The Colts wrapped up the camp portion of their offseason program after 11 “Colts vs. Colts” practices at Grand Park, three joint practices and two preseason games, and a few players clearly came out of that stretch with their standing on the rise.
Daniel Jones is at the top of that list. A healthy Jones is the Colts’ starting quarterback, but camp still mattered for him, and he handled it well. He took every starting rep in practice and didn’t show any major limitations in his movement, which is exactly the kind of encouraging sign Indianapolis needed with September 13 coming up against the Ravens at Lucas Oil Stadium.
Rookie running back Seth McGowan also made a strong case for himself. He looked like the most impressive Colts rookie in the 2026 draft class, produced consistently, didn’t look like a problem in the passing game and was on the field for every practice at Grand Park. If the Colts are mapping out a backup role at running back, McGowan looks like the answer.
At wide receiver, Coleman Owen has put himself into the mix for that final roster spot. That job often comes down to special teams value, especially as a returner, and that’s where Owen could help. Even with Keenan Allen now on the roster, the Colts value Owen as a returner and trust him as a receiver, too.
Caden Curry’s best flashes mostly showed up in the preseason opener, but they were hard to miss. He made disruptive plays all over the defensive front, and the Colts also seem open to using him on special teams, which could be the difference in getting him dressed on game days as the Center Grover product.
DeForest Buckner belongs on the list as well, even if his camp was about easing back in rather than piling up reps. The important part was that he was out there from Day One after serious neck surgery. The Colts did hold him back in certain drills and 11-on-11 work, which was expected, and how much of a normal workload he carries in September is still to be determined.
Justin Walley looked the part of a player who never had to slow down, even though he was coming off a torn ACL. He moved smoothly into the slot role that had belonged to Kenny Moore II and made steady plays when it mattered. Lou Anarumo is extremely high on the second-year corner from Minnesota, despite the fact that he still hasn’t appeared in an NFL game, preseason or regular season.
Jonathan Owens also appears set to matter. Safety was one of the bigger question marks for the Colts heading into camp outside of Cam Bynum, but Owens looks like a lock to make the roster and contribute on game day.
His value should come first on special teams, including personal protector on punt, with the possibility of some defensive sub packages as well. Owens, the husband of Olympian Simone Biles, also showed the durability the Colts were counting on, since he hasn’t missed an NFL game since 2021.
And then there’s Blake Grupe. In a kicking battle, the guy who hits about 90 percent while the other sits closer to 70 percent is the one who helps himself most.
That was the gap in Westfield, and Grupe was the steadier leg through camp. Spencer Shrader has made the competition tighter with a strong preseason and seems to be getting healthier, but Grupe’s consistency has been hard to ignore.
The only real blemish mentioned since he joined the Colts late last year was a 36-yard miss against the Falcons. The question now is whether that’s enough to hold off Shrader.
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Chris Ballard's Colts Plan Is Under Pressure After Houston's Offseason Push
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Across the division, Houston chose a far more aggressive path under Nick Caserio, chasing impact additions and reshaping the roster with a series of notable moves. The Texans push has created a clear contrast in how the AFC South rivals are trying to build, and it puts Ballards conservative model under a brighter spotlight as the season begins to show whether patience can keep pace with urgency. [Read more 🡒]