The Indianapolis Colts have turned a corner in training camp, but there’s still plenty to sort out before the season starts. With their first preseason game in the books - a 13-13 tie with the New England Patriots on Thursday - the Colts now head into the final week of camp with joint practices against the Atlanta Falcons, plus two more preseason games against Atlanta and the Detroit Lions.
The regular season is closing in fast, and Sun., Sept. 13, when Indianapolis opens against the Baltimore Ravens, is now just under a month away. The team has made some progress, but a handful of big questions still hang over the summer.
One of the biggest centers on Anthony Richardson Sr. The fourth-year quarterback has been available since February, when he and the Colts mutually agreed to seek a trade.
Nothing the team has considered reasonable has come together, which has put the focus squarely on camp and preseason action. Richardson will have three joint practices and three preseason games to make his case to other teams.
So far, he has bounced back a bit from a rough start to camp, much like he did in the preseason opener. He worked through a pair of turnovers and still finished with a completion percentage of nearly 80%, more than 10.0 yards per pass attempt, and over 50 rushing yards plus a score.
Another situation to watch is Alec Pierce, who has not practiced this offseason after a procedure on his left ankle and heel in March. His return window has stretched from the end of July to September, and earlier this week he was seen rehabbing with team trainers for the first time this summer.
That at least points toward him getting closer. With a new role and the need to shake off the rust before Week 1, the Colts need him back on the field as soon as they can get him there.
The pass rush is also still in flux. Indianapolis missed out on Trey Hendrickson, so the group was always going to be built by committee.
But Arden Key and Jaylahn Tuimoloau as the main edge options opposite Laiatu Latu has not exactly looked like a finished answer. Key is 30 and has a single-season high of 6.5 sacks, while Tuimoloau was a rookie who played only 215 defensive snaps last year.
That’s part of why the Colts took George Gumbs Jr. and Caden Curry on Day 3 of this year’s draft. They were expected to need time before becoming real defensive pieces, but both have been among the most encouraging standouts on the defensive line this summer.
The question now is whether that’s just a product of working against backups or a sign they might be ready to help in 2026.
Linebacker is another area where the picture remains blurry. Lou Anarumo and James Bettcher are likely to lean on CJ Allen and Akeem Davis-Gaither as the two base starters, but Bryce Boettcher, Austin Ajiake and safety Hunter Wohler also seem likely to be involved often.
Jaylon Carlies has a strong case for the roster as well. The Colts may keep mixing and matching based on run and pass looks, along with down-and-distance, and it would not be a surprise if four or five linebackers are used regularly.
Health is a major concern too. By the time the Colts reached the regular season last year, they had already lost cornerback Justin Walley and safety Hunter Wohler for the year, while cornerbacks JuJu Brents and Jaylon Jones were dealing with serious hamstring injuries. Injuries across the roster eventually helped sink the season, so staying mostly intact this time around is a priority.
And then there’s the kicking battle. Spencer Shrader had a rough offseason, making fewer than 70% of his field goal attempts, but he got a boost on Thursday by hitting both of his kicks, including a 61-yarder that tied the game for good with a little more than a minute left.
Blake Grupe entered the game making about 90% of his attempts, but he went 0-of-1 on Thursday, and his miss also came from 61 yards. Shrader still has a lot of ground to cover, but in-game kicks matter a lot in a competition like this.
In Other News...
Colts Suddenly Face A Week 1 Concern After Frightening Sideline Injury
The final play of the preseason turned costly for the Colts when special teams coordinator Brian Mason was hurt on the sideline after colliding with two players. Head coach Shane Steichen said Mason is being evaluated for his knee, and the injury immediately created a concern for a unit that is already trying to settle in before Week 1.
Early reports suggest the damage could be serious, which only adds to the uncertainty around how Indianapolis will handle the days ahead. For now, the Colts are waiting on more information, with no clear timetable yet on how long Mason might be out or how the staff will adjust if he has to miss time. [Read more 🡒]
Colts Kicker Battle Just Got More Interesting After Preseason Opener
The Colts opened preseason play against the Patriots with a tie, and the most watched part of the afternoon may have been the kicking game. Spencer Shrader handled his opportunities well, including a pair of long field goals that gave Indianapolis something to think about as the competition at kicker starts to take shape. On a day when teams are still sorting through roster spots and special teams roles, Shraders clean work stood out, especially with Coleman Owen also making his mark in the return game.
Special teams, of course, is often where those summer battles get decided on the margins, and Indianapolis saw both encouraging signs and a few rough spots in the opener. The Colts got useful contributions from multiple players in that phase, but they also had an untimely penalty that erased a big return and underscored how quickly one mistake can change the conversation. For Shrader and the rest of the specialists, the next preseason game now carries a little more weight than it did before kickoff. [Read more 🡒]
Colts Camp Suddenly Has An Injury Problem Fans Cant Ignore
The Colts got back to work on Aug. 15 for their 10th training camp practice, and the emphasis was on red zone passing drills as the team tried to keep sharpening the offense in a busy stretch of August. But the setting around practice was hard to ignore, with several players listed as injured after the preseason game, a reminder that camp depth can change quickly once contact and game reps start piling up.
DJ Giddens, CJ Allen, Charvarius Ward, Luke Tenuta, Anthony Gould, Jalen Farmer, Nolan Rucci and Derrick Nnadi were all on that injured list, adding to the uncertainty as the Colts try to sort through the roster. Even with the absences, special teams coordinator Brian Mason was back coaching practice despite a severe knee injury, a sign that the staff is pushing through a run of bad health while the team keeps moving toward the season. [Read more 🡒]