It's only the preseason, but the Indianapolis Colts' poor performance on Saturday raised concerns.
INDIANAPOLIS — The Indianapolis Colts concluded training camp earlier this week and, on Saturday, played their second of three preseason games, which was an ugly 34-6 home loss to the Atlanta Falcons.
Although there were very few starters in the game, several players will likely be counted on to provide critical depth during the regular season, so the poor performance raised concerns.
After 14 camp practices (including three joint practices with the New England Patriots and Falcons) and two preseason games, here are some questions that need to be answered.
Has Backup QB Play Been More About Them, Or Supporting Cast?
The Colts have had a competition for the backup quarterback spot throughout the spring and summer, giving Anthony Richardson Sr. and Riley Leonard the opportunity to be QB2 behind Daniel Jones.
Both players have been erratic and anything but consistent. There have been some really good throws and plays during camp, but timing and anticipation issues persist, and poor play from some receivers and offensive linemen has made it worse. The quarterbacks have often had to run for their lives in the preseason or have had defenders immediately in their face, and there have been issues with drops and route running, but ultimately Richardson and Leonard have turned the ball over three times in the preseason.
Should the unreliability of the players around Richardson and Leonard with the second- and third-team offenses be much of an excuse, or should the quarterbacks be developed enough to elevate those around them?
Richardson's arm strength and ability to escape pressure have made him the much more palatable option, although head coach Shane Steichen's main criteria have always been consistency and the operation of the offense. Neither player has met the mark there.
How Much More Do Colts Need in the Trenches?
The Colts have been without their likely swing tackle Luke Tenuta for about a week as he nurses a knee injury. He's played just 35 offensive snaps in his NFL career, but his absence has caused problems, as Blake Freeland and Josh Sills have taken on more responsibility. The Colts being in a position to miss a player who's hardly ever played in the NFL is an indictment of their depth and a clear area in need of attention. Other than rookie guard Jalen Farmer (who's been in and out of the lineup as well), things haven't gone much better inside either.
On the defensive line, the Colts have serious depth concerns. The four-man pass rush hasn't been productive enough, meaning the secondary will have to stay healthy enough for coordinator Lou Anarumo to feel comfortable blitzing effectively and generating pressure that way. Opposing quarterbacks in the preseason have found too much comfort in delivering the ball, and Atlanta's Jack Strand looked like the best No. 18 to come through Lucas Oil Stadium since Peyton Manning on Saturday. Second-year edge Jaylahn Tuimoloau hasn't flashed enough as a pass-rusher or run defender, and anyone backing up Grover Stewart at one-tech has been more of a liability than appearing rosterable.
The Colts could be fairly active at addressing their fronts when roster cutdowns arrive.
Who Are The Starting Linebackers?
At one point, it looked like the Colts could be starting two rookies at linebacker in CJ Allen and Bryce Boettcher, but veterans Akeem Davis-Gaither, Jaylon Carlies, and even Austin Ajiake have gotten more attention with the first-team defense lately in practice and the preseason.
While Davis-Gaither has sat out the preseason (presumably because he's got a starting spot locked), the pairings of Ajiake/Carlies and Allen/Boettcher alternated drives for much of Saturday's game.
The Colts might let this one go down to the wire as to who will start next to Davis-Gaither, but Allen clearly has some catching up to do after groin and hamstring injuries caused him to miss a handful of practices during training camp. How much of a concern should that be, considering the Colts said he'd be their MIKE linebacker from Day 1?
Has Cornerback Depth Been Fool's Gold?
The Colts entered the summer with cornerback as arguably the deepest group on the roster, featuring Sauce Gardner, Charvarius Ward Sr., and Justin Walley as starters, with Mekhi Blackmon, Johnathan Edwards, Cam Taylor-Britt, and Jaylon Jones providing depth.
Presently, Ward has been out for over a week with a back injury, forcing Walley to the outside and Taylor-Britt into the slot. Taylor-Britt has a one-game suspension to serve in Week 1. Blackmon and Edwards have not shown the level of growth you'd hope to see going into Year 2 in Anarumo's system (Blackmon has even been called for pass interference four times in two preseason games). Jones has been the most consistent depth corner, but he likely ranks last in the pecking order.
The Colts don't appear to be able to afford injuries at corner in 2026 like they had in 2025.
Who Will Win The Kicking Job?
Throughout mandatory minicamp, training camp, and the preseason, Blake Grupe has consistently converted about 20% more of his field goal attempts than Spencer Shrader. However, Shrader is a perfect 4-of-4 in the preseason while Grupe is 0-of-2. It's a small size of the bigger body of work, but in-game reps have to be weighed heaviest.
Despite it not being relatively close in practice, could Shrader's advantages in games swing the kicker battle back in his direction?
