The Indianapolis Colts seem set on not spending much in free agency the rest of the offseason. Perhaps general manager Chris Ballard will still sign an edge rusher, such as Joey Bosa, but all the highly expensive players are gone.
The issue is that Ballard and head coach Shane Steichen must make the playoffs next season, or they should be out of jobs. Indy has brought back quarterback Daniel Jones and wide receiver Alec Pierce, but simply running things back doesn't make the team better, but the same as it was to start last season.
The hope is that Indianapolis will play a full 2026 like it did the first half of 2025. If that doesn't happen, massive changes must be made, not just letting Ballard and Steichen go. A full rebuild might be needed, and that might mean the end of the Indy run for the four players below.
Four Indianapolis Colts need to prove their long-term worth with great 2026 seasons
Running back Jonathan Taylor
- Age in 2026 season: 27
Taylor is only now about to enter his late 20s, but he has had a lot of work in his NFL career, and that is a lot of punishment to take for a player at a position who will be hit hard on most of his plays. The RB has touched the ball 1,738 times since 2020, third-most in the league. At some point, all those times being hit will take a toll.
Perhaps Taylor is one of the few outliers who can extend his career even while getting so many touches. The question is whether Indianapolis believes he can. The running back's contract is up after next season, when his cap hit is an understandable $15.562,000. Can the team continue to trust he won't get hurt while carrying that kind of cap hit? It's iffy.
To be sure, Jonathan Taylor has been the best offensive skill position player that the Colts have had for many years. Moving on from him would be a risk. If he were a wide receiver, the decision would be easier to keep him.
Defensive lineman DeForest Buckner
- Age in 2026 season: 32
How long Buckner can remain near the top of his position in the league is unknown, as age catches up with everyone. His biggest question is how healthy he will stay. He suffered a neck injury in Week 9 of 2025, and he only played one more game after that. Those kinds of injuries are nothing to trifle with.
The defensive lineman might have to eventually weigh whether continuing to play football is more important than his long-term health. He's already made enough to likely have a long life of financial comfort. Taking a risk on having that be impaired with neck issues might not be worth the gamble.
Like Taylor, he isn't under contract for 2027, but his cap hit next season is a large $26.6 million. The team cannot afford to keep playing Buckner that much.
Defensive lineman Grover Stewart
- Age in 2026 season: 33 (turns that age in October)
One might have rightfully wondered this offseason why the team didn't move on from Stewart, a longtime good player for the Colts but one whose production greatly diminished in 2025. He had just half a sack and 22 run stuffs, 16 fewer than in 2024.
Stewart's cap hit of $14.25 million might have been better spent on trying to acquire an edge rusher in free agency, especially for a team whose general manager has said it wants to get younger and more athletic on the defensive front seven. Stewart is digressing in both.
Does he still take up pace in the interior of the defensive line? Sure, but he is far less impactful than he once was and should expect to reverse his downward trend as he enters his mid-30s.
Cornerback Charvarius Ward
- Age in 2026 season: 30
Ward has only been with the Indianapolis Colts for one season, of course, but he is signed through 2027 with an ever-growing cap hit. In 2027, his cap accounts for $24,666,667, a high dollar for a player who will be 31 years old and plays an outside corner spot.
The gamble with Ward is that he will be even better than he was in 2024, his final year with the San Francisco 49ers, when he had a quarterback rating of 119.1. The corner has been quite good for most of his career, but he also suffered three concussions in 2025.
Can he stay fully healthy in 2026 and 2027, and not be worse in coverage as he ages? That is a real question that Indy must monitor in 2026. If Ward falters, the team could save $18 million in cap room by releasing him next offseason.