2025 Indianapolis Colts projected win total, prediction

The Indianapolis Colts might need to make the playoffs in 2025 in order for head coach Shane Steichen to keep his job, and they are going to have to surpass their projected win total in order to get there.

The Colts finished 8-9 last season and fell short of the postseason for the fourth consecutive year. They once again have major questions at the quarterback position, and oddsmakers are not expecting them to improve this season.

Projected win total: 7.5 (BetMGM)

Outlook: The Colts have a chance to get off to a fast start in 2025 with home games against the Miami Dolphins and Denver Broncos in Week 1 and Week 2, followed by a road date with the Tennessee Titans in Week 3. The big question, of course, is which quarterback will be under center for those games.

Anthony Richardson missed minicamp last week after experiencing soreness in his throwing shoulder. That left Jones, who signed a one-year, $14M deal with the Colts in free agency, to handle first-team reps. Reports have suggested that Jones looked sharp and already has a leg up in his competition with Richardson.

Indy's biggest offseason addition may have come in the NFL Draft, where it selected former Penn State tight end Tyler Warren with the 14th overall pick. Warren had 104 catches for 1,233 yards and eight touchdowns with the Nittany Lions last season. Those numbers suggest he could make an immediate impact in the Colts' passing game.

The Colts also have one of the best running backs in the NFL in Jonathan Taylor and an above-average receiving corps led by Michael Pittman Jr., Alec Pierce and Josh Downs. Pittman dealt with a back injury last season and should return to being an elite downfield threat if healthy.

Defensively, the Colts made a significant upgrade when they signed former Pro Bowl cornerback Charvarius Ward to a three-year, $60M deal. They also added safety Camryn Bynum on a four-year, $60M contract, which shows a clear commitment to improving a passing defense that ranked near the bottom of the NFL last season.

Outside of their AFC South games, the Colts will have some potentially tough road matchups against the Los Angeles Rams, Los Angeles Chargers, Pittsburgh Steelers, Kansas City Chiefs and Seattle Seahawks. They also have winnable non-division home games against the Dolphins, Broncos, Arizona Cardinals and Atlanta Falcons.