Indianapolis Colts brass delivered a unified message about the most important offseason priorities inside the Indiana Convention Center, which includes signing quarterback Daniel Jones and receiver Alec Pierce to long-term contracts. Colts General Manager Chris Ballard and head coach Shane Steichen did not come to make headlines at the 2026 NFL Scouting Combine, but rather reinforced the direction of the franchise.
Both Jones and Pierce were ranked inside the top 10 of the annual NFL’s top free agent rankings, with Pierce listed as the top receiver at No. 5 overall, while Jones was listed as QB2 at No.8, in an article released by NFL.com. Prior to Jones’ unfortunate Achilles tear, there’s an argument to be made that they were two of the best ‘bang for your buck’ tandems in the entire league. Ballard and Steichen remain confident that Jones will be ready to roll for training camp and can deliver tremendous value under center like he did in his first 10 starts in Indy.
It still takes two to tango, so the negotiation window will have to be driven toward the hope of hammering out long-term deals before either player can scour free agency in March. Ballard emphasized the Colts do not want to rely on the franchise tag and showed a clear preference to collaborate on a deal, rather than use a leverage tool to negotiate with core players.
“We will continue to work this week and see if we can get something done,” Ballard said in Tuesday’s news conference at the combine. It’s been very positive. Look, when both sides are driven to get something done, it usually works out in the right way.”
The same philosophy applies to Pierce, who emerged as one of the league’s top deep threats over the last two seasons. Pierce has led the NFL in yards per catch (22.3 ypc in 2024, 21.3 ypc in 2025) in consecutive seasons. Another striking fact is Pierce finished with an absurd 41 first downs on just 47 catches. His 87% first down conversion rate was also the highest in the league among qualified pass catchers. Steichen complimented his ability to make plays downfield, but also noted the strides that Pierce has made on intermediate and in-breaking routes.
One of the more intriguing insights from Tuesday’s combine session was the Colts’ draft approach to discover hidden gems without a first-round pick. The Colts need to sharpen the depth chart, not dismantle it, so the approach in the upcoming draft will require consistent hits with seven total picks spread across Days 2 and 3. Ballard did mention that he anticipates having “more when it’s all said and done”. As the scouting combine begins to pulse through Indy and draft boards take shape, Colts scouts and evaluators are searching for the traits to revamp a defensive unit with younger and faster front seven, including linebackers and pass rushers.
There feels like some urgency to see results from Steichen in 2026, who enters a pivotal fourth season at the helm. The Colts ended the 2025 season exposed in a stunning collapse that featured seven straight defeats after an 8-2 start. Steichen struck an unmistakable competitive tone that emphasized physicality, generating more explosive plays and improving situational execution.
Steichen highlighted the need to reestablish an improved run game for running back Jonathan Taylor, stressing better schemes to create cleaner runways. Taylor rushed for 1,585 yards on 323 carries and led the league with 20 total touchdowns in 2025. To sustain a successful run game, Steichen intends to study more ways to lean on his workhorse.
The physical teams can win ugly battles and the teams that create explosive plays can separate from their competitors. The teams that excel at situational football thrive past December. Steichen spoke on the key details that decide playoff races, whereas Indianapolis has struggled when faced with adversity down the home stretch of his first three seasons. The focus will shift toward more attention to two-minute drills, sudden-change situations and increased practice intensity.
NFL teams will have plenty to watch on the field of Lucas Oil Stadium this week in Indy, but the words from the podium speak volumes of the moves expected ahead of the 2026 season.
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