst run defense, which means opponents didn't have to expose the Colts' secondary as much as they could have.

Moore is still a premier slot defender in the NFL but is going to be 31 in a couple of weeks. Jaylon Jones and Samuel Womack III have outplayed the fact that they were originally Day 3 draft picks but are not necessarily intended to be a team's top two outside corners. One of those roles is supposed to be for JuJu Brents, who is on Injured Reserve with a knee injury and has not been 100% healthy at any point since the Colts drafted him in 2023.

At safety, third-year player Nick Cross has slowly developed into a solid player. He still has things to iron out but has earned a starting spot in 2025. His running mate, Julian Blackmon, is an impending free agent and did not have the type of standout season many expected, which could lead to him and the team parting ways in the offseason. Cross being most effective as a strong safety moved Blackmon back to free safety. Unfortunately, Blackmon's star power also mostly shines as a strong safety.

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