Five years; that's how long it's been since the Indianapolis Colts last sniffed an NFL playoff atmosphere. By the way things kicked off last season, it looked like they were on their way to snapping the drought. That glimmer of hope died when Daniel Jones suffered a torn Achilles tendon.
Jones, who returned to the Colts on a new deal and is expected to start the 2026-27 season, will mean everything to the Colts this year. Without him, their playoff hopes will be dashed again, and that could lead to more drastic measures, given that Shane Steichen’s and Chris Ballard's jobs are in jeopardy at that point.
If the Colts are going to snap their playoff drought next season, a certain group of players will have to show up and show out. Jones is obviously one of the five players in this conversation, but who are the other four? Without the production and execution of these five Colts players, it will be a tough season in Indianapolis.Â
Daniel Jones leads a five-player list whose impact can make or break the Indianapolis Colt's season
Daniel Jones, QB
Jones is the obvious, most important player for the Colts to experience real, relevant success next season. Remember, he started last season as a league leader at quarterback, and the Colts were winning games and sitting atop their division. Indianapolis will need Jones to return to that same form, and he might even need to be better. Barring any major injuries, Jones gives the Colts a shot.
Alec Pierce, WR
Moving away from Michael Pittman Jr. and trusting Alec Pierce as the primary receiver was a risk the Colts are hoping pays off. Pierce broke out last season in a huge way, and now that he's back on a four-year deal, he's the primary target.
The Colts' passing attack will rely heavily on a Jones-Pierce connection, but the latter will have to live up to his new deal and rack up better numbers than he did last season. For Jones to have a stellar season, Pierce has to.
Sauce Gardner, CB
One of the biggest mid-season deals last year was the Colts' trade for All-Pro cornerback Sauce Gardner. It was a risky play on the Colts' part, but Gardner is elite, so the play was worth it.
Gardner will have a full offseason under his belt when he takes the field in Week 1, and with a defense full of Pro Bowl and All-Pro players, Gardner might be the most important of them all. Not to mention, the pressure is on him after the New York Jets let him go.Â
Jonathan Taylor, RB
Given that Jones isn't elite or viewed as a top-10 or even top-15 quarterback, a running back's job in a scenario like that is all the more crucial to the success of an offense. The best thing to happen for the Colts is for Jones to play like he did last year, but his track record argues against it.
If Jones struggles, Jonathan Taylor's impact is absolutely vital. Taylor is elite; he is a top-10 running back, and without a solid year from him, the Colts offense will struggle.Â
CJ Allen, LB
There must be a ton of pressure at linebacker if a rookie finds himself on a list such as this one, but CJ Allen is on it because of the state of the Colts' linebacker position. Rebuilding this group happened through free-agent depth signings and draft selections.
Allen is expected to be the Colts' leader at linebacker for the future, so his time to shine may as well start now, as a rookie. If the Colts can't produce at linebacker next season, there could be trouble. That said, Allen looks ready for the job, and that's good news for the Colts.Â
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