The Indianapolis Colts are rumored to have a good roster, but apparently not one deep enough to make the playoffs. The team hasn't done so since 2020. Injuries hurt in 2025, but the San Francisco 49ers were even more banged up and made the postseason. No excuses exist in the NFL.
One way of changing the team's recent narrative of going postseason-less is easily said: Get more talent. The practice of doing so isn't quite as easy, though. A team has to outbid others for high-quality free agents, and then has to be right on its draft picks.
Indianapolis does have a little money to spend this offseason, though. A lot of that would need to go to trying to re-sign quarterback Daniel Jones and wide receiver Alec Pierce, but defensive deficiencies need to be addressed as well. The biggest issue is that the team needs a better pass rush.
Indianapolis Colts hiring Marion Hobbs might make signing Trey Hendrickson easier
A good way to try to resolve the problem is to sign edge rusher Trey Hendrickson. He is a four-time Pro Bowler and was a First-Team All-Pro in 2024, but he is also 31 years old and missed 10 games in 2025. That could lower his asking price in free agency, which would help the Colts.
Another thing that might help Indy in potentially signing Hendrickson is that the team just hired former Cincinnati Bengals defensive line coach Marion Hobbs. That is important because Hobbs not only worked under defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo but also worked with Hendrickson, too.
Hobbs coached with the Bengals as the defensive line coach from 2021 to 2024, helping Hendrickson have his two best seasons in the NFL. The edge rusher had back-to-back 17.5-sack years in 2023 and 2024. Working with Anarumo again might be a draw for Hendrickson, but the Colts' hiring Hobbs certainly won't hurt.
Overall, the Indianapolis Colts' defense wasn't consistently strong this season. While it had some excellent games, such as against the Seattle Seahawks in Week 15, the unit ranked just 20th in points allowed (24.2), 16th in pass pressure percentage (23.3 percent), and fourth in missed tackles (125).
Trey Hendrickson can probably make a difference with those first two categories. Teams with DeForest Buckner, Sauce Gardner, Laiatu Latu, and Charvarius Ward, Hendrickson could elevate the Colts into a top 10 defense. That should definitely be enough to get Indy into the postseason.
If Hendrickson wants to find a new home that feels familiar, the Colts make sense. The hire of Marion Hobbs only makes that better.