The Indianapolis Colts have a bunch on their to-do list this offseason. The team has to do what they need to within some constraints, though. Indy is about in the middle of the NFL field in terms of cap space, and the team doesn't have a first-round draft pick.
That selection is now, for all intents and purposes, cornerback Sauce Gardner. Gardner, in fact, will need to play as well as two first-round picks because general manager Chris Ballard gave the New York Jets that many to get Gardner at the trade deadline this season.
But it is potentially losing a few free agents that is our major concern here. Quarterback Daniel Jones will likely return, but wide receiver Alec Pierce might not. Safety Nick Cross? He might be too expensive for Indianapolis to re-sign if the team wants to be aggressive in trying to bring back Jones and Pierce.
Dillon Thieneman could be the perfect replacement for Indianapolis Colts free agent Nick Cross
Who might replace Cross, a full-time starter in each of the past two season? The Colts don't currently have someone on their roster who can replace his tackling ability and efficiency against the run. The answer, if he does leave, might need to come in the 2026 NFL draft.
According to Tarringo Basile-Vaughn of NFL Mocks, the Colts might find Cross's replacement and a pure gem in Oregon's Dillon Thieneman. And there is more to the story besides Indy having a chance to draft a Duck.
"With their need at safety, Dillon Thieneman as their top pick in the draft would be a win for a team that looked like a Super Bowl contender most of the season," Basile-Vaughn writes. "This need will mainly depend on whether Nick Cross leaves in free agency. Even if they retain him, adding another versatile defender like Thieneman will be a boost to the secondary, especially with a healthy Garnder in the mix."
The thing is that Thieneman is also an Indiana native. He went to high school at Westfield, and his college career began at Purdue. He transferred to Oregon for several reasons (all the good ones), but returning home to play for his home-state team would presumably be a motivator.
Home-area guys making good with the Indianapolis Colts, or, really, any team, is part of what makes the league great. They want to do well in front of family who are close by, but fans will also know the players from high school. It creates a folk hero feel, and Dillon Thieneman could be that for the Indianapolis Colts, and at just the right time.