What is the big question facing the Indianapolis Colts this offseason?
Coming off another disappointing season with an 8-9 finish in 2024 that marked the fourth straight year without a postseason appearance and the 10th year without an AFC South title, there are a number of options one could choose from when answering this question.
Recently, ESPN asked each of the NFL Nation beat reporters to answer this question for their respective teams. Stephen Holder, who covers the Colts, went with: how much roster turnover will there be?
In terms of selecting the biggest question facing the Colts this offseason, I think this is it.
Last offseason, general manager Chris Ballard prioritized continuity and keep the team from 2023 together. The only outside additions made in free agency were signing Joe Flacco and Raekwon Davis–a backup quarterback and a rotational defensive tackle.
After finishing 9-8 and narrowly missing out on the the playoffs in 2023, the hope was that the Colts would take a big step forward in 2024 with largely the same team.
However, the opposite happened. The Colts regressed and after the season the words “ego” and “complacency” were thrown around.
Ballard would also call his roster construction approach a “mistake.”
“Instead of really creating competition throughout and throwing new blood into the locker room, new players into the locker room, I said ‘you know what, we’re gonna run it back,’” Ballard said. “That was a mistake.”
So the emphasis this offseason, in an effort to course correct, is on competition and infusing that element throughout the roster.
Presumably, that means being more aggressive in free agency, although the what extent remains to be seen.
The challenge for Ballard is that there are quite a few positions he could justify adding to, to varying degrees, but the Colts aren’t exactly flush with capital. They have seven draft picks and $28-plus million in cap space, which ranks 18th, according to Over the Cap. Like every other team, however, the Colts do have the ability to create more room.
The top needs are at tight end, cornerback, and safety. Depending on whether or not Will Fries returns, you could potentially add the offensive line to that list as well. Linebacker, running back, and defensive tackle are all positions that need more depth, and Ballard already mentioned there will be competition for Anthony Richardson at quarterback.