Where Are The Colts Needs In 2025?
Source: Icon Sportswire / Getty
INDIANAPOLIS – The general thought of “need more competition” is something very prevalent for Chris Ballard in 2025.
When Ballard was asked about his needs heading into this offseason, he found himself going back to arguably his biggest regret from 2024.
“Making sure that we have enough competition through every position to where if they’re not playing well enough, no matter the stature or status, they go to the bench and somebody else goes in the game,” Ballard says.
If Ballard’s words come to fruition this spring, expect to see several new faces coming into the building, even if the position doesn’t scream an obvious need.
Where are the biggest areas to address though?
Certainly, Ballard would point to the back end of the defense.
“We need to get better. We’ve got to get better,” Ballard said in January when asked about his thoughts on the secondary.
New defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo’s background as a secondary coach could certainly influence this thought, too.
When Ballard was asked specifically about cornerback and safety, the GM stood by his original evaluation.
“Yeah, yeah, we’ve got to get better,” the GM said again.
So, attention at cornerback and safety sounds like it’ll happen this offseason.
Asked open-endedly about off-season needs, Ballard first began with the offensive line.
“I do think at the end of the year, the offensive line ended up playing better,” Ballard offered up. “We had some young guys have to play. Losing Will Fries, when we lost him, that was a big loss. We had to roll (Dalton) Tucker in there, probably sooner than he was ready for. Having Matt (Goncalves) have to play both left and right tackle. We need to make sure that we’ve got the right talent level. I’m pleased with how these young guys came along, but we’ve got to make sure we have enough depth there, always on the front.”
Depending on the pending free agency for C-Ryan Kelly, the health and free agency of RG-Will Fries (leg) and the personal matter for RT-Braden Smith, the Colts could be looking at multiple new starters for their offensive line in 2025.
That has been rare for the Colts over the last half dozen years.
On the other side of the line, Ballard was a fan of how his highly invested defensive line played in 2024, even though pressure/sack numbers, plus an inconsistent run defense brings differing evidence.
“I thought they played pretty good,” the 8-year GM says of the Colts defensive line. “Now, did they have the amount of sacks? No. I know that’s what everybody equates it to…There’s times you can’t get there when they’re six, seven-man protecting and the ball’s out fast. When the ball’s coming out, that’s sometimes how teams counteract you.
“I didn’t think our d-line played bad.”
Offensively, the Colts have a couple of free agents at tight end in veterans Mo Alie-Cox and Kylen Granson.
The Colts 4-man tight end grouping combined to catch 39 balls on 75 targets last season, with Granson leading the group at 14 catches for 182 yards.
It was an extremely quiet year for the Colts tight ends in the receiving game.
“We didn’t get enough production from them,” Ballard said of the tight ends. “I will say this, they did a very good job blocking in the run game. They’re excellent blockers, but our inability to control the middle of the field, which we’ve got to be able to do, I’ve got to be able to give Shane (Steichen) and them a guy that can really control the middle of the field that teams have to account for and defend. I just haven’t been able to do that. That’s not a slight against our guys. They’re good football players, but really having a receiving target that the defense has to prepare for – you’d like to be able to find and get.”
Cough, Tyler Warren. Cough, Tyler Warren.
In Ballard’s eyes, improvements are needed in his defensive backfield and in the middle of the field offensively/aka tight end.
Believing these words, plus an overall focus on more competition/depth, will be a goal this offseason, too.
How will it all play out starting next month?
