The NFL regular season is on the horizon. The Dallas Cowboys and Philadelphia Eagles will kick off the campaign on Thursday night, all the offseason predictions and hot takes will be put on the back burner, awaiting answers that won’t come for 17 weeks.
The Indianapolis Colts, who begin their season Sunday afternoon against the Dolphins, are entering its most pivotal season of the last decade as pressure mounts to return to the playoffs for the first time since 2020.
Indy has been no stranger to drama and controversy throughout this offseason, highlighted by the polarizing decision to name Daniel Jones the starting quarterback over two-year incumbent Anthony Richardson Sr.
To say more unexpected outcomes won’t come to Indianapolis in 2025 would be an unrealistic statement. Here’s four bold but potentially realistic storyline predictions for the Colts this season.
Michael Pittman Jr. gets traded at the deadline
This is definitely not a take that’s going to go down well with Colts fans. But Indy’s receiver room is crowded. Josh Downs is progressing towards potential No. 1 status, Alec Pierce needs another big year as he has free agency breathing down his neck at the end of the season and the chances AD Mitchell faces the same struggles he did as a rookie are slim to none.
Throw in Anthony Gould and Ashton Dulin as occasional targets who carry reliability, and of course rookie tight end Tyler Warren, there’s a number of mouths to feed.
Pittman is coming off his worst season since his rookie year (where he missed three games due to injury). He also battled a back injury in 2024 which nearly landed him on injured reserve. So, there’s no guarantee Pittman can return to being a 1,000-yard receiver.
The Colts also owe Pittman $23 million in 2025 and another $28 million in 2026. Given his production could dip, general manager Chris Ballard could deem the price to be too steep.
Of course, the Colts would need a partner to make a trade work. But if the Colts aren’t competing for the postseason by the Nov. 4 deadline, they could have some suitors if a team in contention is in need of a reliable pass catcher.
Only time will tell how Pittman performs in 2025, and what level of contribution he adds to the offense, but a trade out of Indy wouldn’t be completely far fetched if things go sideways for the Colts.
Colts are out of playoff contention by their Week 11 bye
The Colts have a tremendously talented roster. A deep and talented defensive line room, a diverse group of weapons in the passing game, an elite running back, a revamped secondary and more.
Put together, the Colts have the makings to be in playoff contention. But one group could hold them back— the most important position on the field.
Daniel Jones was named the team’s starting quarterback over Anthony Richardson Sr. ahead of the team’s preseason finale. While Jones was picked for his higher floor and overall more consistent approach, he, like Richardson at times, has struggled to stay healthy.
Jones is entering his seventh season in the league, and still hasn’t completed a full regular season without picking up some sort of knock. That being said, the Colts counting on him to play a complete 17-game schedule would be…interesting.
Richardson isn’t guaranteed to be a successful replacement in the event Jones goes down, either. That’s the whole reason he’s now on the bench. Given that the Colts could experience total calamity under center, that lack of stability could cause the team to falter.
If the Colts do struggle to get production from the quarterback position, they’re just one or two key injuries away from falling out of playoff contention before the race even begins to heat up.
Laiatu Latu ranks in the top five in sacks
The Colts defense is going to look drastically different under Lou Anarumo. Especially considering the complete turnover which has gone on in the secondary. But I do see one constant remaining: a go-to edge rusher emerging in Laiatu Latu.
Anarumo has worked with Trey Hendrickson for the past two seasons. Both years, Hendrickson has finished in the top two in sacks. While Latu has plenty of work to do before he can reach the level of Hendrickson, his rookie season provided some promise.
Latu only recorded 4.0 sacks in 2024, but there were plenty of times where he generated pressure only to not finish off the sack. He’s spoken this offseason about improving in that department. Given his polish coming out of UCLA and now being more acclimated to the NFL game, if Anarumo can unlock his full potential, Latu can skyrocket to the top of the sack leaders list.
Don’t be surprised if Latu has a double-digit sack season or finishes top five in the league.