ClutchPoints
Few teams in the NFL are entering training camp with stakes as high as the Indianapolis Colts. After years of hovering in the middle of the AFC, 2025 feels like a make-or-break campaign. It’s not just for the players on the field, but for the entire leadership structure of the franchise. The Colts are talented enough to contend, but they’re also fragile enough to unravel. It’s that razor-thin line between success and failure that makes this summer in Westfield one of the league’s most fascinating storylines.
This summer feels like a turning point for the Colts. They enter a training camp and season that could reshape the franchise’s future. General manager Chris Ballard and head coach Shane Steichen enter on notice after the late Jim Irsay openly considered sweeping changes at the end of last year. With Irsay’s passing in May, his three daughters have assumed control of the team. Of course, they are bringing a new level of expectation to a franchise that has been stuck in neutral.
The Colts haven’t reached the playoffs since 2020 and haven’t won a postseason game since 2018. That kind of drought won’t be tolerated for much longer. Adding urgency is the looming financial flexibility of more than $70 million in cap space next spring and a roster full of players entering contract years. Whether this front office gets to oversee that pivotal offseason will likely hinge on what happens over the next five months.
At the center of it all is a quarterback battle that will define camp. Anthony Richardson, who is now in his third season, has shown flashes but has yet to put it all together. His 2024 campaign included a midseason benching and ongoing questions about a shoulder injury. He and the coaching staff insist he’s fully healthy. However, he’ll have to prove it. Pushing him is veteran Daniel Jones. He is looking for redemption after a rough end to his tenure with the Giants. Jones has the experience, and he could make a real push to take over the starting job. For a team under pressure from ownership and fans alike, no storyline will be more closely watched than who ultimately lines up behind center in Week 1.
Here we’ll try to look at the surprising Indianapolis Colts player who could make or break their 2025 NFL season.
Yes, quarterback headlines dominate the narrative. That said, the most pivotal position battle in Indianapolis may be happening on the defensive side of the ball. After finishing 24th in defense last season, the Colts made a change at coordinator. They brought in Lou Anarumo to inject some life into the unit and added a couple of stars in free agency. Yet, one glaring question remains: who will start opposite Charvarius Ward at outside cornerback?
That vacancy sets up one of the most intriguing competitions of camp. Justin Walley, Jaylon Jones, and JuJu Brents are the...
