The Indianapolis Colts begin their 2026 training camp on July 29 with a lot of unresolved questions. First and foremost, how will the franchise respond to one of its most confounding seasons in 2025? For the first half of the year,
Shane Steichen’s team was as good as any in the entire NFL. If not for one careless play by the now-departed Adonai Mitchell, the team could have entered their bye week at 9-1 – the best record in the league. They would have had wins over future playoff teams like the Rams, Broncos, and Chargers.
It fell apart as quickly as it began. Injuries certainly played a role. But the more intense competition of multiple contests against division rivals Houston and Jacksonville revealed plenty of cracks in the foundation constructed by general manager Chris Ballard. As we enter training camp, both Ballard and Steichen must realize this could be their final chance to get things right.
Plenty of contenders for one vital spot on the Indianapolis Colts defense
Though the marquee roster question may come on the offensive side of the ball – will Daniel Jones be healthy by opening day, and if not, who takes his place? – who replaces star receiver Michael Pittman on the outside, for instance – the more important battles may be taking place on Lou Anarumo’s side of the ball.
Anarumo managed to get a decent year out of his defense, but it became clear that his talent pool was limited. Losing multiple members of the secondary to injury didn’t help. Nor did the fact that defensive leader Zaire Franklin never seemed to fit into Anarumo’s plans.
Franklin is now gone, along with four other 2025 starters. That turnover is most noticeable at linebacker and edge rusher.
Three of Indianapolis’ top four edge rushers from 2025 have departed. 2021 first-round pick Kwity Paye is now in Las Vegas. Samson Ekuban and Tyquan Lewis are also no longer part of the team. That amounts to almost 1,500 defensive snaps vanished from 2025 to 2026.
Ascendant star Laiatu Latu returns to man one edge. But who will be his bookend? That role is vital if the Colts hope to keep opponents from devoting more resources to thwarting Latu.
As camp begins, there are at least five contenders for the spot. It will be fascinating to see who gets first-team reps and how Anarumo ultimately decides to deploy his weapons.
Free agent signee Arden Key appears to be first in line. Key has been a quality pass rusher for most of his eight-year NFL career. He is typically good for 20 or more pressures in a season, which approximates the production the Colts have gotten from Paye.
This is even though Key has shifted between starting and being part of a rotation over the years. Last season, he seemed to fall out of favor in Tennessee and saw his snaps drop considerably. Even so, he managed four sacks, which would have tied Paye for second on the Colts last year.
Key is a solid player. He is not as good against the run as Paye, but he is not exactly a liability either. But at 30, he does not figure to get better than he has been, and a drop-off in play is a distinct possibility.
The player the Colts desperately need to emerge is second-year edge Jaylahn Tuimoloau. He was selected in the second round of the 2025 draft but had virtually no impact as a rookie. He played behind Latu, Paye, Ebukam, and Lewis, getting on the field for just 215 defensive snaps.
Tuimoloau is currently penciled in as Key's backup, and fans should watch to see whether coaches give him a long look as a potential starter in camp.
If Tuimoloau is unable to elevate his game, he will be surpassed. There are too many other players waiting in the wings. They include young veteran Michael Clemons, signed as a free agent from the Jets this year. And Chris Ballard spent a couple of Day 3 draft picks on athletically gifted edges, Caden Curry and George Gumbs Jr.
Curry played behind Tuimoloau at Ohio State until 2025. He excelled once he got his chance to start, leading the Buckeyes in every major behind-the-line category. Eleven sacks and 46 QB pressures to go along with 16.5 tackles for loss.
Curry is not an imposing athlete, and his arms – under 31 inches – are well below the ideal for an edge. But he was able to overcome that in college. We will see if he can do the same in the pros.
As for Gumbs, he was largely an afterthought at Florida before adding some bulk and developing an explosive first step. He has played at both edge and linebacker, and it is possible Anarumo will move him around the front seven. But in training camp, he has to show that he can consistently beat professional tackles.
The Colts appear to be throwing a lot of bodies at the second edge problem in hopes that one will stick. Ideally, it will be Tuimoloau, but if he falters, there will be plenty of others fighting for snaps, beginning in late July.
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