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Indianapolis Colts linebacker Joe Bachie (48) walks onto the field Monday, Aug. 11, 2025, during Indianapolis Colts Training Camp at Grand Park in Westfield. Grace Hollars/IndyStar / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Colts' New Starting Defender Has Huge Opportunity

Originally posted on Indianapolis Colts on SI
By Zach Hicks | Last updated Sep 4, 2025 12:00 PM ET

The Indianapolis Colts' linebacker room appears to be the patented "Ballard blind spot" on the roster this season. The team plugged so many holes on defense with reliable, steady veterans, while linebacker appears to have fallen by the wayside. The Colts' hopes of competent linebacker play could come down to a career special teams' player continuing his dominant offseason into the regular season.

Joe Bachie was once a star linebacker at Michigan State, earning All-Big Ten honors three times in his four seasons with the team. His college career ended a bit on a sour note, though, as he tested positive for performance enhancing drugs after only eight games played in his final season. That suspension, alongside his smaller frame and shorter arms, led to the college star going undrafted in the 2020 NFL Draft.

Bachie didn't relent despite the stepback, and he found a home with the Cincinnati Bengals in 2021 (after bouncing around a few teams as a rookie). He took on a special teams and depth linebacker role under Lou Anarumo, and he even saw the field on defense for 222 snaps in his four years with the team. When he hit free agency this offseason, he decided to take a chance on his former defensive coach and come to Indy on a small, one-year deal.

Bachie wasn't guaranteed anything coming into camp, including a roster spot, as several in-house options appeared to be ahead of him on the depth chart. Offseason injuries to presumed starters Jaylon Carlies and Zaire Franklin opened the door for Bachie, and he burst through that opening with reckless abandon. He made play after play in minicamp, and that high level of performance carried over to the preseason.

The now 27-year-old Bachie not only won a roster spot this offseason, but he is in line to start at weak-side linebacker alongside Franklin heading into Week 1. He consistently performed at a high level all offseason long, and the Colts are rewarding the veteran with a shot that he didn't receive before. Anarumo had this to say about the long-time veteran back in early August:

"I just think Joe (Bachie) knows it so well and he can help, as you mentioned, everybody – settles everybody down. If there's a particular check, he already knows it. He's been there, he's done that in games. So, I just think he helps that whole room for sure. Then when he's out there, I think things are settled down a little bit, as the other guys continue to learn it."

In honor of Bachie not only making the team but earning a starting role heading into the season, I made a film video on his standout moments during the preseason. It's easy to see how smart he is on the field, and he makes all the sense in the world as a steady presence next to Franklin this season. The veteran linebacker has a real chance to surprise in his first action as a starter this year.