The Indianapolis Colts have spent much of camp reinforcing a frustrating theme: this roster looks a lot more like a team trying to hold its ground than one trying to break through.
That’s the concern hanging over Chris Ballard right now. While other teams around the league have kept making moves, the Colts have mostly watched the market unfold from the sideline. And for fans in Indy, the sting is sharper because several of the players who landed elsewhere would have fit obvious needs on this roster.
Wide receiver is the clearest example. Deebo Samuel signed with the San Francisco 49ers, and Stefon Diggs landed with the Washington Commanders.
Either one, the source article notes, would have slotted in as a WR2 or WR3 for Indianapolis. That matters because after Alec Pierce and Josh Downs, the Colts’ wideout group is described as iffy at best.
Pierce’s role makes the picture even trickier. He has never posted a season with as many as 50 catches, yet Indianapolis is betting big that he can make a major jump after re-signing him for four years and as much as $116 million. Bringing in Samuel or Diggs would have given the Colts some insurance if that leap doesn’t happen.
The same kind of issue shows up on the defensive side. Indianapolis still needs a proven edge rusher to support rising star Laiatu Latu, and Ballard’s additions - Arden Key and Micheal Clemons - come with low ceilings. A player like Jadeveon Clowney, who signed with AFC South rival the Houston Texans, would have been a cleaner answer.
There are reasons those names ended up elsewhere. Clowney had already played for the Texans and has a home in Houston.
Samuel once played for the 49ers. Diggs choosing Washington is tougher to explain.
But the larger point remains the same: Ballard’s offseason and what he’s done in camp have been about keeping the Colts together, not making them better. Alec Pierce, quarterback Daniel Jones, and running back Jonathan Taylor were all re-signed or extended, but those moves didn’t add new talent to the building. They only preserved what was already there.
Even that comes with caveats. Pierce has never played on a playoff team, and Taylor has done so only once. Their individual success doesn’t automatically translate to team success, and that’s the gap Indianapolis still has to close.
Outside of the draft class, there isn’t a player the Colts added this offseason who stands out as a major upgrade at any position. Key and Clemons could end up having their best season in 2026, but that’s still a gamble.
Houston, meanwhile, has taken a far more aggressive approach. The Texans, who reached the Divisional Round last year, added longtime Colts right tackle Braden Smith in free agency. They also traded for running back David Montgomery and signed Clowney, among other moves.
That’s the contrast in plain view. Houston is trying to get better.
The Colts, at least so far, are trying to stay the same. And if Indianapolis doesn’t correct that approach, it could end up paying for it.
In Other News...
Colts Suddenly Have A Daniel Jones Problem They Cant Ignore
Daniel Jones has been giving the Colts a steady showing at training camp, and that matters more than ever for a team trying to build some confidence behind center. The problem is what comes next. Indianapolis has been rotating the QB2 reps between Riley Leonard and Anthony Richardson, and the early returns have left the staff with more questions than answers about who could keep the offense on schedule if Jones were to miss time.
Offensive coordinator Jim Bob Cooter has already pointed to the uneven play from the backups, and the concern is less about one bad day than about a pattern that has surfaced throughout camp. Leonard has had stretches where he looks fine, then slips out of rhythm, while Richardson has continued to battle the kinds of mistakes that can stall an offense in a hurry. For a team that needs real depth at quarterback, the Colts are still waiting for one of those options to show he can be trusted. [Read more 🡒]
Riley Leonard Faces A Colts Backup QB Test That Could Change Everything
Riley Leonard has spent training camp trying to make a case that a sixth-round pick can force his way into a meaningful quarterback role with the Colts. Behind Daniel Jones, the competition for the No. 2 job has been active, and head coach Shane Steichen has made it clear that Leonard and Anthony Richardson are still battling for that spot. Leonard has flashed enough to hint at upside, with a few big plays showing why Indianapolis kept giving him chances, but the steady consistency needed to climb the depth chart is still a work in progress.
What makes the fight so interesting is how much of it comes down to the details that separate a camp standout from a backup quarterback the staff can trust. Leonard has focused on sharpening his pre-snap decision-making and getting quicker after the snap, areas that often decide whether a young passer moves forward or stalls out. The Colts are still sorting out the position, and Leonards path to the job may hinge on whether his recent promise turns into the kind of clean, repeatable execution that keeps coaches leaning his way. [Read more 🡒]
Pat McAfee Calls Out Colts Hype After Brutal AFC South Outlook
Pat McAfee is not buying the early optimism around the Colts, and his pushback lands at a time when the roster still feels like a work in progress. Indianapolis spent aggressively enough this offseason to invite bigger expectations, yet the market has the Colts at +380 to win the AFC South and pegged at a 7.5-win total, a combination that hardly suggests division favorite status.
The quarterback situation has at least looked steadier, with Daniel Jones signing an extension and turning in a strong camp, but the offense is still waiting on more clarity elsewhere. Alec Pierce is recovering from ankle surgery and does not have a set return date, leaving one of the teams top receiving options in limbo as the Colts try to turn offseason investment into something more convincing by opening day. [Read more 🡒]