The Colts have spent the offseason building what should be a nasty cornerback duo, and that matters because the AFC South still has plenty of receivers who can make life miserable. If Charvarius Ward and Sauce Gardner stay on the field, Indianapolis ought to be able to match up with most teams on the outside.
That is exactly why Brian Thomas Jr. looms so large for this defense. The Colts would much rather see the version of Thomas that flashed as a rookie than the one who stumbled through 2025, because his second season was rough enough to raise real questions heading into year 3.
Jeff Howe of The Athletic described it bluntly, writing that Thomas' sophomore year was a “nighmtarish output.” Howe added: "Thomas, a first-round pick under the previous regime, fell behind receivers Parker Washington and trade-deadline acquisition Jakobi Meyers down the stretch," and, "With Travis Hunter likely to generate more usage and a reliance on tight ends, Thomas needs to find a way to make himself more consistently impactful."
That’s the version of the Jaguars’ passing game Indianapolis has to keep from getting comfortable. Trevor Lawrence has already given the Colts headaches, piling up 2,085 yards, 13 touchdowns and four interceptions with a 100.3 passer rating and a 7-2 record in nine career games against them.
Thomas still has the traits that made him dangerous in the first place. He can stretch the field, create after the catch and line up inside or outside without losing much juice.
The issues last season looked more mental than physical, but now he’s dealing with more pressure and a bigger crowd of mouths to feed with Jakobi Meyers in the mix. That could make 2026 even trickier.
At the same time, Thomas wasn’t a total wipeout. The expectations were sky-high after his 1,200-yard, 10-touchdown rookie year, so the drop-off felt harsher than the raw production. Even so, he still finished with 48 catches for 707 yards and two touchdowns in 14 games, which is hardly empty-calorie production for a WR2.
The bigger problem for Indianapolis is that its own pass defense was shaky in the first year of the Lou Anarumo regime. The Colts allowed the second-most passing yards in the league at 4,462, sat in the middle of the pack with 21 receiving touchdowns allowed, and never really got consistent heat on opposing quarterbacks.
So even with Ward and Gardner in place, the Colts are still going to need some help from the other side. Lawrence has had their number, the Jaguars appear to have more weapons around him, and with a sharp offensive play-caller taking over, that offense is built to make things difficult.
That leaves Indianapolis hoping Thomas’ 2025 regression sticks. If it doesn’t, the Colts may need every bit of their upgraded secondary just to keep pace in the AFC South.
In Other News...
ESPN Just Delivered A Brutal Verdict On The Colts' Young Core
ESPN analyst Aaron Schatzs latest look at NFL rosters by under-25 talent did not paint a flattering picture for Indianapolis. The Colts came in 26th leaguewide, a drop from 20th a year ago, and the slide reflects a young core that has not delivered enough impact around general manager Chris Ballards recent draft classes. Among the teams first- and second-round picks from 2023 through 2025, only a couple have lived up to expectations, while others have fallen short or are no longer in Indianapolis.
The bigger concern is the company the Colts are keeping in the AFC South. Jacksonville, Tennessee and Houston all sit ahead of them in young-talent rankings, leaving Indianapolis behind every division rival in a category that usually tracks future upside. It is a sobering snapshot for a team trying to build sustainably, especially when the margin for error is already thin and the next wave of development has to come quickly. [Read more 🡒]
Tyreek Hill Update Should Cool Colts WR3 Buzz Fast
Tyreek Hills latest recovery update is the kind of reminder that can quickly change the way teams talk about a veteran receiver market. In a workout video he posted on his YouTube account, Hill showed he is still grinding through rehab after the knee injury that wiped out his season, and the tone of the update suggested real progress even if the road back remains long.
For the Colts, that matters because their search for a third wide receiver has been tied in part to the idea of a possible short-term swing at a big name with upside. Hills age and the severity of the injury already made that a complicated bet, and any optimism around his recovery only sharpens the question of whether Indianapolis should keep looking at safer options instead of waiting on a splashy name with plenty still unresolved. [Read more 🡒]
Colts May Already Have A Problem With This First Round Addition
The Colts spent the offseason trying to shore up a front seven that needed more reliable bodies around Grover Stewart and DeForest Buckner, bringing in Jerry Tillery and Derrick Nnadi as veteran help. On paper, the idea made sense: add experience, add depth, and see whether either lineman could give the defense a sturdier rotation behind its top two anchors.
The problem is that the early returns have not exactly quieted the concern. Tillery has long carried questions about his run defense and overall consistency, while the rest of the depth chart behind Stewart and Buckner still looks unsettled enough to keep the competition open. There are younger options in the mix, including Cameron Ball and Adetomiwa Adebawore, but the Colts still appear to be searching for a dependable answer rather than simply collecting names. [Read more 🡒]