Man, what a ride the last few months have been for the horseshoe. If you looked at the Indianapolis Colts 53 man roster back in October, you’d have seen a team sitting at 8-2 and looking like a legitimate AFC threat. Fast forward to January 2026, and the vibe is completely different. The season is over, the playoffs are a no-go after a late-season collapse, and the roster looks like a medical textbook.
Honestly, the way this roster mutated over the final eight weeks is why the Colts are sitting at home right now. You can't lose your starting quarterback, your star defensive tackle, and your top corner and expect to just "next man up" your way into the postseason. It doesn't work that way.
The Quarterback Room is a Total Mess
Let's talk about the elephant in the room. Or rather, the three elephants and a legend. We started the 2025 season thinking Anthony Richardson was the future. Then it was the Daniel Jones era. Then, because 2025 decided to be weird, we got a Philip Rivers comeback. Yes, actual 44-year-old Philip Rivers was on the active Indianapolis Colts 53 man roster in December.
It was like a movie, but without the happy ending. Rivers came off his couch to help because Daniel Jones tore his Achilles in Week 14 against the Jaguars. Richardson? He's been dealing with an eye injury that landed him on IR. By the time the season finale rolled around, the Colts were starting rookie Riley Leonard out of Notre Dame.
Leonard actually looked decent in the finale. He’s got that dual-threat ability Shane Steichen loves, but let’s be real: he was the QB4 on the depth chart when training camp started. Now, as we head into the 2026 offseason, GM Chris Ballard is saying he wants to re-sign Daniel Jones despite the Achilles tear. It’s a gamble. Jones was playing lights-out before the injury—throwing for over 3,100 yards—but that’s a massive injury for a guy who needs his legs.
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Why the Defense Fell Apart
It wasn’t just the offense. The defense was basically held together by duct tape and prayers by Week 18. The trade for Sauce Gardner earlier in the season was supposed to be the "all-in" move. Giving up two first-rounders and Adonai Mitchell for a superstar corner usually signals a Super Bowl run. And for a while, Gardner and Kenny Moore II were locking people down.
Then the injury bug bit the trenches. DeForest Buckner went down with a neck injury in November. You don't just replace a guy like Buckner. Grover Stewart did his best to hold the middle, but the pass rush took a massive hit. Kwity Paye’s sack numbers dipped, and while Laiatu Latu had a career-high 8.5 sacks, he was often the only guy getting consistent pressure.
The secondary stayed interesting, though. Even with Charvarius Ward dealing with concussions and hitting IR, Nick Cross turned into a tackling machine. He actually led the team in tackles. Cam Bynum, who they brought in from Minnesota, ended up being a takeaway artist with multiple interceptions. But when you’re starting guys like Ameer Abdullah and Laquon Treadwell on the other side of the ball just to fill out the 53, the margin for error disappears.
The Skill Positions: Taylor and the "What Ifs"
Jonathan Taylor remains the heart of this team. Period. He finished 2025 with over 1,500 rushing yards. In a season where the QB position was a literal revolving door, Taylor was the only thing keeping defensive coordinators awake at night.
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The receiving corps is a bit of a head-scratcher. Michael Pittman Jr. is the steady hand, but Alec Pierce finally had that breakout year everyone was waiting for, cracking 1,000 yards. Josh Downs is still the shifty slot guy we love. But behind them? It got thin. Ashton Dulin ended up on IR, which led to the team signing Treadwell from the practice squad.
At tight end, it feels like a transition is happening. Mo Alie-Cox is a pending free agent and might have played his last game in Indy. Rookie Tyler Warren from Penn State started getting more looks toward the end of the year. He looks like he could be a real weapon for whoever is throwing the ball in 2026.
Current Roster Lock-ins and Transitions
- The O-Line Core: Quenton Nelson, Bernhard Raimann, and Tanor Bortolini (who took over for Ryan Kelly) are the foundation. Braden Smith’s health is a major concern after he ended the year on IR.
- The Specialist Battle: This is going to be the most underrated story of the 2026 training camp. Spencer Shrader was great until his ACL/MCL tear. Blake Grupe came in and was literally perfect—11 for 11 on field goals, including four from 50+. You can't keep both.
- The Future Contracts: Ballard already signed 16 guys to reserve/future deals. Keep an eye on Seth Henigan (QB) and Ulysses Bentley IV (RB). They aren't stars yet, but they’re the depth pieces this team desperately needed during the December skid.
What Happens Next for the 53?
The Indianapolis Colts 53 man roster is about to go through a massive facelift. With guys like Tyquan Lewis, Mo Alie-Cox, and potentially even Daniel Jones hitting free agency, the 2026 version of this team will look very different.
The first priority is the medical room. Getting Anthony Richardson and Daniel Jones healthy is step one. Step two is figuring out if the Sauce Gardner trade was worth it if the team can't afford to keep its own defensive line depth.
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If you're looking for actionable insights on where this roster goes from here, keep your eyes on the "Exclusive Rights" free agents. Guys like Blake Grupe are easy to keep and provide huge value. The bigger question is whether Ballard will finally be aggressive in the actual free agency market to fill the holes left by the aging vets like Chris Wormley and Ameer Abdullah.
The 2025 collapse hurt, but the bones of a contender are still there. It’s just a matter of whether they can actually stay on the field in 2026.
Actionable Next Steps:
- Monitor the Kicker Battle: Watch for whether the Colts tender Blake Grupe by early March; his leg strength might make Spencer Shrader expendable.
- Check the QB Medical Reports: Follow Stephen Holder or Zak Keefer for updates on Daniel Jones’s Achilles recovery, as this dictates the entire draft strategy.
- Draft Focus: With the loss of first-round picks in the Gardner trade, expect the Colts to scout mid-round defensive tackle depth heavily to support Buckner.