Thank you for submitting questions for my first post-NFL Draft Indianapolis Colts mailbag! It’s great to check in this time of the year and feel the pulse of the fanbase.
With OTAs ongoing, let’s dig into what’s been on your mind.
Note: Questions have been lightly edited for clarity and length.
If QB Anthony Richardson goes down early again, are we confident Joe Flacco can step in for 13-plus games? He seemed to run out of steam in Cleveland last year. — Max W.
First, this would be a nightmare scenario if Richardson sustained another season-ending injury. The Colts’ biggest problem would suddenly become whether they could still trust Richardson to be the franchise QB.
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But if 39-year-old Flacco was forced to step in for an extended period of time, I think he’d fare similar to how Gardner Minshew fared last season, in terms of effectiveness and up-and-down play. Even though Flacco is a former Super Bowl MVP, the days of him being a reliable week-to-week starting QB have passed.
Flacco threw 13 touchdowns against 8 interceptions in five starts last year in Cleveland, and he threw one touchdown against two picks in the Browns’ playoff loss to the Texans. Perhaps Flacco could lead the Colts to a postseason berth, but backup QBs tend to get worse the longer they’re exposed. Defenses start to get a feel for how they want to play and exploit the flaws that held them back from being outright starters.
Your reminder that this guy is only 22 years old. 🫡
🎥 for more highlights visit https://t.co/L0POMCe2XT pic.twitter.com/VZbj6YJJqj
— Indianapolis Colts (@Colts) May 22, 2024
We know Richardson has all of the physical tools, but how is he progressing at reading NFL defenses? — Scott K.
We won’t truly know this answer until Richardson plays in live games again, but he said he’s lived in the playbook ever since he got injured and has often come in early in the morning to go over things with coach Shane Steichen.
“If I know the offense inside and out like Shane does, then I think we’re going to be unstoppable,” Richardson said last week. “I’ve just got to keep perfecting it, keep trusting myself and trusting the offense.”
For what it’s worth, Steichen said after the team’s first open OTA practice that Richardson has been completing a lot of passes and knows “where to go with the football.” Usually, that kind of coach-QB praise is just lip service, but the more I get to know Steichen, the more convinced I am he won’t say anything he doesn’t truly believe.
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Are the Colts actually thinking about signing a veteran free agent defensive back? What about another, less obvious positional need? — Cory D.
The Colts have $22.6 million in cap space, per OverTheCap, which is enough to sign one or two veterans. I can’t say for sure, but if the Colts were to bring in outside talent, I’d expect it to be in the secondary over any other positions. A starting outside cornerback like Steven Nelson or Xavien Howard, or starting free safety like Justin Simmons or Quandre Diggs could be crucial upgrades for this team.
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Colts post-NFL Draft free-agent targets: Will Indy use cap space to sign safety or CB?
GM Chris Ballard said after the draft, “There are a few spots we want to continue to add between now and the season,” but that wasn’t a guarantee. Ballard, Steichen and defensive backs coach Ron Milus have all repeatedly and publicly backed their young and inexperienced cornerbacks and safeties. If I had to guess, I’d lean toward Indy standing pat and rolling the dice on its in-house players like Rodney Thomas II and Nick Cross at free safety, and Dallis Flowers and Jaylon Jones at outside cornerback.
In your opinion, what is the strongest position group and what is the weakest? — Brandon S.
The strongest position group appears to be the defensive line, headlined by star defensive tackle DeForest Buckner. Buckner and Grover Stewart form one of the top interior duos in the NFL, and the Colts’ edge rushers are all solid pieces, too. Indianapolis still lacks a star on the edge, and perhaps Laiatu Latu can fill that void, but Kwity Paye, Dayo Odeyingbo and Samson Ebukam each tallied at least eight sacks last year.
I’d argue the weakest group is the cornerbacks because they’re the most unproven. I’m in wait-and-see mode with Flowers, who’s practicing again after tearing his right Achilles last season, Jones and even 2023 second-round pick JuJu Brents. The only proven player at that position is nickel back Kenny Moore II. Again, the Colts are confident that these young players will step up, but if this backfires, they’ll have no one to blame but themselves if they don’t sign a veteran free agent.
Was there a breakout performer during the first session of OTAs or not enough team drills to fully choose? — Thomas B.
While we were only able to watch one open practice last week, Jelani Woods really caught my eye during that session. After not seeing him on the field at all last year due to his nagging hamstring injuries, I honestly forgot how big and freakishly athletic Woods is. He caught a lot of passes during team drills, and Steichen said afterward that he noticed the “different things you can do with him.” If Woods, who scored three touchdowns as a rookie in 2022, can stay healthy this offseason and, more importantly, during the 2024 campaign, I could see him emerging as a vital part of this offense.
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Colts OTAs: Anthony Richardson relishes return; Michael Pittman Jr. avoids major injury
If we cut Mo Alie-Cox before June 1, we save $5.9 mil in cap space. With our TE depth, and particularly with Woods’ upside and return to the field, is it worth keeping Alie-Cox on the squad? — Brandon S.
You make a good point about Alie-Cox being a potential cap causality, but I’d argue that he’s the Colts’ most reliable tight end at the moment, and he was trusted to make some big plays last year to keep the chains moving. I’ll add that Alie-Cox is a great locker room guy, so if the Colts were to move on, I think Woods would need to have a huge summer. Kylen Granson, Will Mallory and Drew Ogletree would need to step up, too.
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Is there a scenario where Ballard’s job security falls back into question? What do you think that would look like? – Richard P.
Ballard’s job security hasn’t been in question, at least not to the one person who makes those decisions. He isn’t going anywhere as long as Colts owner Jim Irsay continues to back him. That’s the bottom line and why Ballard has survived so much turnover during his largely fruitless tenure. For that tenure to end, I think the Colts would need to have a disastrous season, like if Richardson remained healthy but they somehow went 5-12 and finished last in the division. I don’t foresee that happening even if the Colts miss the playoffs again, so you can expect Ballard to be here for the long haul alongside Steichen and Richardson.
Are the Colts at all worried about Latu’s neck and is there any plan to manage his past injury? — Samuel K.
Here’s how I see it: There is no way a billion-dollar company would make a $17 million investment (the worth of Latu’s rookie contract) if there was any doubt about the return on that investment. The Colts aren’t worried about Latu’s neck, and as far as I know, his rest and recovery process won’t be anything out of the ordinary.
Since being medically cleared to return to football, Latu hasn’t missed a game due to injury over the past two years. Not only has he remained healthy, he’s been dominant with 23.5 sacks and 34 tackles for loss in 25 games at UCLA. Indianapolis saw Latu’s production, vetted his medicals and bet on his talent. When asked after the draft if Latu’s cervical fusion surgery in 2021 could possibly limit the longevity of his career, Ballard said Indianapolis’ doctors “weren’t concerned about that.”
Zoomin’ around. 💨 pic.twitter.com/CVSeFZKru9
— Indianapolis Colts (@Colts) May 29, 2024
Any chance that UDFA RB/TE Trent Pennix or QB/WR Jason Bean could make the team? — John W.
There’s a chance for them to make the 53-man roster, just like there is every year, but I’d argue that this year’s team may be a harder to make than in years past. The Colts brought back a nearly identical roster, so if Pennix or Bean want to break the mold, they’ll need to shine during training camp and the preseason. My guess is that both end up being practice squad players because there’s already a logjam at running back and wide receiver.
Will Adonai Mitchell make an impact this season? And if you could pick one non-wide receiver on the Colts who would best mentor him, who would it be? — Aaron B.
Mitchell dominated rookie minicamp and made a couple of plays in the one OTA practice we watched, but obviously I can’t predict the future. Ideally, the rookie would emerge as a consistent deep threat for Richardson, while battling with Alec Pierce to become the unquestioned WR3. As for mentors, I’d choose linebacker Zaire Franklin. He’s one of the best leaders I’ve ever been around, regardless of profession.
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Colts rookie minicamp: Adonai Mitchell won't forget his draft slide. He made sure of it
What are expectations for the team this season inside the building? — AJ M.
The expectation is to win the AFC South. The Colts haven’t won it since 2014, and while some players may not come right out and say it, after falling painfully short last year, I don’t need to give them a polygraph test to reveal their true goal. Indianapolis is pretty much the same team as last year, save for the additions of Latu and Mitchell, with the biggest change being a healthy Richardson. If he’s as good as the franchise believes he can be, the Colts should contend for a division title. After that, it’s hard to say how far they can go, but the beauty of the NFL is that if you have a special QB — and the jury is still out on Richardson — you’ll have a shot once you get to the dance.
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(Photo of Richardson: Justin Casterline / Getty Images)
