Jan. 16, 2026, 10:19 a.m. ET
As we continue on with our look ahead to the Indianapolis Colts’ offseason, what big questions does GM Chris Ballard have to answer?
With the Colts having missed the playoffs now for five consecutive seasons and Ballard still remaining at the helm, there are quite a few questions this team must answer if it is finally going to take a step forward.
But here are three pressing questions for the Colts as we sit here in mid-January.
What does Daniel Jones’ next contract look like?
It seems very clear that the Colts want Jones back and Jones wants to be back in Indianapolis. So we will bypass the question of ‘does he return?’ and instead focus on what his next contract looks like.
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The primary reason that the Colts are again running it back in 2026 is that the organization believes that what took place through the first half of last season is repeatable and sustainable. Jones’ play was obviously critical to that early success.
But the wrinkle here is that Jones is coming off an Achilles injury. How quickly he bounces back remains to be seen, and whether it’s dollars or contract length, that uncertainty could impact negotiations.
Spotrac recently projected what Jones’ next deal could look like.
How aggressively does Chris Ballard address the defensive line?
As Ballard said during his end-of-season press conference, “more fuel” is needed up front. This is particularly true at defensive end, where the pass rush throughout the season was too inconsistent.
On the year, Indianapolis’ defensive line ranked 30th in ESPN’s pass rush win rate metric.
Along with chasing more production, Kwity Paye, Tyquan Lewis, and Samson Ebukam are all free agents, as is Neville Gallimore along the interior. Getting younger inside and bolstering that depth could be a priority as well.
The Colts are in “good shape” salary cap-wise this offseason, Ballard said. Ballard also added that  he believes the team will “continue down that path,” referencing the more aggressive approach he took last offseason.
How does Ballard feel about the offensive line?
Braden Smith is set to be a free agent, but rookie Jalen Travis held his own at right tackle down the stretch. If the Colts are confident in Travis moving forward, then they could go into the offseason with all five of their starters up front under contract.
But even if that’s the case, is more competition needed?
During the second half of the season, the Colts really struggled to get the run game going. Over the Colts’ final seven games, Jonathan Taylor didn’t eclipse 100 rushing yards. He had only one game where he averaged 4-plus yards per rush in a game.
Having a strong running game, especially one led by a player of Taylor’s caliber, does wonders for an offense and can take a heavy burden off the passing game. That element was missing, however.
Ballard even mentioned during his press conference that the Colts have to “be able to run it, when we want to run it.”
So are additions made to help increase the level of play? Do schematic changes need to be made? One way or another, the Colts have to improve in the run game.