The Indianapolis Colts had one hell of a 2025 season. They started off strong, going 8-1 in the first ten weeks of the season and looked like a sneaky contender in the AFC. Unfortunately, injuries started to decimate their roster. A season-ending injury to quarterback Daniel Jones all but ended their hopes of making it to the postseason, despite their blockbuster trade deadline deal for Sauce Gardner.
Now, the Colts are looking to retool and build back up in 2026. The Jacksonville Jaguars emerged as a top contender in the AFC South, but Indianapolis was able to retool its weakest unit last season to some degree. That being said, there's still a ton of work that needs to be done to turn Indy from a fringe contender to being the favorite to win the division. Let's look at what they've done and what they should do in the 2026 NFL Draft.
Colts go for quantity over quality in free agency
The Colts have had quite the busy offseason. On the offensive side of the ball, the Colts were able to retain both Jones (via the transition tag) and wide receiver Alec Pierce in free agency. They did trade away Michael Pittman Jr. to the Pittsburgh Steelers, but most of their offensive core was kept together this offseason.
The bulk of the changes on the roster came on defense. They are overhauling their linebacker group, signing Akeem Davis-Gaither to replace Zaire Franklin and Germaine Pratt. They also lost defensive end Kwiti Paye in free agency, but signed Arden Key and Micheal Clemons in free agency. That being said, these moves haven't been the home run moves that the team was looking for in free agency.
Now, the NFL draft is the perfect avenue to address their issues. The real question is: which position group needs the most help?
Colts need to focus on the defensive line in 2026 NFL Draft
There are three positions that the Colts would like to address in the NFL Draft. If they can, Indy would love to draft a wide receiver, more linebackers, and more defensive linemen in this year's class. Those three stand out as the biggest holes on the roster right now that immediately need to be addressed.
Of the three, adding a wide receiver is probably the least of the Colts' worries. Sure, their depth after Alec Pierce is a bit wonky, and this will be Pierce's first season as a WR1 in the NFL. However, they still have superstar tight end Tyler Warren as another pass-catching option, and Jonathan Taylor is still one of the best running backs in the league.
That leaves their linebackers and their defensive line as their biggest priorities in this year's draft class. GM Chris Ballard has said that he's prioritizing the front seven, which makes a lot of sense. Outside of sophomore Laiatu Latu, their pass-rushers struggled to generate pressure against quarterbacks. Their ranking of 15th in sacks last season was deceiving, as it was all Latu. Their linebackers were also not that great in coverage, struggling to stop players from going into their zones.
That being said, the Colts absolutely need to bolster their defensive line in the NFL draft. Indy doesn't have a lot of high draft capital to work with, trading their first-round pick along with Pittman to the Steelers. Because of that, they need to prioritize getting the best talent on Day 2 with their second and third-round picks. The Colts can always find diamonds in the rough at the linebacker position in later rounds. It's much harder to find elite pass rushers in the later rounds.
The draft isn't the only way for the Colts to fix their issues, too. The Colts can package their draft picks in order to trade for a difference-maker. They can't really afford to trade their Day 2 picks, and there's no one in the current market who's available that is worth that price. However, they have another trade chip up their sleeves: quarterback Anthony Richardson. Indianapolis can talk teams that want to take a flyer on the young quarterback to send them a pass-rusher in return as well.
Defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo has made magic work before with the Cincinnati Bengals. The Colts have to provide the defensive coordinator with better pieces, though, unlike the DC's former team.
