With the team and fanbase fully engulfed in the buzz of training camp, we will begin to look towards the 2026 free agency period. The Indianapolis Colts typically retain much of their in-house talent if they produce.
We have seen it before with the staff, but this season has a new wrinkle to consider. That new wrinkle is the potential of a lame duck coaching staff with the uncertainty of results and new ownership.
Let’s look at some of the players that are in limbo and one that has already been re-signed. A couple might surprise you.
New people running the Indianapolis Colts show could affect 2026 free agency
Already Re-Signed - Left tackle Bernhard Raimann
Arguably, the most important player who needed to be re-signed early. The other roster player who had that argument was Alec Pierce. Regardless of which one you believed deserved it more, Raimann was a top priority. He has been a staple on the offensive line and has shown progress every single year. He has battled some injuries, but nothing major, as he has been able to stay healthy.
For all the criticism that Ballard gets, this draft pick may have been one of the best he has ever made. Drafted 77th overall in the 3rd round of the 2022 NFL Draft, not many expected him to become a franchise left tackle.
You rarely see mid-round selections become a stalwart on any team, but along with Quenton Nelson, they are anchoring the left side of the line. Even with a potential lame duck coach and GM, the Irsay daughters see the value in retaining talent at a key skill position.
Notable roster players in a contract season
Alec Pierce
This one is straightforward to me, and it comes down to the main factors for whether he returns in 2026. Those factors are who the quarterback will be in 2026 and the growth and maturation of Adonai Mitchell.
Depending on who wins the QB competition could have a big impact on Alec Pierce. If Daniel Jones wins the competition, then the value of Alec Pierce to the franchise could drop, as Jones is not a deep ball passer. On the flip side, if Richardson wins, then Pierce could be his greatest asset.
Just look at his stats last season. 37 receptions for 824 yards and seven TDs, giving him an average of 22.3 yards per catch. Richardson’s best strength is his deep ball, and Pierce is the best deep ball target this team has currently.
Finally, we could see Adonai Mitchell become a factor as well. We saw Mitchell struggle to get acclimated to the NFL lifestyle and grind. Nothing to be concerned about yet, as that is typical for rookies to struggle with the adjustment. What happens if Mitchell breaks out this season and puts up some big numbers?
His skill set is like Pierce's, but you could argue that Mitchell is the best route runner and separator on the roster. Having two of the same players makes one of them expendable, and with Pierce in a contract year, Pierce could potentially be the odd man out.
Braden Smith
The case of Braden Smith will be one to watch all season long. He appears to be back and ready to go for the 2025 season. For those who have followed his current journey, you know he sidelined himself with some personal issues that turned out to be a battle with depression and OCD.
Thankfully, he got the help he needed and responded this week, saying he was in “spectacular space” heading into the season. His contract was re-worked in the offseason, and he heads into this season on the final year of his deal.
The Colts will undoubtedly let Smith play out the final year of his contract. They took some proactive steps with not one but two potential replacements for him next season. Starting right guard Matt Goncalves could move back to his natural position next season, but more likely, they will see where rookie Jalen Travis will be in his development.
If Braden Smith has another solid season where he can stay healthy and contribute at a high level, then I can see him getting another one-year contract and returning. Development for Travis and his overall recovery will be the two keep factors in whether he returns next season.
Daniel Jones
I wish this were less obvious for all of us, but this one is plain and simple. Jones either must win the job in camp, or if Richardson stumbles out of the gate, then he must come in and win football games. When I say win football games, I mean win the division or make the playoffs. When playing, he must get the franchise out of “football purgatory” that we have been in since the retirement of Andrew Luck.
Jones does not have to be a superstar with incredible stats. He can be a game manager and win the football games just as well. The pressure is on both quarterbacks to deliver. With Jones making a modest $14 million this season, he will command even more with a good season.
Even if he is a bridge QB, the money will have to increase. It’s too early to give a prediction, but important enough to get him on the list.
Samson Ebukam
You could argue this is the biggest question mark on the defensive line. It has nothing to do with his talent but more with his recovery from injury and the implementation of a new scheme. Ebukam missed all last season with a ruptured Achilles and has had a quiet camp compared to others. It’s not a bad thing, but it raises the question of whether he has truly recovered from the injury and will be an impactful player this season.
I have mentioned before in past content that he might be on the hot seat as we approach roster cutdown day. Most players returning from that type of injury will need to take a day-by-day approach and even become situational players until they are ready to be 100 percent. The Colts have depth on the line this season, but how that depth will contribute still learning a new scheme, is yet to be determined.
Ebukam can work this season as a situational package rusher, but if he wants another (at his age), he will need to be a consistent and effective impact player by season’s end to get another contract with Indianapolis.
Kwity Paye
I was not in the minority when I said the Colts should not give Paye the fifth-year option on his rookie contract. Plenty felt it was just not enough to warrant the franchise picking up his extension. Sure, the stats were there for him. The past two seasons, he saw an uptick in his sack totals and improved in the pass rush. His strengths are agility, redirection in space, and his ability to run block.
We have seen what Lou Anarumo has been able to do with pass rushers. Trey Hendrickson and Sam Hubbard are his most recent success stories. He has proven that he can get the best of their talent and abilities and utilize that on the field.
Paye must show an improvement in his pass-rushing skills and work on becoming that “closer” on the edge. A closer that can get that pass rush or strip sack that changes the direction of a game.
Nick Cross
It has taken a while, but we are finally starting to see Nick Cross turn from being a project to a franchise player. Yes, this was his first season as a full-time starter, but he shone and stayed healthy. Safety has been a position of instability for quite some time. The Colts signed Cam Bynum in the offseason to work alongside Cross this season. With no competition brought in for Cross, it’s his job opposite Bynum.
I am not sure exactly what Cross would command on the open market; many think he would command north of $10 million on a new deal. Which is reasonable for the safety market, and with the focus that Anarumo will put on the secondary, he could continue to be an important piece to this defense.
This is prefaced with a potential change in coaching staff. If Cross continues to improve with a new staff, he should be brought back, but if the staff changes, you could see a total rebuild with new staff and ownership.