Draft Month: How Colts' Roster Shapes Up with 3 Weeks Left

We're now just under three weeks away from the start of the 2024 NFL Draft on Thurs., April 25.

The Indianapolis Colts have taken a deliberate approach to reinvest in their own players this offseason, only losing five of their 16 in-house free agents while adding just two outside players. Quarterback Joe Flacco and defensive tackle Raekwon Davis are both expected to be backups.

Not to say the Colts won't add anymore players through free agency before the season, but the onus now is clearly on the draft. With that said, what does their roster look like, and how urgent are certain positions?

Projected starters in bold.

QUARTERBACK

Anthony Richardson, Joe Flacco, Sam Ehlinger
Urgency Level: Low

The Colts only got four games out of Richardson as a rookie before he suffered a season-ending shoulder injury in Week 5 last season. Still, the Colts are putting a lot of eggs in the Richardson basket for 2024 and are full-steam ahead with their young signal-caller. On paper, Flacco becoming the new backup is an upgrade over the departed Gardner Minshew (Flacco is the reigning NFL Comeback Player of the Year, after all).

RUNNING BACK

Jonathan Taylor, Trey Sermon, Tyler Goodson, Evan Hull, Zavier Scott
Urgency Level: Low

Taylor is a rare breed in the modern NFL, as a bellcow back who can dominate the backfield shares, week in and week out. Running back is, however, a dark horse position to watch in the draft for the Colts, as there was reported interest in free-agent A.J. Dillon before he returned to the Green Bay Packers, and they also wanted Zack Moss back for the right price before he left for the Cincinnati Bengals. Those are two high-quality backs, so the Colts may want a really good backup for Taylor, which is something we can't yet say they have.

WIDE RECEIVER

Michael Pittman Jr., Josh Downs, Alec Pierce, Ashton Dulin, D.J. Montgomery, Juwann Winfree, Ethan Fernea, Tyrie Cleveland, Terrell Bynum
Urgency Level: Medium

I'm tempted to make the urgency here low because I do believe Pierce is going to be more affective in his role with Richardson at quarterback, but going into his third year, you'd like to see him do more than just specialize as a downfield threat. The Colts need to add an explosive element to the passing game, likely in the form of someone that can win a one-on-one matchup early in the down, create yards after the catch, and threaten defenses vertically. Outside of that, Pittman and Downs are matchup winners who will likely carry the receiving half of the passing game.

TIGHT END

Kylen Granson, Mo Alie-Cox, Jelani Woods*, Will Mallory, Drew Ogletree*, Eric Tomlinson, Jordan Murray
Urgency Level: Low

While there's a good chance the explosive element being added to the passing game comes at receiver, if the Colts added a tight end like Brock Bowers or J'Tavion Sanders in the draft, then it has a similar effect on the tight end room. They don't have to add a player to the group for the sake of adding one, as the platoon of Granson, Mallory, and whatever Woods is able to provide (tons of upside if healthy), is enough to get the Colts by.

OFFENSIVE LINE

OT: Bernhard Raimann, Braden Smith, Blake Freeland, Jake Witt
IOL: Quenton Nelson, Ryan Kelly, Will Fries, Josh Sills, Wesley French, Danny Pinter, Arlington Hambright, Jack Anderson, Lewis Kidd
Urgency Level: Low

The Colts' offensive line returned to form in 2023 under new position coach Tony Sparano Jr., returning to being an asset rather than a hindrance. The surprising part is that the normal starting offensive line of Raimann, Nelson, Kelly, Fries, and Smith only played in six games together. The Colts only had two free agents from the group in Pinter and Anderson, and they brought both back. They could stand to add another quality piece or two for the sake of competition, but this isn't a group to be worried about.

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DEFENSIVE LINE

DE: Kwity Paye, Samson Ebukam, Dayo Odeyingbo, Tyquan Lewis, Genard Avery, Isaiah Land, Titus Leo
IDL: DeForest Buckner, Grover Stewart, Raekwon Davis, Taven Bryan, Eric Johnson II, Adetomiwa Adebawore
Urgency Level: Low

This is a group that led the charge toward an Indy-era 51 sacks in 2023 but they're somehow still missing consistency. Better play in the secondary will help, but the Colts don't have that alpha/game-wrecker pass rusher on their roster, either, and they reportedly attempted to fill that void in free agency with Danielle Hunter, now of the Houston Texans. If someone like Dallas Turner fell in the Colts' lap, I could see them selecting him at 15 in the draft, but otherwise, it may still be something the team looks to address in the draft, as Paye, Odeyingbo, and Ebukam aren't under contract after the next couple of seasons.

LINEBACKER

Zaire Franklin, E.J. Speed, Segun Olubi, Ronnie Harrison Jr., Cameron McGrone, Grant Stuard, Liam Anderson, Austin Ajiake
Urgency Level: Low

There's zero mystery as to who's going to be playing extensively at linebacker, but the question is, what roles will coordinator Gus Bradley and linebackers coach Richard Smith have for the rest of the crew? Harrison certainly helped in the passing game last year and made some big plays. Stuard was a coaching favorite early in the year, but Olubi and McGrone started to see more action as the season wore on. The Colts likely will continue to tinker with the SAM/OTTO position and backup MIKE.

CORNERBACK

Kenny Moore II, JuJu Brents, Jaylon Jones, Dallis Flowers, Darrell Baker Jr., Chris Lammons, E.J. Speed
Urgency Level: High

If there's a position that is universally thought to be addressed by the Colts in the draft, it's cornerback. The team went heavy at the position last spring, picking Brents, Jones, and Darius Rush, but the depth still isn't where it needs to be yet. Moore is among the best nickels in the game but will be 29 when the season starts and has dealt with some injuries throughout his career while the Colts don't have a clear cut backup for him in the slot. Brents also missed eight game in his rookie season due to injury. Flowers factors in here somehow but is coming off of a season-ending Achilles injury. The Colts may want to add another starter opposite of Moore and Brents.

SAFETY

Julian Blackmon, Nick Cross, Rodney Thomas II, Daniel Scott, Trevor Denbow, Marcel Dabo, Kendell Brooks, Michael Tutsie
Urgency Level: Medium

Safety got a big boost this week when the Colts re-signed Blackmon, but the position still needs a little more juice. Blackmon is a set-it-and-forget-it player, but is he your starting free or strong safety? It totally depends on who else the Colts carry into the season and what they're capable of. Cross and Thomas can not yet be trusted to start outright without competition. What would resolve this issue is signing another capable starter in free agency to roll with Blackmon or drafting one within the first three or four rounds.

SPECIAL TEAMS

K: Matt Gay
P: Rigoberto Sanchez
LS: Luke Rhodes
Urgency Level: Low

Nothing to see here in terms of the kicking game. However, what wil be interesting is who the Colts choose as their new return specialists, particularly with that being opened back up for kickoffs with the recent rules changes. Do the Colts draft someone with that in mind like they did Isaiah Rodgers Sr. a few years back?

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