Colts Have Great Shot to Take Weakest Division

The Houston Texans have owned the AFC South over the last two seasons. This started when C.J. Stroud was drafted second overall in 2023, taking the franchise to the playoffs while keeping the Indianapolis Colts second in the division.

The divisional woes for the Colts are painful to discuss, as the franchise hasn't taken the AFC South in a decade. This means the last time Indy boasted to be the top of their division was when Andrew Luck was in his third NFL season.

In 2025, the Colts must secure their division or multiple front office members, coaches, and players won't remain intact.

The good news for Indianapolis is that the AFC South is wide open. This is reflected in the divisional rankings from NFL.com's Eric Edholm.

Edholm puts the AFC South dead last out of all eight divisions. For the Colts, this is what Edholm had to say.

"The Colts have been stuck in neutral for a few years now, and the Daniel Jones-Anthony Richardson QB battle might not have fans booking early Super Bowl arrangements this summer. Right now, we don't know for sure when Richardson will return from injury, making Jones the unofficial leader in the competition."

Edholm finished his break down with "The Colts have some offensive building blocks, but the underwhelming QB situation and various roster holes (OL, linebacker and kicker, especially) have muted Indianapolis' excitement level."

If the Colts want to win the AFC South, they must get production from the areas Edholm mentioned as 'roster holes.' Starting with the kicker, Spencer Shrader.

Shrader hardly played last year as a rookie but did enough with Indianapolis that they saw him as a future starter. The cutting of Matt Gay was shocking, but now Shrader is the front-runner to kick for the Colts in 2025. We'll see if this move haunts the Colts, or makes them look like geniuses after letting go of a former Pro Bowler.

Next is the offensive line. Edholm mentions the protection because of center Ryan Kelly and right guard Will Fries departing for the Minnesota Vikings in free agency. Now, it's up to Tanor Bortolini and Matt Goncalves to take the reins. Luckily, they both started last year as rookies.

Next is the linebacker position, featuring Pro Bowler Zaire Franklin as the head of the room. However, when E.J. Speed departed for the Texans in free agency, it thrust Jaylon Carlies into the starting role. The Colts don't have prominent depth behind these two, and Carlies is unproven as a starter. The former safety will have to rise to the occasion to ensure coordinator Lou Anarumo has a nice transition leading the defense.

Last, but certainly not least, is the wild situation at quarterback between Anthony Richardson and Daniel Jones.

However QB unfolds for the Colts will ultimately decide if they take the weakest division in football. While Richardson was drafted in 2023 with the fourth-overall pick to be the man for Indy, he's looked anything but. Now, Jones is the starter ahead of training camp.

Jones hasn't had good luck throughout his career, but the New York Giants were a joke of an offense around him, minus Saquon Barkley. Yes, the G-Men made the playoffs and earned a victory in 2022, but Jones' best receivers were Richie James and Darius Slayton.

Now, Jones has talents like Michael Pittman Jr., Josh Downs, Alec Pierce, and tight end Tyler Warren to throw to. Richardson looks to be falling to the wayside, while Jones is motivated to start again for a franchise that actually has offensive talent.

The Colts have the skills to take the AFC South championship away from the Texans, ending the decade-long curse. They've had uncertainty and instability, yet have finished second in the division over the last two years.

This is the year when the door for Indy to win a divisional title is as open as ever. Keep an eye on the QB situation through training camp, as the coaching staff must choose the right guy under center.

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