4 Colts players who won't be back in 2025

With Black Monday arriving for the coaching and personnel staff around the league, it’s time to start asking who may not be here on the roster as well. The Colts will have a decision to make with both general manager Chris Ballard and head coach Shane Steichen, along with their respective staff. The Colts extended their playoff drought yet another year - they have had a playoff berth since 2020 and have not won a playoff game since 2018. Let’s make the case for two notable players on offense, and two notable players on defense that will not return in 2025.

Center Ryan Kelly

I have written about this on numerous occasions about the future status of Ryan Kelly. It may sound like I don’t want him on the team. But it's completely the opposite, and this year really showed why they need the leadership on this team. With apparent work ethic and simple punctuality problems, a locker room leader is needed. At the same time, why didn’t it get rectified with him in the locker room this season?

If you want to get more in depth, he has struggled to stay healthy again this season, with multiple injuries plaguing his contract season. While I still think he can play at a high level, the franchise not only did not offer him a contract extension this past offseason, but they drafted his successor. During his injuries this season, we saw two players take his spot: veteran Danny Pinter and rookie Tanor Bortolini, who is the implied successor. Bortolini played well when given the opportunity, and Pinter was a bit spotty, but is coming off a major ankle injury.

The money that Kelly would command (again) is the main reason he won’t return next season. This offensive line has played well this season, but to continue to keep an aging veteran with mounting injuries is not sound business. Bortolini is ready to take over, and should be the starting center next season.

Tight End Kylen Granson

Arguably, the most underwhelming position this season on the roster has been the tight end room. We saw the often-injured Jelani Woods get injured again. Will Mallory doesn’t appear to be ready yet and is still developing, along with Drew Ogletree. We saw veteran Mo Alie-Cox and Kylen Granson get most of the snaps. Alie-Cox was not expected to make the roster after training camp, but found a role, and the franchise thought it was time for Kylen Granson to break out.

Granson was unable to break out this season, even while leading the tight end room. He finished with 13 receptions for 175 yards with zero touchdowns. He has shown his affinity as a blocker, but he was unimpactful and lacked explosive plays. He also had some key drops in the red zone. With both Granson and Alie-Cox hitting free agency, I fully expect the staff to make this position an area of focus in the offseason.

Safety Julian Blackmon

It pains me to write this again, as I think he is one of great stories on this Colts team every year. He gets criticized by some as being injury prone. However, outside of the 2021 season, where he suffered a season-pending injury, he has never played less than 14 games in a season. He has been reliable and dependable to this defense.

In fact, he has had nearly identical back-to-back seasons. He is on pace to match his tackle numbers, and his interceptions are down a bit, but it was another solid season for him. Here is the potential impending issue ahead for him. Last season, he took meetings with other teams in free agency looking for a multi-year deal, since Indianapolis did not offer one to him. He eventually signed a one-year contract in April. With similar numbers and similar contract expectations, the standoff could happen again this season. The other factor affecting him is the depth of safety in April’s draft. It is a deep class, with plenty of available talent. The safety market took a hit with money and contracts like what we saw recently with running backs.

Defensive End Dayo Odeyingbo

Chris Ballard has had his share of criticism when making draft picks. He made Dayo the 54th overall pick in the 2021 NFL Draft; the reason it was criticized was because he was coming off a major season-ending Achilles injury during his time at Vanderbilt. Dayo was able to return and play 10 games his rookie season, but has never really made an impact with the football team. He has not lived up to the expectations of a second-round pick.

His numbers have declined this season, even with the absence of starter Samson Ebukam. Let’s give some credit to Dayo, though; he has played alright, but hasn’t had a huge impact, and he has stayed healthy since the Achilles injury. The four main rotating ends are all under contract and expected to return next season. Another underwhelming season from Kwity Paye as well leads us to believe they could take another edge rusher in the draft and develop him. I could see Dayo return, but a change of scenery and an opportunity to get more snaps is the route he will likely take.