Feb. 20, 2026, 7:45 a.m. ET

ESPN analyst Ben Solak has some good news and some bad news as it pertains to the linebacker position this offseason. This, of course, applies to the Indianapolis Colts, who have a big need at this position.

So let’s start with the good news. As Solak put it, this is a good year to need a difference-maker at the position.

Solak highlighted Ohio State’s Sonny Styles and Arvell Reese as incoming difference-makers at the position.

Now, the bad news is that it’s a bad year to need a difference maker at linebacker and not have a top 10 pick. The Colts‘ first pick won’t be coming until 47th overall on Day 2 of the draft.

The free agency class is headlined by Jacksonville’s Devin Lloyd, who is set to earn a big payday, with Solak mentioning that he expects Lloyd to clear $15 million per year.

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Lloyd was a second-team All-Pro in 2025, doing a bit of everything for the Jacksonville defense, making an impact as a run defender, blitzer, and in coverage.

However, Solak wouldn’t put Lloyd as a top-five player at the linebacker position, but says he is going to get paid like one.

“Lloyd is probably not a top-five linebacker in football; I’d say he’s more LB10 or LB12,” wrote Solak. “But he’s almost certainly about to get paid like it. Last year was an enormous offseason for linebacker contracts, as four of the six biggest deals currently in the market were signed by Fred Warner, Zack Baun, Jamien Sherwood and Nick Bolton — and Lloyd comfortably outperformed the latter two last season. I’d argue he outplayed Baun, as well. Lloyd is going to clear $15 million per year, and at that price tag, I’d likely pass if I was a general manager. With that said, Lloyd is still an impactful player.”

The Colts are positioned fairly well from a salary cap perspective to again be more aggressive this offseason in free agency, which it sounds like is the approach that GM Chris Ballard will take.

Typically, when doing business in free agency, there is a premium that has to be paid, so that will be part of the decision-making process for Ballard as he determines how aggressively he wants to address the linebacker position.