Some might argue that if only the Indianapolis Colts had remained healthy in 2025, the team would have certainly made the playoffs and been dangerous once there. That could be true. What is also true is that under general manager Chris Ballard, the team has only made the playoffs twice in nine seasons.
None of those postseason appearances have happened since 2020, the last time quarterback Philip Rivers played for the team, and before he spent five years in retirement. In other words, Ballard shouldn't keep his job because, after already spending eight years on the job, his team might be on the verge of winning the AFC South for the first time in Ballard's tenure.
There are some who give Ballard credit for roster-building as well, though the strength of that argument can be debated simply from the standpoint of the team's overall lack of high-level success. It is also clear that the general manager isn't good at drafting quarterbacks, but that isn't his only major issue.
Indianapolis Colts general manager has proven he cannot consistently draft good defensive linemen
Whatever Ballard thinks he is seeing when drafting, and many times signing in free agency, defensive linemen and edge rushers, isn't real. While Indy's safeties and cornerbacks have been solid this season, even with all its injuries, the front six or seven (depending on whether the team has three cornerbacks and two safeties on the field) haven't been good. Again.
Ballard chose Kwity Paye in the first round of 2021, and he has played more like a second-rounder during the best moments of his career. He is inconsistent and non-transformative. His best seasons are eight sacks. A solid number, but nowhere near great.
In 2025, Ballard took JT Tuimoloau in the second round, and he's been bad this year in the games when the team didn't make him a healthy scratch. He is suffering from an oblique injury at the end of the season, but he didn't have the issue for most of the year.
2024 first-round selection Laiatu Latu has been much more productive in his second season, but he's also been inconsistent. He had nine quarterback pressures in Week 4, but just one in Week 5. He had five or more pressures in five of his first ten games this season, but in the same span had four games with two or fewer. He's had no more than four in any of the last four games.
Of the ten defensive linemen Ballard has drafted since 2020, only Latu has arguably been close to consistently good with the Indianapolis Colts. The best players in the front seven now are Latu and DeForest Buckner, but Buckner is over 30 years old, as is defensive tackle Grover Stewart.
This implies the group needs to be rebuilt again, and the worst part is that Chris Ballard could be in charge of that. He could be terminated this coming offseason because a lack of a division title in nine years should warrant that. Assuming he stays, though, there should be no positive expectation that the general manager can upgrade the front seven.