The Indianapolis Colts have been focused on rebuilding, yet again, but there are still some old stalwarts on the roster to applaud. Much of the attention has been paid to the newer players, though. General manager Chris Ballard has been notorious for running it back year after year, much to the consternation of fans.
He's been stingy about signing free agents, prioritizing keeping his veterans and focusing on the draft instead.
But this year was different, and Ballard was much more aggressive - at least for him, anyway. Charvarius Ward and Cam Bynum were both home run signings, and then there's Tyler Warren, arguably one of the most exciting draft picks of any team.
Two Colts were named the best in the league...
And of course, who can forget Daniel Jones? This is the free agent that had the biggest impact on the team, relegating Anthony Richardson to QB2 and taking over his position as starter. Suffice it to say there has been a lot of change, and with that, it's easy to overlook the stars already on the roster.
ESPN's NFL editors created a prediction of the league's top 100 players for 2025, and two Indianapolis veterans made the list. Who they are is no surprise... but the player who got snubbed is.
The first Colt to make the list is Jonathan Taylor, but at a criminally underrated No. 69. Still, it's an increase from his ranking last year, at No. 90. The biggest issue holding him back seems to be his inability to remain healthy, but much of that can't necessarily be blamed on Taylor himself. After all, he's known to be the workhorse of the Colts' running back room.
There has been nearly no one to help lighten the load for him in recent seasons, and when you've got someone like Taylor running as much as he does, it's almost inevitable that injuries are going to happen.
"When Taylor's healthy, he usually has a fantastic season. He is coming off a healthy offseason after a 2024 campaign in which he rushed for 1,431 yards in 14 games. He still possesses the sudden acceleration that makes him so dangerous in the open field, and he had an impressive training camp."Stephen Holder
Taylor was named in the top 10 for running backs in the NFL just earlier this year, and that he was ranked so low is frankly shocking. Consider that he ran for over 1,400 yards last season, despite having missed three games.
With more running backs added to the roster in the offseason, though, both as free agents and in the draft, he should be able to remain healthy throughout 2025 and show the league just how good he truly can be.
Coming in at #61 is Pro Bowler Quenton Nelson. His being picked is no surprise; he's one of the best guards in the NFL.
"Nelson has been key to an offensive line that ranks seventh in rushing yards per game (126.2) since he entered the league in 2018. Notably, he hasn't missed a game since 2021 and has missed only four in his career. That durability figures to continue, given the feedback from his coaches, who say he is as well-prepared for 2025 as he has been for previous seasons."Stephen Holder
Nelson's resume is impressive; he's been named to the Pro Bowl an astonishing seven times - for every single one of his seasons in the NFL - and been named All-Pro five times. There's absolutely no surprise that Nelson was on this list; the only surprise is why he wasn't placed higher as, again, he is one of the best guards in the NFL.
... and one Colt that got snubbed
Going along with the predictions of the top 100 players was a list of snubs, as chosen by NFL executives. And included in that list was definitely someone who should have been included in the top 100: DeForest Buckner.
As one NFL personnel evaluator said of Buckner:
"He reminds me a lot of Calais Campbell. Long, high motor and can play well into his 30s."
Buckner is insanely talented and a huge asset to the Colts' defense, despite what some detractors may claim.
Bucker was one of the top 10 defensive tackles in the league last season and the Ed Block Courage Award recipient for the Colts. Pro Football Focus (subscription required) also graded him highly last season, noting that he had the third-highest pass rush productivity rating among defensive tackles and had the second-highest with a 17.3 percent pass rush win rate.
He's also known to be a leader off the field. Buckner is, unfortunately, regularly underrated, and that he got snubbed yet again proves it.