Which Indianapolis Colts are on the hot seat for the 2024 season?

One of the best times of the year has arrived.

All NFL training camps have reported and with that comes the expectations of the fans and the franchise. While others get joy from the start of Indianapolis Colts training camp, many players know their time is limited to get all the reps they can, and other veterans know it’s the beginning of the grind of a full season.

Only 53 players make the active roster so it’s imperative to make an impression early and often, especially for the players on the bubble.

Let’s discuss some players and staff members on the hot seat with the organization heading into the 2024 season.

Chris Ballard, GM

Anyone who has read my work knows I am not the biggest fan of Chris Ballard, but I also don’t dislike him. I have stayed neutral about him. He was dealt a difficult hand with the retirement of Andrew Luck and the roster turnover he inherited when Jim Irsay hired him and fired outgoing GM Ryan Grigson. He has had (in my opinion) a couple of fatal flaws in his tenure.

First, he could not figure out the QB situation bouncing around with veterans with Philip Rivers, Jacoby Brissett and Carson Wentz. Second, his belief in “his process” has been unjustified. He missed on the hiring of Frank Reich and Jeff Saturday, although it appears the Saturday decision came directly from the owner. He has sometimes trusted his process too much with quiet free agencies and has missed on some draft picks. But he has hit on some later round guys such as Zaire Franklin, EJ Speed and Bernhard Raimann.

While I am not proposing to have Ballard fired just yet, it should bear noting that his record as the Colts GM is 54-60-1 with a 1-2 playoff record and ZERO division titles. It appears he got the coaching hire correct this time around with Shane Steichen and if Anthony Richardson can stay healthy this season, we might finally get to see the talent and promise we are all hoping for. Chris Ballard, Shane Steichen and Anthony Richardson could all be tied together as they are all under contract for the foreseeable future. All the other teams in the division improved this season and the seat for Chris Ballard is warming for this season.