The Indianapolis Colts are projected to enter the 2026 NFL Draft with seven picks, but they expect to end the draft having made more selections.
INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. — When it comes to the Indianapolis Colts' approach to the annual NFL Draft, their belief is that they always want as many "shots" at the proverbial dart board as possible, regardless of where they are in the order.
The approach makes sense: more picks means more players with a chance to become significant contributors.
"History's proven that great players come from everywhere in the draft, whether they're a first-round pick, seventh-round pick, undrafted free agent," Colts general manager Chris Ballard said recently at the NFL Scouting Combine. "There's certain athletic traits that we do look for... Our scouts do a great job of digging out those type of players that we think can come in and produce right away. They come from everywhere."
Since Ballard became the Colts' GM in 2017, they have traded back just over a dozen times in order to add extra picks, and Ballard says fans should expect the trend to continue this April.
"We like to acquire picks," Ballard said. "I'm not saying we wouldn't move up in the draft, 'cause that's always a possibility, but there's a good chance that we'll end up moving back, and we're gonna end up getting, I think, two (compensatory) picks, so we're at seven (picks total). I would anticipate having more after it's all said and done."
The Colts currently stand at five of their own original draft picks entering the 2026 draft. They traded away this year's first-round pick to the New York Jets in a trade for cornerback Sauce Gardner, and their sixth-rounder to the Minnesota Vikings for cornerback Mekhi Blackmon.
The two compensatory selections Ballard mentioned would be rewarded for the free-agent losses last spring of quarterback Joe Flacco and linebacker E.J. Speed.
While trading back during the draft is the most straightforward way to acquire more draft picks, the Colts could also make it happen before the draft even begins.
Quarterback Anthony Richardson Sr. is on the trade block after he and the Colts mutually agreed to seek a trade out of Indianapolis. He would likely get the Colts a mid-late-round pick in return.
Other players who could be traded and net the Colts draft compensation are wide receiver Michael Pittman Jr. and linebacker Zaire Franklin.
When asked during the Combine, Ballard didn't deny that Pittman and Franklin's contracts and status on the team need to be figured out, while Ballard sounded somewhat more optimistic about Pittman. There has been outside speculation that those two players could also be involved in trades this offseason.
This year's NFL draft takes place between Thurs., April 23 and Sat., April 25.
Jake Arthur has been covering the Indianapolis Colts for over a dozen years and is a member of the PFWA. He's one half of the Locked On Colts podcast and has worked for the Colts' official website, On SI, and more. You can follow him on X @JakeArthurNFL.