Indianapolis Colts

The Colts carry the most cap room in the entire league at $85.5M, handing the front office a rare chance to fix multiple holes in a single offseason.

22 contracts expiring

Madden Tools Analysis

Seven starting spots have weak depth behind the starter.

Six picks this cycle with no first-rounder after the Jets forfeiture limits the upside of the incoming class, though a three-year total of 20 picks and two first-rounders in that window signals a reasonable long-term pipeline.

• Traded away: Round 1 to Jets, this draft

The cornerback group headlined by Sauce Gardner and Charvarius Ward Sr. is the roster's clearest strength, while the right tackle and weakside linebacker positions rank at or near the bottom of the entire league.

• LGhigh

  Jalen Farmer starts at left guard but grades out as one of the worst starters at the position in the league, making an upgrade a priority.

• MIKEhigh

  Akeem Davis-Gaither holds the middle linebacker spot but ranks 29th among starters league-wide, and the depth behind him offers little comfort.

• QBhigh

  Daniel Jones is the starter at 74 overall, placing the Colts 28th at the position, and finding a legitimate franchise quarterback is the most critical long-term need on the roster.

• REDGEhigh

  JT Tuimoloau starts at right edge but the unit ranks 28th in starter quality, and Arden Key is the only backup, leaving the position dangerously thin.

• RThigh

  Jalen Travis starts at right tackle and the Colts rank dead last, 32nd, in starter quality at the position, with Luke Tenuta as the primary backup.

• SShigh

  A.J. Haulcy opens as the starter at strong safety despite the unit ranking 31st in the league, and the depth behind him is equally thin.

• WILLhigh

  Jaylon Carlies starts at weakside linebacker, where Indianapolis ranks last in the entire league, making this one of the most glaring holes on the defense.

• WRlow

  Alec Pierce leads the wide receiver room at 84 overall alongside Keenan Allen and Josh Downs, giving the Colts a serviceable but not elite group at the position.

• 68Laquon TreadwellWRLaquon Treadwell is a 31-year-old twilight receiver at 68 overall who sits outside the top three on the depth chart, and releasing him frees $1.3M against just $180K in dead money.Frees $1.3M · $180.0K dead
• 62Luke TenutaRTLuke Tenuta grades out at just 62 overall at age 27 and serves only as a backup at a position already ranked last in the league, and his release costs nothing in dead money while freeing $1.1M.Frees $1.1M · $0 dead
• 64D.J. MontgomeryWRD.J. Montgomery is a 64-overall receiver with no dead-money penalty on release, and freeing $890K makes sense given his spot outside meaningful depth-chart contributions.Frees $890.0K · $0 dead
• 71Mo Alie-CoxTEMo Alie-Cox is a 32-year-old 71-overall tight end in the late stage of his career who lines up behind Tyler Warren on the depth chart, and cutting him frees $1.3M against $180K in dead money.Frees $1.3M · $180.0K dead
• 65Will MalloryTEWill Mallory sits fourth on the tight end depth chart at 65 overall, and his release frees $1.1M with only $70K in dead money, making him a clean cap savings opportunity.Frees $1.1M · $70.0K dead

The Colts carry fascinating pieces and real hope alongside significant roster gaps. Jonathan Taylor at 96 overall and the cornerback tandem of Sauce Gardner and Charvarius Ward Sr. give the team a genuine star foundation, though Ward Sr. is entering the late stage of his career and will need a succession plan in the medium term. Tyler Warren and Tanor Bortolini represent the most exciting young assets, both under 25 with high development traits and years of growth ahead of them. The elephant in the room is quarterback, where Daniel Jones ranks among the worst starters in the league and the room behind him offers Riley Leonard and Anthony Richardson Sr. as unproven options. The offensive line is equally pressing, with right tackle ranking dead last in the league and left guard not far behind. The good news is that the Colts enter this cycle with the most cap room in the league at $85.5M, giving them the financial firepower to attack multiple needs through free agency. Six draft picks this cycle, spread across rounds two through seven after the forfeited first, provide supplemental depth but limit the ceiling of the incoming class. The path forward is clear: use the historic cap advantage to address quarterback and the trenches, let the young core develop, and build toward contention as the roster matures.

The Colts were founded in 1953 in Baltimore, when a group led by Carroll Rosenbloom was awarded the assets of the defunct Dallas Texans. Under coach Weeb Ewbank and quarterback Johnny Unitas (signed 1956), the Colts rose fast, beating the New York Giants 23-17 on December 28, 1958, in the first sudden-death overtime championship, "The Greatest Game Ever Played." They repeated as NFL champions in 1959 and won another NFL title in 1968. After joining the AFC in the merger, they won Super Bowl V after the 1970 season, defeating Dallas 16-13 on Jim O'Brien's late field goal. After the 1972 season the franchise was sold to Robert Irsay, and in March 1984 Irsay relocated the team to Indianapolis in the infamous "Mayflower Midnight" move. The Peyton Manning era began with the No. 1 overall pick in 1998 and became the greatest stretch in franchise history: 11 playoff appearances, an NFL-record seven straight 12-win seasons (2003-09), and, under coach Tony Dungy, a Super Bowl XLI win after the 2006 season, 29-17 over the Chicago Bears. Manning missed 2011 with neck surgery, and the team drafted Andrew Luck first overall in 2012. Luck led a division-title revival before injuries forced his shocking 2019 retirement. The recent era has been defined by quarterback instability and a playoff drought dating to 2020.