The Indianapolis Colts entered the offseason with two players at the top of their priority list, one of which came from outside the building. They focused all their efforts on getting long-term deals done with WR Alec Pierce and QB Daniel Jones, which they did promptly.
While that should be a big win for general manager Chris Ballard, there are 53 active players on an NFL roster. The Colts have seen several depth pieces leave in free agency, and they haven't done much to replace them.
The Colts have been rather quiet and patient in the first wave of free agency. But with only two top-100 picks and seven total picks and needs at linebacker, safety, defensive end, cornerback, and wide receiver, Ballard will have to do plenty of juggling to fill this roster.
The Indianapolis Colts need to make some moves
Thus far, the Colts have signed defensive tackle Derrick Nnadi and edge rushers Arden Key and Michael Clemons. None of those players may move the needle for a team that crumbled to pieces in the second half of the previous season. They've lost six players, signed three, and traded a key contributor like Michael Pittman Jr.
To add insult to injury, the Houston Texans keep making moves, including stealing Braden Smith from the Colts. The Jacksonville Jaguars have been quiet, but both of those teams seem to be in a better spot than the Colts ahead of the upcoming season.
According to Over The Cap, the Colts are sitting on a whopping $37.64 million in cap space. That should be more than enough to make moves and bolster this team's depth, even though there aren't many big names up for grabs after the first wave of free agency.
Bringing back guys like Bobby Okereke or listening to Sauce Gardner's plea to trade for Jonathan Greenard would be solid starting spots for this team. They can also consider some former big-name pass catchers on a discount, such as Tyreek Hill or Stefon Diggs. For their secondary, proven veterans like Kyle Dugger or Harrison Smith also provide intriguing choices.
Whatever the case, this team can't keep resting on its laurels. They clearly believe they're closer to the team that started the season 7-1 than the one that closed out the year on a seven-game losing streak, and while there are definitely reasons to be optimistic with a healthy Daniel Jones, that overconfidence might cost Ballard and HC Shane Steichen their jobs in 2026.