Did Colts Find Needed Answers In 2024 Season?

Source: Justin Casterline / Getty

INDIANAPOLIS – Back in late August, we laid out 6 questions/answers the Colts needed to find in the upcoming 2024 season. With the offseason now here, it’s time to look back on how those answers played out. Here are the 6 questions/answers from the start of this past season.

Is Anthony Richardson Trending Towards A Second Contract?

I would say the answer to this is no, Anthony Richardson is not on a positive trend towards a second contract.

Now, that doesn’t mean Richardson is a “bust” or the Colts should be done with the 22-year-old quarterback.

Simply, it just means that Richardson’s second season had some regression in key areas, with more questions, than answers, heading into a beyond critical 2025 campaign.

Yes, it’s a tad premature to think about Richardson and his second contract. He’s signed through 2026, with a team option for the 2027 season.

But the Colts will have their first financial decision on Richardson (that team option) due after next year.

With steps back in overall accuracy, a much higher turnover rate, rising concerns about Richardson adhering to the immense quarterback standard and injury concerns hard to ignore, you can’t say the answer to this as an arrow pointing upward.

A massive offseason awaits Richardson to get this train back on the tracks.

2. Is this franchise ready to get out of their playoff rut?

Is this franchise ready to get out of their playoff rut?

No.

Yes, the Colts still haven’t won the AFC South since 2014. Some 25 NFL teams have won a division title since the Colts last did.

Yes, the Colts still haven’t won a playoff game since 2018. Some 21 NFL teams have won a playoff game since the Colts last did (and that number could grow this year).

In 2024, the Colts were eliminated from the worst division in the AFC with 3 weeks remaining.

And the Colts were done with their must-have, multi-game/multi-week parlay prior to Week 18.

That’s, another, humbling, reality of the Colts, who last hosted a home playoff game 10 years ago.

Of the 7 AFC playoff teams, 6 of those quarterbacks are under the age of 29, so good luck seeing immense turnover in this conference anytime soon.

3. How is the support for Anthony Richardson?

How is the support for Anthony Richardson?

Improving?

Encouragement should be there at wide receiver, which is not something we’ve said in a while.

And the offensive line, while aging in some spots, appears to have a couple of torch-passing options.

Now, running back sans Jonathan Taylor and tight end are definite areas that need attention.

This is a question that can never be ignored, as offseasons continue to move along.

On the flip side of things, part of this Richardson ‘support’ involves areas not just associated with player personnel.

The acclimating to life as a professional football player has clearly had some hiccups for Richardson, so the Colts need to be more hands-on in making sure that doesn’t boil over.

4. How dominant is the defensive line?

How dominant is the defensive line?

Nowhere near what the Colts had hoped/believed entering 2024, even if Chris Ballard would say otherwise.

The Colts thought they had one of the best defensive lines in all of football entering this season.

But the group ranked 25^th in sack percentage and 24^th in rushing yards allowed per game.

Given the inexperience of the secondary, it was vital the Colts got elite level play from their defensive front. That’s something Ballard even mentioned prior to the start of the ’24 campaign as a reason why he didn’t do more player acquisition in the back end.

However, that didn’t happen right out of the gate with Joe Mixon and Josh Jacobs running all over the Colts.

The run defense did improve from there, but the defensive line still lacked consistent, individual playmaking

Ballard has invested some serious, serious resources into the Colts defensive line. Yet, the group struggled to sniff the return on that in 2024.

5. Is the offensive line still among the league’s elite?

Is the offensive line still among the league’s elite?

Not elite, but still a unit in the upper echelon of the NFL.

It wasn’t perfect from the Colts offensive line in 2024, but the unit did a nice job of hanging in there over the grind of a 17-game season.

The 5-man grouping of LT-Bernhard Raimann, LG-Quenton Nelson, C-Ryan Kelly, RG-Will Fries, RT-Braden Smith was back for another year.

Kelly battled injuries, with the Colts having to go 3-deep at center. Fries’ promising contract year ended in October with a broken leg. And Smith left the team with a personal matter late in the season.

Rookies Tanor Bortolini and Matt Goncalves handled their first taste of the NFL fairly well, and they could be asked to start in 2025 with uncertainties around Kelly (a free agent) and Smith.

It’s possible the Colts have 3 new offensive line starters in 2025.

6. Do you have young secondary answers?

Do you have young secondary answers?

Not as many as you’d like.

Chris Ballard took blame for the secondary issues from last season in contributing to the Colts finishing 28^th in points allowed.

Well, Ballard doubled down on those young bodies in that room, by running it back personnel wise in 2024.

And the results were pretty blah, as the Colts ranked 24^th in points allowed.

The Colts finished 30^th in the NFL in passes defensed and continue to show a lack of disruption when it comes to the timing of opposing offenses.

At cornerback, JuJu Brents played 2 games, getting hurt in both. Jaylon Jones is a nice corner, and find, as a 7^th round pick. But cornerback remains a huge Colts need as Kenny Moore II turns 30 years in 2025.

At safety, Nick Cross showed some promise at safety with Julian Blackmon heading to free agency again.

Secondary answers for 2025, and beyond, are once again there.