The Indianapolis Colts likely need to win big in 2026, or major changes might happen. The good part is that Indy might be in the perfect position to shock the rest of the NFL and be really good. Plus, the team is due.
Many might forget that through the first eight games of last season, the team was 7-1 and sitting pretty in the AFC playoff picture. By the time the team was 8-2, injuries had begun to bite hard, such as the neck injury that DeForest Buckner suffered and a couple of the many concussions Charvarius Ward had to deal with.
Those last two players impeded how good the defense might have been under defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo. In the first half of the season, the unit ranked highly in many DVOA metrics. By the end of the season, even the iffy Houston Texans offense was having its way with Indy.
Indianapolis Colts' defense should give fans hope in 2026
Not so fast in 2026, though, and the defense is the biggest reason for positivity for fans. The offense better be good because head coach Shane Steichen has a long track record of producing effective units on that side of the ball. Quarterback Daniel Jones is trending toward being back by Week 1, and the overall offense is good enough to win a lot of games.
Anarumo's side will have cornerback Sauce Gardner for the first time over a full season, and Ward and Buckner are likely to be healthier. Both were extremely unlucky in 2025.
But just having healthier players isn't where the potential happiness ends. The team could have at least two rookie starters. CJ Allen will take the place of Zaire Franklin at inside linebacker and bring more athleticism and speed than Franklin had.
At safety, AJ Haulcy is the likely replacement for Nick Cross, who signed with the Washington Commanders in free agency. Cross was good against the run, but not against the pass. Haulcy should be very good at both. Plus, he is likely to create many more turnovers than Cross did. In college, Haulcy was the kind of ball-hawk that the Colts have lacked.
To be fair, as much as having Lou Anarumo brings hope, historically, his defenses haven't been elite. He is capable of changing his approach from week to week, but in his eight seasons as a defensive coordinator, only one team (the 2022 Cincinnati Bengals) has ranked inside the top half of the NFL in points allowed. Only two have ranked inside the top 23 in yards allowed.
Anarumo has as much to prove in 2026 as Shane Steichen and general manager Chris Ballard. Indianapolis Colts fans can rest assured that the team has enough talent to help those three prove they deserve another year (at least) in Indy. The playoffs are an achievable goal.
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