The Colts’ “triplets” are getting respect from CBS Sports, but not enough to crack the league’s top tier.
Jared Dubin slotted Indianapolis at No. 21 in his ranking of NFL playmaking trios, putting Daniel Jones, Jonathan Taylor and Alec Pierce in the middle of the pack rather than near the elite. The Colts did jump 10 spots from a year ago, but Dubin still called the ranking “way too high for them,” noting they’re in a virtual tie with the Jaguars.
The biggest reason for the skepticism is the quarterback spot. Jones had a strong stretch to open the season, but Dubin pointed out that it looked far different from the rest of his career.
Now, with Jones coming off a torn Achilles, there’s real uncertainty about which version of him Indianapolis will get for the 2026 campaign. The concern is whether he can get back to the midseason 2025 form he showed in his debut Colts season under Shane Steichen, or whether the team is closer to the turnover-prone, injury-plagued quarterback Jones was with the Giants.
Taylor, though, remains the steady force in the group. The Colts’ workhorse is still viewed as one of the league’s best backs, and the source material describes him as arguably a Top 5 player at his position after another highly productive year.
Pierce is the wild card. He’s being asked to step into a much bigger role as the team’s No. 1 option after Michael Pittman Jr.’s recent departure, and he’s coming off a major injury of his own.
Dubin noted that Pierce may not even be ready for training camp. At the same time, there’s reason to think his game can keep growing; he has improved every season, and another year in the league could help round out his skill set.
Even so, his calling card is already clear. Pierce led the league in highest average yards per reception in each of the past two seasons, making him one of the NFL’s most dangerous downfield threats.
That’s why the ranking lands where it does. Indianapolis has a strong back, a quarterback with major questions attached, and a receiver whose best trait is elite but whose full profile is still developing. There are a lot of “what if’s” here, and that’s exactly why the Colts are sitting at No. 21 instead of much higher.
In Other News...
Colts Just Set The Stage For A Nostalgic 2026 At Lucas Oil
The Colts are already giving fans a reason to circle Lucas Oil Stadium for 2026, unveiling a home slate built around familiar touchpoints, special causes and a few nods to the franchises past. The lineup includes the home opener against the Ravens, a Rivalry Uniform Game against the Texans, White Out, Salute to Service, Kicking The Stigma, My Cause My Cleats, Indiana Nights and the regular-season finale against the Jaguars.
For a team that has leaned into presentation as much as tradition, the schedule feels designed to keep the building tied to both its history and its identity. One of the biggest moments on that calendar will come with a Ring of Honor celebration for Adam Vinatieri at Lucas Oil Stadium, while other dates should give the Colts a chance to turn game days into something closer to an event, even before the football takes center stage. [Read more 🡒]
Another Colts Quarterback Twist Could Put This Backup In Play
The Colts quarterback room is still taking shape for 2026, and the expectation around the league is that Indianapolis will carry three passers. Daniel Jones and Riley Leonard appear positioned to be part of that mix, which would leave the final spot as the one most worth watching as the roster comes together.
Easton Stick is one name that fits the profile, especially with his prior link to Shane Steichen from their time together in Los Angeles. If the Colts do end up with the room they have in mind, Stick would be looking at a depth role behind Jones and Leonard, but the path to even getting that chance may depend on how the rest of the quarterback situation settles in the coming weeks. [Read more 🡒]
Colts Face A Roster Squeeze At Tight End Again
Training camp is about to put the Colts back in a familiar roster math problem at tight end. Tyler Warren, Mo Alie-Cox and Drew Ogletree look like the safest names in the room, while the rest of the group has to fight for whatever is left once the front office starts trimming toward the final 53.
Will Mallory appears to have the inside track on the fourth spot, but he is not treated as a lock, which keeps the competition open heading into camp. The bigger wrinkle is whether Indianapolis even carries four tight ends at all, since going lighter there would free up room for help elsewhere on the roster. [Read more 🡒]