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The Indianapolis Colts head into the 2025 season as one of the AFC’s most intriguing wildcards. Sure, much of the national media is locked in on the major storylines. These include Anthony Richardson’s development to a revamped secondary. However, there are several under-the-radar names who could play pivotal roles in determining how far this team goes. Every successful NFL season features unexpected contributors stepping into the spotlight. For Indianapolis, there are a few hidden gems on the roster poised to make that kind of impact.
The Colts entered this offseason facing tough decisions, particularly on the offensive line. They lost starting center Ryan Kelly and right guard Will Fries in free agency. Their departures created immediate concerns about protecting young quarterback Anthony Richardson. He still needs stability up front to fully unlock his dual-threat potential.
However, rather than make splashy moves in free agency to fill those holes, Indianapolis opted for internal development. The front office seems confident that in-house options Matt Goncalves and Tanor Bortolini will step up.
On the defensive side, Indianapolis attacked its biggest weakness head-on — the secondary. The team signed safety Cam Bynum and cornerback Charvarius Ward. They should instantly upgrade a back-end unit that struggled in 2024. Meanwhile, at quarterback, questions remain around Richardson’s consistency and durability. This is why the Colts added Daniel Jones and rookie Riley Leonard to foster healthy competition behind their starter. Finally, the front office delivered a solid draft class that could quietly bolster the roster’s overall depth.
Now, let’s take a closer look at the three hidden gems who could quietly define the Colts’ 2025 campaign.
One of the most underrated moves of Indianapolis’ offseason was letting linebacker EJ Speed walk in free agency. That’s not because Speed lacked value, but because of the coaching staff’s growing confidence in Jaylon Carlies.
Carlies was a 2024 fifth-round pick. He quietly flashed immense potential during his limited opportunities last season. Despite starting only six games and logging just 242 defensive snaps, he impressed with his versatility and athleticism. According to Pro Football Focus, Carlies earned an outstanding 83.1 coverage grade while accumulating 36 total tackles. That type of performance is rare for a late-round rookie adjusting to NFL speed.
Heading into 2025, Carlies should assume a much larger role alongside Zaire Franklin. The latter remains the anchor of the linebacker corps. Yes, Franklin handles the run-stopping and leadership duties. That said, Carlies could emerge as a dynamic coverage linebacker. He is capable of neutralizing tight ends and running backs in space. That’s an area where the Colts struggled at times last year.
What makes Carlies so valuable is his ability to play in sub-packages. This gives the Colts defensive flexibility to match up against modern, pass-heavy offenses. If Carlies builds on his strong rookie year, he could evolve into one of the league’s better coverage linebackers. He could be viewed as of the biggest steals of the 2024 draft...
