The Indianapolis Colts are 2-2 after four games, and the picture still isn’t clear. Both wins came against teams dealing with key injuries, and the first loss was a rough blowout.
What is clear, though, is that not everyone is pulling in the same direction. Defensive lineman DeForest Buckner is still playing at an elite level, but several others are falling short of what the Colts need.
That leaves a few players on shaky ground as the season moves along. Some still have time to right the ship. Others may be running out of it.
Edge rusher Micheal Clemons is already on injured reserve with a toe injury suffered in Week 2, but the problems started before that. He wasn’t playing well enough to lock down a role, continuing the same trend that pushed him out of favor with the New York Jets.
In 38 reps, he had no solo tackles, no run stuffs, and only one quarterback pressure. When he does return, there likely won’t be many snaps waiting for him.
Wide receiver Keenan Allen has flashed only briefly. He was decent in Week 3, then sat out Week 4 with a groin injury.
At 34, the odds of a clean, pain-free turnaround don’t look great. Through three games, his production has been ugly: 13 catches on 20 targets for 100 yards, a meager 7.7 yards per reception.
Since he was signed for just one season, a return feels unlikely.
Linebacker Jaylon Carlies did record an interception in Week 4, but that came against a third-string quarterback for the Washington Commanders after a bad decision and an even worse throw. Outside of that moment, the coverage numbers have been rough.
He has allowed 11 completions on 14 targets for 181 yards, and he has missed 17.6 percent of his tackle attempts. Even so, the Colts are still using him over second-round pick CJ Allen.
Running back DJ Giddens has seen his role evaporate. He entered training camp with a chance to be the RB2, then lost that job to rookie Seth McGowan, and now he’s been a healthy scratch through the first quarter of the season. He hasn’t shown the kind of burst or power that would change the equation, and if he does hang around through the year, 2027 may not include him.
Then there’s quarterback Daniel Jones, the biggest name in the group and the one with the most expensive future attached. He re-signed this offseason for two years and as much as $88 million, but if the Colts cut him next offseason, they would save $38 million.
Based on how he’s played, that possibility is very much in play. Jones has 15 turnovers over his last nine games, including seven in four games this season, and he’s averaging just 5.7 yards per attempt, which matches the lowest mark of his career.
He needs a turnaround starting in Week 5.
In Other News...
Colts Owner Addresses Growing Spotlight Over Sideline Involvement
Carlie Irsay-Gordon has found herself under a brighter spotlight lately as the Colts work through a 2-2 start to the 2026 season, with the principal owner drawing attention for the way she conducts herself on the sideline during games. She addressed the criticism directly, saying she listens and asks questions as a way to better understand what is happening on the field, a hands-on approach that has become more noticeable as her role has evolved.
Irsay-Gordon also acknowledged that her responsibilities changed after the death of former owner Jim Irsay, and she suggested she may be more mindful of how she presents herself going forward. For a franchise trying to steady itself early in the season, the topic has become part football conversation and part bigger-picture reflection on how the Colts are led. [Read more 🡒]
Michael Pittman Jr. Is Giving Colts Fans A Harsh Reality Check
Michael Pittman Jr.s move from Indianapolis to Pittsburgh was supposed to open a new chapter, but the early returns have been rocky. Through his first four games with the Steelers, a foot injury and uneven quarterback play have helped drag down his production, and the numbers have not come close to matching what he had done in previous seasons with the Colts.
Now Pittman is set to see his old team across the field in a matchup that brings its own layer of pressure. The Colts know him well, and the defensive looks waiting for him figure to be difficult, which only adds to the sense that this reunion could be more revealing than celebratory for Pittsburghs newest receiver. [Read more 🡒]
Colts Get Unexpected Matt Goncalves Relief Amid Defensive Injury Fallout
Matt Goncalves got an unexpected bit of relief this week when the NFL rescinded the fine it had levied for an objectionable celebration. The Colts right guard had initially been docked $8,847, but a joint NFL and NFLPA statement clarified that celebrations imitating drinking a beverage are not violations, wiping out similar fines for other players as well.
The bigger roster concern for Indianapolis, though, is on the other side of the ball. The Colts added veteran defensive end Carl Lawson after an injury to Arden Key, and the injury list kept growing with several players not practicing ahead of the next game. It leaves the team juggling both a corrected league ruling and a defense that is suddenly a little thinner than it was a few days ago. [Read more 🡒]