Reasons to be excited for the Colts’ next season

We are now entering the most boring part of the year. No NFL content at all, no NBA basketball to at least help numb the boringness a bit, there is just nothing but waiting (unless you are into baseball of course). With that being said, this time of the offseason at least provides the opportunity to cast judgement on the things the Colts did this offseason, and what I like, and don’t like in an upcoming article. Then, once the season is over, we can come back here and check whether or not what I said was correct or not. Just a disclaimer, there is a big chance that I miss on several of the points made in this articel. That is the reason why I am writing and not sitting in Chris Ballard’s chair.

Reason #1: Anthony Richardson

Athletic rookie quarterback who is the most gifted physical specimen to ever play the quarterback position. Of course, AR5 also comes with his fair share of question marks regarding accuracy, playing experience, and lack of college production, but whatever happens it will be the most exciting player the Colts ever had at quarterback. Even for this season, I am not expecting Richardson to be a Pro Bowl caliber quarterback in his first season, and I personally will just be monitoring his development and potential to make game altering plays.

Reason #2: The development of the wide receiver room

Wide receiver has been a position of need for the Colts for quite some time now, as they hit only on MPJ so far, who has become the team’s #1 receiver. Alec Pierce showed plenty of promise his rookie season, and Anthony Richardson’s rocket arm fits his skillset much better than Matt Ryan or Sam Ehlinger. Then there is also rookie Josh Downs, who along with free-agent signing Isaiah McKenzie, should help fill the void left by Parris Campbell. It will also be interesting to follow the chemistry between Richardson and what could be his wide receiver group for at least the first five years of his career.

Reason #3: Development of Kwity Paye / Dayo Odeyingbo

Both edge rushers were considered raw when drafted, and Odeyingbo did not play much his rookie season because of a torn achilles. Now with both players entering their third NFL season, there is no time left for excuses, especially with Paye, who struggled a bit with inconsistency last season. In today’s day NFL you need to be able to pressure opposing quarterbacks, so I will be following Paye and Odeyingbo closely next year.

Reason #4: Jonathan Taylor back to full health

After a breakout 2021 season, where he finished second in OPOY voting, JT struggled with an injured ankle and poor offensive performance overall, posting under 900 rushing yards and just 4 touchdowns. Now back at full health, and with a new coaching staff, I am really excited for Taylor’s upcoming season.

Reason #5: Jelani Woods

Tight ends have a very steep learning curve in the NFL, perhaps the steepest one other than quarterback. Jelani Woods showed inmense potential when he played, and has the potential to become a premier tight end in the league, standing at a behemoth 6’7’’ and weighing over 250 pounds, Woods has the frame to bully defenders, and he showed an impressive understanding of which part of the defense to attack in order to get open. He should only keep improving, especially with a head coach like Steichen at the helm, who did some solid work with his tight ends in Philly.

Overall, I am not expecting this Colts’ team to contend at all next season, and I believe another season picking inside the top 10 is very well within the possible outcomes, but there are plenty of young players to root for and monitor in order to determine whether they can be key parts of this franchise’s future.