The Indianapolis Colts knew they needed to fix their inside linebacker group this offseason after trading longtime starter Zaire Franklin and not re-signing Germaine Pratt. General manager Chris Ballard found replacements in the 2026 NFL draft with CJ Allen and Bryce Boettcher.
The latter was a fourth-round pick and is 6'1 1/8" and 230 pounds, and not overly athletic. He should be a solid tackler and could develop into a good coverage defender, though he needs to work on the latter.
What he doesn't need to work on is his attitude, though. After being chosen by Indy, he laid out his football philosophy succinctly: "There's no better feeling than inflicting pain on someone legally."
Indianapolis Colts fans will love what Bryce Boettcher just said
That sentiment might rub some people the wrong way in the current climate of the culture, but in a football sense, it's logical. The game is a collision sport, of course, and one needs to have the kind of mentality that, when colliding at a high rate of speed with another person, is not only OK, but a welcome opportunity.
Moreover, Boettcher plays a role that requires him to constantly run into other people. Those situations will be painful for both players, though we can all hope neither gets hurt. It is the linebacker mentality that matters most. He isn't going to shy away from a challenge, and those are the kind of players every football team needs.
After starting Franklin for several years and Pratt for a half-season, the Indianapolis Colts needed linebackers who were younger and more athletic. CJ Allen is certainly the latter, and Bryce Boettcher, even while not the most athletic player in the draft, is still faster than Franklin.
The potential of having two rookies starting in the middle of the defense is going to bring some opportunities for awfulness and mistakes, but also the chance for both to learn to play beside one another for many years for the Colts. They could be the longtime lynchpins Indianapolis needs to improve a defense that struggled even while the offense excelled in the first half of 2025.
Chris Ballard had an open mission heading into this offseason, and that was to improve the front seven of his defense. The edge rush group still needs some help, but overall, the front seven should be better. What is clear, based on Bryce Boettcher's recent words, is that the tenacity will be greatly improved over previous seasons.
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