In the eyes of general manager Chris Ballard and many fans alike, the Indianapolis Colts roster is “not close” to where they need to be.
After an 8-9 campaign in the books, this team has proven still has a few strides to make on both ends to get back to a truly competitive, making this offseason a critical time for the Colts brass to make those aspired improvements.
And while many critics have had their respective opinions about how great or poor this year’s free agency or draft class may be, there remain many routes the Colts could take to get their hands on significant acquisitions both offensively and defensively.
Bleacher Report‘s Brad Gagnon outlined two options the Colts could consider over the coming months to help right the ship across the roster, acting as their “missing pieces”.
Offensively, he sees Indianapolis best served looking toward Penn State tight end Tyler Warren in the first round to provide Anthony Richardson with another dangerous weapon.
“Young quarterback Anthony Richardson needs a high-ceiling safety valve immediately, and Penn State tight end Tyler Warren could work wonders as a first-round pick in 2025,” Gagnon wrote.
Warren has been a popular connection with the Colts. He’s perhaps the best prospect available at his position in the 2025 draft class, and could instantly fill a long-spanning need on Indianapolis’ roster at tight end. The Colts failed to have any tight end on the roster log over 200 receiving yards throughout last season, but the Penn State product could enter the mix to change that rather quickly.
On the defensive side, Gagnon sees an ideal fit between the Colts and Miami Dolphins free agent safety Jevon Holland, a potential major addition to Lou Anarumo’s new defensive scheme.
“The secondary is awful, especially at safety where there isn’t even a lot of potential,” Gagnon said. “Jevon Holland could change the defense.”
Holland will be one of the prime targets for teams aspiring for an upgrade at safety this offseason as a 25-year-old former second-round pick. He’s coming off another solid season with Miami where he started all 15 games he suited up in, but could be eyeing the opportunity to find a fresh situation.
An Indianapolis defense that not only suspects putting a heavy workload on their safety unit in Anarumo’s system but also has a need at the position as is, makes this fit a no-brainer.
Surrounding teams could be aggressive in their pursuit of the Dolphins’ defensive back once free agency opens next week, which could result in his value jumping higher than expected. But, at the right price, he’d be a stellar addition to this Indianapolis secondary.
As the new league year officially opens on March 12th, along with free agency negotiations opening two days before, expect the chatter to increasingly ramp up surrounding the Colts’ plans and offseason moves to be made in the coming days.
