Chris Ballard watched another target slip away Sunday, and this one stung twice over for the Indianapolis Colts.
Jadeveon Clowney, still a productive edge rusher, signed with the Houston Texans, leaving Indianapolis empty-handed and sending him to an AFC South rival at the same time. For the Colts, it was the kind of free-agent miss that keeps piling up around general manager Chris Ballard.
The Texans had reasons to make the move. Clowney has a home in the area, so a deal in Houston fit cleanly enough. And Houston, already armed with an elite defense, got even stronger.
Still, the Colts’ problem is bigger than one player ending up elsewhere. Indianapolis also recently watched wide receiver Deebo Samuel leave the Washington Commanders for the San Francisco 49ers in free agency. Samuel had played in San Francisco before, but the larger point remains the same: the Colts keep seeing options vanish while other teams make the stronger move.
Ballard’s offseason approach hasn’t helped. He re-signed quarterback Daniel Jones and wide receiver Alec Pierce, but keeping familiar pieces in place is not the same thing as upgrading. It preserves what was already there; it doesn’t change the ceiling.
Indianapolis did bring in Arden Key, but that only goes so far after Kwity Paye signed with the Las Vegas Raiders. At best, Key looks like a replacement-level answer, and the edge-rush group still feels stuck.
The unit was not especially productive in 2025, and outside of Laiatu Latu, it underperformed. Ballard did not raise the level of the position.
Clowney would have done that. Money often wins these situations, and Houston’s familiarity with the player may have mattered too, but Ballard never appeared to be pushing hard enough to land him.
The same can be said of Deebo Samuel. That’s a tough look for a general manager who should be feeling pressure after missing the playoffs every year since 2020.
There are still other edge rushers available who could help the Colts, but Ballard does not appear to be pursuing Joey Bosa or Leonard Floyd, either.
Instead, Indianapolis is hosting players like running back Kenny McIntosh, who was released by the Seattle Seahawks after struggling to recover from a knee injury suffered last July. It was the second major knee injury he has dealt with in three years.
The pattern is hard to miss: Ballard seems to be shopping for the cheapest possible answer on players who were not already in Indianapolis. Meanwhile, the Texans are actively reshaping their roster as they try to stay ahead in the AFC South race, a division title Ballard has never won.
Right now, Houston looks like a team trying to get better. The Colts, under Ballard, still look like a team that hasn’t figured out how.
In Other News...
Colts Defense Is Trying Something New As Young Players Adjust Fast
The Colts kept things in the trenches during a full-pad training camp practice, with the day tilted toward the run game and only limited vertical passing. It was the kind of session designed to sharpen details early, and the defense got a look at how quickly some of the younger pieces can handle a more demanding workload.
Cam Bynum has taken over defensive communication duties from the linebackers, a shift meant to help rookies process the game faster and play with more confidence. Caden Curry and George Gumbs Jr. were among the young defenders who stood out, and Gumbs even drew a reprimand from Lou Anarumo for celebrating too early during a live rep, a small reminder that the learning curve is still part of camp. [Read more 🡒]
Charvarius Ward Brings Colts Secondary A Story Fans Will Feel
Charvarius Ward arrived in Indianapolis carrying more than just expectations for a new season in the Colts secondary. The veteran cornerback spent part of last year battling the aftereffects of a severe concussion that he said took a toll on him mentally and emotionally, while also forcing him to confront personal trauma away from the field. Now on the other side of that stretch, Ward has talked openly about how much the game still means to him and how playing for his family remains a big part of what drives him.
For the Colts, that perspective matters as much as any coverage rep or ball skills drill. Ward has also taken time to discuss the secondary around him and the role he wants to play in it, with his focus set on living up to his contract and performing at a high level. If he can do that, Indianapolis would not just be adding a proven defender, but a voice in the back end who has already shown the kind of resilience that can resonate in a locker room. [Read more 🡒]