2025 NFL Offseason Primer: Indianapolis Colts

Indianapolis Colts

Projected Cap Space: $31.4 million

Draft Picks: 7

• 1st (No. 14)
• 2nd (No. 45)
• 3rd (No. 80)
• 4th (No. 116)
• 5th (No. 152)
• 6th (No. 190)
• 7th (No. 234)

Notable Free Agents: 

• C Ryan Kelly
• S Julian Blackmon
• LB E.J. Speed
• DE Dayo Odeyingbo
• TE Mo Alie-Cox
• QB Joe Flacco
• TE Kylen Granson
• G Mark Glowinski
• DT Taven Bryan

Top Three Needs

1 – Secondary

This has been Indy’s biggest need for a few years now. The Colts have one of the league’s best slot cornerbacks in Kenny Moore II, but aside from him, it gets thin quick. There are a lot of bodies, but no one really established. JuJu Brents was drafted in the second round in 2023 to potentially be that guy, but has played just 11 games in two seasons. Jaylon Jones, a seventh-round pick in 2023, and Samuel Womack III, picked up on waivers from San Francisco prior to the 2024 season, played reasonably well in extended time last year. Between Brents, Womack and Jones, Indy has a decent trio of outside cornerbacks, but no shutdown option to go toe-to-toe with the best receivers in the league.

Their bigger need is at safety where the Colts have cobbled together the position for years. Blackmon has flashed but hasn’t played a full season once in his five years in the league. Nick Cross, a third-round pick in 2022, is a strong run defender in the box but struggles in coverage. Blackmon is a pending free agent, but shouldn’t be overly expensive to bring back given his injury history. Both are best suited to playing box safety, leaving free safety as a question mark going into 2025. A rangy, coverage-oriented free safety is this roster’s biggest need on paper.

In terms of options for filling these needs, it’s a great draft to pick a safety. Georgia’s Malaki Starks and South Carolina’s Nick Emmanwori are getting first-round buzz, and there are some Day 2 options including Texas’ Andrew Mukuba, Notre Dame’s Xavier Watts and Penn State’s Kevin Winston Jr. There are also some free agent options, most notably Jevon Holland. The Dolphins won’t place the franchise tag on him and with their cap concerns, it seems likely that he’ll hit the open market. Colts GM Chris Ballard has indicated a willingness to spend more in free agency this offseason than he usually does. 

2 – Tight End

Much like at cornerback, the Colts have solid options at tight end but no difference-makers. Alie-Cox is a good blocking tight end with some ability to make plays down the field and should be cheap to bring back. Granson has been Indy’s starting move tight end since being drafted in 2021, but he’s almost certain to depart in free agency with 2023 draftee Will Mallory ready to step into that role. The wildcard is Drew Ogletree, a 2022 sixth-round pick who missed his rookie season with a torn ACL. Since returning to the field, Ogletree has been the Colts’ highest-graded tight end, per PFF, with strong results in the blocking game and the athleticism to factor more into the pass game with a larger opportunity.

Still, there’s a lot of room here for an upgrade. Penn State’s Tyler Warren is often mocked to the Colts in the first round for this reason, as he’s exactly the type of gritty, middle-of-the-field playmaker that could elevate this offense. Alternatively, Michigan’s Colston Loveland is an option if Warren is off the board by pick No. 14, and Loveland could shine in HC Shane Steichen‘s offense. Overall it’s a deep and strong tight end class with a plethora of options for the Colts to consider.

3 – Linebacker

This one is a sneaky need. Speed is a pending free agent, so Indy either needs to re-sign him or bring in a replacement. Zaire Franklin, the other starting backer, has been the NFL tackle champion two years in a row — but tackles can be a bit of a misleading stat. Both Franklin and Speed struggled mightily in 2024, with Franklin in particular being a liability in coverage his whole career. Franklin’s contract means he’s unlikely to go anywhere. Speed’s departure, however, opens the door for the Colts to add some new blood at linebacker, perhaps beefing up their pass defense in the process. Zack Baun is the top free agent linebacker after a spectacular season in Philadelphia, but he’ll cost more than the Colts are likely to spend at the position. Jamien Sherwood, Ernest Jones and Dre Greenlaw are potential cheaper alternatives. 

One Big Question

How will the Colts respond to the culture concerns made public at the end of the season?

This is really the only question that matters for the 2025 Indianapolis Colts given how last season deteriorated. Second-year QB Anthony Richardson tapped himself out for a snap against the Texans in Week 8, a move widely criticized, particularly by former players. Richardson’s actions led to him being benched for two weeks, with concerns about his preparation circulating in the wake of that decision. Richardson returned to start five more games down the stretch and played fairly well in most of those appearances, but the damage was done.

The Colts had a chance to take pole position for a wildcard berth against the Broncos in Week 15. A disastrous second half doomed their chances, and they followed it up two weeks later with a no-show loss to the inept Giants, as an embattled defense allowed 45 points with its backs against the wall. In the wake of the loss, franchise legend Pat McAfee blasted the team on his ESPN show, citing sources in the building and calling out coaches and team leaders for poor culture. Franklin and DT DeForest Buckner, both captains, responded in interviews and didn’t necessarily contradict McAfee. The collapse and airing of locker room issues led to speculation that owner Jim Irsay would make drastic changes.

Instead, Irsay brought back the whole show with a public vote of confidence. Ballard, Steichen and Richardson are all back in 2025, but each has a ton of pressure on them. Ballard needs to prove he can build a winning football team. Steichen needs to root out the culture issues and recapture the success he had in 2023. Richardson needs to stay healthy and prove he can be the franchise quarterback he was drafted to be two years ago.

It’s hard to see these three at the helm of the team in 2026 without a playoff berth in 2025. More generally, this team needs to prove their mental toughness and bounce back from a disastrous end to the season.