The colts’ owner announces this year’s trade deadline and head coach is…

The colts’ owner announces this year’s trade deadline, and head coach is…

The Indianapolis Colts are neither clearly in a rebuilding phase nor a title contender, according to ESPN, as they were unexpectedly placed in the “stuck in the middle, but a move or two away” tier in a recent ranking of all 32 NFL teams:

What comes next? The Colts are usually eager to hoard cap space and don’t spend heavily on free agency. Star receiver Michael Pittman Jr., who excelled in 2023 with 109 catches for 1,152 yards, might get an exception.

Targets are what young quarterback Anthony Richardson needs, and the receivers room behind Pittman does not have enough of them. For all parties, the franchise tag might serve as a suitable stand-in.

Given that Grover Stewart will soon be eligible for free agency and that DeForest Buckner will turn thirty in March, the defense could use one more impact lineman.

Zaire Franklin, a standout linebacker, will soon require a new contract; therefore, it would seem fair to retain slot corner Kenny Moore II, a free agent. He’s playing well and is a Colt all the way.

The Colts should, in my opinion, be ranked above, in the “headed on the right track” tier alongside other NFL teams like the Jacksonville Jaguars and their rivals in the AFC South, the Houston Texans. This tier seems unduly harsh.

However, things could be worse; they might be in the “stuck in QB purgatory” tier.

Additionally, Dayo Odeyingbo seems to be entirely overlooked in the summary. Oddly, it mentions the need for more defensive linemen while ignoring the fact that the 24-year-old had a somewhat breakout 2023 season with 8.0 sacks off the bench (despite only making one start the previous year).

The date is January 14, 2012. We are in San Francisco at Candlestick Park. The 49ers need a touchdown with 14 seconds remaining, down three, and facing a third down to maintain their hopes of making the playoffs without having to go to overtime.

In the meantime, the Saints can draw a conclusion from this and move on to the NFC Championship Game. We need to go back in time to comprehend how we got here and to fully appreciate what this moment represents.

Even though Grover Stewart and DeForest Buckner are both approaching their thirties at defensive tackle, the Colts could still use an alpha dog as the #1 edge rusher. Instead, their current problem isn’t a lack of impact defensive linemen.

It is undeniable that Richardson requires additional weapons, as the Colts could benefit from having a larger group of explosive players on the offensive line.

That is something that can, in theory, be resolved in a single offseason—that is, if the right resources are allocated and executed.

Is it the way of one or two moves?

Right now, the Colts have a far brighter future than ESPN seems to give them credit for, provided Richardson can regain his full health and the team chooses to partner him with head coach Shane Steichen.

Indeed, there remains significant work to be done.