Colts could target unexpected position in draft for one reason

It's no secret which position groups the Indianapolis Colts still need to address after free agency and trades have left the team with a few major holes on defense. While there is still plenty of time left in the offseason, urgency remains. 

Colts general manager Chris Ballard has done a lot of work to this point already with free agent signings. Still, questions at linebacker and the defensive line remain, and Ballard is expected to address those issues via the NFL Draft, which is almost here. 

That said, a surprise move for Ballard could be taking a pick for the Colts' offense. Why? Aside from wide receiver, the Colts' offense is pretty much set in the present. However, while one position group is stable now, its future beyond this season is uncertain. This could persuade the Colts to secure a backup plan now, before possible changes in the future.

The future of Jonathan Taylor could move the Indianapolis Colts to make a surprise pick in the NFL Draft

Jonathan Taylor is and has been one of the best running backs in the league for several years, and he didn't disappoint this past season, that's for sure. Taylor ran for a career second-best 1,585 yards during the 2025-26 season, adding a career-tying best 18 touchdowns on top of it. He was electric and was in the MVP conversation for the first half of the season. 

Taylor has already gone through a tumultuous contract dispute with the Colts in 2023, before the Colts eventually handed Taylor a three-year extension with $26.5 million guaranteed. The extension kept him with the Colts through 2026, meaning that if another extension is not given, Taylor will hit free agency next summer. 

If Ballard were smart, he wouldn't allow Taylor to even reach free agency. Thankfully, Ballard was able to bring back Alec Pierce as a free agent this offseason, who could have signed elsewhere and was in high demand, and the same can be said for Taylor.

He will also be in high demand next year, especially if he has another elite season like the one just past. Whether the Colts want to risk letting Taylor inch that closer to walking as a free agent is uncertain at this time, but they can prevent that from becoming a potential reality if they take care of business this offseason. 

That said, in the case that Taylor's future is not in Indianapolis, the Colts might have a sneaky surprise move in the draft to help cover their future at running back. Either for insurance if they lose Taylor, or even now, as depth at running back behind him. They currently have DJ Giddens and Ulysses Bentley on their roster, but neither saw any real significant playing time last season. 

Whether for depth or the future, should the Colts draft a running back, it may not be that surprising, considering. It could be a smart move. The Colts need Taylor, but he doesn't necessarily need them, and that could spell trouble down the road. Securing a future resolution for that can happen through the draft, should Ballard decide to after he's taken care of the Colts defense.