General manager Chris Ballard is getting things done that he wants, which is almost surprising. After taking a gamble on placing the transition tag on quarterback Daniel Jones, the Indianapolis Colts' GM was able to keep the QB in the fold, as well as wide receiver Alec Pierce.
That is success, and well-deserved. Some might have slapped one or the other player with the franchise tag, while risking the other leaving. Ballard was able to re-sign Pierce at nearly $30 million a season, which was likely his going rate, and Jones on something less than he initially wanted.
Reportedly, the quarterback was asking for $50 million a season, and he ended up getting that. It was $13 million more than the transition tag, but why not start negotiations at a higher amount than the team was offering? That's how negotiations work, and Jones won.
Alec Pierce and Daniel Jones coming back to the Indianapolis Colts doesn't mean the team's work is done
A major issue does exist for the Colts, however. Assuming (at least, hoping) that Daniel Jones can come back early in the 2026 season after tearing his Achilles tendon in Week 14 of this past season, and assuming that he leads the offense to the same kind of elite performance it had in the first half of 2025, the team still must know it can't win on only one side of the ball.
The defense is shaping up to be...well, no one might truly know. If cornerbacks Sauce Gardner and Charvarius Ward (if Mooney doesn't choose to retire) can stay healthy, and the same occurs with defensive lineman DeForest Buckner, Lou Anarumo's unit might be solid. The inside linebacker group has to be rebuilt, and the edge rush groups needs reenforcements, however.
The team traded Zaire Franklin, who made a lot of tackles and missed on a lot. He was wretched in coverage. Replacing him is certainly doable, as well as upgrading the position, but moves have to be made to do that. Indy didn't have a replacement for Franklin already on the team.
The Indianapolis Colts did acquire Arden Key in free agency, but he hasn't been any more productive in his career than Kwity Paye, who agreed to terms with the Las Vegas Raiders. That is, at best, a trade of the same.
After working out deals with Alec Pierce and Daniel Jones, Chris Ballard still has work to do. The AFC South is improving, and that includes the Tennessee Titans. Jones and Pierce have to be great in the future, but the defense can't be worse if Indy is going to make the playoffs for the first time since 2020.