The Indianapolis Colts spent the offseason trying to build a defense that could finally take shape under Lou Anarumo. They paid for it, too, bringing in expensive additions like Charvarius Ward Sr. and Cam Bynum, then doubling down with rookie hopefuls Justin Walley and Hunter Wohler after both had strong summers. And when the Colts swung the November trade for two-time All-Pro corner Sauce Gardner, sending their next two first-round picks and wide receiver AD Mitchell to the New York Jets, the message was clear: this unit was supposed to be a strength.
Instead, last year turned into a warning label.
Gardner and Ward were on the injury report far too often, and Walley and Wohler both went down with season-ending injuries before the season even started. What should have been a defense built to smother opponents became one trying to survive the week-to-week grind.
That’s why the “worst-case” picture for 2026 looks uncomfortably familiar, according to Gary Davenport of Bleacher Report.
"Unfortunately, there are multiple paths to a worst-case season for the Colts defense," Davenport said. "Gardner battling calf injuries like he did in 2025.
(CJ) Allen and (A.J.) Haulcy not being ready to start right away.
A pass-rush that managed less than 40 sacks last year once again struggling to generate consistent pressure, especially with edge-rusher Kwity Paye now in Las Vegas. The Colts offense can't carry this team-if the defense falters, this is going to be a mediocre team at best."
That’s the tightrope Indianapolis is walking. The Colts need Gardner and Ward healthy enough to give Anarumo the kind of man coverage he can build around, while Walley is expected to step into the slot and help stabilize the secondary.
There’s also a lot riding on the team’s first two draft picks, linebacker CJ Allen and safety A.J. Haulcy, who are being counted on to replace productive veterans Zaire Franklin and Nick Cross.
Walley and Wohler belong in that same conversation, too. Those four young players are set to shoulder a huge portion of the load.
Then there’s the front line, where the pressure question still hangs over everything. Indianapolis finished tied for 15th in the league with 39 sacks last season, and this offseason saw Kwity Paye, Samson Ebukam, and Tyquan Lewis walk in free agency. DeForest Buckner should return after dealing with neck injuries last year, but the Colts still have to answer the bigger question: are Arden Key, Jaylahn Tuimoloau, and Micheal Clemons enough to make up for the losses while rookies George Gumbs Jr. and Caden Curry develop?
If the health holds and the young players are ready, the Colts can look very different. If not, the nightmare from last year is sitting there waiting again.
In Other News...
PFF Just Delivered A Telling Verdict On The Colts Defense
PFFs latest look at the Colts defense offers a useful snapshot of where the unit stands heading into 2025, and it lines up with the bigger question hanging over the roster all offseason: can a group that allowed 24.2 points per game and finished 21st in the league take a meaningful step forward? The front office has tried to answer that by getting younger and faster, and the projected starting lineup now has a mix of proven veterans and players still trying to establish themselves in bigger roles.
The grades suggest the Colts have a few clear building blocks, with some starters standing out as quality pieces and others still searching for steadier production. There is also an injury wrinkle in the mix, which only adds to the uncertainty around how this defense will actually look once the season gets going, and whether the roster changes were enough to push the unit closer to the level Indianapolis needs. [Read more 🡒]
Colts Were Handed A Dream Win-Now Draft Colts Fans Will Debate
NFL.coms hypothetical seven-round redraft handed Indianapolis a kind of wish-list scenario, one that invites Colts fans to argue over both the ceiling and the realism of the haul. In the exercise, the Colts came away with a stacked mix of talent across the board, highlighted by an edge rusher in Will Anderson Jr. and a few other names that would instantly change the tone of the roster.
The fun for Colts followers is in the fit as much as the star power, because the mock puts real help around the lineup in places that have been easy to talk about for a while. Drake London would give Indianapolis a legitimate top target, Sauce Gardner would be back in the fold in a way that makes the secondary look far different, and even the later-round choices point to a team that would be trying to win now rather than think several seasons ahead. [Read more 🡒]
Why This Colts Rookie Keeps Coming Up In Anarumo's Defense
Bryce Boettchers path to the Colts has been anything but ordinary. Drafted with the 135th pick, the rookie linebacker arrives with the kind of toughness and competitive streak Indianapolis likes to tout, plus a rare versatility that could let him handle either MIKE or WILL in Lou Anarumos defense. It is the sort of profile that stands out even before a player takes a meaningful NFL snap, especially for a team still sorting out how its young linebackers fit together.
Boettcher also brings a background that makes him easy to notice in a room full of rookies. Before football became the clearer lane, he was drafted by the Astros and walked on at Oregon in both baseball and football, a route that helped shape the passion for the game Colts scout Kasia Omilan pointed to when discussing his fit. Even in the spring, when he spent most of his time with the second unit and only briefly mixed in with the starters, Boettcher kept showing up for the same reasons that got him here in the first place. [Read more 🡒]