10 Takeaways From Colts Offseason Program

10 Takeaways From Colts Offseason Program

INDIANAPOLIS – Summer vacation is here for the 2026 Colts.

After 3 weeks of offense/defense practices, the Colts are now done with their spring offseason program. They will next convene for a final training camp at Grand Park in late July.

Here are 10 takeaways from the Colts 2026 offseason program:

Daniel Jones Progresses To 7-on-7

Not even 8 months removed from tearing his Achilles, Daniel Jones continued to take important steps forward in his Achilles rehab.

Jones participated in 7-on-7 reps during the team’s final week of OTAs and the following week’s minicamp.

When the Colts reconvene around July 28^th for training camp, the next big step for Jones will be actual 11-on-11 reps.

Assuming Jones can do that, while still donning a non-contact red jersey, that would leave him about a month and a half to ramp things up before the season opens on September 13^th.

For me, I’ve always pegged Jones as starting the opener (281 days removed from tearing his Achilles). The bigger question is how early in the season does he look like himself?

Nothing we saw from Jones this spring changes this for me. It was a positive spring for Jones.

Alec Pierce To Miss Grand Park Time?

It was hard not to notice Alec Pierce limping/heavily favoring his surgically repaired left ankle as he observed the Colts practice this spring.

Seeing that fell in line with Shane Steichen admitting it’s not a guarantee that Pierce is ready for the start of the team’s training camp in late July. Pierce followed up by saying late March surgery means he’s in a recovery period of 4-to-6 months (4 months would be late July, 6 months would be late September).

Steichen said Pierce could miss up to a week or two into work at Grand Park, with an unknown exact return date.

With questions about wide receiver depth, will the up in the air status of Pierce influence the team dipping back into the veteran free agency market?

50/50 Split For Anthony Richardson Sr./Riley Leonard

The Colts went through their 3 weeks of OTAs/minicamp splitting the starting reps between Anthony Richardson Sr. and Riley Leonard.

So while Daniel Jones sat out 11-on-11 periods of practice, this QB battle got all the starting attention.

That’s going to change in camp, when Jones returns for starting action.

Of course, with Jones expected to sit out preseason games, that will allow for more reps there for Leonard and Richardson.

With Richardson due a roster bonus of more than $4 million on the third day of training camp, will that have any impact of him staying on the roster through the end of August?

Week 1 For DeForest Buckner?

Has Father Time caught up to the specimen that is DeForest Buckner?

We exit the spring not knowing when Buckner will make his 2026 on-field debut.

Buckner, 32, had neck surgery this offseason, acknowledging the need to alter his playing technique after this nerve issue.

And Buckner has pointed more towards a “Week 1 goal” when asked about his return this season.

Writing in sharpie the days of Buckner as a unique 3-down menace at defensive tackle appears to be coming to a close.

Is this where Colby Wooden, who came over from Green Bay in the Zaire Franklin trade, becomes a very important piece given the Buckner uncertainty?

Contract Drama For Jonathan Taylor?

Some 3 years ago, Jonathan Taylor stood just behind the end zone of the Colts outdoor practice fields and made it pretty darn clear he wasn’t happy with his future contract talks between him and the team.

Taylor expressing last week that he wants another contract from the Colts (and to retire as a Colt) had nowhere near the same venom that his 2023 contract talks turned into.

As the spring ends, the Colts do have a good amount of cap space available. The thought is some of that could/will be used on an extension(s) later this offseason.

Is Taylor, 27, a rare candidate to become a modern day running back to sign 3 multi-year contracts with the same team?

Any Free Agent Answers Needed?

Two positions I’ll be watching intently come Grand Park is wide receiver and defensive end.

I could see the Colts needing/having some interest in adding at those spots.

At receiver, the Colts chose not to replace Michael Pittman Jr. with a substantial investment. Do the Colts reach a point where they think their scheme/the mind of Shaen Steichen can only make up for so much in the receiving department?

Then at defensive end, the Colts don’t have clear answers opposite Laiatu Latu.

It wouldn’t surprise me at all if the Colts seriously explored an addition at either of these spots.

Defenders To Watch

The Colts have to find 5 new starters on the defensive side of the ball this offseason.

Departures of Kwity Paye (Raiders), Zaire Franklin (Packers), Germaine Pratt (free agent), Kenny Moore II (free agent), Nick Cross (Commanders) mean the Colts have to turn over nearly half of their defense.

Some guys to watch for in replacing those include free agent addition Arden Key up front, with second-year end Jaylahn Tuimoloau competing.

At linebacker, the Colts will try for instant impact youth with CJ Allen, with a Lou Anarumo influenced signee in Akeem Davis-Gaither in position for a starting job. Jaylon Carlies, a 5th round pick from 2024, is another guy to watch.

Like Allen, it looks like the Colts could have 3 defensive starters in 2026 who have never played a snap in the NFL. Justin Walley is back from his torn ACL to take Moore’ role. And the staff loves the makeup of third-round pick A.J. Haulcy at safety.

Second-year safety Hunter Wohler returning from a season-ending foot injury is a name not to forget, too.

CJ Allen Handling Communication

The Colts gave the defensive communication duties to rookie CJ Allen this spring.

Truly evaluating Allen in those settings has some restrictions when you compare it what the rookie will be facing in Weeks 1 and 2.

Lamar Jackson and Patrick Mahomes will be quite the “welcome to the NFL” for Allen as the Colts appear to have him as their top communicator in relaying what Lou Anarumo wants.

More Ashton Dulin?

Is the replacement for Michael Pittman Jr. a man that was already on the roster?

I see Ashton Dulin as the lead No. 3 wideout entering training camp. Others in the mix would be Laquon Treadwell, Nick Westbrook-Ikhine and rookie Deion Burks.

Dulin has turned into one of the league’s best special teams players, so the Colts might have some decisions to make in mapping all of his roles in 2026. Despite not having a huge offensive role, Dulin has missed multiple games in 6 of his 7 NFL seasons.

Mooney Ward’s Status

Charvarius Ward Sr. deciding to play football in 2026 was a storyline that needed clarity.

We did get that earlier this offseason, but Ward’s spring work wasn’t much.

He was away from the team during both of the team’s open (voluntary) OTA sessions, and then back tightness kept him off the field for the mandatory minicamp.

On paper, a cornerback duo of Ward and Sauce Gardner gives the Colts quite the pairing for opposing offenses to have to deal with.

But banking on Ward being out there for all 17 games is such a key question mark, after he had serious retirement talks following 3 concussions last season.