The Indianapolis Colts once again missed the playoffs. The team hasn't made the postseason since 2020. But what did the ownership group decide to do? Bring general manager Chris Ballard and head coach Shane Steichen back, of course.
Maybe Ballard and Steichen aren't the true problems. Perhaps, many of the players simply didn't live up to their contracts. Even though the team suffered many injuries, three of the players below were counted on to be productive starters (or key backups) and stayed healthy only to fail.
Hopefully, 2026 will bring better health for the Indianapolis Colts. However, even if that happens, highly-paid players need to do their jobs better. That is the case with the four that follow.
These players simply stole money from the Indianapolis Colts in 2025
Defensive lineman Grover Stewart
- Cap hit: $14.3 million (fourth-highest on the team)
- Pro Football Focus position grade: 74th
Stewart has long been a stalwart in the middle of the Indianapolis defensive line, and he has been a good player. He simply wasn't in 2025. One might wonder if his age is beginning to show, as he is 32 years old, and likely much closer to the end of his career than the beginning.
His efficiency against the run was perhaps the worst of his career, and the number of his stops at the line of scrimmage was far lower than in 2024 (22 this year and 38 last year). He's never been an elite interior defender in terms of pass rush, but he only had .5 sacks this season. That is his lowest in a full season since 2020.
Edge rusher Kwity Paye
- Cap hit: $13.4 million (fifth-highest on the team)
- Pro Football Focus position grade: 85th
Even while playing a career-high 720 snaps, Paye's numbers went down in nearly every area. He had just four sacks after having eight in the previous two years, and his run stuffs diminished from 28 in each of the last three seasons to just 19 in 2025. Even worse, his missed tackle percentage rose to a terrible 15.4, double the amount in any of his previous four seasons.
He simply never developed into the kind of player the Colts hoped he would be when he was chosen in the first round of 2021. He is a free agent this offseason, and he shouldn't be re-signed.
Linebacker Zaire Franklin
- Cap hit: $7.5 million
- Pro Football Focus position grade: 86th
A seventh-round pick in 2018, Franklin has far outplayed his draft value during his career. He has been willing to do anything asked of him by the Indianapolis Colts, and he has developed into a very good leader.
But his production on the field was lacking in his first season in defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo's system. Maybe he was simply a bad fit for the scheme. He whiffed on a career-high 13.9 percent of tackle attempts, an awful number for an off-ball linebacker. While his quarterback pressures increased, his effectiveness in run defense waned.
Running back Tyler Goodson
- Cap hit: $1,038,820
- Pro Football Focus position grade: 137th
Goodson has a bit of a tough job because he knows he isn't going to get many reps as long as starting running back Jonathan Taylor is healthy, but when given his chance, Goodson needs to be productive. He doesn't make much money in NFL terms, but it's difficult to see where his value lies.
He averaged just 2.9 yards per touch in 2025 and only 2.2 yards per carry. Rookie DJ Giddens was slightly better and should take any of Goodson's reps in 2026. This makes the running back immaterial to the roster, and could be a cut candidate simply to clear a roster spot.