The Colts were considered a team to watch as ‘Black Monday’ approached considering the manner in which their season ended. Despite finishing the campaign at 8-9 and out of the playoffs once again, owner Jim Irsay immediately made it clear both head coach Shane Steichen and general manager Chris Ballard would be retained for 2025. 
The latter is well aware Indianapolis fell short of expectations, and when speaking to the media on Friday he acknowledged his roster-building approach played a central role. Ballard’s tenure at the helm of the Colts has been defined in no small part by his preference of keeping in-house players in the fold rather than devoting cap resources to outside additions. This past offseason was no different, with 13 players either being re-signed to a new deal or receiving an extension.
“Right now, we’re not close,” Ballard conceded (via ESPN’s Stephen Holder). “I’m going to make this really clear… Going 8-9, that’s not close. No, I’m not saying we won’t be closer when we get to the start of [next] season. But right now, sitting here today, we’re an 8-9 football team. We’ve got to own that.”
Ballard noted part of the process of ending the Colts’ four-year playoff drought could very well be a change in roster-building philosophy. The likes of DeForest Buckner, Michael Pittman Jr. and Zaire Franklin each received big-ticket extensions last spring, while Grover Stewart, Kenny Moore and Tyquan Lewis avoided free agency with 10-figure contracts of their own. If Ballard follows through on his plan to shift his strategy, that core could see competition brought in at several positions from outside the organization.
Like all teams, the Colts will make a number of cap-related moves in the coming weeks through cuts and restructures. As of now, though, Indianapolis is on track to have roughly $32MM in available funds once the new league year begins. That, coupled with seven draft picks (including three of the first 80 selections) will prove critical as Ballard looks to supplement the existing nucleus he has constructed.
Of course, another major goal for 2025 will be improved play under center. Year 2 did not go as planned for Anthony Richardson, and the former No. 4 pick was again unable to stay healthy for a full season. Steichen recently said he would be open to bringing in a quarterback (presumably a veteran) capable of competing with Richardson for the QB1 gig. To no surprise, Ballard echoed that sentiment on Friday.
“We can’t beat our head against the wall,” Ballard said. “We’ve got to have competition at the position for, one, competition makes everybody better and, two, [Richardson has] not proven he can play 17 games.”
Joe Flacco – who does not plan to retire – is a pending free agent, so if the Colts elect to go in another direction at the quarterback spot their intentions of looking outside the organization to a larger extent will be put to the test. With Ballard’s seat no doubt warming, it will be interesting to see how he proceeds as the offseason unfolds.
Step 1: Sign Cooper Rush. He’s proven to be a highly reliable backup QB when Dak has missed time over the years
Step 2: Work out a trade involving Jaylen Waddle and Michael Pittman Jr.
Alec Pierce 6’3″, Adonai Mitchell 6’4″, Pittman Jr 6’4″, very redundant skillset in the WR room. Dolphins have their own redundant receiving room with Waddle, Hill, Achne, Washington. Swapping Waddle for Pittman Jr would help both teams add something they’re missing – Colts missing speed option and Dolphins missing 50/50 big bodied WR
AD Mitchell is not good. No way they trade Pittman, never going to happen.
You listed similar heights not similar skills. Pittman and Pierce are NOTHING alike.
The WR trio iant necessarily the problem. Maybe health, but not talent.
Anyway, Miami would want absolutely nothing to do with Pittman. Doesn’t fit their offense.
I was thinking Tyrod Taylor would make sense as a backup. Not so much a threat to win the job but hes a guy who made the leap to the league as a dual threat that was more runner, and he evolved. He’d be a great mentor for Richardson. And he a game manager if he has to play.
Pierce
6’3”
214 lbs
4.45-4.50 speed
“ Pierce was a mismatch as a deep-ball target at Cincinnati, but is more likely to be tabbed as a possession receiver with the ability to create some downfield trouble as a pro. He plays a physical brand of ball and has combat-catch toughness, which is important because he’s not an elusive route runner. He can work underneath or challenge a bigger, slower cornerback deep, but the route tree is going to be limited.”
Pittman jr
6’4”
221 lbs
4.50-4.55 speed
“ Big, smart and reliable, Pittman falls into the “possession receiver” bin, but has top-notch ball skills that allow him to bully and best cornerbacks down the field. Improving release quickness against press will be an early focal point in an NFL camp, but his frame and physicality should create work space underneath even with close coverage.”
Nope. They’re the same receiver type.
Big bodied
Throw it up let your big bodied wr go get it
Let them use their long arms and height to shield against DB on slants posts
They’re exactly the same
Compare that to Jaylen Waddle
“ Thrilling, game-breaking talent who will come into the league as one of the fastest receivers to ever play the game. His whereabouts pre-snap and post-snap must be accounted for at all times. Despite his size, he’s a legitimate outside option, thanks to his ability to not only take the top off the defense, but also go up and win 50-50 throws.”
You trade pierce if you trade anyone. His stock went up and Pitts went down. Aside from that the locker room needs more leaders and trading away one of the few that leads by example would not be the smart move.
Well, Pierce did play better with Richardson, but I agree. He’s a good deep threat, but is inconsistent with intermediate routes.
You’ve commented on several articles about Pittman for Waddle; it’s never going to happen!
Hey thanks for reading my content. Appreciate you.
It’s hard not to
Chris Ballard is finally figuring out what the majority of us already know…Anthony Richardson is not a franchise quarterback and he certainly isn’t a leader…his teammates are hard pressed to follow this guy after he tapped out because he was tired in a game. Phillip Rivers played a playoff game against New England with a torn ACL and their was no way he was coming out of the game…his teammates would have run through a wall for him…Richardsons teammates wish he would just walk out the door and not come back. Physical attributes are one thing but if your Quarterback has NO HEART the other members of the team won’t follow and sacrifice anything for him.
Richardson lacks maturity but it’s hard to blame him for a defense that ranked 29th. The media and fans are so focused on hating Richardson that they ignore that the Colts defense is trash. When a Drew Lock led Giants team can drop 45 points on you, there needs to be wholesale changes on that defense.
The problem is he doesn’t get it. I listened to the presser and he said the same thing he says every year. He takes the blame, says he needs to looks at things differently and he wants to bring in competition at every position to motivate players. He won’t sign a big free agent. What he won’t do is sign a big free agent or trade up in the 1st round to snag a difference maker. Same thing, different year
Ballard needs to bring in true professionals and cut/trade the overpaid veterans that are always hurt, run their mouth or are just mediocre – B Smith, R Davis, Franklin, Moore, etc
They have one of the best backs in the league.
1- they don’t use him properly
2- they could do a better job strengthening the O line.
3- they need a new defensive backfield
4- they need a TE
5- they need more consistent WR play
6- they need defensive linemen that can rush the passer
7- they need more consistent LB play…including a LB that can defend in pass coverage
8- they need more depth at virtually every position
9- they need a better culture and players that act like adults
10- they need MASSIVE improvement at the QB position or a new QB altogether
11- they need a GM that understands 1 through 10
Off-season philosophical changes = really try our best @central part of being nfl franchise … competing n winning. It’s newer concept for some organizations.