3 moves Colts GM Chris Ballard should make to strengthen the roster before the preseason
Entering Year 10 after another losing season in 2025, Colts GM Chris Ballard enters the 2026 season under significant pressure. With preseason approaching, Ballard still has an opportunity to address remaining questions before the roster begins to take shape. Ballard owns a current record of 70-78-1 while not winning a division title in his tenure; Ballard goes into the final year of his contract with pressure to produce results. Having re-signed Daniel Jones and Alec Pierce, while also drafting CJ Allen in the second round, and A.J. Haulcy in the third round, the Colts could have a solid foundation on offense and defense to compete. However, Ballard’s offseason may not be complete. Here are three things Ballard can do that could impact the season and improve the roster.
Sign Defensive End Joey Bosa to a One-Year Deal
The Colts have invested heavily in young edge rushers, but the room still lacks an experienced veteran capable of easing the burden on Laiatu Latu and J.T. Tuimoloau. Joey Bosa could fill that role on a short-term deal. He charted 17 tackles, five sacks, and nine TFLs for the Bills, while also adding five forced fumbles, leading the league. While these aren’t stellar numbers, the signing would provide more than just production; the experience. Bosa was drafted by the Chargers in 2016 and then signed with the Bills in 2025, logging 77 sacks in his entire career. The production has fallen off, so why does this make sense?
Experience- Latu and Toumoloau are listed as the team’s two DEs during training camp. Latu is in his third season and Toumoloau is in his second, so the duo still has a long way to go. For the two players, the Colts are counting on both young edge rushers to take major steps forward in 2026. Adding Joey Bosa takes away the pressure for the young guys, while also not having to force depth pieces such as Arden Key or Michael Clemons to take on a starting role. Bosa has spent nearly a decade refining his pass-rush plan against NFL tackles. That experience could be valuable for two young edge rushers still developing counter moves and consistency.
Depth- Ballard has invested significant draft capital in edge rushers, including Ben Banogu, Kwity Paye, Dayo Odeyingbo and Laiatu Latu, but the Colts are still searching for a homegrown double-digit sack producer. Laiatu Latu is the closest thing, and the jury is still out on him. Adding Bosa would bolster the defense, adding a solid rotational piece to an already thin DE group. The Colts wouldn’t be signing the Pro Bowl version of Joey Bosa. They’d be signing an experienced veteran who can still contribute in a rotational role. They can still get a quality depth piece to play alongside J.T Toumoloau and Laiatu Latu.
Quality backup- Even if Bosa is brought into backup with the other guys, he still adds a great piece of depth. Bosa also proved he can still be an effective rotational defender. Despite playing roughly half of Buffalo’s defensive snaps, he earned PFF’s 17th-highest overall grade among edge defenders and led the NFL with five forced fumbles. Last season has shown that Bosa can still excel at a role like this. Chris Ballard has mentioned in press conferences that you can’t have enough pass-rush, and the addition of Bosa could help with that.
Will Chris Ballard do this? History suggests that this is unlikely. Ballard has consistently trusted his own draft picks rather than signing veteran edge rushers late in the offseason. Ballard likes to stick with home-grown talent and hasn’t brought in much outside help from free agency for the D-Line. While Jadeveon Clowney would have been more of an ideal signing production-wise, adding Joey Bosa could make an impact on and off the field for the Colts’ young pass-rush. It should happen right now, simply because another team could poach him.
Sign Wide Receiver Keenan Allen
The Colts sit with a starting receiver room of Alec Pierce, Josh Downs, and Nick-Westbrook Ahkine, with backups Ashton Dulin, rookie Shamir Higgins, and rookie 7th-round Deion Burks. The Colts lost Michael Pittman Jr to the Steelers this past offseason, who was their X for most of his career. The Colts are heavily invested into Pierce and Downs, adding a veteran receiver would improve the Colts’ depth and provide another proven option for Daniel Jones. While Alec Pierce is coming off a career year, putting up 47 catches, his first 1,000+ yard season, and six touchdowns, he is currently injured and hasn’t played in training camp so far. While Ahkine has impressed at training camp, if one player goes down with an injury, that would leave a very thin WR room. Signing a veteran wide receiver could solve this. While players like Stefon Diggs and Tyreek Hill are available, 12-year vet Keenan Allen is the best option.
Similar to Pittman Jr- Keenan Allen and Michael Pittman Jr. share several traits as physical possession receivers who can win in contested-catch situations while providing veteran leadership. Allen can replace many of the functions Pittman served in the offense, even if he wins his matchups differently. While the Colts would not get an All-Pro level player, the Colts could receive similar production as they did from Pittman, but a lot cheaper. Pittman produced 80 catches for 784 yards and seven touchdowns despite dealing with some drops. Allen finished with 81 receptions for 777 yards and four touchdowns. The age of Allen vs Pittman is a factor, but so is the contract. Trading Pittman opened almost $30 million in savings and would have carried a $29 million cap hit for Indianapolis. Bringing in Allen on a cheap one-year deal worth an estimated $3–6 million, which would save an enormous amount of money compared to Pittman, while minimizing long-term financial risk and avoiding significant dead money. This money could be used to sign a pass rusher, such as Joey Bosa. This money could be used to sign a pass rusher, such as Joey Bosa.
A defined role- The Colts could utilize Allen in a role similar to the one he played with the Chargers, giving Daniel Jones another experienced target. He proved he could remain productive while sharing snaps with younger receivers such as Ladd McConkey and Quentin Johnston. Allen showed he can still thrive as a WR2 or WR3 while providing veteran leadership to a young receiver room—exactly the type of role Indianapolis could use. According to Pro Football Reference, Allen played 55.1% of the Chargers’ offensive snaps last season, proving he can still be productive without handling a full-time workload. While Allen’s age is a concern, providing the Colts’ room with another solid receiver who can still produce with veteran experience would strengthen the offense. Allen’s presence could force defenses to account for another reliable intermediate target, potentially creating more favorable opportunities for Pierce down the field, while Allen can play between the numbers 10-20 yards downfield, forcing the safeties to honor the intermediate. That could create more isolated opportunities for Pierce on vertical routes, an area where he has consistently been at his best. With Josh Downs working from the slot, Allen attacking the intermediate middle of the field and Pierce stretching defenses vertically, the Colts could create a much more balanced passing attack. Pair that with Jonathan Taylor’s ability to punish light boxes, and defenses would have difficult decisions to make before the snap. Among the available veteran receivers, Allen offers the best combination of route running, recent production and likely affordability.
Will Ballard do this? Similar to the Joey Bosa situation, history suggests that is unlikely. Ballard has generally preferred relying on his draft picks while targeting affordable veterans to fill specific roles rather than making splash additions late in free agency. Ballard has also passed on recent opportunities to add veteran talent, including free agents such as Jadeveon Clowney and Deebo Samuel. Adding an affordable, versatile receiver for Daniel Jones would make sense from both a roster and financial standpoint, but history indicates that this probably will not happen.
Sign Slot Cornerback Mike Hilton
Second-year slot corner Justin Walley has turned heads during training camp so far. The Colts are counting on Justin Walley to replace Kenny Moore in the slot entering his second season. Justin Walley missed all his rookie season due to injury while impressing the Colts during last training camp. Behind Justin Walley, the Colts have undrafted rookie Austin Brown. Mike Hilton played for the Colts under Lou Anarumo last season, making him one of the few available veterans already familiar with the defensive scheme. While names like Nate Hobbs and Dee Alford are on the market, bringing back Mike Hilton would reunite the Colts with a veteran who already understands Lou Anarumo’s defensive system, reducing the adjustment period while providing experienced depth behind Justin Walley. In today’s NFL, nickel defenders are on the field for most defensive snaps, making experienced depth at the position just as important as depth at outside corner.
Scheme Familiarity- Going back to Hilton’s rookie season in 2016, he has had Lou Anarumo as his defensive coordinator for five seasons. Throughout his career, Anarumo has generally leaned on experienced veterans until younger players proved they were ready for larger roles, because his defense primarily runs disguises and a blend of 4-3 and 3-4, which can be a difficult system to learn for first or second year players. Anarumo’s defense relies heavily on disguise, communication, and players who can line up in multiple looks before the snap. Hilton has already spent five seasons playing in Anarumo’s system, meaning he’d require far less of an adjustment than another veteran signed late in the offseason. If Walley were to miss time on IR, plugging in Hilton over other vet cornerbacks makes sense, because Hilton has tremendous experience in Lou’s system. In 2021, Hilton played at a pro-bowl level in his system, being selected as an alternate for the pro-bowl, but ended up playing in the Super Bowl instead. Walley may be the future at nickel corner, but Hilton would provide experienced insurance without forcing the Colts to change the way Anarumo wants to play defensively.
Competition and experience- While Justin Walley has impressed throughout training camp, Ballard has consistently emphasized competition as a key part of building his roster. Having a slot corner room of Walley, Hilton, and Austin Brown brings a high level of competition. Ballard has emphasized the importance of competition in every position room, believing it pushes players to improve. Adding Hilton would create that type of competition for both Walley and Austin Brown. Beyond competition, Hilton’s experience would provide another veteran voice in a young secondary. His familiarity with Lou Anarumo’s defense could help Walley and Austin Brown adjust more quickly while maintaining communication throughout the defensive backfield. Whether Walley wins the job outright or continues developing throughout the season, adding Hilton would give the Colts the type of experienced competition every successful secondary needs.
Will Ballard do this? History shows this is also an unlikely move. As much as he preaches about competition and adding to the defense, he tends to trust his own players rather than look outside the organization. Although Ballard brought Hilton in after Kenny Moore’s injury last season, it’s difficult to see him making the move again with the organization committed to Justin Walley. The Colts will likely roll with Justin Walley as the starter and keep Austin Brown for depth behind him.
Honorable Mention: Add Competition Behind Jonathan Taylor
While running back is not the Colts’ biggest need, adding an experienced veteran behind Jonathan Taylor would provide valuable insurance entering the season. Taylor remains one of the NFL’s premier running backs, but injuries are an unfortunate reality at the position, and Indianapolis lacks proven veteran depth behind him. If the right player becomes available on an affordable one-year deal, Ballard should at least explore the opportunity.
The Colts have already made significant improvements this offseason, but the roster may still have room for another move before Week 1. Whether through free agency or by monitoring the market as preseason unfolds, Ballard has opportunities to strengthen the team without sacrificing long-term flexibility. Time will tell whether he decides to make one final addition before the regular season begins.
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