Despite the Colts strong start to the year they are back to mediocrity, and there isn’t a clear path out for them
It’s not looking good for the Colts in 2025, but to make things worse, the future doesn’t look bright for the horseshoe right now.
You would think the Indianapolis Colts’ struggles in Jacksonville would get old at some point, but they keep finding new ways to make that loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars more devastating each season. This time, it started early with QB Daniel Jones suffering what appears to be a season-ending injury.
For the 11th straight year, the Colts couldn’t win in Jacksonville and now sit at 8-5. The Colts have watched their season fall entirely off the rails, and now, with Jones likely heading to the IR and Anthony Richardson already there, there isn’t a straightforward way for them to get back on track. They are back to where many predicted for them to be ahead of the season: mediocrity.
The Colts’ outlook in the present and the future looks rough
The Colts have now lost four of their last five games, their only win coming in overtime against a bad Atlanta Falcons team. They are now set to play the majority, if not the remainder, of their schedule with their third-string quarterback, Riley Leonard. And if you don’t remember, the Colts don’t even own their first-round pick this year (or next), so they can’t bank on losses improving their draft standing.
They have no choice but to go out there and try to win games, but there is a real possibility they don’t win another game this season. Once 7-1 atop the AFC, now 8-5, holding on to the final wild-card spot by a thread. This has been one of the most disappointing collapses we’ve seen in recent memory, and it very well might get worse before it gets better.
The Colts are in a tough spot, but it’s also important to consider how devastating this injury is for Jones himself. Jones was looked at as a laughing stock after his time with the Giants ended. He completely rebuilt his image with the Colts and appeared to be heading towards a big contract to reward his hard work. Now, he has a long road ahead to recover from one of the toughest injuries athletes face.
There are now real questions inside the Colts’ building about whether they can rely on Jones as their starter in 2026. He needs a new contract, and it would be challenging for the Colts or any team to offer big money to someone who may not be ready for the start of the 2026 season. If they are forced to go back to the drawing board for yet another new QB, that could mean more changes are coming.
It would be hard to expect some of these top veteran players to sign up for another new QB after being teased with success through the first 10 weeks of the season. I wouldn’t be shocked if we saw multiple top veterans request trades, which would put Indy in a tough spot.
They don’t own their first rounder in 2027, just like 2026, thanks to the trade for Sauce Gardner, so they can’t move into a complete rebuild. However, at the moment, they seem directionless, and that, paired with desperation, can be a dangerous combination.
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