Indianapolis, IN — Indianapolis Colts general manager Chris Ballard concluded with his most recent end-of-season press conference around lunchtime, fitting for someone who says they’re hungry to right the ship but whose results suggest otherwise.
Making it a decade’s worth of data points as we enter year ten of the Chris Ballard era, there’s little to no faith and/or optimism remaining with this regime. However, Ballard is heading into the final year of his contract without an extension looming for the first time.
Will he grow reckless with his decision-making and, in turn, set the franchise back on his way out?
He suggested and even nearly promised at times that he’d do right by the Irsay sisters and this organization, treating this upcoming year with the same sense of urgency that he always has, though he explicitly laid out this offseason’s blueprint, one that included a heavy emphasis on defense:
“I think our defensive front, we’ve gotta add some fuel, and we’ve gotta get younger. We’ve gotta get faster, unequivocally on defense.”
Ballard would continue mentioning the goal to get faster and younger on defense throughout the remainder of the presser. Although both would inevitably overlap, he specified that youth will be prioritized on the defensive line, whereas added speed was more generally mentioned and is to be injected throughout the entire defense.
Here’s how the Colts’ defensive line fared in 2025-26, according to Next Gen Stats:
39 sacks (T-15th)
34.3% pressure rate (16th)
2.76 sec avg time to pressure (24th)
0.88 sec avg get-off (T-23rd)
2.91 sec avg time to throw (28th)
18.3% run stuff rate (7th)
Chris Ballard did somewhat acknowledge that most of the draft capital he has used on edge rushers over the years has resulted in little to nothing. He’d go on to say, “We’ve gotta address the front and make sure we have enough,” after spending most of his response propping up 2024 first-round pick DE Laiatu Latu, who is fresh off a sophomore campaign that totaled a team-high 8.5 sacks to pair with 3 interceptions.
The youngest avenue possible is by way of the NFL Draft, but since time is running out, look for Ballard and Co. to hit the open market for an ascending player with plenty of tread left on his tires. This could very well serve as an obvious smokescreen to then pair star pass rusher Trey Hendrickson with Laiatu Latu, reuniting him with defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo, but at least there are a handful of options set to become free agents.
Star defenders DT DeForest Buckner (neck surgery) and CB Charvarius Ward (concussions) are in a bit of limbo as far as their futures go. Buckner has indicated that he plans to return for the 2026-27 season, whereas Ward has recently admitted that retirement is being contemplated after suffering three concussions this past season.
Colts defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo is set to return to the fold as of now, though head coach interviews with the Tennessee Titans and New York Giants are set. Chris Ballard and Co. did attempt to give Anarumo his best defensive roster in years with big-time acquisitions across the defensive backfield, but the cookie didn’t crumble in their favor. Lacking in the personnel department is ultimately what led to Anarumo being let go from Cincinnati, but if the stars can finally align for the Colts under Chris Ballard, an adequate stable of horses can help aid Anarumo and Co. to a deep run in the playoffs.
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