Alec Pierce, Quenton Nelson, and CJ Allen are three Indianapolis Colts players who could be in the conversation for team MVP honors a year from now, even though none of them made Bill Barnwell’s list for the 2026 season.
Barnwell’s picks for the Colts next season were tight end Tyler Warren, cornerback Sauce Gardner, and edge rusher Laiatu Latu. Daniel Jones was left off the list, despite the fact that the team’s hopes for next season still lean heavily on what happens at quarterback. The article also notes that Shane Steichen has to find a way to win games while dealing with several disadvantages, and that the defense’s rookies will need to contribute even though they have not yet played an NFL snap.
Looking ahead to 2027, Pierce stands out as a player who could force his way into that kind of discussion. He is the Colts’ No. 1 wide receiver, and a big season from him would matter a lot.
There is also the reality that he has not yet built a long enough track record to make this feel automatic, and the 2026 season reads more like a proving ground. He just signed a four-year deal, so there is plenty riding on whether he can deliver.
If Pierce breaks out, he could easily be on the MVP radar for 2027.
Nelson is the other obvious name. It was a bit surprising not to see him on Barnwell’s 2026 list, because the Colts depend on him more than most.
He anchors the offensive line and carries real leadership weight throughout the roster. The perennial Pro Bowl left guard is described as arguably the most dominant player at his position in the NFL, and the case for him as a Colts MVP is strong every year.
Then there is Allen, the rookie linebacker whose expectations are already sky-high. It would be unusual for any rookie to crack a team MVP conversation, but the buzz around Allen is real. If he has a special first season, he would validate the Colts’ decision to make him their first pick and could end up in the team MVP mix not just in 2027, but for several seasons beyond that.
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Colts Enter Camp With One Injury Problem Fans Feared Most
Training camp opens July 29 for the Colts, and the early picture already comes with more health questions than anyone around the building would like. Daniel Jones is working back from an Achilles tendon tear, DeForest Buckner is returning after neck surgery, and the secondary and receiving corps are also dealing with their own summer uncertainty as the team tries to get its roster pointed toward Week 1.
Alec Pierce has not yet resumed football activities after ankle surgery, while Charvarius Ward is managing a back issue after a season that included multiple concussions. For a team trying to sort out roles and build momentum before the pads come on, the bigger concern is not just who is on the field in late July, but who can actually get through camp without the injury list growing any longer. [Read more 🡒]
Colts Face A Huge WR Decision Ballard Cant Play Safe On
The Colts have spent the offseason trying to stabilize a receiver room that suddenly looks thinner and more uncertain than it did a year ago, and the search for help has pushed them toward a familiar kind of swing-for-the-fences conversation. Any addition there would be judged against a depth chart that now asks a lot of Alec Pierce and Josh Downs, which is why a proven veteran pass catcher keeps coming up as a possible answer if Indianapolis wants more than just survival at the position.
Stefon Diggs checks plenty of the football boxes that matter to a team trying to raise its ceiling. He is still producing at a level that suggests he can help right away, and his track record includes repeated 1,000-yard seasons, which is not something the Colts can easily find in the bargain bin. The harder part is deciding whether the upside is worth the baggage, because this is the kind of move that could look bold in March and very different by the time the season is underway. [Read more 🡒]
Colts Fans Just Got An Uncomfortable Ranking Of Their Top Trade Assets
A fresh look at the Colts most valuable trade chips offers a reminder of how much talent is packed into the roster, even if moving any of it would be a bad football decision. The exercise takes stock of players such as Laiatu Latu, Quenton Nelson, Jonathan Taylor and Tyler Warren, weighing age, production, contract status and positional value to estimate what each might fetch if Indianapolis ever listened to offers.
The individual valuations are the kind that make sense on paper and still feel uncomfortable in practice. Latu is viewed as having enough pass-rush upside to draw serious interest, Nelsons combination of pedigree and market scarcity still carries real value, and Taylor remains the sort of player whose name would resonate around the league even with the running back market where it is. The point of the breakdown is less about a looming deal than about how expensive it would be for the Colts to even consider one. [Read more 🡒]