Indianapolis Colts general manager Chris Ballard hasn't had a bad offseason, and he might have exceeded what many fans expected from him. But Indy hasn't had the seeming success that the Houston Texans have had as the AFC South rival has fixed its most glaring problem.
Indianapolis finished third in the division last season, and there were a couple of key reasons. One was injuries, of course, but the other is that the competition in the second half of the season got much tougher. That included playing the Texans and Jacksonville Jaguars twice.
Those teams were going to be difficult, even if Indianapolis had continued its red-hot start offensively for most of the season. The Colts are still chasing both of those teams for the division crown in 2026, especially Houston. The difference between Indy and the Texans might have grown wider in free agency.
Houston Texans making moves Indianapolis Colts fans might be jealous of
That is because teams could take advantage of a bad Houston offensive line, limiting its running attack, but mostly making quarterback C.J. Stroud nervous that he was going to get hit hard and often when he dropped back to pass. He shouldn't be as much in 2026.
The Texans' most recent addition is signing right guard Wyatt Teller, a three-time Pro Bowler. Teller will line up next to the team's new right tackle, former Colts stalwart Braden Smith. Or Teller might flip to the left side and play left guard. He will be an upgrade at either spot.
Houston's offense line should be much better in 2026, and that's a real problem because its defense was already good to potentially win a title. The fact that the Texans have been so aggressive in free agency might frustrate Indianapolis fans, too.
Ballard cleared cap room when he re-signed Daniel Jones and Alec Pierce, and traded Michael Pittman and Zaire Franklin, but the Colts have done little with the extra cash. The team has dire needs at inside linebacker and edge rusher, and maybe the GM will still make a splash. Watching Houston work the phone lines so much this offseason, however, isn't fun.
Beyond just the offensive line, though, the Houston Texans traded for running back David Montgomery and signed safety Reed Blankenship. Those moves increase the overall quality of the team's roster.
The Texans have approached this offseason as if they know they are just a couple of moves away from maybe getting to the Super Bowl. The Indianapolis Colts have approached this offseason like a team straining to reach the postseason for the first time since 2020.