The Indianapolis Colts are headed into training camp with a lot of the roster already mapped out, but there’s still plenty to sort through once things get rolling in full on July 29. And with health looming as a major factor after 2025 exposed how thin the team was behind its starters, camp matters more than ever for the players trying to climb the depth chart.
There’s also a quarterback competition worth watching, even if it isn’t for the top job. Daniel Jones is set as QB1, but the backup role is still up for grabs.
A few rookies could also use this month to turn promise into something more concrete. For five Colts in particular, a strong camp could change the way they’re viewed heading into the season.
Jaylahn Tuimoloau is the clearest case. The second-round edge rusher had a rough rookie year in 2025, finishing with zero sacks and just one tackle for loss.
That kind of production simply won’t cut it for a team that needs help off the edge, especially with Laiatu Latu standing alone as the only dependable high-end option in the group. Indianapolis did bring in veteran Arden Key, but Tuimoloau has a real opening if he shows up in camp looking like a different player.
If he does, he could push his way into a starting role opposite Latu.
Riley Leonard is in a different kind of battle. He’s not competing for the starting quarterback job, but he does have a shot to become Jones’ immediate backup.
Leonard is up against Anthony Richardson, though the second-year quarterback from Notre Dame may have an edge because he has three years left on his contract, while Richardson has one. Leonard flashed in Week 18 against the Houston Texans last season, showing a strong arm and mobility, and he may have deserved more of a chance than he got before the team signed Philip Rivers instead.
A good camp could lock him in as the Colts’ long-term QB2.
The running back situation behind Jonathan Taylor is just as unsettled. Taylor is firmly at the top, but after him the picture gets murky.
The Colts are hoping DJ Giddens takes a big step in his second season, but if he doesn’t, Seth McGowan could be the next man up. The seventh-round pick might have been drafted higher if not for legal issues in college, and he brings a mix of speed and power that could make him useful as a change-of-pace option.
He’ll need to show it in camp and again in preseason games.
Blake Grupe enters a familiar Colts competition: the kicker battle. Spencer Shrader won it last year and might have held the job longer if not for the knee injury he suffered against the Las Vegas Raiders in Week 5, which ended his season.
Indianapolis later brought in Grupe, who finished the year strongly. He has the stronger leg and more NFL experience after several seasons with the New Orleans Saints before his release in 2025.
The job looks like his to lose, and the Colts would love for that to translate into a few extra wins during the season.
Bryce Boettcher rounds out the list, and his path is tied to a linebacker spot that has opened up. Many Colts fans likely expect rookie CJ Allen to start at one inside linebacker position, but the other role is still unsettled.
Zaire Franklin and Germaine Pratt, last season’s starters, are gone and likely not coming back. Boettcher, a fourth-round pick, showed at Oregon that he can tackle and cover well, and that coverage ability is something Indianapolis has been missing for a while.
If he can carry that skill set into the league, the Colts could end up with two rookie starters at off-ball linebacker.
In Other News...
Where The Colts Actually Look Strong Entering 2026
If the Colts are going to feel different in 2026, it starts in the places where games are protected and controlled. The offensive line still looks like the safest bet on the roster, anchored by Bernhard Raimann and Quenton Nelson on the left side, and the teams cornerback room and tight end group also stand out as clear strengths in a roster that still has some fragile spots elsewhere. Tyler Warren gives the tight end room real upside, while the line and secondary both give Indianapolis a foundation it can build around.
The catch is that a few of those strengths come with built-in pressure to hold up over a full season. Depth remains a concern in spots, and the defense still has questions around the interior front, while running back leans heavily on Jonathan Taylor to carry the load. Even with Sauce Gardner and Charvarius Ward Sr. giving the Colts a high-end presence on the outside, the bigger picture is whether those top groups can stay intact long enough to matter when the schedule gets rough. [Read more 🡒]
Tony Dungy Earns All-Time Honor Colts Fans Will Always Appreciate
Tony Dungys place in NFL history keeps getting harder to ignore, and Colts fans have every reason to take pride in it. CBS Sports recently slotted the former Indianapolis head coach among the leagues all-time greats, a fitting nod for a man who helped reshape the franchise and left a lasting imprint on the sport.
Dungys run in Indianapolis came after stops as a defensive coordinator in Pittsburgh and as a head coach in Tampa Bay, but his work with the Colts is what still resonates most in this market. He helped steady a team that had spent years chasing postseason breakthroughs and ultimately delivered the kind of championship moment that changed how the franchise was viewed, even as the full significance of his legacy continues to be appreciated in new ways. [Read more 🡒]
Colts Fans Have Every Reason To Worry About This Receiver Room
The Colts have locked in Alec Pierce on a new contract, a move that gives the offense a clearer No. 1 option on the outside and puts even more pressure on the rest of the passing game to hold up. Josh Downs remains an important piece, but the depth chart behind those two looks thin enough to raise real questions about how sturdy this receiver room will be once the season starts.
Ashton Dulin, Nick Westbrook-Ikhine, Deion Burks and Anthony Gould are the names available to fill out the rotation, and that group may not be enough if Indianapolis wants to keep pace in a tougher passing environment. It is easy to see why the Colts would at least be linked to veteran help such as Stefon Diggs, Keenan Allen or Deebo Samuel, because the front office still has a lot to sort through before this position feels like a strength. [Read more 🡒]