COLTS LB PREVIEW: CJ Allen, Bryce Boettcher Are the Future

The Indianapolis Colts expressed a desire to get younger and faster in the defensive front seven this offseason, and nowhere was that more evident than at linebacker.

The Colts parted with 30-year-olds Zaire Franklin and Germaine Pratt in the offseason and allowed special-teamer Segun Olubi to sign elsewhere. They signed free agent Akeem Davis-Gaither and drafted CJ Allen in the second round and Bryce Boettcher in the fourth, while signing West Weeks as a priority free agent, who is expected to make a strong push for the roster.

After a facelift at the position, here's what to expect from the Colts' linebackers in 2026.

CJ Allen

Allen is the only player we can say with certainty will be a starter this year, as the Colts specifically sought him out to be their new MIKE, replacing Franklin. They really have not held back their desire to get him heavily involved right away.

"CJ, we've liked CJ through the whole process," Colts general manager Chris Ballard said after drafting Allen. "He stands for all the right stuff. He's an athletic, fast MIKE. He'll be a green-dot guy for us from the get-go. I mean, he's a face-of-the-program type of guy. He's a really special dude now. Loves to play, serious about football."

The true question is whether the veteran Davis-Gaither or rookie Boettcher will be joining Allen on the field as the WILL.

In all likelihood, there will be a hodgepodge of players seeing snaps at linebacker. Allen will play the most. Perhaps Davis-Gaither plays more run downs, while Boettcher sees more passing downs. Hunter Wohler will also factor in at dime linebacker.

Akeem Davis-Gaither, Bryce Boettcher, Hunter Wohler, Jaylon Carlies

In the practices that the media observed during OTAs and minicamp, Boettcher began creeping into Davis-Gaither's first-team reps. At this point, it's impossible for anyone outside the building to say who the starting WILL is going to be.

Davis-Gaither played for Colts defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo for several years in Cincinnati before becoming a starter last year with the Arizona Cardinals. Davis-Gaither would be a set of veteran eyes and ears for Allen to use as a resource, down-to-down. However, if Boettcher is just simply the better player, the Colts can go that way.

"The thing that everybody loves about Bryce is when you watch this tape at Oregon, you saw the edge, the way the guy played the game, like hair on fire, fast, violent, physical," Colts linebackers coach James Bettcher said of Boettcher (no relation) this offseason. "Then you look at rookie mini camp, the first play, what does he do? He forces a fumble. That's Bryce, like a guy that's gonna be around the ball.

"He is really smart. Like, him and CJ (Allen), that's a really good combination. You know they're both like really engaged in the meeting room. Bryce fits right into that. That's his MO. He's a guy that, when you watch him play, you're like, 'That dude's gonna freaking knock someone out.' But then right after that, he's gonna go hug his teammate up because he cares about him.

"And as you get to know him, you can really feel that about him. On the personal side, he's very genuine and sincere, but then also very intentional and diligent in his work."

Wohler, who missed last year's rookie season with a Lisfranc (foot) injury, is back, and he was always supposed to get some linebacker snaps, so he will be involved.

Carlies is healthy entering year three and can serve as a special-teamer, at minimum. 

Austin Ajiake, West Weeks, Devin Veresuk, Tahj Chambers

Ajiake was an unexpected contributor for a Colts defense last year that struggled mightily for someone to play next to Franklin until Pratt was signed, playing 157 snaps. Otherwise, he is a key special-teamer who should make the roster for that purpose.

Weeks is a promising special-teams prospect who saw his most action on defense for LSU in 2025, but otherwise averaged 90.8 special-teams snaps during his career, including a combined 313 between 2022-23.

Veresuk and Chambers are a pair of interesting dark horses. Veresuk was a standout rookie defender in the CFL in 2025 who elevated his way to the NFL this offseason. Chambers is another special-teams lifer with 614 college-career snaps.