The Colts spent the offseason acting like they knew exactly what they wanted to be. They kept quarterback Daniel Jones and wide receiver Alec Pierce in the fold with multi-year extensions, leaned into the idea that Josh Downs and Tyler Warren can keep growing, and counted on Jonathan Taylor plus the offensive line to rediscover the run-game form that sparked them early in 2025.
On defense, the plan was just as clear: get younger, get faster, and keep reshaping the unit in coordinator Lou Anarumo’s image. That meant moving on from several veterans as Indianapolis continued its overhaul.
Not everyone is buying the blueprint.
Nate Davis of USA Today slotted the Colts 26th in his post-offseason NFL power rankings, putting them ahead of only the Tennessee Titans (27), Cleveland Browns (28), Las Vegas Raiders (29), New York Jets (30), Arizona Cardinals (31), and Miami Dolphins (32). in 2026
"A Jekyll-and-Hyde outfit a year ago, one has to wonder − if Indy remains on the Hyde track, newly extended QB Daniel Jones and WR Alec Pierce are unlikely to be 100% entering the season − if RB Jonathan Taylor becomes the prize of this year's trade deadline," Davis wrote.
There’s a real argument for skepticism. Jones and Pierce both come with questions, and if the season opens with them less than fully healthy, that’s worth watching. But it’s also a stretch to treat that as the kind of issue that would sink the whole operation.
Jones’ value has always started with how he prepares and how well he sees the game. He’s an athletic quarterback who can create plays with his legs, but what stood out last year was how cleanly he ran Shane Steichen’s offense. Even if his explosiveness dips while he works back from December Achilles surgery, that alone shouldn’t derail Indianapolis.
Pierce has a different kind of case. If he’s ready for Week 1, he should still be productive. He isn’t boxed in as only a deep threat anymore now that he’s the Colts’ WR2, and even if that were still his role, he led the NFL in yards per reception last year while playing through the ankle injury that eventually required surgery.
So yes, predicting the Colts to miss the playoffs - or even finish below .500 - is completely fair. They haven’t reached the postseason since 2020 and have finished under .500 in three of the last four years. But labeling them as the seventh-worst team in football feels like a harder sell.
In Other News...
Colts May Finally Be Forced Into The Risk Fans Wanted
The Colts uneven 2025 finish only sharpened the conversation around how much longer Chris Ballard can keep leaning on patience and internal development. After another season that opened well before sliding to 8-9, Indianapolis is once again looking for a way to add real impact without blowing up its long-term plan, and wide receiver help sits near the top of the list of needs.
Brandon Aiyuk is the kind of swing that could fit that mandate, especially with the 49ers expected to move on from him one way or another. The Colts have reason to pay attention because the path to landing him could be more manageable than a typical splash addition, and with the receiver room already short on proven answers, this is the sort of opening Ballard has often talked around but not always been forced to chase. [Read more 🡒]
These 5 Colts Could Decide How This Season Ends
The Colts are heading into a season where a handful of names could shape everything from the offense to the defense, and the list starts with Daniel Jones. His return gives Indianapolis a new layer of uncertainty and optimism at quarterback, while Alec Pierce is positioned to take on a far bigger role in the passing game and Jonathan Taylor remains the kind of back who can steady the entire operation when the offense needs it most.
On the other side of the ball, Sauce Gardner gives the Colts a high-end answer in the secondary after the mid-season trade that brought him in, and rookie linebacker CJ Allen adds another important piece to a unit still being rebuilt. If those five players settle into their roles the way the Colts hope, the teams ceiling looks a lot different than it did a year ago, but there is still plenty riding on how quickly that mix comes together. [Read more 🡒]
Cam Taylor-Britt Enters Colts Camp With Very Little Margin For Error
Cam Taylor-Britt arrives at Colts camp in a familiar kind of spot for a veteran corner: useful enough to matter, but not so entrenched that anything is guaranteed. Indianapolis already has established options at the top of the depth chart, which means the real work for Taylor-Britt is finding a way to stand out in a crowded fight for the jobs behind them as training camp and final cuts draw closer.
His path gets a little more interesting because of Lou Anarumo, the Colts defensive coordinator, who coached Taylor-Britt in Cincinnati for three seasons. That connection gives him a built-in layer of familiarity, but it does not change the basic reality of camp - he still has to win over a roster spot against other contenders and prove he belongs in the mix when the decisions get tight. [Read more 🡒]