General manager Chris Ballard called his roster construction approach during the 2024 offseason a “mistake” and vows to create more competition throughout the roster this time around.
But where will Ballard begin? There is, of course, only so many draft picks and salary cap resources to devote to any potential positions of need.
Whether it be through free agency or the draft, positions that the Colts could justify addressing this offseason include cornerback, safety, linebacker, and tight end.
Ballard would also mention on his own that competition at quarterback for Anthony Richardson will be needed, along with making sure there is the right “talent level” along the offensive line after navigating injuries this season.
In terms of pure depth, bolstering the running back position could also be on the Colts’ radar, and the same goes for the interior defensive line, which again struggled when DeForest Buckner and Grover Stewart weren’t on the field.
By my count, that’s eight out of a possible 10 position groups. The only ones we didn’t mention were wide receiver and defensive end.
The Colts will enter the offseason with seven draft picks currently–one in each round–and at the moment, about $32 million in available cap space, which ranks around the middle of the NFL in terms of spending power.
In terms of prioritizing these needs, there were a few position groups in particular that Ballard spoke on, mentioning that the Colts had to get better in the secondary–cornerback and safety–and tight end.
Those position groups would be my guess as to what the ‘Tier 1 needs’ are. Quarterback could probably be put into that category as well, but it remains to be seen what kind of competition Ballard wants to bring in, specifically, what he’s willing to invest.
Linebacker and offensive line depth perhaps will fall into Tier 2, and running back isn’t a pressing need, while along the defensive front, even though the team’s pressure and sack numbers ranked in the bottom-third of the NFL, Ballard thought that group played well.