Colts Going With Veterans As Starting Linebackers, For Now

The Indianapolis Colts remade their linebacker corps this offseason, jettisoning Zaire Franklin to the Green Bay Packers and allowing Germaine Pratt to walk in free agency. The Colts went young at the position, adding CJ Allen and Bryce Boettcher in the draft, and undrafted rookie Tahj Chambers also made the roster after a standout summer.

However, it's two veterans who may see the most work at linebacker to begin the year in Akeem Davis-Gaither and Jaylon Carlies.

“Yeah, I think it's going to be a rotation of guys, as I've mentioned in the past," Colts defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo said on Tuesday. "We'll probably see JC (Jaylon Carlies) and Akeem (Davis-Gaither) out there potentially early, with the combination of the rest of the guys ready to go in different jobs and different roles from the beginning.”

The Colts signed Davis-Gaither in free agency this offseason as a failsafe, since he spent five years with Anarumo while with the Cincinnati Bengals from 2020-24, so the two are comfortable having the veteran on the field. Davis-Gaither is also coming off his first season as a full-time starter with the Arizona Cardinals in 2025.

He had 117 tackles (two for loss), one fumble forced, one fumble recovered, one interception, and five pass breakups last season in Arizona.

Carlies enters his third year with the Colts after two injury-marred seasons. The safety-turned-linebacker played 10 games (with six starts) as a rookie but dealt with fibula and shoulder injuries. Surgery on the shoulder kept him out for the entire ensuing offseason, but he returned for training camp before an ankle injury knocked him out until November. He played just 27 total snaps between defense and special teams during his second season.

In 13 career games (six starts), Carlies has 37 tackles (two for loss), 1.0 sack, and one pass breakup.

The two veterans initially carrying the load may come as a surprise since the Colts drafted Allen in the second round to take over for Franklin as the MIKE linebacker of the present and future.

The Colts touted Allen's demeanor, quick learning, and leadership all offseason, and while those things remain true, he missed seven practices and a preseason game this summer while dealing with groin and hamstring injuries, which set back his development.

The Colts saw more instant gratification with having Davis-Gaither at MIKE over Allen rather than Davis-Gaither playing the WILL and running alongside Allen.

Eventually, Allen will start to absorb most of the snaps, and there will be a regular rotation of players that likely includes some mix of Davis-Gaither, Carlies, Allen, Boettcher, Austin Ajiake, and even safety Hunter Wohler.

However, for the time being, the Colts feel it's best and most responsible for the defense to roll with the veterans.

The Colts host the Baltimore Ravens this Sunday at Lucas Oil Stadium at 1:00 p.m. ET on CBS.