Training camp for NFL teams and their fans is the equivalent of baseball's spring training: Every team has hope for a highly successful season prior to the real games beginning. The difference for fans of the Indianapolis Colts is that Indy actually could be good and doesn't just offer false hope.
ESPN, in a recent ranking of the best starting lineups, appears to disagree with the above, however. The four-letter website says Indy has the 20th-best group of starters in the league, and if that number equates to wins, then the Colts would once again be on the outside looking in when the postseason starts.
ESPN might be completely wrong in listing Indianapolis's off-ball linebacker group as the team's biggest weakness. The duo of rookie CJ Allen and fellow first-year player Bryce Boettcher, or veteran free agent signee Akeem Davis-Gaither, could be a major upgrade over former starters Zaire Franklin and Germaine Pratt.
Indianapolis Colts gets wrongly disrespected by ESPN again
Also, Mike Clay of ESPN writes, "The Colts weren't as aggressive as expected in upgrading their linebacker room on a defense that ranked 30th in pass rush win rate (29.1%) and 25th in run stop win rate (29.2%) last season."
Oddly, he then goes further and explains how Indy has totally overhauled the inside linebacker group, so what he means by the team wasn't "aggressive" in trying to address the situation is unclear. If anything, by trading Franklin and not re-signing Pratt, while drafting Allen and Boettcher and signing Davis-Gaither, general manager Chris Ballard was as aggressive as humanly possible.
Franklin and Pratt were ineffective in everything but accumulating tackles. Their pass coverage skills were nonexistent, and in their limited chances of getting quarterback pressure, they weren't good. Allen should be an excellent run-stopper, and Boettcher should be a boon in pass coverage.
The Indianapolis Colts also continue to fail to get the respect they deserve in two important areas. The offensive and defensive lines should be very good again. They often keep Indy in games they might not otherwise be in. That could translate to a stolen win or two in 2026, which might mean the team makes the postseason for the first time since 2020.
As for the Colts' No. 20 ranking, that is third in the AFC South. The Houston Texans rank ninth, the Jacksonville Jaguars are 16th, and the Tennessee Titans are 28th. Based on this, Indy will finish third in the division, just as it did in 2025, which makes getting to the playoffs a real struggle.
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