The Indianapolis Colts’ week has turned into something close to a full-scale teardown, and Shane Steichen is now standing in the middle of it trying to keep the season upright.
First came the firing of Chris Ballard. Then the Colts shipped out Pro Bowl guard Quenton Nelson and All-Pro defensive tackle DeForest Buckner on the same day. That kind of movement sends a loud message, and it has left fans asking the obvious question: what exactly is left of this season?
The concern doesn’t stop there. Jonathan Taylor and Josh Downs are also part of the conversation now, with Taylor and Downs both making headlines and both possibly gone by the end of the week.
Trading away two major locker-room anchors already made it easy for outsiders to assume the Colts are punting on 2024. If more moves follow, that read gets even harder to ignore.
Steichen, meanwhile, has to coach through all of it while getting ready for Week 8 against the Jacksonville Jaguars, an AFC South opponent that suddenly looms even larger. It would not be surprising if this ends up being the last game he coaches as the Colts’ head coach.
Still, he addressed the situation Wednesday and made clear he has plenty of respect for the two veterans who were dealt away.
"I have the ultimate respect for those two guys," Steichen said via Kevin Bowen of 107.5 The Fan. "What they meant to this organization, this team, this city.
Two of the ultimate competitors, the best to ever do it. They're the definition of the standard in what you want in a football player.
Definitely going to miss those guys.
"Like I said, I can't say enough good things about them. Building a relationship with those guys over the past three years has been phenomenal, and I know they're going to do well on their new teams.
I got a lot of respect for those guys. A deep amount of respect, and I'm excited for the young guys to step up, without a doubt.
"Farmer's got an opportunity to step up. Tomi's been playing good ball -- he's gotta step up. But we're excited for those young guys to step up going forward."
For Steichen, the challenge is obvious. Losing Nelson and Buckner is a major blow, not just because of what they did on the field, but because of what they represented inside the building. Together, they’ve been fixtures in Indianapolis for nearly 16 years combined, and their exits point directly toward a rebuild.
That likely means the organization wants to see what its rookies and younger players can do as the season unfolds. But that approach also makes it much tougher to stay competitive, and if Taylor or Downs are moved too, the climb gets even steeper.
As things stand, Steichen appears safe for the moment. But a rough loss to Jacksonville could change the picture fast.
Wednesday may have been one of the last times Colts fans hear from him with the horseshoe on his hat, and right now his job looks more precarious than anyone else’s in the NFL. Nick Sirriani’s situation in Philadelphia is also under heavy scrutiny, but Steichen’s seat is the hottest one.
For his sake, the Colts need the younger players he named to rise up. More than that, the whole team has to do it if Steichen is going to last beyond the immediate chaos, and maybe even to the end of the season.
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The Colts uneven season has already produced one major shakeup, with Chris Ballard out as general manager while Shane Steichen remains in place. With Indianapolis expected to be a seller before the Nov. 10 trade deadline, the focus is starting to shift from this years disappointments to what the roster could look like next fall, especially with several notable names moving toward free agency.
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Nelson said the transition has been bittersweet, which fits the reality of leaving behind a place where he had deep ties, even as he welcomed the chance to start fresh in Seattle. Hes not looking far beyond the current season just yet, keeping his focus on preparing for the games ahead while the broader questions about what comes next remain on hold. [Read more 🡒]