The Colts still aren’t saying much about Keenan Allen, and that silence says plenty.
Indianapolis head coach Shane Steichen held off on giving a clear answer on Allen’s Week 5 status ahead of Sunday’s matchup with the Pittsburgh Steelers. Allen sat out Week 4 with a groin injury and was limited in practice this week, but his availability remains up in the air. The Colts are scheduled to release their official injury report for Week 5 on Friday afternoon.
Steichen did make a few things clear. Wide receiver Ashton Dulin, edge rusher Arden Key and linebacker Jaylon Carlies are all out against Pittsburgh, with Dulin dealing with a hamstring injury, Key also sidelined by a hamstring issue and Carlies out because of ribs. Allen and center Tanor Bortolini, though, are still unresolved.
That leaves some room for speculation, including whether recently signed Darius Slayton might finally get on the field after being inactive the last two games. The Colts aren’t offering anything there, either.
Allen’s absence would be notable, but it would not be new. He missed Week 4, and Indianapolis still handled a banged-up Washington Commanders team with relative ease. He was expected to help replace some of the production left behind when Michael Pittman Jr. was traded to Pittsburgh, though Allen has not delivered much so far this season.
Bortolini may end up being the more important name to watch. If he cannot go, the Colts’ offense could feel that more directly than it would without Allen. A backup center spot is already a concern, and with quarterback Daniel Jones dealing with turnover issues, another hit to the middle of the line would only make things tougher.
Indianapolis enters Week 5 at 2-2 after back-to-back wins, while Pittsburgh is not exactly rolling. Still, the Colts are treating every piece of injury information like a guarded secret until the official report lands.
In Other News...
Marvin Harrison Jr. Just Became A Real Cardinals Deadline Story
When the trade buzz around Marvin Harrison Jr. started to widen, Indianapolis found itself right in the middle of it. According to ESPN reporters Josh Weinfuss and Stephen Holder, the Colts are among the teams doing due diligence on the Cardinals receiver and would be interested if he ever became available, a noteworthy bit of background for a franchise always keeping tabs on young pass-catchers with a familiar name attached.
For now, though, the situation remains hypothetical from Indianapolis side. Arizona is not actively shopping Harrison, who was the No. 4 overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft and has appeared in four games this season, and he has said he is focused on playing for the Cardinals. Still, once a player of that pedigree enters deadline conversation, even quietly, it is the kind of thread front offices rarely ignore. [Read more 🡒]
Colts Rookie Class Is Already Creating A Chris Ballard Debate
The Colts went into the 2026 NFL Draft without a first-round pick, so Chris Ballard had to lean on volume and patience when he used eight selections from rounds 2 through 7 to restock the roster. Four games into the season, the early returns on that class have been uneven, which is hardly unusual for a group this deep but still enough to keep Ballards draft approach under the microscope.
Some of the rookies are already carving out roles on special teams or in reserve duty, while others are barely getting on the field as the staff sorts out who can help right now and who will need more time. Deion Burks, in particular, has had a limited offensive footprint so far, and George Gumbs, Jr. has yet to dress for a game, leaving the Colts with an early puzzle on which young pieces are actually moving the needle. [Read more 🡒]
Colts Win Streak Faces A Real Test If Their Offense Can't Clean Up
The Colts have steadied themselves with two straight wins after an uneven start, but the next step in that recovery comes with a tougher margin for error. A trip into Week 5 against the Steelers will say plenty about whether this run is real or just a brief correction, especially with the offense still trying to smooth out the kinds of mistakes that can put a game in danger before it ever settles in.
Daniel Jones recent decision-making has been part of that conversation, and Indianapolis cannot afford extra giveaways or field-flipping plays against a defense that will make every possession count. There is at least some help on the way for the passing game, with Keenan Allen expected back from injury, while Alec Pierce remains out, leaving the Colts with enough pieces to look better on paper and still enough uncertainty to make this a very real test. [Read more 🡒]