The Indianapolis Colts are still searching for a way out of the same middle ground that’s defined them lately. Under Shane Steichen, they’ve stacked up three straight seasons of 9-8, 8-9 and 8-9, and each one ended without a playoff trip. Last year’s finish stung even more: Indianapolis opened 3-0, then 7-1, then 8-2, only to drop its final seven games.
Daniel Jones’ injury was part of that collapse, but the Colts are heading into 2026 with him back in the picture. The team brought him back after what it considered a strong first season in Indianapolis, and although he’s still coming back from a torn Achilles, the expectation is that he’ll be ready for Week 1.
There’s been movement around him, too. Indianapolis re-signed Alec Pierce on a four-year extension, and with Michael Pittman Jr. now traded to the Steelers, Pierce is going to be asked to carry more of the load. Jonathan Taylor remains the offense’s centerpiece after piling up 1,585 rushing yards last season.
The defense has seen its own additions. The Colts brought in Arden Key, Micheal Clemons and Derrick Nnadi along the line, while Jonathan Owens and Juanyeh Thomas were added at safety.
The bigger question is whether any of it pushes Indianapolis forward in a division that no longer looks like an easy path. The AFC South has tightened up, and the Colts now have to chase younger teams like the Texans and Jaguars just to stay in the mix.
They flashed real potential in the first half of last season. The problem was finishing it.
The Colts will spend 2026 trying to prove that stretch was the start of something better, not just another false alarm.
In Other News...
Tyler Warren's Sudden Exit Has Colts Fans Watching One Big Concern
Tyler Warrens training camp momentum hit an early snag when the Colts tight end left an 11-on-11 practice rep with a groin injury and did not return. He was seen walking off the field with a noticeable limp, a sight that immediately shifted attention from his camp progress to his availability, especially with the team still sorting through the early days of preseason.
The Colts have not offered an official update yet, but the expectation is that they will take the cautious route and keep Warren out of the upcoming preseason game against the Falcons. For a player trying to establish himself in a new setting, even a short absence can matter, and the bigger question now is how quickly he can get back on the field without the issue lingering. [Read more 🡒]
Colts Face Two Tough Roster Calls As Cutdown Day Nears
The roster squeeze is starting to show for the Colts as the 53-player deadline approaches, and a recent projection from James Boyd of The Athletic put a couple of recognizable names on the bubble. Running back DJ Giddens and defensive tackle Jerry Tillery were both listed among the notable players who could be left out when the final group is set, a reminder that late August is less about upside and more about how quickly a player can stay available and fit what the staff wants.
Giddens has spent training camp dealing with a hamstring issue, which has made it hard for him to build momentum, while Tillery is trying to hold off a crowded interior line group that includes Colby Wooden and his positional flexibility. For a team trying to sort out the back end of the roster, those are the kinds of calls that can come down to health, depth and who gives the Colts the cleanest answer in more than one spot. [Read more 🡒]
Daniel Jones Is Giving Colts Fans A Reason To Reconsider Ballard
Daniel Jones arrived at Colts training camp carrying plenty of skepticism, and not just because of the move from his old team. Chris Ballards decision to bring him in on a two-year contract came with the obvious caution flag of a major injury, but the early signs out of camp have been hard to ignore. Teammates and even former coaches have taken note as Jones has begun showing the kind of timing and movement that made him an intriguing fit in the first place.
What has really changed the conversation in Indianapolis is how normal Jones has looked in drills. After spending the offseason working back from the kind of injury that can alter a quarterbacks game, he has reportedly been sharp with the ball and comfortable enough on his feet to ease some of the concern around his recovery. For a Colts front office that staked something on this bet, every positive practice rep makes the original call look a little more reasonable. [Read more 🡒]