Colts general manager Chris Ballard has established an affinity for trading back in the draft, particularly in the second round.

He moved back in the second round in the last three drafts, adding extra picks to select Bernhard Raimann and Andrew Ogletree in 2022, Adetomiwa Adebawore in 2023, and Anthony Gould in 2024.

This year, however, the Colts declined multiple opportunities to trade back in the first two days of the draft, per Joel Erickson of The Indianapolis Star.

“We were really convicted about who was on the board at the time,” said Ballard, explaining that the team felt they’d be risking a significant drop in talent by moving back. The Colts were enamored with their targets across the first three rounds, selecting Penn State tight end Tyler Warren at No. 14, Ohio State defensive end JT Tuimuoloau at No. 45, and Minnesota cornerback Justin Walley at No. 80.

Indianapolis later traded their fourth-round pick, moving back 10 slots to pick up an extra sixth-rounder that was used on Alabama defensive tackle Tim Smith.

• Warren was one of the least surprising picks in the first round after persistent links to the Colts since the start of the pre-draft process. The team’s lack of production from their tight ends over the last five years made it clear that they were looking to upgrade the position in the offseason, and Warren was an obvious fit after his stellar career in State College. He had private workouts scheduled with multiple teams before the draft, but the Colts were his only official top-30 visit, per ESPN’s Stephen Holder, a further indication of Indy’s interest.
• Former Notre Dame quarterback Riley Leonard is staying in Indiana after being selected by the Colts in the sixth round (No. 189). Head coach Shane Steichen coveted Leonard for his size, leadership, and rushing ability, according to Nate Atkins of The Indianapolis Star. Those traits make him a solid fit in Steichen’s offense, which is most effective with a mobile quarterback.
• Colts linebacker Jaylon Carlies is expected to be ready for training camp after undergoing shoulder surgery this offseason, according to Josh Alper of Pro Football Talk. The 2024 fifth-rounder missed seven games with a leg injury as a rookie amid his transition from college safety to NFL linebacker.
• Indianapolis is planning to convert another Day 3 safety into a linebacker in the pros with former Wisconsin Badger Hunter Wohler, according to Holder. The seventh-round pick (No. 232) played 50.7% of his snaps in the box or along the defensive line across his last two years in college, per Pro Football Focus (subscription required), giving him a strong foundation for the positional change.
• After releasing veteran kicker Matt Gay, the Colts are planning to bring in competition for Spencer Shrader, according to Erickson. Shrader replaced an injured Gay in Week 1 last year and later kicked for the Chiefs and the Jets before re-signing with the Colts during the offseason.